Shimano GE900 GTX Shoes
Test Locations: Washington
Test Duration: 4 months
Reviewer: 6’, 160 lb / 183 cm, 72.6 kg
Size Tested: EU 44
Blister’s Measured Weight per shoe (EU 44): 475 and 477 g
Upper: Synthetic leather w/ GoreTex membrane
Closure: BOA + velcro strap
Pedals Used: Shimano XTR Trail, HT X2, HT X3, HT T2
MSRP: $300
Intro
The Shimano GF8 GTX flat pedal shoe quickly became a favorite of mine when I first tried them a few years ago, and I’ve been hoping that Shimano would release a clip version of something similar ever since. Living where I do in Western Washington, I spend a lot of time riding in wet, but typically not super cold conditions, through the fall and winter. I’ve long struggled to find waterproof shoes — especially clip ones — that aren’t overly bulky and warm, and offer a more gravity-oriented fit and feature set vs. being derived from a more XC-oriented shoe.
The GF8 GTX works really well for me, so when Shimano announced the new GE9 GTX this summer, I had very high hopes that I’d finally found my huckleberry. Here’s how things have shaken out.
Features and Construction
Before we start, a quick note on Shimano’s naming conventions: the shoe I’m reviewing here is officially called the GE900 GTX, with the ‘00” portion of the name indicating that it’s the first generation of that shoe; future iterations would presumably be called the GE901 GTX, GE902 GTX, etc. The whole GE9 and GF8 families of shoes that I’ll be referencing throughout are all on their first-generation versions, so I’ll drop the “00”s in the name of brevity (which also matches how they’re branded on the shoes themselves).
The GE9 GTX looks a lot like the GF8 GTX with an added velcro strap over the instep. Both use a mid-top design with a stretchy ankle gaiter and a cover over the bottom of the tongue area to help keep water out. There’s not actually a separate tongue; the upper is one piece in the name of waterproofing. Rather, the stretchy gaiter material extends through where the tongue would be to make the shoes easier to take on and off. The upper portion of the gaiter is minimally padded, but the tongue portion gets a little extra padding to even out pressure from the BOA closure cable and provide a little impact protection.
The outsole looks essentially the same as the one used on the standard GE9 and the GE9 HS, though Shimano says that they’ve reformulated the rubber on the GE9 GTX to offer more grip in cold weather. The positioning of the cleat slot feels fairly typical for a gravity-oriented clip shoe — farther back than more XC-oriented options, but not as far back as the most rearward-biased options out there (e.g., the Endura MT500 Burner). I’m happy running my cleats near the back of the slot, but I don’t have a ton of room to go farther back (which is typical for me).
The midsole of the GE9 GTX is moderately stiff, but not wildly so. It feels quite similar to the GE9 HS, a little stiffer than the standard GE9, and (unsurprisingly) significantly stiffer than the GF8 GTX flat pedal shoe. It’s maybe a little stiffer than average for a gravity-oriented clip shoe, but not a major outlier there, and notably softer than most XC-oriented options.
Fit
The GE9 GTX uses the same “Volume Trail” last as Shimano’s excellent GE9 HS shoes, and mostly fits pretty similarly. The two feel a little different around the ankle, due to their different gaiter designs, but the sizing and overall fit match up nicely.
I’d characterize the GE9 GTX’s fit as being fairly mid-volume for a gravity-oriented shoe. More XC-focused options tend to be lower volume overall, especially in the forefoot and toe box, but the GE9 GTX isn’t as notably wide as the standard GE9 or the GF8 GTX, especially in the forefoot. The heel pocket on the GE9 GTX is reasonably snug, but the fit opens up a bit as you move forward in the shoe.
Taking the GE9 GTX on and off takes a bit of effort, mostly to stretch the gaiter wide enough to get your forefoot through the throat of the shoe. The gaiter features loops at the front and back to make that easier (it’d be rough without them). I haven’t had major issues, but folks with especially limited ankle mobility might struggle a bit.
On the Bike
Simply put, the GE9 GTX is, by some margin, the closest thing I’ve tried to a normal-feeling gravity clip shoe that just so happens to be (mostly) waterproof. The GE9 GTX is minimally insulated and not much bulkier than the GE9 HS, but it’s unsurprisingly a bit warmer and less breathable. It’s still not as warm as most options marketed as winter shoes, which tend to have additional insulation built in, in addition to featuring a waterproof membrane.
And that’s exactly what I’ve been looking for for years now. It also helps that the GE9 GTX fits and feels a whole lot like the GE9 HS — my personal go-to all-round clip shoe at the moment. Both fit me especially well, the midsole stiffness hits a nice middle ground for my taste, and they work well with the variety of pedals I’ve tried them with.
I’m happy wearing the GE9 GTX in temperatures up to around 60° F (~16° C), even if it’s only sort of damp out; once things get much below freezing, they start to feel a little chilly. For where I live in Western Washington, that’s a pretty ideal range for all but a handful of my coldest days out, but they wouldn’t be my first recommendation for most folks riding in truly cold weather.
The GE9 GTX’s upper is genuinely waterproof — not a given for clip shoes in particular. Flat pedal shoes are easier to waterproof, since there’s no need to cut a hole in the outsole for the cleat pocket; Shimano tackles that limitation by wrapping the GoreTex membrane over the top of the midsole, underneath the footbed. The cleat plate is therefore buried in the midsole and not replaceable, but that’s a more than reasonable tradeoff. I’ve submerged the GE9 GTX in a few inches of water without any of it making its way in, and they’ve kept my feet dry and comfortable on lots of wet rides this fall and early winter.
The limitation to the waterproofness of the GE9 GTX, though, is that the ankle opening isn’t perfectly sealed or especially tall, meaning that water can run down your leg into the shoes. Now, that’s true of every waterproof bike shoe I’ve tried — it’s hard to imagine how you’d realistically make a fully waterproof seal there — but it means that the whole system only really works if you’re wearing pants that overlap the gaiter on the shoe to direct water over the opening.
I’m able to make that work pretty well with a lot of pants, though it’d be a bit more robust if the gaiter on the GE9 GTX were slightly higher. I’ve got a moderately long inseam relative to my waist size, and often find that bike pants that fit well elsewhere ride higher on my ankles than would be ideal. My body proportions are working against me here, but it’s worth thinking through your pants options and making sure the whole package will work for you.
Off the Bike
The GE9 GTX walks fine for a gravity-oriented clip shoe. Its stiff-ish midsole doesn’t feel as natural as much softer-soled options when taking longer strides or scrambling around on uneven surfaces (but is a tradeoff I’m more than happy to make for on-bike performance). The outsole is reasonably grippy, even in fairly cold temperatures, and has held up well despite its relatively soft rubber.
The gaiter on the GE9 GTX is slightly noticeable when needing to bend my ankle deeply forward, but it doesn’t impose any real limitation on my range of motion or cause any discomfort. And, particularly compared to a lot of bulkier, more insulated options, the GE9 GTX feels much more like a normal bike shoe and less like a pair of work boots when scrambling on uneven ground.
The GE9 GTX is also relatively quick to dry for a waterproof shoe, should you get the inside wet. The waterproof membrane definitely hinders moisture transfer back out, too, but the GE9 GTX doesn’t absorb a huge amount of water even if it does get inside, and a few hours on a boot dryer sorts them out.
