Endura places the final piece in the jigsaw for head-to-toe coordination.
Endura steps up your ride even further with a complete head to toe product offer. In addition to no-nonsense apparel, Endura have successfully applied their defiant disruption to the helmet and protection categories with award-winning product. Now they are fitting that last piece into the jigsaw – a game-changing footwear collection.
Endura have ripped up the rule-book and approached the project through the lens of their Ergonomistry philosophy, and the collection features highly inventive engineering backed by medical science to allow you to ride harder, longer.
Endura have brought together their vast experience in the bike world with Pentland’s remarkable 100 year footwear expertise and then blended in Phil Burt’s excellence in ergonomics to create a formidable collaboration. Invaluable feedback from Endura’s MTB athletes, including the Athertons, Kriss Kyle and Harald Philipp has also informed the development process.
The initial MTB footwear collection consists of three different MTB shoes:
1. The MT500 Burner Clipless Shoe is a progressive, performance clipless trail shoe
2. The MT500 Burner Flat Shoe delivers technical trail performance in trainer styling
3. The Hummvee Flat Pedal Shoe is a bike specific, skate styled shoe that is perfect on or off the bike.
To get their footwear right from the start, Endura have meticulously assessed the 3 Fs of footwear: fit, function and fashion.
On fit, Endura have developed their own lasts and have worked with Phil Burt to create a unique EGM Insole, plus the shoes are available in a big size range from a UK 5/ EU38 all the way to a UK 12/ EU47, with key half sizes in the middle.
On function, Endura have painstakingly identified features specific to the target riders, and then worked closely with the developers, athletes and suppliers to check and refine the details.
On the fashion side, the designers have struck a balance of contemporary tech and classic styling to create some fantastic looking shoes. All three shoe models are available in a range of colours that tie in with Endura’s Spring/Summer 2022 colour palette for head-to-toe outfitting options – each shoe even comes with “wild and mild” lacing options, one pair of tonal laces and one “wild” colour – you’ll have to open the shoe box to find out more.
“I am so picky with my shoes,” admits Rachel Atherton, while pointing out the importance of the right footwear. “When you’ve got the right shoe for racing, it actually does make the difference between winning and losing”.
Let’s look at some of Endura’s technical developments that went into the shoes before exploring each model in detail.
StickyFOOT
Throughout the project the importance of the rubber compound on the sole has been highlighted as a key element. Developed specifically for the needs of the modern MTB rider, Endura’s StickyFOOT rubber compounds use a unique concoction of ingredients to create outsoles specifically tuned to offer the perfect balance of pedal grip and durability, providing unrivalled performance and a hardwearing long lifespan.
Used in all pedal contact areas on Endura footwear, the StickyFOOT Grip compound offers maximum grip, conforming to pedal pins and locking the foot in place on the pedals. Combining a high level of walking traction with high durability StickyFOOT Dura offers a long lifespan in the areas of the sole likely experience higher levels of wear and tear.
EGM Insole
Developed with ergonomics expert Phil Burt, Endura’s exclusive EGM insole maximises comfort and power transfer in both MT500 shoe models, using the following components:
Metatarsal Button – This carefully placed, contoured soft raised button helps spread your big toe from the rest, greatly improving your forefoot function and comfort-vital in cycling, while preventing the unwanted scrunching of the toes.
Sole Stimulant – These small raised soft tactile dots are strategically placed to improve your foots proprioception, greatly improving its ability to soften and stiffen through co-ordinated muscular contractions.
Power Arch – Carefully profiled and contoured support helps the arch of your foot to cope better with the conflicting demands that cycling places upon it, delivering better power transfer and improved comfort.
MT500 Burner Clipless Shoe
Progressive, performance clipless trail shoe
Merging progressive trainer style looks with MT500 capability, this really is one of a kind. The flex profile of this shoe has been specifically engineered to deliver both support and control through your pedals, with a combination of an EVA midsole and a reinforced nylon shank to house the cleat and provide stiffness.
The off-set cleat box features extra-long rails to allow for a large range of mounting positions. This enables a wide range of options, allowing every rider to position their foot over the pedal exactly where they want. The addition of a Velcro strap at the top of the laces ensures the foot can be locked into place from the outside, while the EGM insole provides internal support and security. Another noted fit feature is the rounded heel cup with a grippy sharkskin fabric lining helping to eliminate any heel lift.
The outsole deploys StickyFoot Grip compound in the pedal contact areas, whilst StickyFoot Dura compound is used in the more aggressive tread in the heel and toe zones, providing great traction on muddy climbs. With an expectation that these shoes will get wet and muddy regularly, the upper fabrics are smooth faced and easy to wipe clean and linings are light and quick drying. The colour options for the MT500 Burner Clipless Shoe cross over all the Endura Spring/Summer 2022 palettes for head-to-toe colour coordination.
Scottish Enduro rider and vlogger extraordinaire Joe Barnes loves the “jazzy colour” of his cocoa MT500 Burner Clipless shoes and says: “I always look for good water shedding capabilities, nice and light, very stiff, and excellent contact with the pedal – and we’re ticking all the boxes.”
Hummvee Flat Pedal Shoe
Bike specific, skate styled shoe that is perfect on or off the bike
Despite its casual appearance, and true to the Hummvee ethos, this shoe has been engineered for serious riding alongside everyday use, with the flex carefully tuned to balance walkability and pedalling comfort. Endura’s proprietary StickyFoot™Grip rubber compound has been used for the pedal area of the sole keeping your feet firmly planted on the pedals. The rubber deforms around pedal pins, locking your feet in place and giving you optimal control over your bike. When it’s time to head back up to the top of the trail for another run, the toe and heel tread has been designed to give you great walking traction if needed. Endura have kept all internal lining and padding as light and quick drying as possible, with great results regarding the drying time for the Hummvee Flat.
Kriss Kyle said: “You need something that’s grippy. The dream for me is a shoe that you can ride your mountain bike with, and you can also ride your BMX with and walk in the streets in it as well. So pretty much one shoe that caters for everything, and since testing these ones, I couldn’t be more stoked. Fit and comfort-wise they are spot on. Whenever I do the tail up, spinning the bike round, I’d always end up with bruised feet, bruised heels, and these shoes are just that bit tougher wearing.”
Pamela Barclay, Endura’s Co-Founder and Brand Director concludes: “And yes, it is now compulsory for your lids and your shoes to match your kit!”
