REVIEW: Endura Humvee Clipless Shoes

Do you want a riding shoe that is compliant, comfortable, and doesn't make you feel out of place when grabbing a pre-ride coffee or post-ride beer with your mates? Well, you're in luck! Endura, the Scottish apparel brand, has nailed the brief with their Humvee Clipless. Adopting the casual design aesthetic from the Humvee Flat, it features upgrades such as more durable materials, a Velcro strap for a more secure fit, and Endura's trademarked StickyFoot outsole. 

Highlights 

• Intended use: Trail, Enduro, Urban
• PU Upper with perforated panels for ventilation
• StickyFoot™ Outsole
• Moderate flex profile to blend pedal stiffness with walkability
• Ortholite™ Recycled footbed
• Traditional laces with Velcro strap
• Unisex Fit
• Colorways: Black // Pewter
• Size Ranges - US6/EU38 - US13/EU47
• MSRP: $ 129.99

Humvee Clipless Details

The Humvee Clipless shoe takes the casual look and comfort of the highly versatile Humvee Flat and adds a slightly more serious undertone to the shoe's intended use. The key separating factors of the clipless model include a more secure fit and the use of robust materials to enhance durability and protection. The classic aesthetic Endura sought with the Humvee Clipless is certainly apparent, with a skate-shoe vibe reminiscent of the late 2000s. Combining this with an all-around wearability fit and the Humvee clipless is one of those bike-specific shoes that makes you forget you are wearing a riding shoe. 

Newness can be found with the addition of a Velcro® upper strap to keep your foot locked in and a PU-constructed upper with welded overlays. The upper also features perforated panels to provide ventilation during rides. The sole was specifically designed to balance walking comfort with on-bike performance.

Within Endura's shoe line, the Humvee Clipless sits slightly below the more performance-orientated MT500 Burner Clipless in price and features ($129.99 vs. $159.99). The MT500 line is more race-focused and includes added protection and stiffness throughout the soul, heal cup, and forefoot. Endura offers the Humvee Clipless in two colorways and sizes US6 - US13.

On The Trail

We tested the Endura Humvee Clipless shoes with our trusty Santa Cruz Megatower to take on mild to aggressive trail riding, including punchy climbs, longer 40-minute + uphill grinds, and a mix of flowy and technical descents. We paired the shoes with Time Special 8 and Crankbrothers Mallet Trail pedals to find out how they function with two different clipless mechanisms.

When clipping in, the Humvees offered an easy cleat-to-pedal engagement on both the Time and Crankbrothers pedals, with no deflection or difficulty finding our cleats. The shoes were inspiring on the descent, providing a sufficient locked-in feel, allowing us to focus on the actual act of riding without the fear of blowing a foot out of our pedals.

Under pedal power and when pumping through corners or trail features, we did notice that the Humvees had a softer or more flexible shank than our usual trail shoes (the shank creates the structure and stiffness of a shoe's sole, generally running from the heel to foot pad). Naturally, this created greater flexion around the pedal or, specifically, the points of contact with the pedal. At times, we could feel the cleat through the bottom of the shoe and could feel our whole foot flexing over and around the pedal. 

Despite some initial concerns about the softer-than-normal pedal platform, it did not reduce our fun factor going downhill. It created more "feel" between the shoe and the pedal, which for some may be exactly what they are looking for, especially if you are newer to clipping in or love a flexible shoe. As with any shoe on longer climbs, comfort and heat management are highly prioritized. The Humvees offered excellent comfort and climate control, making them enjoyable and appropriate for all-day rides. Just like descending, there was notable flexion in the sole of the shoe when putting more power through the pedals during punchy climbs. We would prefer a more solid platform to maximize power and energy output in these situations. 

Things That Could Be Improved

Although the softer shank and sole of the shoe may be attractive to some, we'd like additional support to stiffen up the cleat contact area to mitigate feeling the cleat and pedal on the bottom of our feet. The rest of the shank stiffness was fine, but if the articulation area above the cleat screws were beefed up, it would allow for all the flex but with less distraction when feeling the cleat pressuring on your forefoot. Shoe flex and stiffness, of course, come down to personal preference, but based on our preferences, Endura's MT500 Burner model would be a more appropriate option.

What's The Bottom Line?

Endura's Humvee Clipless shoe offers riders subtle, casual styling with the flex pattern of a softer-soled shoe while providing robust extremities that provide external impact management and improve product longevity. Perfect for day-to-day trail or enduro riding, the Humvee is built for those looking to transition from flats to clipless or those who like a flexible shoe to maximize pedal compliance (contact) and cleat connection. 

For more information, please visit us.endurasport.com

About The Tester

Matt Sims - Age: 35 // Years Riding MTB: 20+ // Height: 5’11”' (1.78m) // Weight: 175-pounds (79.3kg)

A Kiwi-born racer that now calls North America home, Matt rides any and all forms of bike. He has raced Elite level DH and currently Enduro for the last ten years around North America. A desk jockey by trade, Matt has been in and out of the industry, working in marketing for Global brands while riding his bike as much as he can. You can find him riding trails and pavement in Southern California between catching waves.