Fox Union (double!) BOA Flat Shoes

Fox Racing launched a mountain bike shoe line in February of 2023. I suspect they either hired or already employed the right people because their entry into this challenging and contested market has been smooth. The shoes look good and have been generally well received. I hadn't tried any until this pair of Union BOAs arrived and I was skeptical, as I always am about new players in the flat shoe market.

So many things can go wrong with a flat shoe. Grip is the big thing companies mess up, which I attribute to a lack of awareness of the market. Many people who work in the mountain bike world haven't ridden flat pedals since they were kids and it seems to me they often underestimate the challenges involved in making good flat pedal shoes. We have had shoes arrive with too much camber in the forefoot, a hard raised arch in the outer sole of the shoes, too much flex, not enough flex or protection and, most often, not enough grip. There are many ways to screw up flat pedal shoes and it happens regularly because some companies seem to think, "we're just making a sneaker."

A leg up Fox has over most other players in the flat shoe market is 50 years of experience making boots for moto. Obviously the parallels aren't perfect but grip is important for moto and riders are undoubtedly fussy like mountain bikers. Knowing how to do something right, after years of practice, is a transferrable skill.

Fit/BOA Li2

These are a little on the small side. I tried the lace up version locally before I replied with a size request and the 44.5 seemed to work best. A proviso is that I have to wear thin socks and even then these are a little snug, which works great for me. The sizing guide suggests the North American size equivalent is an 11 but to me it feels more like a 10.5. Width is fine and while I don't have extremely wide feet, I regularly find some shoes too narrow. I'd call these moderately wide if that is any help at all. The toe box is an average size and heel hold is good despite my narrow ankles. The BOA Li2 dials allow a micro-adjustable fit; the Li2 designation indicates that these are the more expensive two-way BOA dials. To remove your shoes, you still pop the dials out but if your shoes feel a little tight you don't have to start from scratch. Just turn them counter clockwise and they will release proportionally.

A concern is the BOA only system. If your lower BOA fails you'll probably be okay but if the upper one goes south it won't be ideal. If you lose both there is no back up. I like Crankbrothers' approach to BOA, implementing a velcro strap for the top closure that will keep everything together in the event of a BOA explosion. I have never had a BOA failure but it's not out of the question.

Grip

It almost seems like there is something magical going on in the grip department. Generally shoes that are very grippy are difficult to reposition. While these aren't the stickiest shoes I've worn, which I'm happy about, I rarely find my feet slipping unexpectedly. At the same time, repositioning is generally so easy it involves little brain power or anxiety. An element I find a little confounding is that I have a much easier time finding my very particular pedal sweet spot on either side with these shoes. It's almost like I'm riding clipless because I simply put my feet on and I rarely miss the target. Is it the lug pattern? The rubber compound? I honestly can't say but it's a benefit I am down with.

The only other shoes I've worn with this paradoxical balance of ample grip and repositioning ease are the Northwave Multi-Cross GTX winter shoes, which are entirely different; they are much stiffer and they have a Vibram outsole that doesn't seem gummy to the touch at all. And yet my results were very similar. I haven't yet figured out how to explain this but I will continue to try.

I have worn these with true flat pedals only but I'm confident they will work just as well on convex platforms, particularly for riders who slide their foot forward while descending. I'm generally more focussed on descending grip but these also do well on technical climbs, when my arch is above the pedal spindle. There is some rocker toward the toes but not enough to impact grip in that position, at least not on either Yoshimura or Crankbrothers Stamp 7 (small) pedals.

Upper, Midsole and Protection

The entire upper is one piece so there are no seams to fail. There is venting in the toe, and just in front of the ankle on either side. The heel cap feels sturdy and protective as does the vertical element of the toe cap. Toe protection from above is less robust and the foam in the tongue also feels less sturdy than it could. A gusset supports the lower half of the tongue on both sides, preventing rotation and keeping debris out. I've worn these on some reasonably wet days and my feet have stayed remarkably dry. Construction quality and finish both are excellent.

Stiffness is moderate with good support through the middle, thanks to a reinforced nylon shank, with more flex at the toe and heel for walking comfort. I suspect this stiffness contributes to the excellent grip based on my recent experiences with stiffer flat shoes.

Wrap

Like most of the shoes I have tested lately, these do not have Fiveten levels of grip. If you want shoes you can only reposition when you sit down on your saddle and completely lift your foot off the pins, you aren't going to be happy here. If you'd rather balance grip while being able to scootch your foot around while standing and descending, these are some of the best I have ridden. It wasn't long ago that it was Specialized 2FO or bust for me but lately I've ridden great shoes from Northwave and Crankbrothers that tick all the boxes. These are right up there with the best I've worn and I couldn't be much happier in them.

The bloom on the rose diminishes some once we talk price. These go for 225 USD and 285 CAD. That's a lot of cake for flat pedal shoes. Obviously the four BOA Li2 dials - the priciest BOA model - contribute to that lofty tag but I can't recall a more expensive flat pedal shoe for warm weather. Much of the goodness will be independent of the closure system however and the lace up Fox Unions are 150 USD/200 CAD, while the canvas version is 120 USD/150 CAD. I can't tell you if these shoes will be worth that much money to you, but these are some of the best flat pedal shoes I've worn.

Fox Union BOA Flat Shoes