Northwave Shield Mtn. Shoes
By Jon Sharp

For many people, the country of Italy is synonymous with cycling. Generally, however, mountain bikers don't feel that way. Unless there's some road cycling blood coursing through the veins of mountain bikers, generally speaking Italy is just another European country to them. Northwave,however, is an Italian company that not only makes road shoes, but also mountain shoes. They have been making mountain shoes for quite some time. You can read all about their winter shoe, the Grizzly, here, but for now, let's discuss one of their top performance mountain shoes, the Shield.

Northwave's Shield begins with their Haze Titanium Sole. The sole is made from good synthetic rubber with replaceable toe studs; stiffness is ensured by a titanium arch. The heel is their Ultra Y heel,designed to really hold your heel in place, comfortably. For the uppers, Northwave uses their Web Power Cage, which is mostly mesh with plastic reinforcements where needed. (Northwave claims these plastic reinforcements also provide protection for wayward rocks and branches.) There are two Velcro straps and a ratcheting Microtech closure. The Microtech buckle uses a twisting motion to loosen and tighten the strap. Furthermore, by sliding the mechanism, it opens up the system, allowing the strap to be pulled free for quick removal of the shoe.

Northwave has a great shoe with just a few problems. The Haze Titanium sole is wonderfully stiff. This is a true racing shoe, and it felt great while pedaling. I felt as though every bit of power I was putting down made it past the shoes into the cranks--a good feeling when you're fatigued. I never really noticed anything special with the heel, but overall, the fit was great. The Shield also provided great ventilation. The Microtech closure had some getting used to. It really took me a while to realize the best way to use it. When the ratchet is in a certain position, the strap part of the system can slide somewhat freely both inward and outward. Thus, for putting on or removing the shoes, it is best to slide the mechanism downward. After you have pushed the system as tight as you can with your hands, twisting the buckle will tighten or loosen the strap in very minute adjustments, as needed. Once in place, the system is secure and comfortable.

Unfortunately, the Microtech ratcheting closure was not without its problems. In order to really get a grip on it and twist it, there is a little flap that is folded up to provide a handle of sorts. Sometimes, when trying to get it nice and snug, or trying to loosen it more, I had to apply a bit of torque to it. That isn't to say I was tightening it so much that I was losing circulation in my foot, but the little plastic flap isn't as burly as I felt is should be. After about five times in the shoes, I actually broke the flap all the way off. The tiny pin that held it in place bent and could no longer secure that part of the mechanism. I called Northwave about this, and they sent me two replacement buckles, which were easily installed. (If the shoes aren't under warranty, these run about $15 each.) It's a good thing they sent two buckles. A short while later, the second shoe had the same problem. Replacing them was trivial and I haven't had any further problems ... yet.

Summary: The Shield by Northwave is a high performance mountain shoe. The sole is stiff and it ventilates well. Unfortunately, they have problems with their proprietary Microtech ratcheting buckle. For around $200, I expect a lot more durability in a mountain shoe. It should take more than a week to break anything. Once riding, I really enjoyed the shoe--finding it both comfortable and efficient. Instead of recommending this shoe, I will instead recommend one of their less-expensive models, like the Magma, that has many of the same features but with three tried-and-true Velcro straps. Although they have their own set of problems, Velcro straps are pretty tough to break--an important trait in a rugged mountain shoe.

Jon Sharp is a contributing editor for GearReview.com specializing in mountain biking.

For more information, contact:
Northwave @ Trialir-USA
888-867-4334