Obviously everything here is ‘enduro this’ and ‘enduro that’ and there even seems to be an official ‘enduro blue’ colour. So when Lake introduced its new MX180 Enduro Boot, it actually turns out to be a revamped version of a shoe it did several years ago. Doesn’t stop it being of great interest to trail riders everywhere though.
The shoe/boot is a mid-height for ankle protection, with a rubber toe shield and some side scuff patches too. Assuming that you’re not just going to clip in an pedal for four hours, the sole is nylon rather than carbon, which gives a lot more comfort when walking.
And talking of walking, the proprietary ‘Hypergrip’ rubber sole features ‘Icelock’ lugs which contain fibreglass particles for better grip in the cold and wet. Talking of which, there are refreshingly few vents for all year riding. The shoe has a single Boa closure that keeps everything tight and there’s a comedy oversize rear tab to help you get in.
The Lake MX180 will be out late autumn and we’re very keen to see how it works as an autumn/winter shoe.
Moving completely on, we have the DK150 on the left and the DK100 on the right. They’re Lake’s go at doing a casual SPD shoe (or flats if you don’t remove the rubber blanks) for the city and more casual rider. The DK150 boot is also thermal lined and Lake hopes that it’ll appeal to the all-year round commuter in lands not frigid enough for its 303 winter boot.
For a more sporty look, there’s the new MX168 (we love those catchy product names) which is a privateer sport/race shoe featuring double Velcro straps and a Boa closure. The Boa sits on a Velcro pad and can be moved up and down the tongue (or even sideways) to put the pressure where it’s the most comfortable. It’s under $180 in the US, but we’re not sure what it’ll work out in the UK at. There’s an MX228 version with carbon and stuff for $249, saving 100g.
The Lake MX303 is greatly loved by those riders and commuters that ride through the winter in all temperatures. The 303 is at its best when it goes sub-zero, though cold-feeted people love it even in autumn and spring. For 2016, the boot gets a facelift and a couple of extra features – as well as a colour option. This brown suede-like version looks great and has that nice ‘new Timberlands’ feel to it.
One criticism of the original 303 is that the toe box soon scuffs up and eventually wears through the smooth finish to the unprotected leather underneath. Lake has now added a toe bumper to keep those scuffs on a more expendable bit. There’s also a new loop for adding a snow (or rain) gaitor for even more weather protection and to stop the boots eventually filling up with the water running down your legs.
And finally, you’re not a true racer if you don’t have a pair of podium shoes. These are made using the uppers of Lake’s top race shoes, but with more flat trainer soles. This means that when you’re on the top step of the podium, you’re not slipping straight off due to having your carbon soled race shoes on.
No, we can’t see that we’ll need them either. 🙂
