Best SPD bikepacking shoes

[rich.mike]

What are people's thoughts on the best SPD shoes for bikepacking? My old cheap pair are feeling their age. Looking for something that's perfect for pushing through tussocks and cow excrement (looking at you BB200 2017!).

[ianfitz]

Specialized Rimes have worked for me on many outings up to HR550 distance

[tommid]

I picked up a pair of Giro Terraduros this year. Simply the best shoe I have worn in my 25 years of riding in SPDs. Great off of the bike as well.

[whitestone]

I've Shimano MT34s. They were fine on this year's BB200. Longest I've used them for was on the YD300.

Shoes are very personal though, what's fine for one person might not work for another, I'd get down to your LBS and try a few on.

[slarge]

Another vote for Rimes, however I do find the cleat creates a cold spot on my foot, something I don't really get with other Spesh shoes.

[Alpinum]

Mavic crissride elite.

Good balance of walkable sole with enough stiffness, dry quickly, not much that can go wrong with laces and comfy for multiple long days out.
I go through the sole after about 4000 km riding including an unhealthy amount (ca. 10 %) of hike a bike.

[Ian]

I picked up a pair of Giro Terraduros this year. Simply the best shoe I have worn in my 25 years of riding in SPDs. Great off of the bike as well.

A number of HT550 riders had problems with this shoe - basically fell to pieces mid ride. Depends on your severity of bikepacking I think!

Another vote for Rimes here. Also, Northwave Gran Canion [sic] faired well for me over the past year, including the HT550.

[ScotRoutes]

Gran Canions work well for me too.

They're not so bad now but used to smell of cats piss when wet.

[Pete-G]

I picked up a pair of Giro Terraduros this year. Simply the best shoe I have worn in my 25 years of riding in SPDs. Great off of the bike as well.

A number of HT550 riders had problems with this shoe - basically fell to pieces mid ride. Depends on your severity of bikepacking I think!

Another vote for Rimes here. Also, Northwave Gran Canion [sic] faired well for me over the past year, including the HT550.

Didn't Giro admit to problems with the early batches? I know of a couple of folks who've had them replaced under warranty and been super happy since.

[ScotRoutes]

Didn't Giro admit to problems with the early batches? I know of a couple of folks who've had them replaced under warranty and been super happy since.

That was certainly the case but I've heard of ongoing problems with them. Shame, as they looked ideal.

[Karl]

Giro Rumble VR have worked well for me. Good on the bike, even better off the bike.

[jameso]

Anything comfy that doesn't use ratchets imo.

A number of HT550 riders had problems with this shoe - basically fell to pieces mid ride.

Interesting, I've had 2 pairs of Giro Carbide shoes and both had problems after maybe 1/4 of the use I've had from Shimanos in the past and that didn't include much HAB, just pedalling. They had a year or so of fairly high use but failed in places that were just down to poor materials and weak joins. A shame as they were the comfiest of a number I tried out, the second pair were bought in the hope that the first were just a one-off but they went in the same places. I've gone back to Shimanos.

[Teetosugars]

I juts used my Shimano MT91 boots.
Looking at this in interest as want some thing new for next year..

[whitestone]

Looks like the Rimes have been discontinued - https://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/men/shoes/mountain

[ianfitz]

Looks like the Rimes have been discontinued - https://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/men/shoes/mountain

Thanks for the heads up. Just bought a reserve pair.

[benp1]

Why no ratchets? Too much of a liability?

My SPDs get used for road riding, flats on the MTB so not much of a test for them

[AlasdairMc]

What is the view on the Rimes that are Velcro only? I found that the lower Velcro on my Boa pair got gunged up with bits of bog and stopped working properly, so it was really just the Boa holding things together. I will buy a pair of the Boa ones if I can as I've been impressed with those shoes.

I did the HTR in 2014 in Pearl Izumi X-Alp Seeks. They are simply amazing for all of the walking as they're light and laced, but they are let down by being far too flexible. I wear them for pub rides now as they can be worn off the bike without looking like disco slippers.

Has anyone had much success with the Pearl Izumi X-Projects? I heard good things when they came out but nothing since.

[ianfitz]

What is the view on the Rimes that are Velcro only? I found that the lower Velcro on my Boa pair got gunged up with bits of bog and stopped working properly, so it was really just the Boa holding things together. I will buy a pair of the Boa ones if I can as I've been impressed with those shoes.

I did the HTR in 2014 in Pearl Izumi X-Alp Seeks. They are simply amazing for all of the walking as they're light and laced, but they are let down by being far too flexible. I wear them for pub rides now as they can be worn off the bike without looking like disco slippers.

Has anyone had much success with the Pearl Izumi X-Projects? I heard good things when they came out but nothing since.

I had a pair of x3.0 seemed good bu go a half size up

[Sussex Paul]

I always used to wear Specialized Tahoe shoes, but they changed the design to something that looked a bit too much like a pair of Nike trainers for my liking. I'm now wearing Rimes which are great, but might switch back to Tahoes as they look to have gone back to the trail shoe type design -

https://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/118320

[ianpv]

I'm using mavic crossrides - two continental sizes up from my normal shoe size - and am liking them. Not too stiff for hike a bike or too flexible for pedalling, laces not velcro/ratchets, reasonably good sole, light, drain water quickly too. And I got them for £20 from Bike in Bristol!

[ZeroDarkBivi]

What's the successor shoe to Spesh Rimes? I think boas are OK for the road but would not trust them in the mud - Neil Beltchenko had problems with them jamming on the CTR. I have used cheap Mavics with a ratchet without problems, although they where knackered after a couple of years. I tried on a few pairs of the flashier enduro style models, but they where not as comfortable.

[jameso]

Why no ratchets? Too much of a liability?

Yes, but not hugely so. They can get snagged on rocks during HAB and can fail from time to time. I never saw the point in the 'upgrade' but avoiding closure mechanisms like that can reduce choice.

[BigdummySteve]

I have the shimano MT91 boots, great in the wet for carrying extra water, it usefully runs down to the low heel and is retained the the gortex membrane, I like the SPD sandals but the toes are vulnerable to thorns and worse duck sh1t between the toes.
Although you look like a numpty they work great on extended trips with sealskin socks as they dry out very quick in the tent.

[Dovebiker]

I have a pair of Rimes and some Mavic Cree/Crossmax SL. I was a bit sceptical of the Rimes as they felt a bit flimsy initially, by they're pretty good for summer wear, but not really done much H-A-B in them and don't think the uppers would withstand much abrasion as it's quite thin. Mavic is the best MTB sole for walking / grip IME - now onto the third winter on mine and have done a fair bit of pushing and scrambling in them in all conditions.

[mat_swan]

Rimes here too. Just a good general purpose bike shoe for me, although i will echo the comment about the velcro giving up.