joetronic

Anyone here riding SPD sandals? For store runs and easy trail rides, nothing beats a sandal IMO. Jenson has some nice keens, but I've had regular keens in the same styling, and found them to be uncomfortable. I have Shimano PD-M324 pedals, and ride them with my Rafters, but these pedals are heavy!! Would rather use my egg beaters, but don't want to loose my sandal wearing ability. What do all you sandal wearers recommend.

TIA
~joe

sscyco

I use shimano sandals - pretty spendy but they are comfortable and last a long time - I can walk/ride all day in mine. However, after loseing a toenail - I would not recomend them for even the shortest dirt rides.

Dannihilator

The sandals are not really made for non firepath trails.

joetronic

^^ yup. thats why I said light trails and store runs. I ride the C&O a lot, and ride fire roads a lot, as well as rail trails. I know for when its get techy, a shoe it better. But I'm willing to take the risk. I've been riding in sandals for years, just not spd sandals. Hell, I would ride some very light paths bare footed it I could find a pedal that would be comfy for that.

Thanks for the input, but I wasn't looking for a warning, I know its not very safe for serious riding, but for the type of riding I would do in them, they are fine.

Dannihilator

For what you want to use them for, they'd be fine.

joetronic

^^yup, I know. Any other recommendations?

Dannihilator

Not really.

kenhill3

Hey, this is FOOTWEAR. so fit and comfort are going to vary by the individual.

My GF had Shimano SPD sandals, nice quality but so-so comfort/fit for her. She then picked up Keen Commuters and found the holy grail- she loves 'em. Very high quality.

GF has bought Keen Commuters for me TWICE offa ebay. God bless her, but the Keens just don't fit well on my grotesquely flat feet.

joetronic

Thats the issue I had with my hiker keens. I have flatish feet. Very little arch

dminor 

. . . and wide-spaced eyes and an odd nose . . . .


I would have recommended 661 SPD sandals but they are no longer current product. Must've seen them on the closeout at one point; they are still available from some onlines.

joetronic

Thanks doug. That pic is my skunk beer face.... Like that old commercial... Remember that.....

dminor 

^^ Ahhh yes. Speaking of beer commercials, I also recall this one, from a PNW brewery:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz-Wu...Dbeer%2D299942

cryptid01

Lake I/O SDL

born2bahick

I use the shimano on long gravel road rides, they are easy to walk in too.

scrublover

I've got the Keen sandals. Around town/commuting to work/grocery getting with them is nice. As others have said, I'd not use them for any sort of actual trail riding, unless your trails are supah smoove and mellow.

sunset1123

I've been using the shimano sandals for years. The older ones had a two-strap design, and the newer ones are a three strap design. Very comfortable walking or riding, and will definitely take some abuse. I rode my last pair in all kinds of weather, and on all kinds of terrain, and as my primary off-bike footwear for a year and half. Only replaced them b/c I neglected the cleats and had one side disintegrate finally.

They break in nicely. Soft enough to mold to your foot, and still stiff enough to be efficient.

Yeah... pretty much agree with others that these are the way to go. And I've never had any prob on the trail, even in tech stuff. I'm pretty obsessive about pedal placement though, I wouldn't want to slam a foot into a rock even in an enclosed shoe.

The only other bike specific shoes I ride are waterproof winter spd boots for when the weather is really bad.