Ride Concepts Hellion Clip Review

Ride Concepts has introduced some impressive products since entering the world of mountain bike footwear in 2018. With an original focus on DH and enduro riding, they've broadened their appeal, but as shown in the Hellion Clip, their shoes have a gravity pedigree. If you're looking for all-day comfort and protection with a tunable fit, the Hellion might be your cup of tea.

Comfort

We know that comfort is just as critical as performance—you can't ride fast if your feet hurt. That's why we put the Hellion Clip through several months of rigorous testing, logging countless hours pedaling, and occasionally hike-a-biking through the woods in these shoes. We found little reason to complain, with a cloud-like feel and a supportive upper that features ample padding around the ankle and tongue. Using traditional laces and a Velcro closure, you can fine-tune your fit and get an encapsulated feel.

The EVA midsole and fully gusseted tongue give the shoe an athletic feel, preventing the tongue from shifting. The bonded Cordura upper is seam-free, and every surface of the shoe features padding or protection. With padding on every side of your foot, this shoe doesn't have that minimalist cycling shoe feel. An asymmetrical collar helps keep the padding in place where you want it throughout the pedaling motion. We found the Cordura upper to be less breathable on warmer days but more tolerable than many leather uppers.

We never felt hot spots or irritation around the throat of the shoe, which can be fairly common with stiff-soled shoes like this. The mid-sole fit is accommodating for wide feet, but the amount of padding may make them suitable for those with narrower soles, especially given the adjustability provided by the laced upper. With a wide, roomy toe box, we found them comfortable enough that we were never in a rush to pull them off after a ride, and had no complaints during extended hikes searching for new lines.

Traction and Walkability

Any good trail shoe has to handle those unavoidable “hike arounds” or steep run-ups. The Hellion Clip feels right at home here; it's padded and flexible enough in the forefoot to feel more like a sneaker than a stiff cycling shoe. You can tune the fit exactly via the laces, while the integrated Velcro strap keeps your foot planted and your laces out of the drivetrain. The outsole isn't the most aggressive for uphill scrambles, but the flex in the toe box delivers an unexpected amount of bite. Plus, the heavy-duty upper provides great protection against abrasive terrain, keeping your feet protected when you're trudging through the rough stuff.

Overall, the rugged outsole does a great job providing traction on the trail. We found these shoes were right at home in dry, loose conditions, but they were less than ideal in wet or slippery conditions. In those slippery spots, the lugged outsoles in the midfoot didn't seem to hook up all that well.

Importantly, where you typically need the most traction is on the toe and heel. Ride Concepts uses a scooped-out version of their hex lugs that do a much better job of maintaining traction.

Power Transfer

Despite its casual-looking appearance, the sole is quite stiff and provides a solid platform for delivering power. There are many shoes that will put your power to the pedal more efficiently, but the Hellion strikes a nice balance of stiffness and comfort. While power transfer is paramount while climbing or sprinting through a section of trail, a stiff sole feels awkward and uncomfortable when you step off the bike. Scouting a line, walking up a technical section, or ambling around at the trailhead, this shoe doesn't feel out of place or overly compromised.

Ride Concepts achieves the outsole stiffness using their PowerDrive nylon shank, which is said to drive power into the cleatbox and maintain lateral stiffness. This resonated with our testers, who felt that even toward the end of a long ride when our pedal strokes and overall form had become a bit sloppier, the shoe maintained its composure. While clipped in, you don't feel any flex in the midsole, but the insole's cushion is enough that it lacks the rigidity that can make other shoes uncomfortable.

Weight

Every good cycling shoe is a list of compromises. In the case of the Hellion, the stiffness, durability, and comfort come with the drawbacks of some bulk and weight. Our size 11.5 test shoes weighed in at 541 grams per shoe without cleats. If you're weighing any other part of your bike, this is probably a deal breaker, but if your priorities are protection and comfort, these could be your next kicks.

Our testers agreed that the weight “is what it is” with this shoe. There are an abundance of features, like the D30-lined insole, that don't come without a few extra grams. Our favorite trail shoe, the CrankBrothers Mallet Trail Boa Clip, shaves about 70 grams per shoe from this weight without any loss of comfort. If you're solely shopping (see what I did there?) for Ride Concepts shoes, they all sit within the same weight range.

Durability

Ride Concepts has made the most durable shoes we've tested, and the Hellion isn't an exception. The bonded Cordura upper is incredibly tear- and abrasion-resistant, and the outsoles have held up quite well to our abuse and rock kicking. The outside of the shoe has an almost ballistic feel, where we expected to see damage from major impacts, but we later couldn't find any trace of it. The only part of our test shoes that looks worse for wear is the “hook and loop”, Velcro-style strap that secures the upper and holds the laces down. The strap is super thin and doesn't feel like it matches the durability standard set by the rest of the shoe.

We chose to test the white version of these shoes, which showed a bit more wear than their black counterparts. If it weren't for the stains on the white Cordura and some wear on the strap, these shoes look almost new after 400-plus miles, countless creek crossings, a couple of muddy days, and some treacherous hike-a-bikes. Testers felt that you really didn't have to worry about these shoes getting beat up or about hazards reaching your feet.

Should You Buy the Ride Concepts Hellion Clip?

The Hellion Clip won't be everyone's cup of tea, but that's part of why we evaluate so many pairs of shoes. If you're looking for a dialed lace-up fit, above-average protection and performance without the feel of being in a “cycling shoe”, the Hellion delivers. For better or worse, they feel like wearing a pair of skateboard shoes. Padding and protection surround your foot, but these features add a bit of bulk and hinder the shoes' breathability. If you're taking park laps, live for the downhills, and want a pair of shoes you won't be dying to take off at the end of the day, give these a shot.

Other Versions and Accessories

Regarding the weight of the Helion Clip, most of our testers agreed that we'd rather ride the Ride Concepts Tallac Clip. They are just about the same weight, and the Tallac feels like it offers more comfort and even more durability. Our Editors' Choice shoes come from Crank Brothers, and while they prove slightly less durable, they have slipper-like comfort and checked all of the boxes. The Crank Brothers Mallet Trail Boa offers a lighter-weight, trail-focused shoe with a neoprene cuff around the ankle that doesn't rub, but keeps trail debris from falling into your shoe.