The Union takes on the role of the flat pedal option in Fox’s fresh shoe line-up. It gets most of the excellent features we saw on the Fox Union Clip and its tread and rubber compound offer excellent and reliable grip. While on the pricier side of the best mountain bike shoe spectrum, the asking price is par for the course.
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Fox Union shoes - Technical details
As the flat pedal shoe in the Union range, this one gets many of the features found on the clip shoes, including the one-piece welded upper, moulded toe cap, and reinforced toe box. It also gets an Ultratac rubber compound that’s said to balance grip and durability.
However, things do change when it comes to the tread and the fact that there’s no sole-stiffening shank involved. The former is made up of hex-shaped lugs designed to mesh with a pedal’s pins but towards the heel and toe, the lugs get larger and wider to provide more grip when off the bike.
As for the latter, instead of a shank, it comes with an EVA midsole to balance comfort with efficiency.
The closure is a very simple lace-up affair but Fox has been kind and included a loop of elastic to keep the laces from flailing around as you pedal.
The upper features high-density textures in areas that might rub against the bike, or are simply more prone to damage. In terms of weight, the pair of Union shoes (EU 44) weighed 851g.
Fox Union shoes - Performance
During my time with the Fox Union, the shoes experienced a range of conditions. We’re talking tacky Italian trails through to serious deluges and full-on slop and through all of that, they performed commendably.
The fit is very good. It does feel a bit snug around the foot arch but there’s no real issue here.
While there’s an awful lot to like about the Union, Fox deserves some real praise in the design of the shoe’s one-piece, welded upper as it effectively keeps all but the nastiest of weather out. Admittedly, I have ridden through near torrential downpours and water did find its way in but this isn’t a waterproof shoe, so it’s easily forgiven here.
After riding through such horrid conditions, the shoe dries rather quickly, especially when sitting on or underneath a radiator for an hour or two. That’s a credit to the lack of padding around the interior of the shoe. Here, Fox has held back and added just a bit of padding around the ankle which adds a very appropriate level of comfort.
And comfort is rather good, especially in the short term. The shoe offers a load of support and I can’t complain about the pedal feel. However, during extended descents, I found that foot fatigue crept in too soon, leading me to adjust my position on the pedals. A bit more cushion here wouldn’t go amiss.
The Ultratac outsole on this shoe is mighty impressive, too, as it not only offers unshiftable grip, even when ridden through some ridiculously gnarly sections but it doesn’t hold onto the pedal pins so tenaciously that you can’t adjust your foot position. While I’ve paired the shoe with the Pembree D2A pedal, I’ve spent the most time riding with the Race Face Aeffect R and grip has been plentiful. Only on very rare occasions, when the trail has got particularly rowdy has my foot unintentionally bounced or moved on the pedal. That’s another box ticked for the Union.
If I were to nitpick, I would like longer laces. As they are, they’re nowhere near long enough to tuck into the elastic lace-keeper, so firm employment of a double knot is very necessary. However, as the shoe is generally an excellent performer, we’ll let Fox off on this one.
Fox Union shoes - Verdict
The £130 price tag brings these right in line with the likes of the Giro Latch and the Five Ten Freerider Pro and, having spent a lot of time with the Latch, the Union edges ahead in terms of performance thanks to the weather protection and low-profile design. They also offer more protection thanks to the reinforced toe cap and better stability with the counter-locking heel.
At £130, the asking price seems steep when you consider some of the cheaper options in the segment. The £115 Crankbrother Stamp Lace offers excellent long-term comfort and good pedal grip but, off the bike, they don't stack up to the Union and the weather protection doesn’t compete.
If you’re happy to spend a bit more on a pair of flat pedal shoes and your descents aren’t particularly long, the Fox Union is an excellent choice. The weather protection and all-out grip on the pedal put them up there with the very best. They are my new go-to shoes but I’ve found fatigue can set in during long descents.
- foxracing.co.uk