We’re big fans of Mavic’s footwear in performance terms so we were first on the list for a set of their Drift winter boots. Unfortunately, while they’re great in dry/cold weather, gaps in the design mean they don’t do well in wetter conditions.
From the bottom up, the Terra Grip sole gives excellent soft compound grip on wet roots and rocks when your tyres finally give up. We didn’t miss having toe studs (they nearly always fall out anyway) and the cleat area clears mud fast. There’s extra rubber toe and heel protection for durability and to reduce the pain of stubbing cold toes.
The multi-layer Ergo Fit insole gives good support underfoot and the three-strap closure is easy to adjust to clamp the boot down tight for power or leave it loose for circulation. A Gore-Tex liner stops water seeping in if you stand in puddles and there’s enough insulation to keep the Drifts warm as long as they stay dry.
Unfortunately, there’s a big gap between the fat tongue and the Neoprene cuff so any puddle splash sluices straight into your foot, making you wonder why on earth you paid £160 to end up as wet and cold as normal.
This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine.
