First Ride: All-New Crankbrothers Stamp Trail and Mallet Trail Shoes 2

When Crankbrothers dropped their first range of MTB shoes three years ago now, they hit the ground running with three different models both for flat pedal and clipless riders. Since then, the range has expanded both in terms of models and styling, and today it grows again with the introduction of the all-new Stamp Trail BOA and Mallet Trail BOA shoes. We got our samples a couple of weeks ago – keep reading to learn more and get our first impressions straight from the trail.

Crankbrothers Stamp Trail BOA Highlights

• Deep, consistently placed lugs for excellent grip and predictability regardless of foot position or pedal selection
• MATCH COMPOUND - High-friction MC2 flat rubber compound optimized for grip, durability, and low rebound
• MATCH OUTSOLE - Designed for balanced traction on and off the bike, great walkability, and an optimized pedal interface
• Outsole stiffness zones provide direct control and reduce fatigue. Features a flexible toe area with great pedal feel
• Robust TPU toe protection with rubber wrapping the front for added protection
• Extended heel for additional support and balance off the bike
• Low-rebound EVA midsole to damp vibration
• BOA® ASYMMETRIC CLOSURE system + quick-adjust hook-and-loop strap to wrap the entire foot
• BOA® Fit System Li2 dual-direction micro-adjustment dial for a precise fit
• Elastic collar to prevent debris from entering the shoe
• Gusseted, perforated, padded tongue for enhanced breathability and comfort
• Ripstop material for excellent durability
• Padded heel for great retention and comfort
• MSRP: $199.99 USD / €199.99 EUR

Crankbrothers Mallet Trail BOA Highlights

• READY TO RIDE - Crankbrothers Match shim + cleat pre-installed
• MATCH BOX - Ramped cleat box offers easy pedal entry and mud shedding. Extended 35mm cleat track allows rearward positioning for added control and stability when descending
• MATCH COMPOUND - Mid-friction MC1 rubber compound for easy entry and exit, plus long life
• MATCH OUTSOLE - Designed for balanced traction on and off the bike, great walkability, and an optimized pedal interface
• Stiff fiber-reinforced nylon shank transfers power efficiently
• Extended heel for additional support and balance off the bike
• Robust TPU toe protection with rubber wrapping the front for added protection
• Low-rebound EVA midsole to damp vibration
• Suggested cleat shim:  Grey 1.5mm for Mallet E, Mallet DH pedals // Black 1.0mm / Stainless 0.8mm for Mallet Trail, Candy, Double Shot pedals
• BOA® ASYMMETRIC CLOSURE system + quick-adjust hook-and-loop strap to wrap the entire foot
• BOA® Fit System Li2 dual-direction micro-adjustment dial for a precise fit
• Elastic collar to prevent debris from entering the shoe
• Gusseted, perforated, padded tongue for enhanced breathability and comfort
• Ripstop material for excellent durability
• Padded heel for great retention and comfort
• MSRP: $219.99 USD / €219.99 EUR

Initial Impressions

The main idea behind the new Trail line of shoes was to cater to trail and enduro riders “seeking adventure and performance.” This drove the design decisions on several fronts. Starting from the uppers, the new shoes feature Ripstop panels to provide extra abrasion protection and improve water resistance. The toe box has been beefed up, while the tongue is a bit thinner than on the regular versions of the Stamp and Mallet. The opening has gained an elastic collar to prevent the ingress of debris, and the closure system is asymmetric for improved comfort. There is also a generous amount of padding around inside of the heel area. The micro-adjustable BOA dial affects about 2/3rds of the opening, with the top section being handled by a sturdy Velcro-equipped strap.

Looking at the lowers, Crankbrothers beefed up the sole pattern in an effort to provide better traction both on and off the bike. The flat pedal version uses Crankbrothers’ high-friction “MC2” compound while the mid-friction “MC1” compound is preferred on the clipless version. The lugs are bigger than on the regular Stamp and Mallet, with a significantly more aggressive pattern in the toe and heel area for improved hiking grip.

The cleat channel of the clipless version is extended to allow for more rearward foot placement on the pedal, while the flat pedal version now has deeper channels between the lugs for improved mechanical grip. Both shoes have a low-rebound EVA midsole to damp vibrations, with a fiber-reinforced nylon shank used on the clipless version for extra support. On our scales, one size 12 Stamp Trail shoe weighs 60 grams less than a size 12 Stamp (previous generation).

On The Trail

The fit of the new Trail versions of these shoes is very similar to the regular versions, and they run true to size. Our flat pedal tester (and principal author of this article) found the size 46 Stamp Trail to be ever so slightly shorter in the toe box compared to the old Stamp (probably due to the forward angle of the heel cup), while our clipless tester had no such issues with his size 45 Mallet Trail. The materials are thinner on the Trail shoe, which provides for a more direct connection and a snugger feel, but the padding remains comfortable. The BOA system is easy to use and does a good job of cinching down the uppers without any unwanted pressure points detected by either tester – this is unusual enough to be highlighted, as we often encounter a little discomfort until a shoe breaks in fully, but not so with these new Trail shoes. The large strap worked very well in terms of providing extra snugness for bother testers, but the strap is a little bit on the long side which creates an aesthetic issue if you have narrow feet and need to really cinch it down.

On the trail, we found the new shoes comfortable and efficient. Power transfer is good, and the shoe remains comfortable both on and off the bike, even for a full day out. Hiking with the shoe is also convenient, especially with the flat pedal version given the generous amount of flex provided in the toe area – this helps greatly when hiking around in rough terrain.

The most important aspect of a flat pedal shoe is the grip it provides on the pedals. The changes made to the outsole of the Stamp Trail are a step in the right direction, as the new lug pattern provides better mechanical grip on the pins. When you’re riding with good pressure on your pedals, the feel is solid and trustworthy. However, compared to the current market leading compounds (made by Five Ten, Specialized, and Fox), the surface stickiness of the Crankbrothers MC2 compound leaves a little bit to be desired. They don’t latch on in the same tenacious way when things don’t go to plan, as they require a bit more pressure on the pedals to really cling on. The compound still offers good enough performance for most kinds of riding, but if it’s a super sticky sole you’re after, this isn’t the one for you.

As for the clipless version, first of all our tester noted that the complete sole (rubber, shank, and padding) is thicker than other brands we’ve tested - this resulted in the need to raise the saddle by 6 mm when moving over from his previous pair of shoes. Something to keep in mind if you regularly ride with more than one pair of shoes. The shoe is supplied with Crankbrothers premium cleats and 2 spacers - 0.8 and 1 mm, with the former preinstalled out of the box. When matched with our mallet DH pedal the 0.8 mm spacer created a fit that was too tight so we opted for the 1 mm spacer instead. The first car park test suggested that retention was still too tight, but already after one hour of riding the sole loosened up a bit and we found a good balance between pedal grip and float. So far, no emergency foot dabs have been interrupted because of excessive retention.

The sole of the Mallet Trail is narrow and we found one corner of the DH pedals to be left behind and exposed outside of the perimeter of the sole. We placed the cleat all the way back and outboard (to lower the Qfactor and try to overcome that misalignment with the sole surface), which helped a bit but didn’t completely solve the “issue” (which is more cosmetic and OCD-inducing as opposed to something you actually feel on the bike). All in all, after a couple of rides, this shoe left a good impression on us and we will keep testing it with more pedal options to see how it stacks up over time.

What’s The Bottom Line?

We’ve been impressed with Crankbrothers’ line of riding shoes since day one, we get along well with the fit and we like the features, the quality and the very clean aesthetics of the range. The new Trail versions of the Stamp and Mallet shoes tested here are worthy additions to the catalog, dropping a bit of weight and focusing on “adventure and performance” which makes them a good choice for quite a broad group of riders. Once broken in, the clipless experience with Crankbrothers’ own pedals is good, while the flat pedal sole is grippy enough to work for most kinds of riding. We do wish that Crankbrothers would produce a really sticky flat pedal rubber to match the class leaders in this regard, because the shoe itself is certainly able to compete with them all.

More information at: www.crankbrothers.com.

View key specs, compare, and review Crankbrothers shoes in the Product section.

About The Reviewers

Johan Hjord - Age: 50 // Years Riding MTB: 18 // Weight: 190-pounds (87-kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m)

Johan loves bikes, which strangely doesn’t make him any better at riding them. After many years spent practicing falling off cliffs with his snowboard, he took up mountain biking in 2005. Ever since, he’s mostly been riding bikes with too much suspension travel to cover up his many flaws as a rider. His 200-pound body weight coupled with unique skill for poor line choice and clumsy landings make him an expert on durability - if parts survive Johan, they’re pretty much okay for anybody. Johan rides flat pedals with a riding style that he describes as "none" (when in actuality he rips!). Having found most trail features to be not to his liking, Johan uses much of his spare time building his own. Johan’s other accomplishments include surviving this far and helping keep the Vital Media Machine’s stoke dial firmly on 11.

Yonatan Yatom - Age: 29 // Years Riding MTB: 17 // Height :6'0" (1.83m) // Weight: 180 pounds (82kg)

Yonatan is a born racer and a bike addict. As a true competitor the only thing on his mind when lining up in the start gate is the finish line. With a background in local enduro and DH races and even the occasional appearance in an Enduro World Series on his resume, Yonatan has more recently applied himself to building bigger legs and trying his luck racing XC as well. Throughout the week he’ll be manning the spanners at the bike shop, reading about new stuff on the internet, and thinking about how to improve everything he rides. Yonatan’s riding style is fully pinned, smooth, and quiet but he can be nasty to his bike when needed.

Photos by Johan Hjord