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Giro Terraduro Review

The Terraduro set a benchmark for versatile all-mountain/enduro mountain bike shoes and continues to deliver the same performance it is known for
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Giro Terraduro Review
Credit: Giro
Price:  $110 List
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Manufacturer:   Giro
By Jeremy Benson ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Aug 30, 2017
81
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Power Transfer - 30% 8.0
  • Comfort - 20% 8.0
  • Traction Walkability - 20% 9.0
  • Weight - 15% 6.0
  • Durability - 15% 9.0

Our Verdict

When the Giro Terraduro debuted several years ago, it quickly became the go-to shoe for many enduro and all-mountain riders and set a benchmark for high-performance shoes with grippy rubber soles designed to meet the demands of enduro racing and modern trail riding. It returns virtually unchanged, other than the current colors, but remains a good choice for enduro and all-mountain riders with the versatility to be used for all types of mountain bike riding with a great fit, excellent power transfer, and grippy Vibram soles. This won't likely be the first choice of the XC race crowd, but Giro has made a great shoe for most other riders that strike a balance between pedaling performance and off the bike confidence.
REASONS TO BUY
Durable
Good foot protection
Comfortable
Vibram sole
Versatile
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavy
Does not clear mud well
Giro recently reduced the price of the Terraduro significantly and we have learned that this model will be discontinued from their line. They are still readily available and heavily discounted, so now is a good time to get your hands on this great shoe before they are gone for good. October 2019

Our Analysis and Test Results

The popular Terraduro mountain bike shoe has been discontinued and is no longer in Giro's shoe line-up. Giro continues to make many of the best mountain uike shoes on the market, including the women's version of the Terraduro known as the Terradura. April 2020

The Giro Terraduro was designed to meet the demands of enduro or all-mountain riding, but we found it to be well suited to everyday use on trail and cross country rides, even shuttle and chairlift laps. We tested this shoe on all types of pedals and found them to work well with large, small, and no platform pedals. The soles on either side of the cleat mounting area make very positive contact with most clipless pedals that have any platform. This makes for a more engaged feel and less “float” than you might find with other shoes, which some people like and some don't. We used this shoe for all types of riding, from shuttle laps to big backcountry epics, even a couple of long gravel grinds.

Performance Comparison


giro terraduro - the terraduro is a great shoe that is at home doing any type of...
The Terraduro is a great shoe that is at home doing any type of riding.
Credit: Heather Benson

Comfort


The Terraduro is most certainly a comfortable shoe and has a very similar fit to that of the Giro Privateer R, but with a heavier, beefier and more protective feel. The Terraduro employs Giro's Microfiber material for its uppers, a supple material that feels like synthetic leather, with an abrasion-resistant coating that wraps around the entire shoe just above the sole and a thicker harder layer around the toe and heel. There is minimal padding in the shoe, but the tongue, ankle gasket, and heel pocket have a little for added comfort and protection. The Vibram sole creates a wide platform, and overall the shoe feels very protective of the feet, not as much as a downhill model, but significantly more than an XC shoe.

The uppers conform nicely to your feet after only a couple of rides, and the medium support footbed provides a surprisingly comfortable cradle for your arch and heel. The shoe is held on your feet by two wide offset Velcro straps over the bottom and middle of the tongue, with a traditional ratchet strap at the top, all of which are positioned nicely for a comfortable and secure fit. Lots of small holes for ventilation perforate the uppers, but we found air and sweat had a hard time escaping, and the Terraduro was quite warm on the feet especially compared to the better ventilated Shimano ME7.

giro terraduro - supple synthetic uppers, nice footbeds, and confidence inspiring...
Supple synthetic uppers, nice footbeds, and confidence inspiring foot protection make the Terraduro a comfortable shoe at all times.
Credit: Jeremy Benson

Weight


The Terraduro is not a lightweight shoe, in fact, it is one of the heaviest when compared to similar all-mountain shoes. While the weight of the Terraduro is by no means a deal breaker, weight conscious riders may want to look at similar shoes such as the Shimano ME7. We'd also recommend our Top Pick for Trail Riders, the Specialized 2FO Cliplite, for similar features and performance in a slightly lighter package. That said, the Terraduro offers impressive power transfer, comfort, protection, and walkability with a mere 30g weight penalty over the competition.

giro terraduro - the terraduro is far from the lightest shoe out there at 456g per...
The Terraduro is far from the lightest shoe out there at 456g per shoe in a size 43.5.
Credit: Jeremy Benson

Power Transfer


The current version of the Terraduro has a stiff molded nylon shank that offers impressive rigidity and power transfer. In fact, we noticed virtually no flex under power, even the hardest efforts or when sprinting. There is a small amount of flex through the toe of the shoe to facilitate walking, but this isn't noticeable while pedaling. Overall the shoe is impressively stiff, perhaps not enough for XC racers, but they would likely look elsewhere due to the weight of the Terraduro.

giro terraduro - there's no real lack of power transfer in the terraduro with soles...
There's no real lack of power transfer in the Terraduro with soles that are stiff enough to please all but the XC race crowd.
Credit: Jeremy Benson

Traction Walkability


The Terraduro's full Vibram sole provides excellent grip and traction during the inevitable dismounts and hike-a-bikes that most riders face during adventurous mountain bike rides. The Vibram rubber is very grippy, second in grip only to the Stealth Rubber on the Five Ten Hellcat Pro, and will gain your trust the first time you walk in them. The rubber is full coverage and creates a relatively wide platform, while the slight flex through the toe of the shoe makes walking easier and more comfortable while not sacrificing stiffness underfoot. The tightly spaced sole lugs are prone to holding onto mud, snow, and debris and clearing it from your soles can be harder than other shoes like the Shimano ME7 and the Specialized 2FO Cliplite with more open sole tread designs.

giro terraduro - the terraduro's vibram rubber soles and flex through the toe make...
The Terraduro's Vibram rubber soles and flex through the toe make this a confidence inspiring shoe when it comes time to walk.
Credit: Jeremy Benson

Durability


One of our testers used a pair of Terraduro shoes for three seasons before passing them on to a friend to use because they still had life in them. The current Terraduro appears to be identical in design, craftsmanship, and materials to the previous version and we have no reason to believe they won't last just as long, especially because after weeks of abuse, they look brand new. The upper shows no signs of wear since they are protected in all of the abrasion-prone areas, especially the reinforced toe box and heel. We've had no problems with ours, but the ratchet is located laterally on the shoe near the ankle and may be prone to damage from rock strikes, although it is replaceable just in case. The only minor durability issue we have to note is that a couple of the heel lugs have lost small chunks of their rubber throughout our testing. This has in no way affected the performance or traction of the shoes but is worthy of mention since the soles of these shoes are known for their longevity.

giro terraduro - the terraduro is know for its durability, our only complaint was...
The Terraduro is know for its durability, our only complaint was losing these chunks of sole lugs on our test pair.
Credit: Jeremy Benson

Best Applications


The Terraduro was designed with enduro racing and all mountain riding in mind, and it excels in these applications. It is also an ideal choice for nearly all other types of riding, from competitive trail rides, big backcountry epics, even occasional shuttle runs or chairlift laps. These days there are numerous other similar shoes on the market such as the Shimano ME7, or our top pick for trail riding, the Specialized 2FO Cliplite. Hardcore XC racers will also probably look for lighter and stiffer options such as the editors choice Giro Empire VR90, the Pearl Izumi X-Project PRO, or the Sidi Cape.

Value


With a retail price of $180, the Terraduro falls in the middle of the price spectrum for the shoes in our test selection. We feel it is a good value due to its quality construction, comfort, power transfer, and off the bike walkability.

Conclusion


The Terraduro is a durable, and versatile mountain bike shoe. The Vibram sole provides excellent traction, and despite a less than racy appearance, power transfer is excellent. It was edged out of the top spot as our pick for the best shoe for trail riders by the Specialized 2FO Cliplite by the slimmest of margins, but we still feel comfortable in saying it is a great mountain bike shoe that will appeal to the vast majority of recreational trail riders.

giro terraduro - from enduro races to all-day epics, the terraduro is a comfortable...
From enduro races to all-day epics, the Terraduro is a comfortable, durable, high performance shoe that can do it all.
Credit: Heather Benson

Other Versions and Accessories


Giro also offers the Terraduro HV($180) which offers a higher volume fit, and a new model called the Terraduro Mid($190) which has higher ankle cuff and a similar style to the Shimano ME7.

Jeremy Benson