Hi,

I’ve just picked up some nice new flats for chrimbo, and picked up a pair of five ten impacts as a few mates run em and love em. I was torn between those and the Freeriders/ elements as I’m doing more Xc/ am stuff than full on dh. The impacts are very comfy, but I’m thinking they may be more than i need. Considering selling and getting some freeriders, but haven’t tried them before, anyone used both? Any preferences?

Not really such a thing as “more than you need” here, it’s a shoe. Is it the latest Impact (VXI) or the old one? Makes quite a difference, imo the old impact was a pretty awful shoe that was brilliant for riding in, the new one is a pretty nice shoe that’s awful for riding in.

Freerider Element (not VXI) is the best allround riding shoe I’ve worn. Sombrio do some nice options too

Consider shimano am41s. Perfect for winter, great all mountain/trail shoes. They keep your feet dry.

Freerider Element (not VXI) is the best allround riding shoe I’ve worn.

Great shoes

Impact VXi. Best flat shoe i’ve used. Considerably better wearing than the Freeriders 🙂

Don’t think i’ve seen anything but a glowing review of them.

Yeah, they’re the impact 2 2014 models, but not vxi, they look nice, but tres expensive! They’re nice shoes, stiff, solid and very comfy, just a bit clumpy for xc excursions maybe? Great as a dh shoe though I reckon. Think I’m swaying towards the freerider elements model, looks more what I’m wanting from a shoe tbh. Do they size up the same as impacts? The 11 g fits me like a glove…well shoe, but you know what I mean! I could get an awesome deal on some freerider element vxi but not keen on the slick sole thang as I spend a lot of time scrabbling around in my local woods and they look sloppy! Is this the case?

Slippy, not sloppy!