Bontrager XXX
£299.99 Pro-level road shoes
When Bontrager gives something the ‘XXX’ moniker that means it’s the top-of-the-tree, premium product. That said, throughout 2020 there will be a series of LTD versions of this shoe in various colourways. They will cost extra at £349.99, making what’s already a very expensive shoe somewhat jaw-dropping.
The XXX is the shoe that Trek/Bontrager provides to their pro-athletes with a ‘rider-first’ design that prioritises stiffness and ergonomic comfort. The stiffness comes from the full ‘OCLV’ carbon sole, which is rated 14 out of 14 on Bontrager’s own scale. The sole is well vented with metal-mesh lined holes on the toe and through the spine of the shoe. A replaceable heel bumper protects the carbon at the back and bonded rubber toe bumpers do the same up front.
It claims this sole is superlight, along with the stiffness, which contributes to the low 567.6g weight for a size 45; although you can find lighter for similar money. The upper reduces seams to a minimum with one on the instep behind the toes and the traditional main seam running through the centre of the heel. The TPU upper has laser-cut perforations throughout with a mesh of perforations on top of the toe box, which does a great job of venting heat, and the perforated gloss panels on the flanks add further breathability.
Inside, you’ll find a sculpted inform insole perfectly matched to the inform pro-last that the shoe is designed around. The asymmetric tongue-less opening wraps around your foot comfortably with masses of adjustment from the twin BOA IP1 dials operating wide-set lacing. The heel is lined with cats tongue-like material that secures your foot. The heel cup itself is well-shaped with its structural support coming from an exoskeleton design removing a potential pressure point from the inner.
On the road, you can feel the stiffness through the sole. The unmoving nature of it is well balanced with the supple, comfortable, yet supportive upper making the XXX feel every inch the premium shoe.
The XXX has everything we’d expect in a pro-level shoe performance-wise, yet it doesn’t really stand out in a crowded market. Understated is a good thing but a £300 price tag?