Easy out of the pedals, protection, and comfort — the addition of an all mountain/gravity shoe to our line opened our eyes to what riders really wanted. We leveraged that insight to build a new shoe that’s focused on the trail rider, specifically in these three areas: Connection, Comfort, & Light Weight.
Connection
The outsole of the original 2FO is amazing, it’s easy to engage and disengage the pedals, they’re walk-able, and they feature a flat surface to interact with the pedal. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The new 2FO ClipLite uses a slimmed down version of this sole, with the Landing Strip to aid engaging the cleat, paired with Slipnot rubber to grip the pedal body.
Comfort
Trail shoes are put to task, sometimes being worn for long stretches of trail and time. So they’d better be comfortable and durable.
- 3/4 Lollipop nylon shank – Stiffness makes for an efficient pedaling shoe, ClipLite is made stiff by way of a 3/4 Lollipop nylon shank in the sole. But this trail shoe also needs to be comfortable while walking, so the heel zone of the sole remains flexible. ClipLite also has a slimmer profile and snug, standard-sized fit, as opposed to the more relaxed fit of the original 2FO.
- Body Geometry – The same as every shoe that bears the Body Geometry emblem, the ClipLite has 1.5mm of varus wedge built into the sole, while arch support and the metatarsal button are built in to the interchangeable Body Geometry footbeds.
Lightweight
How many pedal strokes do you make in a three-hour trail ride? As many as 10,000 or even more! We wanted to save every gram possible to help lighten the load. Which is why ClipLite has a new thermo-bonded upper structure, optimizing lightweight construction, while also employing easy-to-adjust S2 Boa dials. The shoe still provides good foot protection, especially in the toe area, and clocks in over 50 grams per-shoe lighter than the original 2FO.
Looks like Specialized are ripping of the Five Ten Kestrels. Ill stick to my Kestrels thanks.....