Things may be changing rapidly in the world right now and whilst we are allowed out for one exercise type per day (never thought I'd ever write that!) us folk at off-road.cc are still able to test some gear. We stocked up on review kit before the pandemic really hit us hard so there's plenty here to keep us going. This week is a '5 cool things shoe edition', with all testers living in or near woodland they are in the lucky position to be able to test kit still, safely of course....

• Big Read: Big mountain pairs racing with Enduro2 Les Arcs
• Buyer's guide to mountain bike pedals - what's best, flats or clips?
• The best clipless mountain bike pedals ridden and rated

Giro Ventana Fastlace shoes

These are brand new and looking pretty sleek for our tester, Liam. Giro says these shoes are for all-mountain adventures but says they have cross country efficiency too. The fast lace part refers to the elastic laces that are winched in by a sliding clip, rather than tied up. You'll have seen it before on other shoes from Shimano. These shoes will cost a pricey £130 but look like a great, light summer shoe. 

• £130
• www.giro.com

Leatt DBX 4.0 Clip shoes

Leatt launched their new range of DBX shoes at the beginning of March, doesn't that sound like a long time ago now?! Our Liam has the DBX 4.0 clip/SOD shoes in on test which are aimed at the enduro or downhill rider. There's laces and a velcro strap to secure then ends, plus a 'medium' stiffness of the sole, plus the brand says they are very quick to dry! Sounds ideal. 

• £100
• www.leatt.com

Shimano AM7 SPD Shoe

AM is the name given to Shimano's all-mountain or enduro shoes although these look great as an all-round, tough trail shoe too. They are a clip or SPD shoe, available in blue or black and features laces and a velcro strap, much like the Leatt's above. They also retail at £100, it'll be interesting to see what Liam thinks about the two in comparison! 

• £100
• bike.shimano.com

Mavic XA Elite II shoe

Another durable trail shoe to add to Liam shoe test, the Mavic XE Elite II shoes also come in at near on £100 (£99 to be precise). These, again, are an SPD shoe with a rugged sole, a neat lacing system and a velcro top strap for extra security.

• £99
• shop.mavic.com

ION Scrub Amp flat pedal shoes

Last but not least, we have some flat shoes in from ION for our resident flat pedal rider, Jon. These Scrub Amp shoes were only released a week or so ago and come in this fancy colourway plus other not so lairy ones too. ION says these shoes get a tackier rubber compound and a reformed, flatter toe box area to help maximise grip on the pedals.

• £125
• www.ion-products.com

You might also like: 

• 5 cool things from Sonder Bikes, Fibrax, Pro Taper and Ergon
• 5 cool things from Vitus, 100%, Fenwicks, Bianchi and Smith Optics
• 5 Cool Things from Giant, Maxxis, Race Face, Spank and Muc-Off