Mavic Fury XC Shoes
Review: Mavic Fury XC Shoes
By Scott Mares | Published Dec 10, 2009
We Liked
The Mavic yellow screams style all day long, and is easily visible out in the field a mile away. Mavic is the only manufacturer that has a shoe in this shade of yellow, so you will get noticed in these golden slippers. I was impressed with the rubber outer sole on the Fury XC. The tread is aggressive offering advanced gripping capabilities in slippery situations. In talking with the Mavic representative, I was informed that they acquired this particular rubber compound from Salomon, another company in their organization. In testing, this unique rubber compound reportedly enabled the tester to walk up wet marble at a 30 degree angle. The shoes are substantially lightweight. This is largely due to the selection of lightweight materials used in construction of the shoe upper and carbon fiber sole. However, sometimes a sole can be too stiff, prohibiting running capabilities. While racing Krueger's Crossing (Portland, OR) the course was a total thick mud fest. Due to the course conditions, every racer was a bog trotter by having to run approximately 25% of the course. As expected, the Fury XC's sole was stiff enough for cycling. The real surprise was how well the shoe performed while running. As part of the Ergo Ride concepts, the shoe cradles the foot extraordinarily well, making running the Krueger's Crossing course a non-issue with the Fury XC.
We Didn't Like
The Fury XC's are loaded with features, including breathability. But breathability also means having warm or waterproof socks when the weather is wet and cold. We would like to see the Fury XC with more weather-proofing features. Increasing the temperature range of future Fury XC models would be ideal. Perhaps using materials such as Outlast, which redistributes heat from warmer areas of the foot to colder areas would resolve this issue. We would also recommend that the buckle be slightly modified. The range of motion of the racheting lever needs to be limited to 90 degrees as it currently does not advance when hyper-extended. This prevents the buckle rachet from engaging with the strap, making the buckle performance finicky. We would like to see a more robust buckle on the next genearation of Fury XC's.
The Final Say
The Mavic Fury XC is a great comfortable shoe for the summer and early fall but as soon as the weather turns cold, forget about it. As a racer, if you are only doing the fall series but don't race when the weather turns nasty, this would be the ideal shoe for you. However, if you are racing during the nasty weather, get a pair of Fury's that are slightly larger so that you can adjust the buckle and wear waterproof socks or winter socks with them.
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Vitals
- Manufacturer
- Mavic
- Model
- Fury XC Shoes
- MSRP
- $299.99
- Website
- Fury XC Shoes
- Weight
- 350 grams (size 8.5 UK); varies with size
- Materials
The upper is made from a synthetic leather material that resembles silicone, but is actually a bonded synthetic mesh that is laminated under pressure to form a single piece of material. Similar to plywood manufacturing, the fabric starts out with many components but melds into one material at the end. It's very unique to have mesh and synthetic leather upper be one piece like this. Very seamless.
The sole of the shoe is Mavic's own Energy Grip Carbon Fiber, which is stiff in the right places but allows you to apply power to the pedals. Another reason why this shoe is so light.
The Fury XC has a rubber Contragrip outer sole, which performs especially well in the wet and mud. Utilizing a proprietary rubber compound and tread geometry, Mavic claims 50% more traction than most compounds when tested on wet rocks. Mavic borrowed this rubber compound from their Salomon cousins, which have long produced hiking boots with the very same compound.
- Sizes
Available in sizes 4.5-12
- Colors
- Mavic yellow with black accents & Black
- Serviceability
- The toe spikes, main buckle and strap are replaceable. The buckle can also be adjusted with the additional screw port.
- Design
Mavic uses three main concepts in their shoe design: Clima Ride, Ergo Ride and Energy Ride. Clima Ride is the shoe's ability to transport moisture from the sock away from your foot, allowing superior breathability. However, while the shoe is extremely breathable and lightweight, the Fury XC is not designed for cold weather temperatures.
The second-skin seamless construction is Mavic's mantra for the Ergo Ride design concept. The Fury XC is literally made from one piece of material, providing a seamless fit and making the shoe exceptionally comfortable.
The Fury's buckle has a minimalist design when compared to other shoes in the same category, offering the most lightweight buckle on the market. The shoe tongue offers a generous amount of padding, preventing hot spots on the top of the foot. The heel cup is very aggressive in that it absorbs vibration and literally sucks your heel into the shoe. Incorporating a carbon fiber Energy Lock system on the outside of the shoe ensures that the heel is held stabilized, keeping the foot firmly in place.
The uber lightweight carbon fiber sole on the Fury embodies Mavic's last design concept, Energy Ride. Mavic used their vast knowledge of carbon fiber and applied it to the Fury XC, making it stiff and light.