Monday Musing (#46) – The Want For Wider Toe Box Mountain Bike Footwear
[Caveat Central]
Just this week, I unequivocally recommended my beloved Shimano GF6 shoes to a couple of cyclists who I know sometimes read MEATengines. So, here I am getting on top of that.
In addition to Shimano’s appreciated efforts at min-maxing the greatest of rubber grip with some amount of longevity against those sharp steel pedal pins, I love these shoes for the sole stiffness relative to other flat pedal shoes I’ve used. Stickiness, supportiveness, survivability. They’re impressive kicks.
In fact, for proper firbolg-feet, I don’t know that you’ll find a better combination of shoe stiffness, grip, and pedal body support than pulling on a pair of GF6 {GF600} shoes and standing on some Outlier Void platforms. It is certainly the recommendation that is at the top of my mind.
That is, to say, if your feet aren’t what regular footwear companies refer to as ‘wide’. I have widish feet, and the GF6 is just within my happy zone, but if Shimano made a ‘wide’ version, I’d buy it if only to up my sock choices. Yes, for folks with more flippery footsies than yours truly, the Five Ten Freerider {not Freerider Pro} is probably still your best option.
Before I move on, here are a few links that fill out my above caveating.
[/Caveat Central]
Some years ago now, the co-founder of KEEN footwear, Rory Fuerst, purchased, however indirectly, the classic messenger bag manufacturer Chrome Industries, in what could have been a bold move into mountain bicycling footwear.
KEEN has long been known for its quality and value in the footwear world, and Chrome Industries had dabbled, and continues to dabble, in cycling footwear, including some intriguing weatherproof options. I’m actually quite intrigued by their recent Storm 415 ‘traction’ boots*, which have, importantly, made the move to a Panaracer outsole for increased pedal grip.
Sadly, while KEEN is a player in the hiking boot market, they’ve never made an effort, through either brand name, to move into Mountain Bike flat-pedal footwear. Truly, it’s a shame. Cycling shoe makers that understand wide feet {Hi, Lake Cycling} don’t make competitive {or, now, any?} flat pedal mountain bike shoes, and flat pedal shoe makers don’t seem to understand wide feet? Or even the idea that some of us would like a little room to wiggle our toes.
*{These are unfortunately not carried by the Canadian Chrome distributor, and Chrome Industries.com uses one of those frustrating auto-redirect website URLs, so no link for them.}
Yeah, so. I bought a pair of these KEEN Kenton CSA shoes and have been wearing them for months whenever I’m working at wrenching on bikes. They weigh a fair bit, but they’re comfortable for standing, have a CSA protective toe cap, and, most importantly, they interface very well with flat pedals for test rides.
Ditch the toe cap, keep most of the stiffness, and swap the rubber compound for something truly sticky, and I can easily imagine these as my go-to flat-pedal riding shoes. KEEN doesn’t specifically list them as being ‘wide’ or ‘foot shaped’ {as opposed to shoe shaped}, but the toe box volume is more generous than any cycling-specific flat shoes I’ve used.
I love the mid-height version, though they also have a lower cut shoe under the Kenton name.
[Aside]
As the resident Esker wool-insert afficionado, I’ve been planning for ages to write a comparison of how/when I use Esker HiLoft vs. LoLoft and ArchSupport vs. LowProfile.
For riding, if any doubt, I always recommend Lo/Arch, but for hiking and trail building, I prefer the Lo/Low. For standing about, I prefer the LowProfile and, depending on shoe volume, the HiLoft all year round, even when it’s hot.
[/Aside]
Every time I pedal a bike in the KEEN Kenton shoes, I’m reminded that it’s weird that no bicycle footwear companies are chasing a more voluminous toe box. Especially with the number of folks I know who only fit FiveTen’s Freerider {not Pro} and would love to try something else.
But at this point, I think the best chance for a ‘wide’ toe box flat pedal shoe is going to be branded as Chrome or KEEN or at least come from a company outside of the current mountain bike market.
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