Stiff Enduro Shoes with Crank Bros Mallet DHs?

Been riding Mallet DHs with Shimano AM41's for 1.5 years like many of the World Cup racers and SOME enduro racers who haven't transferred over to Shimano XTs.

Mallet DHs are definitely my all time favorite pedal and best all mountain shore pedal for technical knar hands down.

Have a narrow foot and finding AM41's too loose so looking for stiffer, tighter Enduro style shoe, but that still interfaces well with Mallet DHs and feels solid when not clipped in.

Wondering if anyone out there has been riding their Mallet DHs with:

a) new 2014 Giro Terraduros
b) Mavic Crossmax Enduro
c) Pearl Izumi X-Alp
d) etc…

I've looked around far and wide on web for this with no luck so this is definitive post! I know Fabien Barel was riding Mavic Alpine Xl (predecessor to Mavic Crossmax Enduros) with Mallet 3's for a bit in 2013 - that is only example I've seen!

Specifically looking for feedback on experience with these types of shoes here, not AM41 comparables like Teva Pivots and Five Ten Ravens which unfortunately while they work great with Mallet DHs are too voluminous for my narrow feet!

I just came from the am42 and switched to the SH-M200.

I had the same problem as you, my feet are fairly narrow and I could never get them tight enough.

The SH-M200 seems to have solved this. In fact I made them too tight my first few rides.

They are quite stiff as well. This will take a few rides to get used to as well.

I managed to damage the buckle on my second ride. It struck something as i was riding. I was able to fix it as the metal bends back, but I'm not sure how often I can do this. The location of the buckle probably isn't in the best spot. Since then, it seems to be ok, bad luck maybe.

Over all its a good shoe. Far lighter than the am42, doesn't triple in weight when wet like the am42, dries out quickly. Good grip when hiking. Kind of expensive though, but there is a whole range with the same sole. I got the m200 because it was the only one with ankle protection.

I use a pair of Giro Carbide's with Mallets. I didnt have much problem with the interface on them, but I did add a couple of the cleat spacers under each cleat so I didnt have to remove any sole material and to get the release feel I like.

I have Mallets on various bikes, the old kind with the one-piece cage though. Possibly the newer ones are thinner.
I also use Mavic shoes-the Switchback which I don't think is made anymore. One spacer under each cleat eliminated most interference.

Overall, a pretty good combination.

Mavic shoes seem to run on the narrow side, so you should be fine there.

Hopefully this helps out others. Spent a bunch of time searching and am going to try out the new Shimano SH M200's with my Mallet DHs - not Shimano caged trail pedals.

Googled every which way and finally found this review with pictures of a rider using that exact combo and stating he had no problems:

http://www.mtb-mag.com/en/testshimano-sh-m200-enduro-shoe/

I really, really wanted to bite and try the Giro Terraduros but I'm seeing reports back that even the post-September 2014 production run shoes (with dates under insole) are delaminating so Giro may have a fatal flaw here until 2016 version.

Sole on the Terraduros looks ideal for stiff shoe with mallet DHs that is why.

The curve of the SH M200s actually looks less than the Terraduros and you can see that in above picture the contact looks nice. Advantage of the Mallet DHs is I've ridden a lot of gnarly sections not clipped in and never once slipped off with Shimano AM41s.

Finally - both the SH M200s and Terraduros are built to slide the cleats way back for more of a mid-sole natural flat pedal feel.

I'll test it out and report back here.

With the mud-shielding flap of the SH-M200s I'm hoping this is the ultimate Shore combo.

I was the same. I could never get my AM45s tight enough. I was always breaking laces. I got some Giro Terraduros last year and have been happy ever since. I have a narrow low volume foot and the Terraduros fit great. Slim fit with just enough room in the toe box. Good grip on wet surfaces and I'm able to drive in them. They place really nicely with Shimano trail platform and DX pedals.

They are terrible winter shoes though. Where my AM45s were great in the wet and cold, the Terraduros are definitely not. But given how winters are these days it's kind of a non-issue. I love these shoes.

I was the same. I could never get my AM45s tight enough. I was always breaking laces. I got some Giro Terraduros last year and have been happy ever since. I have a narrow low volume foot and the Terraduros fit great. Slim fit with just enough room in the toe box. Good grip on wet surfaces and I'm able to drive in them. They place really nicely with Shimano trail platform and DX pedals.

They are terrible winter shoes though. Where my AM45s were great in the wet and cold, the Terraduros are definitely not. But given how winters are these days it's kind of a non-issue. I love these shoes.

I'm on my third pair of Terraduras. Soles keep peeling off. Pity as I really like the shoes. I'll be going to those Shimano versions next.

I'm on my third pair of Terraduras. Soles keep peeling off. Pity as I really like the shoes. I'll be going to those Shimano versions next.

Weird. My first pair did that. I got no hassle warranty from Republic Bikes in Squamish and have been happy ever since.

I'm using Giro Privateers, (a stiff soled buckled shoe), with Mallet DH's.

I generally prefer to use this shoe over my Teva's- exception being for scary technical or pure DH stuff as the Teva's will still grip the pedal if you miss a clip in.

The Giro's clip out easier as there is less tread around the cleat, and of course pedal better with better power transfer etc.

Weird. My first pair did that. I got no hassle warranty from Republic Bikes in Squamish and have been happy ever since.

Oh yeah the first pair were replaced on warranty after about three months at Tantalus. The replacement pair did not have the date stamp which is supposed to indicate the proper primer was used to glue the sole on. But it was 2015 so i thought that maybe now that all the bad shoes have been returned or pulled off shelves that the current run did not get date stamped. No. Super disappointment that Giro would replace a defective shoe with another pair from the same run of defective shoes. But those peeled off too pretty quickly and now I have a third pair that have the date stamp.

I heard through the grapevine that Giro in the US had acknowledged the problem and had sort of recalled the shoes but they did not tell Giro in Canada who were still stating that it was just a small number of the first batch that were bad. If these go too, I will request a refund.

Okay - first report back using the SH-200s with my Mallet DHs is that it is a great combo. Possibly the ultimate north shore gnar-mud combo.

The interface is actually better than with my AM-41s because sole surface is more slippery. Basically the clip in is a dream and the crank brothers cleat just hones in on the attachment mechanism. these shoes work great with Mallets - they are not just for shimano trail pedals.

When I am not clicked in the grip is still pretty good with the big mallet cage but I find this less of a concern as the clip in is so easy.

I won't comment on the shoes too
Much except to say this is a great pacific northwest shoe for the wet and they work great with mallets. Sold alternative to terraduros that keep delaminating.

Long term review of Shimano M200 - so I've had my pair now for 1.75 years. Probably around 100+ rides on them and not much hiking. The upper, laces and buckle are in great condition. Haven't ripped off the ratchet yet. My sole actually isn't in bad condition but is starting to delaminate on both sides of the cleat. Basically the sole is molded on to the plastic footbed of the shoe so will start to peel over time. I can probably salvage another half year off them I would think but we'll see. I'll try some shoe-goo to prolong this.

Not too impressed on this point but otherwise absolutely love the fit, feel, mud shedding of these shoes, etc. I have used them with either Mallet DHs or Mallets (commuter and road bike). the part that is delaminating is the raised support on either side of the cleat so pretty fundamental for interface on any clip pedal with a cage support.

Think I will still buy another set as I have an extra set of buckles and went a bit crazy and got the matching M-089 for my road/everyday shoe. I would not pay full price though based on the delamination and reccomend everyone else do the same. Faired better than the terraduro soles!

I'll also add though I've got about 12 fivers and 5-6 other local enduro races on them so riding quite hard but the delamination seems to simply a function of time as the outer sole and plastic footbed are fundamentally different pieces and rely on molding to each other that will always fail over time.

Andre (tallest seatpost on the shore)

Update 5 minutes after original post. I looked and I bought my shoes through Jenson USA. I phoned and they only offered a 1 year warranty on Shimano shoes which is the Shimano standard if you check.

However…if you look on the Chain Reaction site they offer a two year warranty on all shimano footwear so if I bought it from them I'd be looking at a replacement shoe now….but would have had to pay duty. I still may try to mail back to shimano with a friendly note and see what happens…..

My sole actually isn't in bad condition but is starting to delaminate on both sides of the cleat.

I had this happen after a 5-6 months? I warrantied them for a refund with crc. A few friends have had this happen as well. It's put me off shimano shoes.

Moved to the specialized rime and haven't looked back.