Feature

Right out of the box, the Clan was noticeably well supported yet comfortable. My foot is a tad on the narrow side, and I found that I did have some extra room in the toe box, but I wasn't slipping or sliding around in the shoe. The heel cup is stout and does an excellent job of keeping the foot supported, and there is ample arch support as well. The Clan laces up nicely and the laces stow out of the way with the elastic band. It also does a nice job of helping the shoes stay tied, something that can be a bit of an issue with lace-up shoes, especially if you're riding jungly trails where branches tend to magically untie them. On the pedals, the Clan is extremely grippy and offers all of the traction I could ask for, as much as any of the other leading shoes. Even with all that grip, I still found it especially easy to reposition it if my stance wasn't exactly how I wanted. The middle of the sole being flatter and having more siping than raised tread helps with this. I had no trouble keeping my feet on the pedals when the terrain became rough, and the shoe doesn't mute the feel of the pedals, something that's crucial when riding on flats. As far as walking around and traction off the bike is concerned, the Clan scores top marks for wet rocks and sketchy terrain. The shoe has traction enough for plenty of confidence in hike-a-bikes and isn't so stiff that it's not comfortable enough to hang out in post-ride.