The Camber II is Giro’s beefiest gravity shoe. Built using a water-resistant microfiber upper, the shoes see a full Vibram mega grip outsole complete and plenty of armouring and reinforcement to prevent the dreaded toe stub via airborne rock.
Hidden inside the outsole is what Giro calls a Tri-Mold shank, which sees different flex profiles employed through its length. The idea here is that you want lots of stiffness under right under the cleat plate to minimise losses while pedalling, but a bit of flex in the toe and heel will make walking and pushing uphill a heck of a lot more comfortable.
The cleat channel itself sees a 10mm setback, so you can get the pedal axle further back along your foot for a more confident position when things get steep and hairy. The sole also features hexagonal lugs that provide plenty of purchase for scrambling back up steep singletrack but also provide something for pedal pins to grab onto.
Using a laced closer, there’s plenty of adjustability built in, however fresh out of the box, the materials are quite stiff, and there is a short break-in period. Campbell did report some rubbing around his big toe on both feet, but this disappeared once the shoes had a few days to pack out and form around his feet. The fit isn’t overly high-volume, so there is no slop when you have them laced up.
With the upper designed to stave off splashes and projectile geology, they are not the most open and breathable kicks around. The small perforations all for a degree of breathability, however, it’s clear that Giro has priorities keeping things out rather than letting air in.
We’re also fans of the power strap across the forefoot. This keeps your shoelaces away from hungry chainrings while providing additional ankle support.
Priced at $259.99 AUD, the Chamber II are in line with other shoes in the category, like Specialized 2FO DH Clip, which offers a pretty similar spec list but loses the power strap.
