Flat Pedal Shoe Review: Ride Concepts vs Scott vs Shimano vs Five Ten

The flat pedal shoe market is no longer dominated by just one brand, with multiple worthy options being released over the last couple of years. We rounded up three of the newest options and compared them to a perennial favorite, Five Ten's Impact Pro.

A few of the factors that make up the grip of a great flat pedal shoe are the sole's tread depth, pattern, thickness, width, and of course the rubber properties. Flex and traction can be a personal preference or change depending on the intended use. For example, a freerider may not want the bulkiest, stickiest option, which would make floating around the pedals while unweighted over jumps next to impossible, whereas enduro or downhill racers want their feet to remain glued in place and only available to dab when necessary.

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Traction: I've spent plenty of years on flat pedals and scoffed at almost all other Five Ten competitors, but the Ride Concepts' Max Grip rubber comes extraordinarily close to that magical, tacky feel that Stealth Rubber is known for. Off the bike, the Tallac's hexagon tread wins hands down over round dots that lack any square edges, especially in wet loam, grass, or snow. Moving your foot on the pedal isn't impossible, even with tall pins on the Giant Pinner Pro pedals which have become a new favorite, while the thickness and damping levels of the rubber keep your lower limbs nailed down when you apply pressure. The soles are consistent, no matter where your feet land on the pedal because it's very flat and wider than the shoe itself; a very important attribute to feeling stable and increasing the chance of a firm foot hold.

Fit: The tongue is well padded and doesn't slide to the side, nor does it cut into your foot as you pedal or walk. Holding tight, old school laces are hard to beat for even pressure, plus they stay snug and can be neatly tucked into an elastic loop on top of the tongue. A deep, comfy heel cup really latches on to the back of your foot, never lifting or rubbing while hiking either. With a moderately wide toe box and mild arch, these fit true to size, although I did get some hot spots underfoot on the first two rides, which isn't totally uncommon for me.

Function: Sitting on the burlier side of flat pedal shoes, the Tallac is built with a perfect blend of weight, grip, and comfort. It's not a bulky high top, nor is it a skateboard shoe rehashed for mountain biking. There is just the right amount of protection in the toe, on the sides. Coupled with a thin, wide sole that damps vibrations. If I was throwing limbs off for some style points more often, I might want something like the Shimano GR9s with a similar structure but more freedom to declaw from the pedal pins.

The strong Cordura material isn't as breathable as the airy Scott SHR-ALPs and they do take longer to dry out, which is expected when you compare their volumes side by side. Another strong, but less desirable, attribute of the Tallac's was the pungent rubber smell that hasn't subsided since I opened the box, despite a good scrub with laundry detergent.

Overall, the Tallac hit the sweet spot for me. They have an excellent blend of padding to weight, without being complete vapor-lock barriers. That thin, grippy, shock-absorbing sole rivals the Five Ten Impact, plus it doesn't look like a moon boot.

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Traction: To sum it up quickly, grip levels are great, but not quite Stealth Rubber territory though. I would place them in line with Five Ten's Freerider Pro for shape and feel - more of a skateboard shoe tuned for mountain biking. You don't feel as engaged with the bike compared to the Ride Concept Tallac. The Ultread Gravity sole's rubber is tacky, although not quite soft enough for the pins to sink in deeply, and I could feel the back half of the pedal bouncing against my foot in rougher terrain.

Fit: I do love the addition of the gaiter-style cuff to defend against debris lodging under your foot while riding, but I wish it was fully enclosed. Attaching just forward of the sides of the talus bone, the gaiter stitching did start to irritate my feet once in a while.

If you have wide feet, these could be your next flat pedal shoe. Once upon a time, Shimano offered some shoes in a regular and wide option; the GR9 could use the narrower option because these are on the larger size in terms of volume. Since these shoes are only offered in full sizes only, I would highly suggest trying before buying.

Function: You can expect to feel more bump feedback through the shoe. The sole is quite stiff with a shallow tread, albeit, plenty wide. That makes them a bit dull to the senses. I would have to mindfully keep my heels dropped while climbing or my foot would bounce forward and off the pedal, but not so much due to the lack of friction, but the lack of damping.

The GR9s are a quality pair of shoes with lots of air flow, adding to their versatility, even though they lean towards the gravity spectrum with their firmness. For a larger rider, this could be a benefit though and could be exactly what you're looking for.

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Traction: Turning over the SHR-ALPs is when you first realize these are simply a clipless look-a-like. The widely spaced and oddly twisted, hexagon lugs that taper to triangles in the mid-sole use Sticki Rubber. That tread doesn't lead to a lot of the rubber actually touching the pedal pins, so it's easier to re-position your foot on the pedal. The pins play a bit of pinball in the lugs and I would describe the rubber as a middle ground in terms of tackiness and softness when looking back on Five Ten's sticky rubber.

Fit: As a polar opposite of the Shimano GR9 being wide and roomy, the SHR-ALPs are on the narrow and slim side. For my medium-wide, 42 size foot, these were on the snug side through the mid-foot and toe box with a moderately high arch on the insole.

Function: The SHR-ALPs have a more mechanical feel to them, thin and stiff without the same level of damping or all-out grip as Five Ten Stealth rubber, or even the other two gravity-based shoes featured above. Some of this could be down to the fact that the sole wasn't completely flat, or particularly wide. Even when weighted, my foot wouldn't compress the sole to land flat on the pedal. That inner and outer edge across the width of the sole could be felt connecting first or more apparent than the middle.

Installs are dead simple with the BOA closure, but I did desire a tighter fit at the top of the tongue to lock my heel in further. A dual tension system of a BOA lace and a velcro strap would be beneficial here. Not surprisingly, the extra tension needed from the BOA and the short, thin tongue would bite into the front of my foot when I cranked down on the dial system. Otherwise, I think the SHR-ALP would make a great all-day affair shoe because of their light construction, venting, easy on and offs, and moderate grip levels... if I could lock my foot in without that pinch from the BOA wire.

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The pair I've kept around for almost four years now has seen plenty of wear and tear, not to mention being drowned through those soggy North Shore winter months, which is why they look a lot more haggard than the others on trial.

Traction: Every time a new shoe brand enters the market, they can't escape the comparison to Five Ten's Stealth Rubber. The Impact Pro's classic dots now alternate between two different sizes. Only the dullest or shortest pins will allow for any adjustment without lifting your foot off of the pedal. Riders who aren't as accurate with their initial foot placement may not like the gluey feeling, but once you land in an ideal spot, slipping a pedal never happens.

The Ride Concepts Max Grip rubber compound and the pattern does give the Stealth Rubber a good run for its money. If the Impacts are a ten out of ten for grip, the Tallacs are a close nine.

Fit: The first qualm I had with the shoes before spending any time in them was the Adidas' method of sizing. That changed from the old Sam Hill Impact model to the Impact Pro, so I had to drop down from a US 9 to an 8.5 for a tighter fit. Secondly, the right shoe's foam through the heel cup dropped significantly and it also started to occur on the left as well. There's simply not enough depth to the heel cup.

I also had issues getting the laces tight enough to lock the tongue down and prevent my heel from lifting. In combination with the already shallow heel cup, this rendered the Impact Pros useless for sessioning or on backcountry adventures, when hiking was frequent.

Function: Similarly to the Tallacs, a wide sole gives a solid feeling on the pedals. This is so crucial to standing stable on the pedals and keeping your foot weighted, avoiding any side loading as you move around the bike, potentially lifting the inside or outside of the pedal pin arrangement - that was my main gripe with the Scott SHR-ALPs.

Coupled with that wide and ultra tacky tread, the sole is thin, yet the rubber helps to damp and vibrations you may get through braking bumps and the like. They feel more alive than the Shimanos and provide positive connectivity with the bike. Breathability and dry time are still not the best, however, those are still small cons I'd be willing to deal with given the levels of traction the Impacts have.

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Editor's Choice

Will any of these shoes replace the Five Ten Impact Pros as my current favorite flat pedal shoe? For gravity-based riding, I'm on board with grabbing the Ride Concepts Tallac right now. The grip is close Five Ten's Stealth rubber, and I found the fit to be superior.

There are characteristics of the Shimano GR9s that I really enjoyed too, like a massive sense of fresh air keeping your feet cool, even with that gaiter, plus the stiff, tacky sole for staying strong those times I jumped the bike a little too deep. The Scott SHR-ALPs also vent well and I can appreciate the convenience of the BOA. With a few refinements, they could be a great alternative to the bulkier flat pedal shoes on the market.

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Reviews and Tech Reviews Shoes Five Ten Ride Concepts Scott Shimano