# Freeride shoes?



## iowaboy (Apr 19, 2005)

Just curious what you guys are wearing on your feet when you do what it is that we do.
I bought some Etnies skate shoes but am thinking of taking them back. Super comfy and semi stiff, but I was looking for other ideas. Thanks.


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## hardcore newbie (Nov 6, 2004)

Vans Estillo


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## austinb89 (Nov 6, 2004)

661 05 duallys (amazing0


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## ScAvEnGeR (Mar 16, 2005)

i-path 1985's....i love 'em


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## forester (Feb 13, 2004)

5.10 has a new BMX/freeride shoe - similar to what they made and sold through Intense - it's sweet!


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## dUbMaN (Aug 16, 2004)

i got a pair of etnies, so far they kick arse for riding/jumping. they stick hell good to the pedals. 

i say stick with thems.


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## Ohio_Huck (May 13, 2004)

as crazy as it sounds, the best shoes i have ever ridden with are a pair of rebok pump B ball shoes i got for free they are hightops, and are super suportive, not to mention the have ungodly amounts of pedal grip. i had the richie schiley pro sho before that, and those were definatly nice, but the pumps are the best!


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## VooDoo13 (Jan 29, 2005)

*Adidas*

I get a little love from Adidas so needless to say I wear shelltoes but I wouldn't mind a little more ankle coverage. Lookin at a pair of Hematoma's for race season...rigid sole, 3/4 top and SPD compatible but pricey. I have good pedal "feel" with the flexible shelltoe sole (can feel where the pedal is under my foot) but I'm not sure if I'm gonna dig the rigid sole or not. Any thoughts?


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## iowaboy (Apr 19, 2005)

*thanks*

thanks for the input. It sounds to me like all that really matters is personal preference. The only thing that worries me about the Etnies is the thick-ass collar. (Worried about clearance and rubbing on crank.)


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## hardcore newbie (Nov 6, 2004)

iowaboy said:


> thanks for the input. It sounds to me like all that really matters is personal preference. The only thing that worries me about the Etnies is the thick-ass collar. (Worried about clearance and rubbing on crank.)


the inside of my vans are worn down really bad but it looks cool becasue there black.


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## austinb89 (Nov 6, 2004)

make sure u get thick soles
1. wear down fast
2. u dont want any screws coming through ur foot( happened to me)


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## special(ed)ized rider (Apr 8, 2005)

dont be tryin to be cool like me and gettin $30 work boots from wal-mart


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## puttsey (Oct 16, 2004)

My DC bmx shoes are unreal for grip, i feel like im clipless, and only 34$ at dans comp!!


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## dochall22 (Apr 8, 2005)

hey, why dont you go clipless? Just curious, I"m currently not clipless and just wearing a old pair of nike's, i dont have to much problem, just contemplating clipless, any thoughts from this thread?


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

Vans Maestro or Rowleys mated to Kona Jackshit pedals. Awesome combo. Skate shoes own. The soles on the Maestros seem a bit thin, and have me ever so slightly concerned, but the grip is unreal. I have yet to shin myself since this new shoe/pedal combo. It's bound to happen soon enough... After these Vans die, I think I'm going back to DC or Etnies.


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## VooDoo13 (Jan 29, 2005)

*Clipless*



dochall22 said:


> hey, why dont you go clipless? Just curious, I"m currently not clipless and just wearing a old pair of nike's, i dont have to much problem, just contemplating clipless, any thoughts from this thread?


A lot of racers run clipless but it's just preference I think. This debate has been waged in depth on MTBR but the bottom line is you just can't get your foot out of clips as fast as a platform if you need to throw a foot down. There are obvious bike control benefits to being clipped in and equal risk to going down at high speed attached to your bike. I personally take tech sections at high speed and move around on the bike too much to be clipped in (changing foot position) but I run clips on my trail bike. Preference.


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## COmtbiker12 (Jan 12, 2004)

I have these are my main riding shoes. They're a lot more low profile than the pic looks. Maybe 3inches tall at the most. They're a bit different colored than the pic with the main parts black as well as the trim around the black then everything else is white. BEST shoes i've ever ridden in. Nice flexible sole but still pretty stiff. Grabs like nothing else onto my Azonic pedals. They also fit my foot like a glove, unlike those big boat-like skate shoes which I have. Then again I usually have a few pairs to try for biking. I have these, another set of Vans but different, some Lakai Howards (suck for riding too flexy) then a few old Vans that I've turned into lawn mowing shoes.


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## dirtypuke (Dec 3, 2004)

dvs -jeron wilsons are my favs


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

Nike Flights....high top basketbal shoes...around 40 bucks


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## j6105 (Apr 10, 2004)

*hmm*

By far the best shoe for downhill/freeride is the Five.Ten impact. Made with the same type of rubber that is on Intense Slow rebound tires. Insanely good grip, i won't even ride in my every day etnies any more. Also made of very durable materials. Check out pinkbike, NSMB, and go-ride for good reviews.


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## bluntsmoker (Apr 24, 2005)

*somting*

i just wear some old skater shoes i have, very dirty but they r comfy and serve me well.


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## konabiker (Jan 19, 2004)

j6105 said:


> By far the best shoe for downhill/freeride is the Five.Ten impact. Made with the same type of rubber that is on Intense Slow rebound tires. Insanely good grip, i won't even ride in my every day etnies any more. Also made of very durable materials. Check out pinkbike, NSMB, and go-ride for good reviews.


Werd. For the first couple of rides I found them to be too grippy, but now I'm used to them and its unreal.


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## The Dude (Jan 19, 2004)

konabiker said:


> Werd. For the first couple of rides I found them to be too grippy, but now I'm used to them and its unreal.


etnies callicuts


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## NRTH SHORE (Jan 24, 2004)

*i wear*

i wear my old lugz riding jk. i were vans skate shoes i can get for like $30 at payless shoes.


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## Red Bull (Aug 27, 2004)

I have 3 pairs of Vans XL2's. Honeycomb pattern is sick for grip, and they have enough, but not too much flex so that you can feel the pedal concave.


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## bikeandski (Jan 15, 2005)

I have both the 5.10 impact's and Adidas Hematoma, it's the best of both worlds. I use the 5.10's for DJ and street and DH trails that scare me, the Hematoma's for XC/trail riding and DH.


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

VooDoo13 said:


> I get a little love from Adidas so needless to say I wear shelltoes but I wouldn't mind a little more ankle coverage. Lookin at a pair of Hematoma's for race season...rigid sole, 3/4 top and SPD compatible but pricey. I have good pedal "feel" with the flexible shelltoe sole (can feel where the pedal is under my foot) but I'm not sure if I'm gonna dig the rigid sole or not. Any thoughts?


I love my adidas with my Mallets.

On platforms they feel a bit skatey because of their stiffness even though the rubber tread grips OK.


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## bluntsmoker (Apr 24, 2005)

i use some old tony hawk shoes and the grip is good, plus i have good petals too!


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## sreiman (Jan 6, 2005)

*wat shoes are those*

????????



COmtbiker12 said:


> I have these are my main riding shoes. They're a lot more low profile than the pic looks. Maybe 3inches tall at the most. They're a bit different colored than the pic with the main parts black as well as the trim around the black then everything else is white. BEST shoes i've ever ridden in. Nice flexible sole but still pretty stiff. Grabs like nothing else onto my Azonic pedals. They also fit my foot like a glove, unlike those big boat-like skate shoes which I have. Then again I usually have a few pairs to try for biking. I have these, another set of Vans but different, some Lakai Howards (suck for riding too flexy) then a few old Vans that I've turned into lawn mowing shoes.


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## puttsey (Oct 16, 2004)

My dcs just got in MBUK!!!


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## COmtbiker12 (Jan 12, 2004)

sreiman said:


> ????????


 I don't remember the exact model. They're pretty much just Vans Rowleys and kinda old school but more like a sneaker type thing.... they're like 3 years old so I don't remember.


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## Coldsnap (Apr 24, 2005)

I've been reading through this thread since I've recently come back to mtn biking after a 3+ year absense and the new ride has platforms (I'm used to toe traps from many years ago). I can only offer the following advice....

Flat soles, good. Knobby soles, not good.

I went on my first ride in a pair of outdoor style Merrells with a pretty aggressive tread. The lugs on the shoe made the pin placement hit and miss as some fell in the gaps between sole treads. LAME. Slipped a pedal and mashed a seat rail with my chest.

Went out today to tool around town and practice doing staircases and manuals. But this time I went out wearing my retro New Balance 594s that I normally wear around town. The flat sole made a HUGE difference even with my (soon to be replaced) smooth non-replaceble-pin stock platforms (getting A-Frames tomorrow).

Moral of story, wear something comfy and the flatter the sole the less you have to worry about pin placement! I may look into some dedicated shoes now that I know what works and I really don't want to ride in my special edition kicks and tear up the soles.


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## JBsoxB (May 18, 2004)

I use globe somethings.... to A Frame pedals... not one slip yet...but i don't crash


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## sreiman (Jan 6, 2005)

what are the shoes in that picture that COmtbker gave us?


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## likestocrash (May 29, 2004)

*FiveTen*



bikeandski said:


> I have both the 5.10 impact's and Adidas Hematoma, it's the best of both worlds. I use the 5.10's for DJ and street and DH trails that scare me, the Hematoma's for XC/trail riding and DH.


Yeah those FiveTens are pretty sick. I just ordered some. I had been using the Lake R.S for the past year, and they were pretty torn up. They were great shoes, a little soft, but good for FR.


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## Dee19Lux (Feb 25, 2005)

Super love for Osiris D3's. thick shoes, lots of padding and support, great grip


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## CanadianHooligan (Jul 8, 2004)

Just Bought a pair of Es Rodrigo TX's.I havent really got to ride in them yet but they feel super comfy and have nice padding and support.


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## fakewade (Oct 9, 2004)

*Radars!*

Oakley radars! Simply superb for grip and stiffness! Well worth the green!


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## Master_Jako (Mar 27, 2004)

I have 2 pairs of vans XL2's...insane grip, and very comfortable.


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## Red Bull (Aug 27, 2004)

Master_Jako said:


> I have 2 pairs of vans XL2's...insane grip, and very comfortable.


I have 3


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## Evil4bc (Apr 13, 2004)

*Etnies*



dUbMaN said:


> i got a pair of etnies, so far they kick arse for riding/jumping. they stick hell good to the pedals.
> 
> i say stick with thems.


I second the vote for ETNIES best shoes made ! Go with a pair of the Mike V shoes or the new Ruben shoe , these will grab pedals the best .

On a second note I have been wearing my older Oakley shoes , due to a broken toe and tey are almost my second fav's now !!


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## MX 887 (Nov 2, 2004)

I hope to get 661 Launch shoes. They seem perfect.


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## mtberjoe (Dec 21, 2004)

*sauconys*

i ride an old pair of sauconys. theyre comfotable and dont felx to much. just my preference i guess


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## Acadian (Jan 1, 2004)

don't let friends ride without sticky!!!


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## FreeRiderFraser (Apr 17, 2004)

VANS

the waffle grip is the best. Just get the ones that are very fat and chodey


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## BJ- (Jan 28, 2004)

im also runnning a pair of Vans Rowley XL2s, there great shoes, best sole ive ridden with so far, but for a new shoe im looking into something a little stronger and with more height...

so im going to be looking at the new SIXSIXONE Dually shoe and the 5.10 Impact...

for SPD type shoes id look inot the new Oakley SPD shoe or the Shimano DX SPD shoe...


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## PiroChu (Apr 8, 2004)

*VANS Rowley Shams*

I'm still new to the "platform pedals & sneakers" combo (my 1st season without my clipless set), but I got a pair of VANS "Rowley Shams" skateshoes that specifically come with the "Off-The-Wall" soles (soft/gummy & "uniterrupted" waffle-pattern), mated with Weyless (Wellgo) B-27 pedals. As I get used to the setup more & more, I think they stick quite well, too.

https://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?postid=790452


















I'm also curious about those Five.Ten shoes. Does anybody have some pictures of the shoe soles? Is it just as seen on the side of the sole that's visible in their website pic's? (those big circule patterns)

- PiroChu


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## sreiman (Jan 6, 2005)

i dont really like the look of the skater shoe... i wear addidas classics or somthin, but they suck, so im looking for somthin with the "off the wall" pattern. i was lookin at the vans classics old skool. i want a sneaker type shoe


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## PiroChu (Apr 8, 2004)

*VANS Old School*



sreiman said:


> i was lookin at the vans classics old skool. i want a sneaker type shoe


Before I found my VANS, I was gonna buy something like these Old School VANS with good OTW soles (URL below), but realized that the shoe "uppers" (?) are rather thin, just like a piece of stiff cloth, almost. I wasn't sure if that'll withstand the MTB-use abuse, so I went with some thicker "uppers" skateboard type shoes.

This might not be an issue for you, but just a thought... 
- PiroChu

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=63850&item=5388937876&rd=1
(NOTE: No, I'm not the seller of this eBay item.)


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## CanadianHooligan (Jul 8, 2004)

Am i the only one who rocks out the Es'?


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## turk77 (Apr 12, 2005)

*I ordered these yesterday*

kinda ugly, but cheap.


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## sflett (Apr 27, 2005)

any skate shoes with flat sole. adio holds up well but dvs is probably the best company. osirus is terrible and will fall apart quickly!


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## RuNDmC1087 (Sep 13, 2004)

COmtbiker12 said:


> I have these are my main riding shoes. They're a lot more low profile than the pic looks. Maybe 3inches tall at the most. They're a bit different colored than the pic with the main parts black as well as the trim around the black then everything else is white. BEST shoes i've ever ridden in. Nice flexible sole but still pretty stiff. Grabs like nothing else onto my Azonic pedals. They also fit my foot like a glove, unlike those big boat-like skate shoes which I have. Then again I usually have a few pairs to try for biking. I have these, another set of Vans but different, some Lakai Howards (suck for riding too flexy) then a few old Vans that I've turned into lawn mowing shoes.


I agree those are the best, the pattern on the bottom sticks to the pins on a platform pedal like u were clipped in..


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## bbowman88 (Apr 5, 2005)

turk wered you get those and how much were they?


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

i ride with 661 hammers, they have really thick soles and they grip really well to platform pedals, they also clean up really well.


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## ScAvEnGeR (Mar 16, 2005)

did i mention i love to ride i-paths


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## turk77 (Apr 12, 2005)

*Hitops*

I got them from zappos.com. The price is around 55 bucks with free shipping. They should be at my door when I get home today.


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## corndogggy (Apr 20, 2004)

shiggy said:


> I love my adidas with my Mallets.
> 
> On platforms they feel a bit skatey because of their stiffness even though the rubber tread grips OK.


With this combination are you able to unclip and ride them like you would a normal platform pedal? There is a ton of technical riding around here, but you have to pedal to everywhere you go, no true downhills. So basically I want to be clipped in for pedaling but for nasty rock gardens and drops, I would much rather be unclipped. I tried this with some Specialized shoes and Shimano 636 but you've got hard plastic sitting on top of the metal on the clip part, so you just slid around, the platform didn't do a bit of good.


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## monk (Jan 30, 2004)

Acadian said:


> don't let friends ride without sticky!!!


I second that - the Five Ten Impact shoes are awesome!!


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## PiroChu (Apr 8, 2004)

*Anyone use Shoe Goo to fill up the pin-damaged soles?*

Anyone use Shoe Goo to fill up the pin-damaged soles of your skate-type shoes?

Back in April I bought a pair of VANS with OTW-waffle soles, and they are doing a great job keeping my feet on my flat padals. But I'm seeing some pin-digging wear/tear on the soles (particularly in just one area), while the rest of the shoes shows hardly any wear/tear yet.

The pins are only long enough to chew up the waffle layer, so it's not like any pins are gonna go thru my shoe soles. So I'm not worried about that. But I was just curious as to refilling up those cavity areas with Shoe Goo will make it better, worse, or no-difference, in terms of the pin/shoe "gripping"...?

(I don't mean to be a cheap-a$$ here...  )

https://eclecticproducts.com/shoegoo/home.asp


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

ok what about these


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

what about these


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## hughairboy188c (Mar 16, 2005)

661 launch shoes


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## Kdogg (Apr 19, 2005)

*Rowleys (original)*



sreiman said:


> what are the shoes in that picture that COmtbker gave us?


Those are the original Jeff Rowley shoes. Vans still makes these, they're super popular w/ol' school skaters- supper sticky sole, more so than the newer Rowleys (XL II & III)


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## Kdogg (Apr 19, 2005)

*Yeah, what about those????*



madtownfreerider said:


> ok what about these


I've wondered about those too... they look good. Was tryin' to decide between these & 661's Launch shoe for clipless. The Launch is a bit taller & has more ankle protection for crashes.


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