Endura may not be a name you think of when shoe shopping — yet. This Scottish-based company with a strong sustainability plan is best known for its mountain bike apparel currently. This year they jumped into mountain bike shoes with a full line of flat and clipless offerings that favor the trail rider looking to strike a balance of comfort with walkability.
Among Endura’s commitments to sustainability is to be carbon neutral by 2024. Their commitment to planting one million trees annually, to recycled fabrics and packaging, and UK production and repair are among the front runners in mountain bike apparel industry.
The shoes came in a nicely recycled box with minimal internal packaging. Opening the box revealed shoes with great style and they even come with a spare set of laces in a different color. Since I couldn’t decide which I liked better, I chose to use one in the right and the other in the left.
Endura MT 500 Burner Clipless | $149 | 487 grams per/shoe (size 42.5)
- Very comfortable and protective
- Nice styling
- Comparable weight to most other shoes in this category
- Like a sponge in creek crossing’s – hold water like Five-Ten’s
- Could do without the lace keeper
- Cleat’s come in contact with ground when walking
- A bit flexy
How do they feel/ride?
The MT500’s are quite well padded and seem very protective. The footbed is very comfortable with a nice metatarsal button underneath the arch.
There’s a velcro strap/lace keeper at the top of the laces to prevent unwanted issues with laces getting wrapped into your drivetrain. The nice thing about this is that I don’t have to have the upper laces super tight to achieve my desired tightness. This makes for a little quicker on off since I just leave the shoes tied and slip them on.
The flex in the shoe is noticeable compared to my standard Pearl Izumi X-Alp Launch shoes. This isn’t a deal breaker for a casual trail shoe, but if you want to crush some miles, you might want to look for something stiffer. When walking around in the shoe on the trail, the traction and comfort are good. When walking on harder surfaces before/after the ride, I do wish the cleats were a little more recessed. I could feel my Shimano cleat under the foot striking harder surfaces when walking.
How do they fit?
This is where I am amazed by the first iteration of this shoe. Fit is dialed with a roomy toe box, great heel cup that glues your heel in and a generally comfortable feel all around. Sizing seems pretty standard. My size 42.5’s are the same as I wear in Specialized and Pearl Izumi shoes.
Final Thoughts
The Endura MT 500 is a very good shoe especially for a first attempt from the company. Comfort and style are where these shoes shine. They may not be the best for those living in a wet climate or needing a stiff sole, but they’re a solid choice in the trail bike shoe category.
