S-Works Trail shoes

s-works-shoes

I have always been a big fan of the S-Works shoes Specialized makes. To be honest once you put shoes with an S-Works label on your feet it’s pretty hard to go back. The fit and performance for me has always been amazing, but due to their race specific design and lightweight material, durability was often not the best. Particularly when I’m quite often off the  bike, running around, climbing trees and rocks looking for great photo ops.

So when these S-Works Trail shoes showed up, I was super keen to give them a thrash. Unlike the other S-Works shoes, these are d esigned specifically for the Trail rider, a rider potentially doing more hike a bike sections, or riding rougher terrain with an ever ready foot hovering for a quic k dab. Specialized have basically taken an S-works XC race shoe and added 60 grams per shoe of extra durability. The S-Works Trail has the same super stiff carbon sole and S2 Boa system as the XC race version, but sets itself apart by a higher inside ankle for protection and a robust rubberized finish at all the main contact points.

The S-Works Trail still retains the high end styling and looks you would expect, although some might not like the look of the higher inside ankle, you really don’t even see or notice it once the shoe is on. So don’t fret, your Coffee Shop credibility will still remain well and truly intact and your ankles will too.

The S-Works trail shoe has exceeded my expectations , the S-works looks, fit and feel due to their Body Geometry fit system is still there, but I now have confidence that they will last the distance no matter what I throw at them. If you’re usually hard on gear, and enjoy the rougher more technical side of mountain biking, but still want S-works quality, then look no further.

From: Specialized Australia and New Zealand.

RRP: $399.95

Hits: High quality and matched durability

Misses: $$$(you get what you pay for however.)

Words: Tim Bardsley-Smith