Best MTB Flat Pedal Shoes – Our Top 8 for 2022

Are you on the hunt for the best flat pedal MTB shoes? Well look no further! We've handpicked some of our favourites to help you hit the trails.

Riding with flat pedals is a fantastic way to properly hone your riding skills utilising the correct techniques, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned mountain biker.

In this guide, we will go over the best MTB flat pedal shoes on the market right now……

Best MTB Flat Pedal Shoes - Tried and Tested

We have tested out a wide range of flat pedal mountain bike shoes for both men and women! After testing we have selected the following based on price, comfort and performance.

What to look out for when buying MTB flat pedal shoes?

Mountain bikers have two options when it comes to footwear, either clipless shoes or flats. Flats are possibly the more popular of the two as many newcomers start out on flats. Flat pedal shoes tend to be focused more towards trail, enduro and downhill riders where the feel and grip on the pedals are important.

What should you look for when buying a pair of flat pedal shoes?

• Fit - No matter how the shoe looks, the feel of it on your foot is the most important when it comes to providing confidence on the trails. As like buying any shoes, manufacturers have different measurements and fits and people have different sized feet. It may be a good thing to try the shoes on and go for a short spin first to ensure they fit well and are comfortable on your feet.
• Sole - The sole of a flat pedal shoe is undoubtedly the most important part when purchasing a mountain bike shoe. With flat pedals, there is no mechanical connection between the rider and the pedals, unlike with clipless shoes and pedals. Instead, you must rely on the rubber, tread design, and pedal pins. While riding over unforgiving terrain or descending over rocky terrain, a grippy sole helps keep your feet in place. You'll feel more in control of the bike when there is more grip. Less sticky soles may cause uncontrollable foot movement, slippery pedals, and excessive foot movement.

For more information on flat pedal shoes and what you should know, check out our buying guide:

Our Best MTB Flat Pedal Shoes - 2022

Matt and Lauren took these shoes out for a day on the trails, testing their comfort, sizing, performance and grip. We have featured a range of men's, women's and unisex shoes. Check out our latest video on what they had to say about the shoes below:

Ride Concepts Wildcat MTB Shoes

The Ride Concepts Wildcat is a mid/high top flat pedal MTB shoe, offering a supportive and stiff shoe for all MTB riding. To create the sole of their Wildcat shoe, Ride Concepts have teamed up with Rubber Kinetics using the DST 6.0 which uses a moulded pattern of deep hexagonal lugs. We have found the grip to be reasonable on the Wildcat.

The Wildcat also uses a shock-absorbing D30 insole which is designed to reduce shock from the pedal to the foot. Other key parts of the shoe include a velcro strap to lock your foot in place and a metal lace eyelet on the cuff.

• Sole: Max Grip rubber
• Weight: 430g (UK 10)
• Price: £129.95

Fizik Gravita Versor Flat Pedal MTB Shoe

Combining a lightweight and durable upper with the Vibram sole, the Fizik Gravita Versor is a great mountain bike flat pedal shoe for the summer months.

Designed to be a supportive and comfortable fit, the Fizik Gravita Versor cradles the foot with the ergonomic lace-up closer giving you a perfect fit every time.

For protection, the shoe comes with a PU-laminated toecap and side reinforcements to provide protection from wear and tear; however there won't be as much protection in the Gravita Versor as there is in other shoes within this line-up but this helps to keep the weight down.

With an EVA mid-sole for comfort and impact absorption, the Fizik Gravita Versor lacks the rigid sole that many mountain bikers desire. Leaving the shoe flexible however does allow for a more comfortable walk should you choose the hike-a-bike experience.

• Sole: Vibram Megagrip
• Weight: 270g (UK 10)
• Price: £134.99

Endura MT500 Burner

After years of research and development, Endura released the brand new MT500 Burner Flat Pedal shoe in 2022. A shoe designed to offer the ideal balance of grip, durability and comfort, keeping you focused on the thrills and spills of your mountain bike ride.

Endura's own StickyFoot Grip rubber provides a stable and secure connection with the pedals at all times, rivalling some of the competitions offerings. The EGM footbed also offers shock-absorbing comfort and smooth power transfer while the Sharkskin fabric-lined heel cup prevents heel-lift when pedalling.

Other benefits of the shoe include a metatarsal button which is claimed to help improve forefoot function and comfort along with a profiled arch support that helps improve power transfer and comfort. One thing we noticed was the lack of waterproof protection.

A shoe that fits everyone, Endura offer a broad range of sizes from EU38 up to EU47 and half sizes from EU41.5 to EU45.5.

• Sole: StickyFoot Grip
• Weight: 838g (UK 8.5)
• Price: £119.99

Shimano GR9 (GR903)

Shimano's top downhill/enduro flat pedal shoe, the GR9 Flat Pedal MTB Shoe provides unrivalled pedal contact, long-lasting protection, and, of course, exceptional comfort.

The popular GR9 shoe has been upgraded for 2022 with a new Ultread compound on the sole and a new tread pattern on the boot. Hexagonal tread blocks are used in the sole to enhance multi-directional stability and more stable pin engagement. In addition, the shoe features heel and toe protection integrated into a synthetic leather upper with mesh panels for added ventilation to keep your feet cool!

Shimano has added a neoprene cuff to the latest edition of the GR9 to keep debris away from your feet and also changed the fit to allow a wider range of foot, with shoes ranging from 38 to 48EU.

• Sole: Ultread
• Weight: 385g (UK 8)
• Price: £139.99

Five Ten Freerider Canvas

The Freerider is a Five Ten classic, and these Freerider Canvas MTB shoes carry on the history of unrivalled comfort and unwavering traction for mountain biking. Off the bike, the laid-back approach looks just as good as it does on the trails.

A rubber outsole of the Stealth S1 is dotted with the mix of sticky rubber and the instantly recognisable dotty tread providing unrivalled pedal security. With its medium-flex midsole, you'll also find that pedalling sections are easy to complete, and that on rowdy downhill trails, you'll have fantastic foot support as you ride and manoeuvre your bike over ever-changing terrain.

The Freeriders, with a complete canvas upper, are likewise designed to enjoy the rough and tumble world of mountain biking. They're robust, but they're also gentle, as they're manufactured from Parley Ocean Plastic, which helps to reduce ocean waste.

• Sole: Stealth® S1 Dotty rubber
• Weight: 339g
• Price: £90.00

Giro Deed Women's MTB Cycling Shoes

A shoe that is designed to look stealthy for when the going gets fast, the Giro Deed women's MTB flat pedal shoe is ideal for those looking for style and speed! To keep the grip on the pedal, Giro have engineered this shoe to have a close connection with the pedal; the combination of a highly elastic Tack rubber sole with an internal layer of Mute foam that helps provide comfort and an expectational level of grip.

To increase durability, the shoe's upper is made with side panels of extremely abrasion-resistant material and a toe cover made of protective microfiber. It may not have the same level of protection as the likes of the Shimano GR9 on this list, but for the more summery, dry days on the singletrack and all the bits in between it is an ideal shoe.

• Sole: Tack™ Rubber
• Weight: 351g (UK 5.5)
• Price: £119.99

Leatt Women's 3.0 Flat Pedal Shoes

A fairly new shoe in the Leatt range, the women's 3.0 flat pedal shoe is designed for the enduro and downhill riders out there. The shoe uses a waffle tread pattern that uses their RideGrip sole that Leatt claim to be particularly grippy.

Given the medium stiff sole, the 3.0 is the ideal shoe for a hike-a-bike situation as the lack of flex off the bike is noticeable. With the shoe weighing in at approximately 770g it is one of the heavier shoes in this line up but it's not something you will feel whilst on the trails too much.

The Leatt 3.0 is a slightly wider shoe in profile compared to the Five Ten Freerider, making them a little bit more comfortable for a person with a slightly wider foot.

• Sole: RideGrip Sole
• Weight: 770g
• Price: £99.99

crankbrothers Stamp Lace

The Crankbrothers Stamp Lace Flat Pedal Shoes offer an unshakeable bond with your pedals, giving you unrivalled control as you tackle even the toughest and roughest of trails. The premium materials used in the upper construction deliver a snug, comfortable fit as well as excellent trail-ready durability.

A reinforced toe box provides impact protection, while TPU reinforcements give abrasion resistance and a padded tongue for increased comfort and protection. Their tread pattern also improves contact surface and pedal compatibility, resulting in optimum grip on the pedal pins.

• Sole: Match CompoundMC2
• Weight: 375g (UK 8.5)
• Price: £114.99

Check out some of our other relevant articles!

Still can't find the right Flat Pedal MTB shoes for you? Don't worry, we offer a large selection of mountain bike flat pedal shoes on our website!

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