XC/Gravel Pro review – a gravel shoe with Flex Zones, the Boa Fit System and that wow factor
Swiss brand Suplest’s XC/Gravel Pro is a top-of-the-line gravel shoe. I’m taken with its focus on performance and newest technology combined with high-end materials.
Daniel Balmer and Robert Gehrig have been developing top-of-the-line cycling shoes in Burgdorf since 2007. Their customers include both amateur riders and professionals.
At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, for instance, the four-man Swiss track team won an Olympic diploma in the team pursuit wearing aerodynamic Suplest shoes. Multi-time MTB world champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot from France also relies on Suplest shoes when chasing victories.
The Suplest XC/Gravel Pro
Daniel and Robert kindly provided me with their latest shoe for my review. Suplest’s shoes can be divided into three categories:
- Sport: entry-level models
- Performance: best price-performance ratio
- Pro: the best of the best materials
In other words, the XC/Gravel Pro is a high-end model packed with state-of-the-art technology and high-quality workmanship. The shoe is manufactured in a factory in Taiwan that also produces products for brands such as Adidas, Asics and Salomon.
Source: Patrick Bardelli
Performance and comfort
This shoe is fully geared to performance. The maximum hardness carbon sole makes it stiff and ensures good power transmission. However, I do wish it offered my wide forefeet a bit more space.
Performance comes with a hefty price tag. The XC/Gravel Pro currently costs over 400 francs on Galaxus. That’s quite the investment for a cycling shoe, but I think it’s worth it. The design of the shoe put me off a bit at first – a white shoe for off-road use? I was certain it’d be a grubby brown after a few rides in the mud. But it isn't. I give it a quick wipe down after every ride using a cloth and some lukewarm water, and it still looks nearly new.
The XC/Gravel Pro fits me well in my usual shoe size, 42.
Over 50 components and 2.5 years of development
The new XC/Gravel Pro consists of well over 50 individual components, as Robert Gehrig from Suplest explained to me during my visit to Burgdorf. These include different mesh materials, carbon layers, TPU layers and Kevlar components. The challenge lies in the fact that the individual materials fulfil a certain function themselves, plus another one in combination with each other.
Getting the transitions between individual components right, meaning keeping both performance and comfort a priority, makes the development of such a shoe a fiddly job. Ultimately, it’s about finding the right balance between performance, comfort and weight. From the initial idea to the finished XC/Gravel Pro, this process took around two and a half years.
Source: Patrick Bardelli
Source: Patrick Bardelli
Tech specs
- Colour: Off-white
- Weight: 340 grammes per shoe (size 42) incl. Solestar insole
- Available sizes: 39 to 47
- Outer material: The ventilation holes are designed to ensure a comfortable foot climate, innovative upper made of a thin TPU layer combined with a 3D mesh. Special sandwich construction for comfort and stability, 3D heel cap, 3D heel counter in the heel that minimises slipping of the foot and optimises pedalling efficiency.
- Boa Fit System: Lifetime Boa guarantee, two bidirectional Boa Li2 closures offer individual and precise fine-tuning for a down-to-the-millimetre fit.
- Anatomic Wrap: The anatomically shaped wrap tongue construction was developed to accommodate different foot shapes and widths.
- Carbon Shield: Thin carbon layer on the shaft ensures even pressure distribution and a comfortable fit.
- Flex Zones: Flex Zones in the widest part of the forefoot provide comfort during the pressure phase on the pedal.
Source: Patrick Bardelli
- SUPtraction rubber tread: SUPtraction rubber tread for optimum grip.
- Solestar insoles: Solestar insoles are designed for performance. A strong foot position increases comfort and reduces the risk of injury. Developed with professional cyclists to improve power transmission, comfort and efficiency.
- Ergo 360° carbon sole: Asymmetrical rubber profile on the forefoot to protect the upper, lightweight, ultra-stiff carbon sole with 3-hole thread, stiffness index: 10/10, low profile so you’re close to the pedal axle.
In a nutshell
The Suplest XC/Gravel Pro is my new favourite gravel shoe
Maybe it’s because I visited the manufacturer of the XC/Gravel Pro in Burgdorf and was able to get a first-hand impression of the new Suplest shoe. You don’t have this option with most products. It’s impressive how much passion and attention to detail has gone into the development of this shoe.
In any case, the XC/Gravel Pro has quickly become one of my top picks. I currently only ride with this model, and I’m happy. Initially, I was a tick unsure about the design. Mind you, not because I didn’t like the cool white and black colours. On the contrary, I’m so taken with it that I’m worried about the slightest hint of dirt on them (like in the header image).
Now, I clean off the XC/Gravel Pro after every ride, and the shoe has since taken up residence in my bedroom closet when I’m not out cycling. I wouldn’t dare leave it on the shoe rack outside my front door! That should tell you just how much I love this model.
Pro
- High-quality manufacturing
- Cool design
- The best materials
- Developed in Switzerland
Contra
- Expensive
Header image: Patrick Bardelli
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Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
