Overview:

We always have high expectations when industry leaders Crankbrothers release a new shoe or pedal. And why not? This is their domain; they have quite a reputation to live up to! We anticipate their new Mallet Trail shoe will be no exception and a popular choice, as it lives up to the high standard of its predecessors.

We’ve put the Mallet Trail shoes through their paces, and we’re pleased to say they pair nicely with a variety of pedals, and not just Crankbrothers branded ones at that. We tested them on Crankbrothers, Shimano, and Hope pedals without any issues. 

The fit is excellent, they provide comfort both on and off the bike, and they look good too. Whilst shoe laces do a fantastic job, it’s always nice to see a lace-free tightening system. The weight (for the size 42 EU that we tested) was 410g per shoe, which we feel is pretty reasonable for a trail/enduro product.

Key Features:

Closure System:

The new Mallet Trail shoes have an elastic collar that stops unwelcome debris from getting into the shoe. We’ve tested a few shoes with a similar design, which we’ve come to appreciate.

This is then accompanied by a Boa closure system, with useful fine adjustments that ensure the perfect fit. The steps in the tightening system are well-spaced, so you won’t find yourself between settings at all. This is thanks to the Boa Li2 dual-direction micro-adjustment dial.

The final piece to securing the fit is the velcro strap across the upper foot. The Boa system stops near the top where the strap is. We would have loved to have seen the Boa system cover the upper bit of the foot. As we found, if we didn’t get the strap nice and tight, the fit didn’t feel quite right.

Cleat Box:

The value of a product is often found in the finer details. One of the first signs of quality we noticed was in setting up the shoe. As we installed the cleat we noticed that the position markings are actually indents. The cleat clicks into these indents as you move it up and down. This makes it easy to count the position so you can match both shoes. We also found that it holds the cleat in position and it won’t slide whilst you take your hand off to grab an allen key. We should also add that the cleat box has a wide range of placement options, so finding the ideal position should be possible for everyone.

Stiffness:

The stiffness of the shoe is well balanced in regards to performance and comfort. At no point when riding did we feel as if it lacked stability. When we were off the bike walking around they were comfortable and provided plenty of grip. We’ve spent quite a bit of time in these shoes running around taking photos at events. Thus we can confidently say, if faced with a decent hike-a-bike on a day out, your dogs won’t be barking at you by the end of it. We’ve all been there, not fun! 

Toe Protection:

We were very pleased to see toe protection included in the new Mallet Trail shoes. These shoes have a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) shell around the toe. Super strong but also light. This kind of protection is definitely becoming a must have feature for us.

Flow’s Verdict:

In our opinion, shoes should be a humble player in your overall kit; if they’re not overly noticed, they’re likely doing a pretty good job. The Mallets certainly fit that description. During testing, they were comfortable, performed well technically, and, with the black/ gum colourway, complimented a variety of kit colours. We were particularly happy to see that they worked well with an array of pedals from different brands.

Overall, these shoes earn themselves a double thumbs-up Flow rating. They come in at $364.95 AUD, which is on the higher end of pricing, however a definite investment in a quality product. If you’ve had average riding kicks before, you’ll know the investment is worth it!