Anamoly claim to have redefined the flat pedal MTB shoe with Hero Rubber that is said to get stickier when wet. The rad-looking aesthetic won’t be for everyone, but there are a bunch of standout features on this shoe that will undoubtedly tempt some to back their Kickstarter campaign. Let’s get into it.
Anamoly MTB Shoes
Let’s go straight to the most interesting feature of these shoes; the promise of sticky rubber that actually gets stickier when wet. Whereas most flat pedal mountain bike shoes tend to suffer a minor loss in grip when the rubber is wet (the exception for me would be the Gen 3 SlipNot rubber seen on the Specialized RIME and others), Anamoly say their proprietary Hero Rubber compound actually gets stickier.
They don’t shed any light as to how this is so. They do say they’ve spent two and a half years developing the rubber compound, formulated especially to have a high friction coefficient and ultra-low rebound properties to give good purchase around pedal pins and better energy absorption on hard impacts and landings.
“Our unique designs take inspiration from skate and snowboard culture, resulting a flat pedal shoe that not only looks great, but performs incredibly, and was created by riders, for riders” – Christopher Armstrong, founder of Anamoly.
The Anamoly MTB Shoe is thus marketed as a wet weather riding shoe. In addition to the stickier-when-wet Hero Rubber, there are a number of features that make it an attractive option for winter riding. First up, the shoe fabric itself is said to be waterproof and “mud-proof”.
The outer material gets laser-cut perforations that are said to let air in and keep water and mud out. Seems counter-intuitive; perhaps they mean the holes allow water to escape once it’s in.
Anamoly have added a protective molded toe cap to keep your digits safe when you inevitably slam your toes into a rock or trail side stump. Notice also that the cuff at the inner ankle is raised to offer a little more protection for riders who often find their ankles catching the crank arm while pedaling. It is also said to add a little stability to the ankle to prevent roll injuries.
The Anamoly MTB shoes are lace-up only with the eyelets for the laces hidden away underneath the upper liner of the shoe to protect them from rock strikes and general trail crud.
Pricing & Availability
Availability of the Anamoly flat pedal MTB shoes is subject to the success of their crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. A pledge of $104 USD gets you a pair of shoes at 35% off the RRP of $159 USD (low-top), with delivery estimated by February 2022. Should the Kickstarter campaign be successful, the shoes will be available in Men’s sizes 6-12 and women’s half sizes 7.5 to 13.5.
