They may have been designed for downhill racers – in collaboration with none other than World Cup superstar Aaron Gwin – but we can see a lot of trail riders snapping up Giro's new Chamber and Jacket shoes too. They're lighter and less clumpy than most DH-specific footwear, with a snugger fit and skate-shoe looks.
Since we checked out pre-production versions at Eurobike, the shoes have been slimmed down a bit, both in terms of volume and weight. The cleat holes on the SPD-compatible Chamber have also been moved forward for better engagement, though you can still run the cleats further back than on most rival footwear. Check out the photos to find out more.
Both shoes are based on the same last, with moulded EVA foam footbeds and impact-absorbing Poron XRD heel cups
The dual-density Vibram rubber soles look similar but the flat-pedal Jacket has grippier rubber in the pedal area
The clipless Chamber gets a near-identical tread pattern but a stiffer shank for improved pedalling
It also has an upper Velcro strap to help dial in the fit and keep flapping laces out of harm's way
What you can't see in these photos is the internal 'bootie' which wraps around the foot for a comfy, locked-in feeling fit
The Chamber should be hitting shops next month, in black or white, for £99/$140
At 536g (claimed, size 42) it's significantly lighter than the benchmark Shimano AM45 (803g claimed, size 40)
The Jacket also comes in a choice of colours – black/white, grey/green or white/grey – and is available now, for £89/$120
It could easily be mistaken for a skate shoe but has the same internal bootie and other tech features as the Chamber
We're still waiting for riding samples but these shoes definitely pass the trade show floor comfort test
More info at www.giro.com.
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