These days, we have so many choices when it comes to bike brands, bike models, components and biking attire. One of the most important parts of your MTB wardrobe are your shoes since they are what keep your feet planted on the pedals and you on your bike. The only thing less important than keeping your feet on the pedals is keeping your hands on the bars. I’m sure most of us have found what happens when your feet or your hands leave bike! |
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Many people ride clipless pedals meaning they are clipped into the pedals so their feet don't come off unless they want them to. But many people still prefer flat pedals since they are easier to take your foot off and on when things get rough. They are mainly used by downhill and freeride riders but there are still plenty of weekend warriors who prefer them over being "clipped in".
For those you use flat pedals, you are probably familiar with the Five Ten brand which is now owned by Adidas. They are one of the go to brands for all types of flat pedal shoes as well as clipless models. Their famous grippy Stealth Mi6 rubber outsoles are about as good as you can get for flat pedal grip
There is a newer brand that is gaining in popularity called Ride Concepts and they have their own rubber compound called MAX GRIP which they claim gives you superb grip while offering great protection and durability at the same time. They have applied this to their popular Hellion flat pedal shoe line.
The Hellion shoe is also made with a recycled microfiber upper and has an anti-bacterial mesh lining. Its also their lightest shoe but still offers anti-abrasion toe and heel protection. Its also weather resistant and offers odor control thanks to the mesh lining.
We tried out this shoe for several months on a couple of different bikes with two different versions of the DMR Vault pedal and they performed fairly well. They are pretty light and very comfortable for a mountain bike shoe since many flat pedal shoes tend to feel bulky. They also take rock strikes well and we did not encounter and foot injuries or broken toes!
When off the bike, you don't even notice that you are wearing mountain bike shoes and can wear them on days when you are not even on your bike. They did not get overly hot either even when riding in 80+ degree weather. Plus they are a pretty good looking shoe, and you can wear them for other purposes as well.
What we were not super thrilled with was the grip. After coming from a pair of Five Ten Freerider Pro shoes, the Hellion did not seem to compare even when the Five Tens were worn out and ready to be put out to pasture. When they were new, the outsole felt a little hard and not as "rubbery" as the Five Tens, but we assumed they would break in and become more grippy but so far that has not been the case. Sure they do a good job at keeping your feet on the pedals but at that price point we expected a little better. Depending on where you get them and if they are the current model or not, you can get them for $150 on the high end or about $75 for last year's model.
