Has anyone got a pair of the OWN FR01 shoes and had them for a while? What's the long term views like? How are they in the heat?
In the market for new shoes and I'm slight put off by the recent Five Ten users saying that soles come unstuck within 6 months and that they take forever to dry.
I'm sure someone will have an opinion!
I've had a pair for a year, so that should count as long term. I like mine, the fit is different to standard shoes and they are sensitive to foot position in the pedal, if you aren't in the right place they don't feel so comfortable. Mrs hoppy really didn't get on with them after I recommended them to her.
Positive points
D3O inserts mean my feet don't get tired even in big 5000m+ alpine days.
Boot gives loads of support.
Really comfy to wear.
Dry really quickly.
Winter liners are really warm even on cold days.
The tight seal keeps a lot of shit out of your shoes.
Negative points
They are really hot generally and they end up honking.
They can be hard to get on (worse since I had my ankle fused).
The sole is less grippy than stealth rubber on the bike and not that grippy off it either due to the extensive smoothish pedal contact patch.
After not massive use (I've missed a load of riding due to an op) the soles are showing quite a bit of wear.
Overall, I'm happy I've bought them, I'll use them til they die but I'm not completely sure I'd replace them with the same. Apparently they are working on a new version which is like to see. Makes it harder to go back to a 5:10 because some stuff they do great.
Had a pair for a long time and they are bloody brilliant, I do all sorts of riding and a lot of hike-a-biking too. The fit is so much better than any other MTB shoe (at least flat pedal anyway), this is also the reason they are hard to get on but if you undo the laces properly they're no problem to slide into. They really fit to your foot much better than 5:10 for example because they use a much more refined last when making the shoe, it is cheaper using a more 'blocky' last hence the bulkier skater style shoe from most MTB shoe companies. The support you get from them being a boot style is so much better than normal shoes, both for hiking and riding, and I can't understand why more companies don't make them like this.
Wear wise - The upper material will probably never wear out, it is kevlar and is showing no signs of wear at all. The only signs of wear are the sole starting to come away from the upper material where they meet, just a tiny bit but then I have to say mine has seen an awful lot of abuse! Soles will wear out slower than 5:10 as they're harder but then they are thinner too. Which is another good point as they give you a nicer feel on the pedal.
Agree with Hoppy, they do stink after a while, because of the non ventilated/water resistant kevlar bit there's not much airflow and do get pretty hot but then it is the UK... usually it is cold and mingin (except now, just ignore now). You can wash those inners pretty easy though.
I found with mine since you get the two sets of inner boots I would usually take both sets out with me in the car then wear which ever set appropriate for the ride and have the 2nd set as a sort of pair of slipper to chuck on when I finished the ride to get home/pub/shop/whatever.
Yes they're working on new version, could be a clipped version as they've alluded to that before...
All in all I think they're a fantastic shoe and while they might not be a 100% perfect they are certainly far better than your usual MTB shoe, I don't know why more companies aren't doing similar things!
I am an early adopter, I originally got one of the first batches of shoes. The postives are the fit, the inserts, level of grip and how fast they dry. They fit like a high end clip less shoe offering support in all the right places especially for someone like me with weak arches and loose ankles. The inserts are a good touch, the winter boot lets your foot get wet but it will stay warm, the summer boot lets your foot breath a bit more. I find the level of grip spot on, not too much and not too little, they do not make me feel like I’m stuck to the pedals but have enough that I feel secure and can change my foot position. You can dry them easily and they do not take age.
The negatives, the sole is has work quite quickly, I now have big gouges which are not far off going all the through. The sole has also started to come away from the heal on one shoe. I am on my second pair of shoes, after 4 months one of the eyelets split and were replaced.
overall I’m glad I tried them and while mostly I think they are a very good shoe I would not buy them again. Partly because of the negatives I have mentioned and partly because they are an absolute pain to get on.
Thanks Chaps.
Your thoughts are similar to the very few reviews online. Great shoes, but the price is such that they are not twice as good as shoes half the price.
Now if only they were in a sale somewhere. 😉
I like mine as well though as I'm right on a size boundary they are difficult to get in, even with loose laces. Fortunately they are very comfortable when om and have plenty of grip for me. The sole is wearing at a reasonably quick rate but not any worse than my last shoes. I was lucky and got mine as nearly new for good price. Not sure I'd pay the list price for them.
As with nixie above, I was just into one of the sizes and found them too loose, but the size lower was too small. There's too big a range between shoes at the moment to fit everyone well.
But I did like the quality and the style, but found my foot moved around too much inside the larger show, so I just had to go back to the 5:10's
With OWN doing them at half price at the moment if you can get some that for I'd give them a try.