FOX Union double boa first impression

FOX has been a leader in the Moto and Mountain bike game for decades, but after reviewing data from their website they continued to find that people were searching for shoes on the site. After countless meetings and hours of development for over 2 years, we have the FOX Union shoe. Why is it called the Union? The team at FOX wants you to feel like you are one with the bike “trying to get you into the flow state” the perfect Union between you and the bike. That’s a bold statement and I was excited to put the shoes to the test in my backyard on the Gold Coast of Australia.

My style of riding is Enduro/XC so I’m always looking for a shoe that is lightweight, slim, and stiff. The lightweight glass-filled nylon shank gives the shoe a very stiff platform giving me the confidence that I’m not losing power when pedaling. Like I stated above, my local riding spot is quite rocky and wet so a shoe with great toe protection that is resistant to water has become a much bigger want for me since moving to the Gold Coast of Australia. My local trail network Nerang is rocky and wet a lot, so these elements are key but not on the top of my list. Designing a shoe that fits everyone is almost impossible but with FOX going with EU sizing and having different insoles a rider can dial in their fit to suit what they need. FOX Sizing is 37 – 47 and half sizes from 41 ½ - 45 ½ . The Union shoe is constructed of Fully mesh upper for light weight, with TPU skin to help hold its construction and the added value that your feet can stay dry in wet conditions. FOX works with Boa on multiple projects so when FOX was in the R&D phase Boa and FOX worked closely on what was needed for the shoe and they have decided to go with a dual Boa for maximum security on the shoe.

On the Bike

 My first impression before pedaling away on my first ride was how easy the shoe was to get on. Some shoes heels fold over when sliding in your foot but the stiff construction allowed for my foot to slide right in. I wanted to put a solid ride on the shoe, so I rode my 120mm Intense Cycles Sniper T “down country” bike. It didn’t take me long to get comfortable in the shoe. I felt the power transferring to the pedal with minimal flex around my Crankbrothers pedals. The adjustment on the cleat plate has a large range which I like because I like to run my cleats back pretty far back on the cleat plate so my pedal stroke is on the ball of my foot. The Union shoe has a lot of tech with it being water resistant and I was fortunate enough to test in some wet conditions. My feet stayed extremely dry in the wet conditions and the clean up after the ride was easy on the shoe with the TPU skin.  With the wet conditions I was forced to hike a bike. The Union shoe performed extremely well pushing my bike up the trail. The sole is made with bromobutyl with a hex shape pattern that gave me virtually no slip on my heel and the traction on the sole gave me confidence that I wouldn’t slip and fall on my ass walking on the slick rocks.

The Verdict

FOX has brought to market a very impressive product with Union shoe. I am picky with the look of my shoe when it comes to being “fat/clunky” and the Union isn’t either one of those. One aspect that is important to me is that I don’t lose power when pedaling. The construction and material of the shoe gave me a great look on the bike but the look and style didn’t ‘compromise the performance. In my opinion the Union shoe is the right balance to use on casual rides all the way to DH racing. If you feel like the shoe is a tad stiff don’t stress after a few rides the shoe will break in and find its way around your foot without losing its integrity.  I have about 40 miles on the shoe now without any hot spots or blisters on my feet. I didn’t test the lace Velcro clipless shoe or flat shoe but not to worry most of the technology crosses over to those models. I will continue to put more time on the shoe for a long-term test so stay tuned.

USD cost - Double boa Union - $249.95

If you want to listen to my Podcast on testing the FOX Union shoe click below

For more information on the FOX Union show check out the FOX Union page HERE