TESTED: Fox Union BOA clipless MTB shoes

Through the tail end of 2022 you would have seen Fox footwear popping up all over the place. There were soft launches, hard launches, launch launches – and earlier in 2023 they seemed to be finally official. I've had a pair of the Fox Union BOA ($350) shoes in use since the start of the year, along with the Fox Union lace version ($250) and flat pedal Fox Union Flat ($199). But for now, let's look at the BOA version.

The shoe shares a common aesthetic from many current trail shoes with BOA dials, they look like a sneaker (with BOAs) with a skate style sole and plenty of comfort when you slip them on. Of course, they're quite a technical piece of foot wear, with a great combination of materials and features.

Looking from front to back, the toe box is reinforced, and pleasasntly roomy. There's a decent amount of toe bumper on the front, although the whole one piece upper feels pretty durable – if not a bit rubbery. In fact, my first thought was they felt like some sort of high tech gumboot, and I was worried they might be way too toasty. There are small holes for breathability though, plus a sweat wicking lining.

There's a padded tongue that's still quite slimline below the BOAs, and a solid heel cup to keep you locked into the shoe. The heel cup is moulded and the shoes are padded around the ankle but not too much, so the fit is precise. 

Fit wise, Fox supply extra inserts for more arch support, which is a great touch for getting the fit right. The two Li2 BOA dials are at a slight angle, working better to cinch the upper across your foot. I used the higher arch support and found the EU44 sizing to be spot on – but with a generous toe box. In no way would I size down, but some people may find the extra room in the toes a bit different. My wide feet love it.

The mid sole is super comfortable for walking, with toe flex and cushioning at the heel strike. There's a long and wide cleat pocket to get your cleats set up just about however you want, and Fox state that their Ultratac rubber mixes durability with grip.

On the trail

With some cleats fitted, it was easy to get going with these shoes – they were very comfortable from the get go, and felt a lot like the Specialized 2FO Cliplite that have been my go to trail shoe for the past year or more. And that's no bad thing.

The BOA dials have a light touch to tighten them or release, which I don't tend to do too much when riding, but it makes them easy to reach down and cinch up to feel nice and secure if needed.

I used these shoes with Shimano XT Trail pedals, and Shimano XT Race. And while the shoes are very comfortable to walk around in off the bike, I was impressed that they were still stiff enough with a small platform pedal like the XT Race. I'd say Fox did not design them this way, but the support through the nylon midsole is impressive, while not feeling like a piece of wood the rest of the time.

In fact, it is the overall feel of the shoe that is a stand out to me. There's the right mix of security and movement in the upper and the midsole to feel a good connection with the bike, but anough that you can make plenty of small movements with foot placement and weighting, without feeling like you're strapped to a piece of 2 by 4.

That said, at times I would prefer a more secure feel from the platform of the pedal to the shoe. This is a very fine point. I often like a secure feeling so the float doesn't feel as free. Not many people like that. Some shoes and pedals manage this via included cleat plates, which also help account for shoe wear. But that's not the case here. This is a minor greivance, as the foot feel and movement on a trail clipless pedal is similar to most shoes on the market. But I'd happily have it a little snugger.

Clipping in was easy thanks to the long cleat pocket with chamfered edges, although having used clipless pedals for over 25 years, I think I'm probably not the best judge of that, as I know exactly where the cleat is on a shoe. Still, the design of the cleat pocket will help guide the cleat into the pedal when your focus is somewhere else completely. The chamfered edge will also help prevent the cleat pocket from gunking up – except for peanut butter death mud, which clogs everything known to humans. Do not ride in peanut butter death mud.

While I've mostly used the shoes in hot and dry conditions, the couple of days on wet trails did highlight the fact the rubber is pretty handy on wet rocks and logs. It is no wonder material, but clipping out to hop across a creek line or scramble up some rocks wasn't the experience it can be. Similarly, they didn't cook my feet on hot days. I wonder if the roomier toe box helped with this? Either way, I've found them comfortable from 18 degrees in the drizzle to mid 30s in the sun.

While a couple of months isn't a long time for a mountain bike shoe (in my opinion) the Fox Union BOAs are still looking fresh. The BOA dials are crisp, and there are no cuts in the upper or signs of wear on the tread. The textured finish at high wear areas should help this, but even on other sections the shoes still look fine. Of note, there are more subtle colours than red if that's your vibe. Given these are one of three pairs of new shoes Fox have released, I think they have put their best foot forward for a high performance trail shoe with this one. If you want something with high end materials, a sleek finish and an easy transition from on and off the pedal.

One downside would be the outer sole, if you're someone who rides for adventure. Although the rubber is nice, it lacks any real way to dig your toes or heels in for steep hike a bike when out riding barely there trails.

As always, I would suggest trying these on at a dealer. But I take an EU44 in Shimano, Fizik and Specialized, and these fit just as they should as well. Fox do half sizes between popular sizes, so I'm certain anyone can get a precise fit.

RRP: $350
From: Fox Racing