A fast shoe for fast riders – Crankbrothers present the Mallet BOA, a clipless race shoe with a BOA closure system.
After adding the Mallet shoe to their line-up, American brand Crankbrothers now offer a complete pedal/cleat/shoe system. We tested the BOA version of the shoe, which wraps snugly around your foot with a simple twist of the dial. But are Crankbrothers’ race and gravity-oriented shoes still comfortable on long rides and is it worth buying them even if you’re not racing? Here are our impressions after using the shoes for six months:
The Mallet shoe was developed for racers and bike park rats and is available in two versions. You can choose between a standard laced model and a more sophisticated version with a BOA closure system. The BOA model in this test retails for € 199.99 and makes a very high-quality impression. The Mallet has a comfortable fit and sits like a glove on the slightly wider feet of our tester Jonas. The shoes weigh 424 g in size EU 42 and come as standard with pre-installed Crankbrothers cleats. If you use their pedals already, you can take the shoes out of the box, put them on and head straight to the trails! Of course, you can also use conventional SPD cleats for Shimano pedals. The long and deep Matchbox cleat slot ensures a wide adjustment range and makes it easier to click in and out of the pedal. Together with the grippy sole and clever mix of materials, you won’t even notice the cleats when walking. The shoes walk surprisingly well for a clipless shoe and the deep Matchbox slot prevents the cleat from scratching the floor. Particularly striking is the BOA closure system, which allows you to fasten the shoe within a few seconds. For those who don’t know how it works, the Boa system is just a ratcheting fastener. A thin, nylon-coated steel cord replaces a classic shoelace and pulls the shoe’s upper closed around your foot. This is tightened by a micro-adjustable dial that allows for quick and precise adjustment of the shoe. To open the shoes, you just have to pull the dial up to release the tension. The BOA closure system is complemented by a Velcro strap on the top edge of the uppers.
The Velcro strap offers additional stability by holding the upper part of the foot in place.
The generous Matchbox ensures a large cleat adjustment range.
The BOA dial lets you tighten and release the shoe within seconds, with a simple twist of the hand.
While at first glance the padding of the Mallet looks very chunky, it has been considered down to the last detail to provide the best possible compromise between comfort and sensitivity. The generous cushioning on the tongue and uppers provides a high level of comfort while the stiff midsole around the cleat area ensures a defined ride. Awesome! Even on very long days in the saddle, we were impressed with the fit of the Mallet shoes. Crankbrothers have also managed to strike a good compromise between insulation and ventilation. Throughout the testing period, Jonas enjoyed a very pleasant foot climate, in conditions ranging from chilly single-digit temperatures all the way up to 20° C. He did start sweating a little with warmer temperatures above 25°C. While the Mallet Boa isn’t a thoroughbred bad-weather shoe, it can handle a fair amount of spray and damp. On very wet days, we recommend wearing waterproof socks. Even after almost six months, our Mallet shoes look pretty good, except for the toe boxes which have taken a beating to protect Jonas’ feet against rocks and nasty roots – and they did a great job! Given the amount of abuse our shoes have taken over the past 6 months, the soles still look pretty fresh and have only minor signs of wear.
Conclusions
While the Mallet shoes were originally designed for racers and bike park rats, they’re still very comfortable on long rides. The BOA system allows you to open and close the shoes with the twist of your hand and provides a secure and comfortable fit. Moreover, the well-thought-out shoe/pedal/cleat concept is simply ingenious! Other clever and well-designed features like the sturdy toe box, the generously-sized Matchbox cleat slot and balanced padding round off the overall great impression.
Tops
- comfortable all day long
- easy, fast and even lacing
- high-quality workmanship
- high-quality, simple look
Flops
- quite warm in summer
- not for bad weather rides
Tester: Jonas
Duration: 6 months
Price: € 199.99
Weight: 424 g in EU 42
More information: crankbrothers.com
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