Shoes

Shoes have always been a problem for me, well, a problem and not a problem. I lived with my Classic Vans for the entire cross country trip and can't say enough about how pleased I was with them. Sure, I got some wet feet at times, which meant I would wear my flops for the night and let them dry outside the tent, and being such a dry summer, this was rarely a problem. But after putting in over 5,000 miles on those babies they have no reached retirement, with Mt Diablo as their final ride.

Vans, how ye will be missed, and yes, I bought that color to match my frame, get over it.

Why not clipless? A lot of cycle tourists where clipless and I don't think it makes much sense, because when you're cycle touring you want to spend some time off the bike, so why buy shoes that are designed for only one thing? Versatility is key in ultralight packing. This was why I went with Vans. They are comfortable, have good grip on the platforms (skate shoes became BMX shoes essentially) and are light (again maybe not as light as a Shimano SPD pedal, but who needs it!). A small preference most people don't agree with is having a thin mid sole, which I like so I can feel the pedals, but strong mid sole is usually what cycle shoes have. The only problem now is I'm planning a winter tour and cold wet feet will just not do.

What I'm looking for is a waterproof, lightweight, grippy shoe. I was doing some research on free ride shoes and got interested in the Teva Links, but the reviews said that they weren't exactly waterproof, so that's a no go. Then I got into the Five Tens, but unfortunately their Gore Tex shoes are no longer in production. I did get a chance to sample the Five Ten Spitfire, thanks to my roommate. I must say, if I were going for grip alone, I would stop searching with these shoes. Zipping around the city is a blast as I get more power transfer than my Vans. They are a tad heavier, but with the extra grip it's negligible. They look pretty sleek too, I'm not too sure about that bright green color, but the skate style always looks good. Now if only these were waterproof I'd be ready to roll through the slush.

Five Ten Spitfires, so green.

Feeling a little lost I went down to my local REI and asked around a bit. Their recommendation was the Merrell Moab Waterproof shoe. Not a cheap option (or pretty option either), but it should get me through next summer hopefully (I wanted a good shoe for hike and bike too on the AZT). I bit the bullet and purchased them and took them out for the first time today. Of course there is no rain today, which is the most important reason I got them, but other than that, they fit alright. Their weight was a little more than the Five Tens, but unfortunately had less friction on the pedal, which made for a tad more wear on my legs going up the hill. Part of the problem too was that the larger sole meant I had to go up on my seat, changing my riding geometry; less than ideal. The worst problem about these shoes was trying to get them in the pedal straps. The Vibram soles have grip on the toe for hiking and climbing, which stick to the front of the pedal making it difficult to slide into the strap. This could also have to do with my janky straps right now which are plastic single straps with the All City double straps I didn't want to toss, so I will pick up the Crayton MTB straps tomorrow hopefully. A possibility is to cut those off I suppose, but maybe I'm better off just looking for a better shoe. I may end up with seal skin socks and cycling booties with those Five Tens, but who knows.

Merrell Moab Waterproof.

In action.

When all is said and done I miss my Vans. I was looking at some Vans BMX shoes (including a clipless pair!), but the best they had were water resistant, not water proof. It seems no Mountain Bike shoe is looking to get into the world of waterproof shoes yet (what do Mountain Bikers only ride when the sun is up?), which is a shame, because they would be perfect for the kind of stuff I'm into.

If anyone has any shoe recommendations send them!