Giro Chamber II Review

The Chamber II is the redesigned version of Giro's popular Chamber clipless mountain bike shoe. The primary changes to the EWS and World Cup DH winning Chamber shoe are 10mm of cleat setback, a new Tri-Mold internal shank to optimize the rigidity and flex through the sole, and a little refresh of the shoe's styling. The Chamber II is intended to be an aggressive enduro and downhill riding and racing shoe, and testers found it best suited to those disciplines. Testers loved the comfort, power transfer, walkability, and durability of this beefy shoe.

Performance Comparison

Power Transfer

If you've ever watched Richie Rude during an EWS race run, then you've seen the Chamber II in action, and you know what kind of power these shoes can transfer to the pedals. While they are by no means carbon sole, XC race stiff, they are much stiffer than you'd assume just by looking at them. The Tri-Mold internal shank design allows for toe flex in front of the cleat but provides a very solid platform from the cleat back, which does an excellent job delivering power from your legs to your drivetrain.

Sure, expensive carbon-soled XC race shoes like the Giro Empire VR90 have uncompromisingly stiff soles. They outperform the Chamber II in the power transfer department, but they're designed with a different purpose in mind. Surprisingly though, shoes like the Chamber II and the new breed of all-mountain/trail shoes do still provide excellent power transfer while offering excellent walkability, enhanced foot protection, and comfort.

The Chamber II has virtually no flex underfoot, and scored highly in this rating metric. When pedaling, even during hard sprinting efforts, there is no noticeable flex in the sole. This power transfer is on par with the other similar shoes like the Five Ten Kestrel Lace and Ride Concepts Transition. All of these shoes offer a very similar style of sole that has flex through the toe with a stiff shank underfoot.

Comfort

Comfort is one of the Chamber II's strong suits. Not only do they have skate/casual shoe styling, but they also fit kind of like them too. Giro makes a lot of different mountain bike shoes, and they seem to have figured out how to make them all quite comfortable. The uppers are made from a water-repellent microfiber material that feels extremely durable yet conforms to the feet nicely after the first few hours of use. The footbed is simple and relatively minimal, but testers found it to have a good shape and offer decent arch support.

One of the first things you notice when you put them on is the generous amount of padding around the ankle, heel, and on the tongue, this aids in the overall comfort of the shoe as well as the protection of the feet. Testers also like the peace of mind that the full coverage Vibram sole and rubber rand around the toe gave them, as it deflected small rocks and trail debris encountered while riding.

The Chamber II uses traditional shoelaces and a large velcro strap to secure them to your feet. While they lack the on the fly adjustment convenience of shoes with Boa style closures like those found on the Specialized 2FO Cliplite, testers found the laces to be very comfortable and secure. The large velcro strap at the top of the tongue can be as tight or loose as you like and can be adjusted quickly on the fly.

This closure system is similar to those found on the Five Ten Kestrel Lace and the Ride Concepts Transition, although the laces on the Chamber II come down a little further towards the toe and provide a more even tension over the foot. The uppers of the Chamber II are perforated with hundreds of small ventilation holes. We didn't notice that these shoes felt especially well ventilated, but we think they do a better job of keeping the air flowing than either of the Five Ten Kestrel models we tested.

Traction Walkability

The Chamber II got very high marks in the traction walkability rating metric. The full coverage Vibram Megagrip outsole has a raised hexagonal dot pattern that is grippy on virtually all surfaces. The Vibram rubber used in the outsole is a medium density, slightly firmer than the stealth rubber found on the Five Ten Kestrel Lace.

Like the other similar enduro and all-mountain shoes in our test selection, the Chamber II's walkability is enhanced by a small amount of flex through the toe that allows the user to walk more or less regularly. This is in stark contrast to the thoroughbred race shoes that have no flex and make for awkward walking.

Weight

At 525g or 18.51oz per shoe in the size 44 we tested, the Chamber II's weight is the least impressive thing about them. That said, this is a full 40g lighter than the Five Ten Hellcat Pro, which weighs 565g per shoe. In general, shoes made with aggressive enduro or downhill riding in mind tend to weigh a bit more than the super-light models you are likely to find on the feet of XC racers like the Giro Empire VR90.

The reason the Chamber II shoes weigh more than most of the other shoes in our test selection is obvious. The full coverage Vibram sole, beefy, durable construction, and foot protection features all contribute to the heft of these shoes. Interestingly, the Chamber II doesn't feel unusually heavy on the feet when walking or while riding, especially compared to the other heavier weight shoes in our test like the Five Ten Hellcat Pro or the Five Ten Kestrel Lace.

Durability

After several weeks of testing, we found the Chamber II shoes to be highly durable. In fact, we haven't exposed a single weakness in their construction whatsoever. Despite lots of high-speed encounters with trailside obstacles, the uppers appear in virtually the same condition as when we took them out of the box, minus a little mud and dirt of course. All of the stitching remains intact with loose threads or loose ends to speak of.

Even after hundreds of miles of riding and quite a few dismounts and hike-a-bikes, the Vibram soles of the Chamber II look barely used. In contrast, the softer stealth rubber used on the soles of the Five Ten Kestrel Lace is beginning to show signs of wear after similar amounts of use and abuse. We believe the Chamber II is one of the most durable shoes in our test selection.

Value

With excellent power transfer, comfort, walkability, and durability, we feel the Chamber II is a great value to the right consumer. These shoes are offered at a reasonable price and gravity-oriented riders who don't mind a little heavier shoe need look no further.

Conclusion

Our testers were thoroughly impressed with the comfort, fit, power transfer, and durability of the Chamber II. Sure it's a little heavier than most shoes in our test selection, and we wouldn't recommend it for XC racers or especially weight-conscious riders. The stiff soles provide excellent transfer of power, while the flex in the toe and full coverage Vibram soles give them great traction and walkability off the bike. The tough microfiber uppers, rubber toe rand, and generous padding provide excellent foot protection in an incredibly durable package at a reasonable price. If you're a descent focused rider looking for a shoe for enduro or downhill, this is an excellent option to consider.