Shimano EX7 (EX700) Gore-Tex Shoes review

Foot WearReview

by Chipps March 2, 2025 1

The Shimano EX7 (EX700) Gore-Tex shoes can be hard to find; searching for Shimano EX700 often results in the the low-top version. So make sure you find this high-top version, with the fantastic cuff. 

• Brand: Shimano
• Product: EX7 (EX700) Gore-Tex Shoes
• From: Freewheel
• Price: £199.99
• Tested: by Chipps for four winter months

Pros

• Waterproof and very secure-feeling
• Scree guard is excellent at keeping rocks and rubble out
• The Shimano Ultread sole has good physical grip, is flexy enough to walk in and the rubber is sticky for hike-a-bikes

Cons

• They’re waterproof, but they’re not insulated
• Finger loop at the heel isn’t big enough to fit a gloved finger
• The sole is chunky in width and you might find yourself bumping off chainstays and cranks if you’re a heels-in rider

Shimano pitches these particular EX7 shoes as ‘Off-road touring shoes that deliver premium comfort and performance for exploring in adverse conditions’. They feature a GoreTex lining, a single BOA dial that pulls on three wide band straps and a tight, woven fabric outer that’s reinforced all over the place with rubber and nylon scuff guards. On the ankle, there’s an elastic scree guard that keeps (most of) the rocks out. This extends into and becomes the sewn-in tongue of the boot. – different from regular EX7 shoes, which just feature a regular shoe silhouette.

The sole differs hugely from a more racy shoe, with an EVA midsole for walking comfort and a boot-like, chunky sole made from Shimano’s Ultread rubber. They’re not light, at 930g a pair with cleats, but there’s a lot going on. 

Riding with the EX700 shoes

I’ve been running these as my daily wear mountain bike (and gravel, and road sometimes) shoes since November and I reckon I’ve good a good handle on the performance.

Starting with sizing, I chose a 44, which is my regular Shimano shoe size (I’m probably a 43.5 to be honest). This allows great comfort with a winter-weight cycling sock (like Madison’s excellent Roam Merino socks) and the fit has been spot-on. No need to size up or down, and the manmade components ensure that they’re not going to shrink or expand with use. If you like to run mountaineering socks, or a waterproof sock you might want to size up. (By contrast, I also have the chunkier EX9 boots in the same Shimano size 44 and have to run two pairs of socks…)

The cuff, even after three months use is still tight on my ankle and needs two hands and a bit of hopping around to get them on. There is a finger loop on the back of the cuff, though it could do with being bigger as it’s hard to use if you’ve already got your gloves on… I did have an issue with the stitching on one loop coming adrift – I think due to trying to pull them on with my foot in the air, rather than being sensible and pushing my feet into the boot on the floor and using the finger loop to just keep the cuff open. Anyway, Freewheel has said that this would be a warranty replacement.

The single BOA works over three, wide straps to give a snug feel without pinching anywhere. Like all multi-strap BOAs, it takes a bit of time for the tension to distribute over the three straps after you initially put them on and you’ll spend the first 15 minutes of every ride doing them up a few clicks at a time as they settle in. The BOA is of the ‘click to tighten, pull to undo’ style, so fine tuning isn’t possible. As it is, I don’t feel they need it. They’re exposed, rather than ‘protected’ BOA dials, like they are on the EX9, so if you’re going to be smashing your feet into rocks, you might want those.

Pedalling comfort is equally great. The shoe (boots? Booties?) soles are rated a 5/11 in terms of overall stiffness, but don’t be put off by that… I’ve found them great for regular riding on everything from enduro bikes to XC race machines, with no sense of them flexing over the pedals. Off the bike, they’re flexible enough for hike-a-bike, café stops or push-up tracks and the Ultread sole material feels genuinely grippy over rocks and muddy sections. I have found that the chunky sole can lead to heel tapping on cranks and chainstays, but only slightly and I found I altered my riding style a little to suit. If you’re not an ankles-in rider, you’ll be fine.

I was lured into thinking that these would be warmer to wear than they actually are. If you think of them as a trail shoe with a boot cuff, you’ll be in the right ball park. On single digit temps, they could be a little chilly, as you’re only a thin nylon and Goretex membrane away from the outside temperature. Again, if you’re after deep winter wear, then look to the chunkier EX9s – and we’ll be bringing you a review on them very soon. On the plus side, it needs to be a pretty toasty day for them to start to feel too warm on the trail.

Although, at £199 they’re not cheap (and nor are they particularly light), if you think of them as ‘all autumn, most of the winter and all of the spring’ footwear, there’s a bigger window of use for them than if they were dedicated, insulated winter boots. And being shoe-based, they have a slimmer profile and a more ‘normal’ look to them compared to a dedicated winter boot. Compared to the shoe-only EX700 version, for your extra £50, you’re getting that scree-guard cuff and a full GoreTex lining, which I think is definitely worth it.

Overall

The Shimano EX700 high top, shoe-derived boots are slightly specialist clip-in shoes, but for the right kind of rider, they are going to be essential wear for half of the year. Paired with some summery trail shoes for warm days and you’re going to be set. They’re well thought-out and genuinely useable off the bike for those push-ups, portages, or even just heading round Sainsbury’s in search of yellow-sticker pos-ride pies. They’re rain, splash and sploosh-proof and good down to low single digits. The GoreTex lining, by its nature makes them windproof and the Ultread sole gives confidence on stepping stones and rocky staircases and boulder fields alike.

Review Info