Today Crankbrothers adds two new riding shoes to their lineup, with one model for flat pedals and one for clipped-in riders. The Mallet Trail BOA is the clip-in option, and the Stamp Trail BOA is designed for flat pedals. Aside from the clip or non-clip soles, the two shoes share a lot of construction features.
Catering to adventure-minded trail or enduro riders, both the Mallet and Stamp Trail BOA shoes feature a new outsole designed for excellent grip on and off the bike. Both models also include BOA retention systems, lean and lightweight weather-resistant uppers, and elastic collars to keep your feet clean.
Mallet Trail BOA – Outsole:
Let’s start with a fun fact: Despite just hitting the market now, the Mallet Trail BOA shoes are already race-proven! Enduro World Cup Champion Jesse Melamed was wearing the Mallet Trail BOAs for the last two EDR races of 2023, and he won the final race in them. Now into the tech stuff…
The Mallet Trail Boa shoes feature a new outsole design which aims to provide comfort and optimal all terrain grip (for good on and off-bike traction), without sacrificing riding performance. The new sole features deeper lugs arranged in a more aggressive multidirectional pattern. The heel is also extended to offer extra balance and support when you’re walking around scoping out gnarly features.
The clip-in Mallet Trail BOA shoes feature Crankbrothers’ MATCH shim and come with pre-installed cleats, so they’re ready to ride. Their MATCH BOX ramped cleat box provides easy pedal entry and helps clear mud. Its extended 35mm track also allows riders to achieve a rearward foot position for better stability on steep descents.
The Mallet Trail BOAs use a mid-friction, long-lasting MATCH compound MC1 rubber outsole that offers easy pedal entry and exit. A fiber reinforced Nylon shank ensures efficient power delivery to the pedals, and a low rebound EVA midsole helps dampen vibrations.
Crankbrothers provided a list of suggested shims for matching the Mallet Trail BOAs to their various pedals. They recommend their grey 1.5mm shims for the Mallet E or Mallet DH pedals. For the Mallet Trail, Candy or Double Shot pedals they suggest their black 1mm or stainless 0.8mm shims.
Uppers:
A BOA Asymmetric closure system plus a hook-and-loop strap hold your feet securely in the Mallet Trail BOAs. These shoes get BOA’s Fit System Li2 dual direction micro adjustment dial. The dial pops upward to release the cable and pops downward and twists to tighten it up.
The uppers are made from a weather-resistant durable ripstop material, with TPU rubber wrapped around the front for added toe protection. Elastic collars help keep dirt and debris out of your shoes.
The Mallet Trail BOAs tongue is gusseted, perforated to provide ventilation, and nicely padded. There’s also some padding in the back of the heel for solid foot retention and comfort.
Crankbrothers lists the weight of the Mallet Trail BOA shoe at 410g (USA size 9).
The Mallet Trail BOA shoes retail for $219.99. They come in Black/Gold only. Sizes range from Men’s USA 5-15, Women’s USA 6.5-16.5, Euro sizes 37-49 and UK sizes 4-14.
Stamp Trail BOA – Outsole:
The Stamp Trail BOA is Crankbrothers’ all-new flat pedal shoe for trail or enduro riders. This shoe features a similar sole design as the Mallet Trail BOA, but without the clip-in pedal interface. Omitting the clip-in bits allowed Crankbros to keep the lugs deep across most of the sole, ensuring great grip even if you’re foot is a bit out of position. They also say the MATCH outsole provides great grip on any pedal, although the pattern is optimized to pair up with Crankbrothers’ flat pedals.
The Stamp Trail BOA’s outsole uses a high-friction MATCH MC2 rubber compound, which is optimized for grip, low rebound and durability. The outsole also includes stiffness zones to enhance control and reduce fatigue. The toe area, however, was kept flexible to provide a good pedal feel.
Like the Mallets, the Stamp Trail BOA shoes feature an extended heel, and a vibration-damping low rebound EVA midsole.
Uppers:
The Stamp Trail BOAs feature the same Asymmetric BOA closure system and Li2 dual direction dial as the Mallet Trail shoe. They also use the same hook-and-loop strap and high performance upper that offers lean construction and protection from the elements.
The uppers are constructed from a durable ripstop material with strategic ventilation zones. In addition to perforations on the toe, there are hidden vent zones on both sides of the shoes near the middle of the foot.
The Stamp Trail BOA shoe’s gusseted tongue is padded for comfort, and perforated for breathability. The top of the heel is also nicely padded inside to keep your foot from lifting or shifting around. Finally, the Stamp Trail BOA gets TPU rubber toe protection, and an elastic collar to keep debris out of your shoes.
These shoes boast lightweight and lean construction through thoughtful placement of materials and protection. Crankbrothers lists the weight of the Stamp Trail BOA at 320g (USA size 9).
The Stamp Trail BOA shoe is available in Black/Gold only. MSRP is $199.99. They are available in the same sizes as the Mallet Trail shoe above.
Stamp Trail BOA – Initial Impressions:
I’ve had the Stamp Trail BOA shoes for less than two weeks, so I’ve only ridden in them a few times at this point. I plan to write a full review sometime this summer after many more rides. So far everything’s looking good!
After 20 minutes of wearing them around the house, I went for my first ride with the Stamp Trail BOAs and had no comfort issues at all. They fit my feet well and feel very lightweight. The BOA system is easy to use and it snugs up the shoe’s uppers evenly, without any pressure points. I love how the dial pops up to release the cable, making it a cinch to slip the shoes off.
The MATCH soles provide a good level of grip. They’ll cling to pedal pins quite well, but it’s not difficult to adjust or correct your foot position while riding. Out of the box the soles are fairly stiff, only giving up a bit of flex under hard pedaling.
I haven’t subjected the Stamp Trail BOAs to any nasty weather yet. So far the uppers have easily shrugged off mud splatters and the elastic cuffs are keeping my socks clean. Watch Bikerumor for a complete write-up once I’ve used and abused these shoes!
