X Phantom II Women's

Just because you want a proper pair of mountain bike shoes to do epic rides in your back woods doesn’t mean you have to drop a bundle to buy them. The Diadora X Phantom II Shoes come both in men’s and women’s lasts, and offer a no-nonsense option for quality MTB kicks in an affordable package.

Both the men’s and the women’s versions receive what Diadora classifies as their Race Plus fitting, which means that they have more room in the middle and at the toe box, though the women’s is designed on a women’s specific last that will accommodate the smaller dimensions a woman’s foot typically has. The uppers are made from what Diadora calls their Morpho A.M.Cage made from an anti-stretch Air Mesh Suprell-Tech microfiber to ensure the foot will have a ventilated but secure form around it. The supple though stable material is then fastened with two Velcro dual-ring closures. The strap over the instep is long and quite wide so that you can adjust to work with your feet whether you have a high instep or practically no arch at all. The insole is made from an anti-stretch EVA foam, so that it will be able to conform to your foot’s shape and required arch support. The ergonomically designed heel cup has been developed to provide unobtrusive support and prevent unwanted slippage.

The composite soles have been reinforced with Nylon to keep them rigid enough to offer an effective pedal stroke, but pliable enough so that you can walk and even run in them with ease. Evidence of this balancing act comes in the fact that they rate a six on the stiffness index that runs up to twelve. The TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) outsoles will provide you with a lot of grip for scrambling up inclines on foot or running your bike up muddy stairs. They will also function nicely as touring shoes if you are doing a travel tour with your bike where you’ll be walking around medieval hilltop towns. They are compatible with pedals that use two-hole mountain cleats. Diadora has also designed them to accommodate toe spikes that you can purchase separately for those super gnarly trails.

Whether you are planning a racing season off-road, or just want to have a little more flexibility about just how much walking around you can do out on your rides, the Diadora X Phantom II Shoes will be a comfortable way to suit your needs.