Endura’s MT500 Burner Clipless shoes feature a build made for abuse and a casual aesthetic. That’s where the trends in mountain bike footwear have gone in recent years, and that’s a relief for those of us who might traipse to the brewery post-ride.
But as it turns out, creating a capable shoe for trail use with a casual look can be trickier than you think. It’s great if the shoe looks cool in the brewery, but if it sucks on trail, well, you’ll look great while feeling lousy.
So the MT500 Burner shoes focus first and foremost on performance aspects. The casual look is a bonus but not the focus.
Price: $160
Weight: 964 grams/pair
Specs:
- Size tested: 44
- Lace-up and Velcro strap retention system
- Ergonomistry Insoles
- Sharkskin fabric in heel cup
- Stickyfoot Grip pedal contact area
- Stickyfoot Grip Dura toe and heel sections for grip while walking
- Perforated synthetic upper
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MT500 Burner features
The MT500 Burner shoes start with a lace-up system and they’re topped off with a Velcro strap across the instep. That helps plant your foot solidly in the shoe. Endura also adds Sharkskin fabric to the heel cup. That allows your foot to slide into the shoe easily, but the fabric then ‘grabs’ your heel in the other direction to prevent slippage.
The shoe’s upper features raised ankle protection. Endura says the upper is reinforced throughout, to offer even more protection in the event of a fall or the errant flying rock.
Inside the MT500 Burner shoes, Endura uses its Ergonomistry insole. This features a raised node underneath the forefoot, which Endura says will help activate your foot’s muscles more effectively and reduce fatigue. There are smaller dimples across the insole as well, for added comfort and fatigue reduction.
Endura layers downward from there with an EVA midsole. This will help absorb more shock and vibration, especially during big hits.
The outsole
Right out of the box, it’s clear Endura wanted to design the MT500 Burner shoes with some flex in the sole. That could be polarizing for some riders. If you’re the type of rider who likes to curl your foot around your pedal for jumping and even climbing, the flex profile is likely to benefit you. But if you’re after stiffness for climbing and pedaling power, and for creating a super-stable platform for landing jumps, the flex might end up being a drawback.
The offset cleat box lends the rider increased longitudinal adjustment of the cleat. In other words, you should have greater flexibility in finding the perfect cleat position for you. If you find yourself constantly wishing you could scoot your cleats further back or forward, the MT500 Burner shoes might provide a solution here.
Endura also uses what they call a Stickyfoot Grip section around the cleat box. This hypothetically does exactly what the name implies: It allows a firmer grip between your shoe and the pedal.
In front of, and behind, the Stickyfoot Grip section is Endura’s Stickyfoot Dura sections. These flex more than the Grip section to allow better grip should you need to hop off and walk.
Testing the MT500 Burner shoes
As you can probably tell from the photos, I’ve already put a few miles on the MT500 Burner shoes because I just couldn’t help myself.
During testing, I will continue to look for a few key performance features. For starters, there’s quite a bit more flex in the outsole than I’m used to. So I’m curious to see if this adds any benefit to my riding in terms of control and foot stability on the pedals.
I’ve already done a few days of lift service downhill at Winter Park with these shoes. In that setting, my curiosity will focus on durability and protection. When I’ve fallen in the past, two parts of my foot tend to take the brunt of the blow: my ankles and my toes. I want to see if the toe box can stand up to the rigors of flying rocks and the inevitable crash or two.
And finally, I want to see how well the MT500 Burner shoes retain my foot position. Endura uses a Sharkskin fabric to plant your heel in place; is that enough, combined with the laces and the Velcro strap? It certainly should be, but I’m curious to see if Endura is able to balance a firm, stable fit with overall comfort.
