NEW Endura Shoes Reviewed - Keep Yourself Fastened to the Trails
Almost four years ago Pentland brands welcomed Endura to its family of brands, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience from the footwear game - and to find that missing piece in the Endura range that we've all been waiting so patiently for. So, now you can completely kit yourself out from head to toe in Endura gear.
Endura say they have ripped up the footwear rule-book and approached this project through the lens of their Ergonomistry philosophy, featuring highly inventive engineering backed by medical science to allow you to ride harder, longer.
In this blog, we will be looking at the technology that makes Endura shoes so durable, ergonomic and addictive as well as viewing the range which is made up of three models of shoe, the Hummvee and then two versions of the MT500 Burner shoe... clipped and flat.
The ergonomic footwork
When shredding the trails, every part of your body aches from the constant vibrations of ruts and roots. Endura have tackled this issue by introducing new EGM Insoles in each model of their shoes which provide a comfortable feel whilst still being able to efficiently push power through the pedals. Standard flat insoles aren't great in cycling shoes as most people's feet aren't flat. This can lead to a lack of support, over pronation of the foot, and in the worst cases, injury.
What Endura have done with their insoles is used a Power Arch - a carefully profiled and contoured support that helps the arch of your foot to cope better with the conflicting demands of walking and cycling and to help deliver better power transfer and more comfort.n by the river and through the valley!
This is paired with a Metatarsal button, which is a carefully placed and contoured soft raised button that works to spread your big toe from the others to improve your forefoot function and comfort, which is vital in cycling with so much pressure coming through this area of the foot.
The last piece of the puzzle is Endura’s sole stimulant. These small raised soft tactile dots are strategically placed to improve your foots proprioception, greatly improving its ability to soften and stiffen as and when it needs too through co-ordinated muscular contractions.
The heart and sole of the shoe
Underneath the sole, and on the clipless versions there is a nylon shank with the cleat mounting plate, and under that, a soft EVA midsole to add some comfort. The outsole uses Endura’s Sticky Foot Grip compound on the pedal contact areas for maximum grip, while on the toe and heel sections there is this Sticky Foot Dura compound which is harder wearing and offers a longer lifespan in the areas likely to experience higher levels of wear and tear. The tread pattern on these sections is also more aggressive so it will provide superb walking grip, perfect for those hike a bike outings.
Endura Hummvee flat shoe
Starting with the Humvee flat, this is a shoe targeted at riders looking for a grippy, comfortable flat shoe on the bike. This model features a lightweight durable upper to deal with whatever trail shrapnel comes its way. This fabric also makes use of perforated sections to increase ventilation on those hot days and to help aid the drying time on the wetter days. Moving onto the inside of the shoe, we’ve got a low absorbancy quick dry lining that significantly reduces the drying time of the shoes. Something I think we’ll all appreciate. Two lace options come with the shoe, and these get tied down with the elasticated lace stash to keep them away from your drivetrain.
To keep the shoe stiff, Endura have sandwiched in a stiffening board in between the sole and the insole and with a quick bend test, out of the box these do feel really stiff, which out on the bike will translate into a higher power transfer and a sturdier base for planting your feet on the pedals, and when paired with Endura’s new Sticky Foot Grip Rubber compound you’ll feel like your feel are glued to the pedals.
Endura MT500 Burner shoes
Moving onto the MT500 Burner shoes. Straight out of the box these ones are sure to get the attention at the trail centre. With similar features to the Humvee, Endura have turned up the dial on the MT500 Burners to make them stiffer, sturdier and more rugged to deal will the extreme conditions you’ll experience when riding downhill or the gnarlier stuff on your mountain bike
Starting at the top we’ve got a lightweight, super durable upper with perforations for ventilation, and some extra reinforcement around the heel and the toe box section. The upper section of the shoe makes use of traditional laces but with an added velcro strap to lock your foot in place. On the back section of the heel cup here Endura have tactically placed some Sharkskin fabric to again, really help lock your foot in place within the shoe.
