Fashion riders will recoil in horror at the hiking boot style, but Shimano’s hardcore boot is a proven winter winner.
The full synthetic leather upper and custom Vibram sole are fantastic when you’re reduced to rambling, not riding, while the bottom-sealed Gore-Tex liner and naturally insulated construction match most full-on boots for wet ride comfort.
What’s really surprising is how well they pedal, with the roller-and-speed-hook lacing doing up snug right across the boot and no Achilles rub from the back.
This year’s version gets a bit more toe reinforcement too, although the pair we’ve been running pretty much daily for two years are showing no signs of wear anyway.