Northwave Flagship GTX winter gravel shoe assessment: Northwave’s costliest off-road shoe

My winter biking shoe testing has continued into February, however currently, I’ve headed off-road to combine issues up. I’ve been placing the Northwave Flagship GTX winter footwear by their paces. These are Northwaves absolute flagship off-road winter footwear and the Italian model has gone to city on them. 

The footwear sit in Northwave’s MTB lineup, however I’m testing them out to experience gravel, and a little bit of every part on a gravel bike reality be advised, highway, gentle MTB trails, gravel tracks, you get the image. They characteristic a two-bolt cleat mounting so if it’s off-road, or on for that matter, and also you need to use an SPD-style two-bolt cleat they’ll match the invoice.

Winter footwear and boots are sometimes expensive, and the Flagship GTX actually uphold this custom with a rrp of £386.99 / $472.99 / €429.99. They are tied with the Veloce Extreme highway footwear, worn by Pippo Ganna on the highway because the model’s costliest choices. The clue is within the identify right here, Northwave provides its top-tier boots the ‘flagship’ identify and it might seem the model has made zero concessions regarding the development of those footwear. Northwave is dedicated to winter biking footwear and has probably the most winter shoe choices of any model that I do know, there are a number of highway and MTB choices to select from, however we’re stepping into on the high at this time.

Yes, they’re expensive, and have a giant spec checklist which we are going to get into, however are they any good? Well, I’ve been heading out in traditional chilly and muddy British winter situations to place them to the take a look at. 

Head to our greatest winter biking footwear information for extra chilly climate, winter biking choices 

Design and Aesthetics 

Some winter boots, for me, don’t look notably cool at occasions, they’re a bit of chunky, and while they’re before everything designed to do a selected job in testing situations, they often make me miss clear white biking footwear on a summer time’s day. 

The Flagship GTXs look purposeful and classy although, they really feel techy and excessive finish and I like the general feel and look, it is extra suited to off-road using I really feel from a purely aesthetic standpoint. Out of the field, you may’t assist however suppose ‘Yeah, these items are correct’. 

They are available a single color black, and in my view, lose a bit of little bit of winter boot bulk because of the comfortable and fewer distinguished neoprene ‘straightforward collar’. Shoes with a taller collar and a strap have a tendency to finish up trying bulkier for my cash. These footwear are nearer in appears to an everyday biking shoe, particularly with the double closure dials loads of winter footwear are likely to eschew, simply with a taller, raised collar. There’s loads of energy and construction, but it surely’s a extra interesting proposition to me. On a aspect notice, Northwave additionally produces a road-going Flagship mannequin, with an analogous design, however the GTX model has a textured neoprene collar in comparison with the highway variations’ clean one, primarily for appears. 

The footwear are black, with reflective silver ‘Northwave’ and ‘Gore-Tex’ wordmarks on the skin of every shoe. Gore-Tex refers after all to the liner the footwear use. On the within heel, the model and mannequin identify are printed in black. 

There are two pull loops that can assist you get the footwear on on the entrance and rear of the ankle collar. They are reflective and prolong down the ankle collar and entrance of the shoe, to assist enhance visibility. However, the entrance strip is basically hidden by the shoe’s higher.

In phrases of design, there are a number of options to unpack right here. Let’s begin on the sole, These footwear use a Michelin carbon fibre sole, that Northwave has given a 14.0 out of 15 score on its in-house stiffness scale. If you are confused at this level, Michelin produces soles for numerous varieties of footwear as a part of its ‘Soles by Michelin’ programme. The model’s hyperlight XC carbon soles have been used, and are manufactured from unidirectional carbon fibre. The carbon fibre additionally has some kind of rubbery, protecting coating, I assume to offer safety when using and strolling off-road so the soles don’t get too crushed up, a rubber tread on high takes care of strolling duties although together with two replaceable entrance studs. The tread may be very slim on the midfoot and simply behind, however the cloth sole of the shoe itself is extensive, and fairly inflexible, your ft nonetheless really feel supported, one thing I felt was missing within the DMT WKR1 winter footwear. I requested Northwave about this, they usually defined the narrowness is primarily to save lots of weight. 

The footwear additionally characteristic Northwave Arctic insoles, which use a skinny layer of aluminium sandwiched within the insole to enhance insulation and are topped with a skinny fleece layer. They aren’t heavy-duty, but it surely’s one other good contact. I unintentionally accomplished a chilly experience with out an insole in a single shoe after eradicating it to {photograph} and unsurprisingly I might really feel a distinction in heat.

Northwave has used a Gore-Tex Duratherm Kelvin liner to offer insulation and waterproofing. According to Northwave, they have been the primary model to make use of Gore-Tex in biking footwear in 2004 and at the moment provide 10 footwear that make use of Gore-Tex materials and liners.

You guessed it: the Flagship GTX makes use of the top-level Gore-Tex Duratherm Kelvin membrane, which affords the utmost quantity of thermal insulation and the most effective breathability. When used, it ought to contribute to dry, comfy ft that don’t overheat when working laborious, which I additionally discovered to be the case once I just lately reviewed the Gorewear Gore-Tex Trigger winter gloves.

Not as many winter biking footwear get the twin dial therapy, however Northwave has continued the top-spec theme by becoming two of its personal SLW3 dials that are in the stores as spares, the identical as could be discovered on its flagship Veloce Extreme highway providing which characteristic in our greatest biking footwear information. Turn the dials clockwise to tighten, and carry the angled ‘fin’ above them to undo. I see the dials obtain criticism in some quarters for being a bit of fiddly, they by no means trigger me a lot challenge, to be trustworthy. There aren’t the multidirectional changes some Boa dials present, but it surely’s a first-world downside.

Externally a strip of hard-wearing materials runs across the outdoors of the shoe PU higher, notably on the heel and toes, it appears tremendous powerful and sturdy and likewise contributes to the marginally aggressive, off-road aesthetics for me.

Performance 

There are just a few key areas to check when taking a look at winter biking footwear, heat and waterproofing being the principle two, and the driving components for individuals purchasing for winter biking footwear I really feel. 

These are off-road footwear, and that doubtlessly means much more mud and water. I’ve examined the footwear in loads of thick, boggy mud and freezing water, with me each using and carrying the bike by some very deep, muddy sections they usually stored my ft fully dry. It was muddy, moist and deep sufficient for me to have that ‘any minute now’ feeling, ready for the second chilly water began penetrating the footwear, but it surely didn’t, a pleasant go for the footwear there. 

I additionally used them for low-intensity highway using, and off-road gravel in temperatures simply above freezing, my newest experience was at round 3C / 37F. They stored my ft heat and comfy whether or not I used to be using or strolling within the mud. I skilled the occasional barely nippy feeling in my toes, however altogether it was a really nice expertise, and I’m assured I might throw these footwear on for grim winter climate and they might simply take care of me. They are additionally roomy sufficient to permit for thicker socks and so forth if you wish to put on some winter socks to spice up consolation.  

As typical with winter footwear, the weak spot is the ankle opening or cuff, which normally offers sufficient room for water to penetrate down into the shoe. This could be from soaking bib tights that run off down into the footwear or splashes off the highway, which I skilled as soon as in my testing or from rain. You might match a roomier overshoe over these footwear, however if you happen to’re actually off-roading they could undergo when strolling. The different possibility can be tucking your bib tights over the collar, which I discovered troublesome to attain with these specific footwear. Something I really feel would swimsuit off-road winter using can be to put on some waterproof socks to make sure safety. This is the one weak spot on these footwear, my testing proved they stored water at bay in all places else.

Riding on the highway with them feels fairly regular, except for the tall collar, they really feel like common footwear for probably the most half, which I like, as I discussed earlier, they simply do not feel overly cumbersome however there is a tonne of safety, once more, maybe a touch to the place the additional spend goes.  

The carbon Michelin sole is certainly stiff, after coming from a spate of nylon-soled winter footwear, I might really feel that additional rigidity when strolling at first. I examined this particularly and mountaineering up quick steep climbs on or off-road is simply high-quality, actually not uncomfortable, if something I like the sensation. Ultimately these footwear are designed with efficiency in thoughts and never hours of strolling together with your bike. For consolation when strolling off-road take a look at the Northwave Hammer Plus, a really comfy MTB/gravel shoe. 

Cleaning the footwear has been fairly straightforward, because of their waterproofing I might rapidly rinse the worst of the mud off when you get residence and maintain the footwear largely dry inside. I did discover the SLW3 dials a bit more durable to undo when coated in mud, and I obtained mucky fingers consequently, no biggie although. Once dried, I then used a moist wipe and fabric on the uppers, and a toothbrush and diluted wash spray on the decrease, powerful materials strip to get them trying neat sufficient for my images. It solely took about ten minutes, however I can verify the footwear cleaned up properly. However, I think they’d stay soiled for extended intervals if used weekly in winter, particularly in Britain or different moist/chilly nations. 

Fit in winter footwear could be difficult I discover, footwear typically find yourself being a bit extra voluminous because of the upper included ankles on footwear. An exception can be the DMT WKR1 for me, which comes up a bit of small. Northwave has a helpful sizing guide for the GTX, with useful measuring directions to get issues proper. I examined a measurement 43, which works out at my common UK 9.5 shoe measurement and obtained on very properly with it. I feel winter footwear find yourself being hotter if they supply a bit of extra room to your ft. I had room for thicker socks and will tighten the footwear down securely. They felt excellent for winter using all advised. The toe field has a slight taper, however the footwear actually aren’t slim in my view. If you do have extensive ft, maybe try the Lake CX146 my colleague Will just lately reviewed.  

Value 

These are costly footwear, however there have not been any concessions on the subject of their development and it’s comparatively straightforward to see what contributes to the excessive value. There’s the carbon fibre Michelin sole, top-line Gore-Tex liner, twin closure SLW3 dials, winter-specific insulated insoles, the checklist goes on. If you need to make a discerning buy and put money into a top quality product, I feel you’ll be blissful. 

For context, the shoe under this one, the Extreme XC GTX is $121 cheaper and will get a barely decrease tier Gore-Tex liner, a single decrease spec SLW2 dial, and a non-Michelin, much less stiff sole with a carbon insert, however there are many design similarities. That’s the good factor concerning the Northwave winter shoe line, it has extra choices than anybody else. 

You might have or need a cheaper winter biking shoe to abuse within the chilly months, however if you happen to actually need top-shelf supplies and design I feel it is a pretty good proposition value-wise. If I used to be investing myself, I might be blissful that I used to be shopping for a handsome, hard-wearing, high quality product, with loads of obtainable spares that might final for a very long time. 

Verdict 

I’ve solely been impressed with the Flagship GTX, it is a beast of a shoe, hardy, powerful and sturdy and represents the top of what Northwave can put right into a winter shoe proper now. I’ve felt correctly protected sporting them, to echo my preliminary ideas, they’re correct.

I’ll proceed to make use of these footwear long run so I can actually take a look at in the event that they stand as much as years of winter use which might reinforce their good worth, purchase properly, purchase as soon as price ticket. 

If the worth is offensive, and I respect these are costly footwear, Northwave has a wide array of different winter footwear to select from.