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Northwave Compact 5
Northwave Freeride
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Northwave Freeride

Northwave presents a freeride shoe that crosses over into the cross-trainer realm. This raised-up shoe feels a bit funny for a bike shoe at first, but the more I wore it, the better it felt. The amount of sole stiffness is the biggest selling point, but it's still soft enough to do all the trekking, touring and backcountry kickin� that they claim you can. Any less stiffness and you wouldn't get the support you deserve in the saddle.

Northwave also realizes that you want to keep riding - not hiking - at all costs. The double stitching and wrap-around rubber made me confident in its Italian quality. The laces provide an even pull, letting you really squeeze the meat of your feet when you know you�re gonna be outta-da seat. I received the beautiful brown and orange version and since I'm not here to care, I let others judge. The only comment I received was that the orange had one too many pixels of pink in it. Maybe she was right, or maybe she just doesn�t understand Italian fashion. Maybe neither of us do because it�s too new and hasn�t hit the states yet.

Setback: ~$115

Features: Interlocking laces allow an even, snug pull. The cute little Velcro lace cover does its job. The sole works better for riding than it does for hiking. But hey, it's a bike shoe.

Factors: The sole is raised up more than most, giving it the trekking feel. The upper is as soft as a freestyle shoe should be. With double stitching everywhere, these shoes shouldn�t blowout under normal conditions. They're strong and water resistant, but once they're wet you might as well go swimming.

Tongue 'n Groove: This shoe rides up high but never lets you down. No complaints, other than the fruity colors. If you don�t like these hues, they have the ever-fashionable black/gray and tan/brown combinations as well.