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Giro Empire VR90 Review

An incredible blend of light weight, stiffness, and comfort, making it one of the best cross country shoes we've ever tested
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Giro Empire VR90 Review (Premium EvoFiber upper are super breathable uppers, but offer minimal impact protection.)
Premium EvoFiber upper are super breathable uppers, but offer minimal impact protection.
Credit: Tara Reddinger-Adams
Price:  $300 List
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Manufacturer:   Giro
By Jeremy Benson, Dillon Osleger  ⋅  Jul 22, 2019
81
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#4 of 20
  • Comfort - 25% 9.0
  • Traction and Walkability - 25% 6.0
  • Power Transfer - 20% 8.0
  • Weight - 15% 9.0
  • Durability - 15% 9.0

Our Verdict

The Giro Empire VR90 is an incredible shoe. This purebred XC race shoe wowed our testers with its light weight, unparalleled stiffness, comfort, and surprising off-the-bike traction and durability. The Empire VR90 is very well suited to its intended purpose of XC racing and doubles as a road, gravel grinding, or cyclocross shoe. We also found that the Empire is a capable everyday trail riding shoe and ideal for any time you want to lay down some power—which is all the time. The stiff Easton Carbon soles transfer 100 percent of your input directly into the pedals, while the synthetic uppers conform quickly to your feet for a glove-like fit. The package comes complete with customizable “Supernatural Fit” insoles for personalized comfort and grippy Vibram soles for off-the-bike traction. See it ranked against other top products in our best mountain bike shoe review.
REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight
Comfortable
Stiff
Great power transfer
Vibram soles
Customizable insoles
REASONS TO AVOID
No on-the-fly adjustments
Limited foot protection
Expensive

Compare to Similar Products

 
giro empire vr90
This Product
Giro Empire VR90
Awards Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Cross Country Shoe
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Trail Riding Shoe
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck Cross Country Shoe
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for Your Buck All-Mountain/Trail Shoe
Best Buy Award
Best on a Tight Budget
Price $179.97 at Amazon
Compare at 2 sellers
$220 List
$220.00 at Backcountry
$170 List
$149.95 at Backcountry
$130 List
Check Price at Backcountry
$68.00 at Amazon
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Overall Score Sort Icon
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87
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Star Rating
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Bottom Line Lightweight, stiff, and comfortable, this shoe is one of our favoritesA unique design and a great blend of on and off-the-bike performance make this a versatile trail and all-mountain shoeAn XC/trail riding shoe that combines high performance with affordabilityLightweight with good power transfer and walkability, these are a reasonably priced trail riding shoe with casual stylingThese shoes offer a good blend of on and off-the-bike performance for casual trail riding or bikepacking
Rating Categories Giro Empire VR90 Shimano ME7 Scott MTB Team Boa Specialized 2FO Roo... Giro Gauge
Comfort (25%)
9.0
9.0
9.0
7.0
8.0
Traction and Walkability (25%)
6.0
9.0
6.0
9.0
10.0
Power Transfer (20%)
8.0
8.0
9.0
7.0
6.0
Weight (15%)
9.0
8.0
10.0
10.0
7.0
Durability (15%)
9.0
9.0
7.0
7.0
7.0
Specs Giro Empire VR90 Shimano ME7 Scott MTB Team Boa Specialized 2FO Roo... Giro Gauge
Closure Laces Speed lacing system with cover and ratchting upper bucckle Boa iP-1 dial, plus velcro strap Laces Laces
Measured Weight (per shoe) 388 grams 415 grams 359 grams 375 grams 452 grams
Size Tested 45 44 44 43.5 45
Width Options Regular and High Volume(HV) Regular and Wide Regular Regular Regular
Upper Material Microfiber Synthetic Leather Synthetic Polyurethane, 3D Airmesh Synthetic Leather and Textile Synchwire on-piece composite
Footbed molded EVA footbed Shimano Pedaling Dynamics insole ErgoLogic Specialized Body Geometry Die-cut EVA
Midsole Easton EC90 Carbon Fiber Carbon Fiber composite "TORBAL" midsole Nylon/Glass Fiber Composite Stiff Lollipop nylon composite plate Injected nylon shank
Outsole Vibram Mont Molded Rubber High Traction Lugged Outsole, Mid-Foot Scuff Guard, Accomodates Steel Toe Spikes Michelin OCX3 dual-density StickiRubber SlipNot FG Rubber outsole

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Giro Empire VR90 is a race-inspired clipless mountain bike shoe with a lightweight and minimalist design that does not compromise on comfort or performance. Our Editors' Choice award winner, the Empire VR90 is one of the lightest, stiffest, and most comfortable shoes in our test selection. While the Empire VR90 is at home on the racecourse we found it to double easily as road, gravel grinding, or cyclocross shoe and found it to be comfortable enough for everyday use on any length of XC trail ride. The styling and minimal foot protection of the Empire VR90 definitely won't make this the first choice of enduro or gravity-oriented riders, but anyone who likes to lay down the power will appreciate the performance of this shoe.

We found the Empire VR90 to work best with small platform clipless pedals, and also with pedals with no platform like the Shimano XTR M9100 Race. We put the Empire VR90 through its paces for countless hours and miles, everything from quick backyard laps, all-day backcountry epics, long road, and gravel rides, even raced them to the podium at the Lost and Found Gravel Grinder and the Downieville Classic All-Mountain World Championships.

Performance Comparison


giro empire vr90 - testing the giro empire vr90 and scott mtb team boa back to back on...
Testing the Giro Empire VR90 and Scott MTB Team Boa back to back on the xc/trail bike.
Credit: Dillon Osleger

Comfort


Comfort is one of the Empire VR90's strong suits; in fact, it was the most comfortable shoe we tested. The glossy synthetic leather uppers look stiff but are quite supple and conform to your feet over the course of your first couple of rides. The Supernatural fit customizable footbeds allow you to choose between three sizes of arch support to dial in the fit to your liking. There is virtually no padding in this shoe, except the tongue, and around the upper ankle cuff and heel pocket, which keeps the shoe light and molded to your feet. This model offers little in the way of protection from rock or debris strikes, although a rubber rand and light reinforcement of the toe box offers some protection in that area.


The shoes look reminiscent of a lace-up pair of soccer cleats, and we have to admit that we were skeptical of the lack of on-the-fly tension adjustment. We were surprised never to need to tighten them mid-ride, even on three-plus hour trail rides, a 90+ mile gravel race, or on a road/gravel century ride, you tie them tight and put the laces under the elastic, and you're ready to go. They are ventilated with hundreds of small holes perforated in the uppers on both sides of the foot and the tongue and while it looks inadequate, we didn't find these shoes to be notably hot on the feet. The cleat mount area offers a range of adjustability in the sweet spot for most riders, although riders who like their cleats way back may be left wanting more(and would also be looking at different shoes anyway).

Width Options
The regular fit Empire VR90 shoes have a snug fit that works best for people with narrow to average width feet. They also make a High Volume (HV) version for riders with wider feet.

giro empire vr90 - the empires are comfortable enough for all-day rides, no matter the...
The Empires are comfortable enough for all-day rides, no matter the riding style
Credit: Dillon Osleger

Traction and Walkability


Vibram rubber bonds to the Easton EC90 carbon sole of the Empire VR90 with a tread design that features larger lugs under the heel and ball of the foot on either side of the cleat mount area with smaller lugs wrapping up under the toes and a strip of rubber under the mid-foot/arch area.


The rubber outsole isn't full coverage, and some of the carbon sole is visible and potentially vulnerable to damage if walking on rocks. That said, the Vibram rubber is very grippy and provides ample traction on all hard surfaces. The large lugs of the outsole also offer bite in soft and muddy conditions and are not prone to holding on to mud or other trail debris. The Empire VR90 has little flex in the toe, similar to that of the XC-oriented Sidi Trace 2, and lost points for walkability accordingly, although the grippy rubber outsole still makes for a high level of confidence when the terrain forces you off the bike.

giro empire vr90 - testing the giro empire vr90 during an xc race.
Testing the Giro Empire VR90 during an XC race.

Power Transfer


The Easton EC90 carbon sole of the Empire VR90 provides the stiffest sole and some of the best power transfer of any shoe in our test selection.


The uncompromisingly rigid sole transfers all of your energy directly into the pedals, no matter how long you mash on the pedals or how hard you sprint. There is the slightest bit of flex up towards the toe of the sole to aid in off-the-bike walkability, but otherwise, the sole is all business. The Scott MTB Team Boa features a slightly less stiff carbon sole in a somewhat heavier package at nearly half the price.

giro empire vr90 - more than stiff enough to put the power down over rough forest...
More than stiff enough to put the power down over rough forest service roads
Credit: Dillon Osleger

Weight


The Empire VR90 is an impressively light shoe, weighing in at 388g per shoe for our size 45 test pair.


giro empire vr90 - updated treads on the giro empire vr90 have beefed it up over years...
Updated treads on the Giro Empire VR90 have beefed it up over years past, but at 388g it can still be considered svelte for a size 45.
Credit: Dillon Osleger
Not only does the Empire VR90 feel amazingly light on the feet, but it also does so while providing the best power transfer and most comfort of all shoes in our test selection. Enduro racers and all-mountain style riders seeking more foot protection will likely shy away from this shoe for slightly heavier options such as the Ride Concepts Transition or our top pick for enduro racers, the Five Ten Kestrel Pro Boa.

Durability


We have put the Empire VR90 through literally thousands of miles of riding, and they look almost the same as the day we pulled them out of the box.


The one-piece glossy “premium Evofiber breathable Teijin Microfiber” synthetic uppers clean up very quickly and are only stitched on the back of the heel and around the tongue, so there is little stitching to rip or pull out of the shoes. The upper material is incredibly resistant to abrasion, and our test pair shows no signs of wear whatsoever, even in the strike-prone pinky toe area. The laces are still in perfect condition as is the Vibram rubber sole and there are zero signs of the sole delaminating from the uppers. The exposed portion of the carbon soles do show some minor scratching from contact with rocks while walking, but that is to be expected, and that is the extent of the visible wear on these shoes. The Empire VR90 has seen lots of use and still basically look brand new.

giro empire vr90 - whether xc racing, gravel or road riding, or everyday trail riding...
Whether XC racing, gravel or road riding, or everyday trail riding, the Empire VR90's are comfortable and will help you maximize your efficiency.
Credit: Dillon Osleger

Value


The Empire VR90 doesn't come cheap, but this is one of those cases that we think you get what you pay for. The Giro shoe offers the best power transfer, most comfort, surprisingly good traction, and durability, all in a lightweight package. The Empire VR90 also comes standard with an extra set of laces, a toe spike kit, and a zippered carrying bag.

giro empire vr90 - putting down race power in the empire vr90
Putting down race power in the Empire VR90
Credit: Dillon Osleger

Conclusion


It was a good battle, but in the end, it was the Empire VR90's combination of weight, comfort, power transfer, traction, and durability that made it one of our favorites. It doesn't come cheap, but we feel it is worth the expense for its outstanding performance for riders of nearly all disciplines. Enduro or aggressive all-mountain riders seeking more foot protection will likely look elsewhere, but for the XC crowd, we don't think it gets any better than the Empire VR90.

Other Versions and Accessories


The Empire VR90 is available in a variety of colors as well as regular and High Volume (HV) widths. Toe spikes come with the shoes, and additional sets are available for $15.00. Replacement laces are also available in a variety of colors for $6.00.

Jeremy Benson, Dillon Osleger