Mountain bike shoes
When reviewing mountain bike shoes, we look at the following factors:
- Comfort and feel
- Pedal grip
- Energy transfer
- Durability
- Style
Comfort and feel
We consider how a pair of MTB shoes feel on our feet, and how comfortable they are, both for shorter rides and all-day adventures. We also consider the comfort of the shoes when worn casually outside of mountain biking.
Feel on the pedals is another important factor we consider when reviewing mountain bike shoes, especially flat pedal mountain bike shoes. We want to know if you can tell where your feet are positioned on the pedals, as being able to adjust your foot position on the fly is important to riding well.
Pedal grip
We consider how grippy the sole of the shoe is on the pedals. This is more important with flat pedal MTB shoes, as clipless shoes will have a strong connection to the pedals by virtue of being clipped in.
Energy transfer
How efficiently the shoes transfer power from your feet to the pedals is another important consideration we make when reviewing mountain bike shoes. This is often a function of sole stiffness, with stiffer soles generally providing a more efficient energy transfer to the pedals.
Durability
How durable and long-lasting are a particular pair of mountain bike shoes? This comes down to the quality of materials used and quality of construction of the shoes and is an important aspect we consider when reviewing them. Are you going to be able to get multiple years out of a particular shoe, or is it going to start falling apart in your first season using it? We will let you know.
Protection
We look at how good a job the shoes do at protecting your feet in the case they strike obstacles while riding. Are the toe and heel areas impact resistant? This is an important consideration, especially if you ride aggressively.
Style
Last but not least, we consider how stylish a pair of mountain bike shoes are when we review them. While performance is obviously very important, you want your shoes to look the part out on the trails, and even outside of mountain biking if you choose to wear them as a casual shoe.
Helmets
When reviewing mountain bike helmets, we look at the following factors:
- Comfort
- Protection
- Style
Comfort
It goes without saying that you want your MTB helmet to be comfortable on your head. This is an important factor we look at in any helmet we review, and we consider things like the padding of the helmet, the fit, and how well ventilated it is.
Protection
The most important consideration when reviewing mountain bike helmets is of course how well they protect your head. We look for what certifications a helmet has, such as CSA, EN, ASTM, CPSC or Snell B90/B95 certifications.
We also look for additional features that add more protection, like whether or not a helmet has MIPS (multi-directional impact protection system) which reduces rotational forces caused by angled impacts to your head. This can be helpful in preventing head injuries like concussions and is incorporated in many helmets on the market today.
We also consider other protective factors such as how well a helmet covers your head and whether or not it is a full-face helmet.
Style
We want to make sure our heads are well protected, but we want to look cool while doing so. This is why we always consider the looks and style factor of every helmet we review.
Other protective equipment
Like helmets, for other protective mountain bike equipment we review, we consider these factors:
- Comfort
- Protection
- Style
Comfort
For any piece of protective equipment you might wear mountain biking, if it’s not comfortable to wear, you will be much less likely to wear it. That’s why we consider factors like fit, padding, ventilation and overall feel of any protective equipment we review.
Protection
The purpose of wearing protection is defeated if it doesn’t meet its primary purpose – to keep you safe and protected! We look at the quality of each piece of protective equipment we review to see how well it holds up in the event of a crash so that you can have the peace of mind that you’re well protected. The last thing you want is to be burdening yourself with added weight and restrictiveness of protective equipment if it’s not going to do its job of protecting you well.
Style
You are going to be much more likely to wear protective equipment if it is a good-looking addition to your MTB attire, so we consider the looks and style of every piece of protective equipment we review.