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Gaerne - An Italian Gem?

February 16th, 2011 10:56pm

Gaerne - An Italian Gem?

Looking for a quality MTB shoe that will be comfortable and actually last?

 

 

Because that's what I want in a shoe. I am not made of money but also don't mind putting money down for great performing products that make a difference in comfort and / or performance. What I don't like is having to plunk down hard earned cash for a product that barely lasts a season no matter how cheap it is. If you are all about value, quality and killer looks in your cycling skips then Bicycle World has uncovered another hidden gem that you should be interested to know more about.

 

To begin this coverage I must confess that I have had a pair of Gaerne shoes before. In fact, it was the first pair of serious shoes I ever purchased when I first got into mountain biking. At the urging of my local bike shop, I bought a pair of Gaerne shoes and rode those dogs pretty much every day for three years. I am not talking some easy terrain either. I'm talking Arizona desert heat, water crossings, rocks, cactus, you name it. They took everything I could throw at it and more. Being ridiculously comfortable all the time. It was that experience that made me search high and low to find another pair to see if they really are that good or if my memory selectively forgot some vital details of the past.

 

 

Gaerne MTB Shoe - Wallaby Jump ahead 7 years and numerous major brands behind me, I was happy to find that BTI (Bicycle Technologies International) had taken on US Distributorship in the US. (If you don't know who BTI is, visit the link. They carry tons of great product from other side of the Atlantic and from all my dealings with them appear to be one of the better distributors in the US.) After a bit of salesmanship (read begging) I managed to get a pair of the Gaerne Wallaby's for this review. Let's start with a bit of background. Gaerne has been making performance footwear for a long time. They make some of the worlds best MotoCross boots and by the looks of the photo's on their web site, serious mountaineering, trekking, and hiking boots and shoes too. The company is Italian and still makes their shoes there. The style is refreshingly Italian and Cadel Evans and a host of other world class riders wear their stuff. Like all Italian companies, they don't quite have the marketing thing dialed in here in the states, but that is what makes them a real find. Like all beautiful Italian performance products, they come the Italian price tag. With an MSRP of $360, they are the top of the pricing scale. I did manage to find them for as low as $244 on-line. Considering how many miles and hours I put in on a bike and the importance of good shoes, the price tag is justifiable and virtually guarantees you will not look like everyone else on the mountain. Some of the product features of my Wallaby's are...

 

 

 

  • One piece laser perforated upper with a comfort fit padded tongue, micro adjustable aluminum ratchet buckle and two safety lock Velcro straps
  • Gaerne MTB Sole Technology SPD compatible nylon sole designed for maximum abrasion and wear resistance
  • Injection molded anti-slip and anti-tendonitis heel cup with internal memory cell foam Heel Grip to mold to the riders foot
  • Natural leather, micro-perforated removable insole and reflective heel insert for maximum visibility

Here is what I have found in my short term review ( a longer term review is coming). The shoes are better looking than before. Our test pair was the black - (they do come in four colors). The initial fit is good out of the box with about 100 miles on them. I will have to wait and see how they are as I get another month on them . I only imagine it getting better since leather molds to your foot. The sole pattern on the shoe looks great and you can walk in these shoes with little fear of going base up. Using Crank Brothers Egg beaters, the shoes locked in exceptionally well without having to use a drumel tool to widen the cleat cut out (unlike some other shoes we've ridden) In fact, the channel for the cleat area is so perfect it noticeably directed my foot onto my pedal. I am a big fan of the two strap and ratchet fastening system.

 

 

 

Gaerne offers this and the three velcro strap enclosure system throughout different price points in their line up. Our shoes feature a safety lock velcro strap that keeps the velco strap from loosing in the event you snag a strap on a rock or branch. While something happening like this sounds a bit far fetched, it happened to me in our state championship finals twice last year (while wearing a different shoe). This will come in handy toward the end of the shoes life as velco wears down over time. I also like the comfort fit padded tongue and buckle strap adjustability. That's right, you can adjust the top arch pad that happens to sport the Gaerne logo, so it is centered on the top of your foot to give you more comfort and look good for those race photos.

 

Long Term Summary

 

So a couple thousand miles under the belt in these puppies and it's time to write that final report card

 

Durability - These shoes still look great after thousands of miles of beating in the Arizona desert. A tough act for sure. Just wipe em down with a damp cloth and your good to go. Grade A

 

Fit - Suprisingly, these shoes did stretch out more than i anticipated even with the heavy leather uppers - Grade C+

 

Cooling - Again suprising result, these shoes are not very light due to the quality construction and while I expected these shoes to cook my feet, they stayed relatively cool with their micro perforations. Grade - B

 

Price - with an MSRP above the $300 us dollar mark, can you say "ouch" - Grade D+

 

Overall - while the shoes look great and have no problems clipping in, they just aren't that comfortable over long rides of 2 plus hours. The shoes perform well but won't blow you away. Grade B.

 

 

 

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