Review: Leatt's New DBX 3.0 Flat Pedal Shoes
For 2020, Leatt have expanded their product line to include shoes. According to Leatt, their goal has always been to be a complete "head-to-toe" MTB and moto brand so, of course, a shoe fits nicely in that progression. Leatt claim they saw a need for durable and comfortable shoes with superb bike control qualities and they believe their new products will fill that gap. There are both flat and clipless offerings but for the purpose of this review, we're going to focus on the DBX 3.0 Flat shoe.
The DBX 3.0 Flat is the more performance-oriented of the two flat-soled shoes available from Leatt. The shoe has a synthetic leather upper, toe and heel protection, a waterproof/breathable membrane on the inside, and Leatt's RideGrip rubber compound.
The DBX 3.0 Flat is the more performance-oriented of the two flat-soled shoes available from Leatt. The shoe has a synthetic leather upper, toe and heel protection, a waterproof/breathable membrane on the inside, and Leatt's RideGrip rubber compound.
DBX 3.0 Flat Details
• Synthetic leather upper, suede toe box
• Abrasion-resistant toe cap, heel protection
• Lace closure
• Colors: Black/Grey, Green
• Sizes: US 6-12, UK 5.5-11.5, EU 38.5-47, CM 24-30
• Weight: 951g (as tested, size 44/10)
• MSRP: $99.99 USD
• www.leatt.com
• Synthetic leather upper, suede toe box
• Abrasion-resistant toe cap, heel protection
• Lace closure
• Colors: Black/Grey, Green
• Sizes: US 6-12, UK 5.5-11.5, EU 38.5-47, CM 24-30
• Weight: 951g (as tested, size 44/10)
• MSRP: $99.99 USD
• www.leatt.com
The shoe uses a lace closure with compression laces that are intended to keep the shoe tight on the rider's foot more than traditional laces would. It comes in dark green and grey/black color options, US sizes 6-12, and sells for $99 USD.
A reinforced toe and heel help keep riders safe and a tall inner cuff provides extra ankle protection.
Design
According to Leatt, the DBX 3.0's sole compound is a "highly durable NBR rubber blend" that is said to be abrasion and puncture resistant. The tread is a waffle pattern that is made to interlock with pedal pins, forming a mechanical lock in addition to the traction achieved from the rubber itself. There are also "mud channels" that are intended to help clear mud and keep the shoe functional on and off the bike on wet weather rides. Finally, there is an internal shank, a plate that runs the length of the shoe and provides extra stiffness. The shank in the DBX 3.0 is a mid stiffness, stiffer than that of the DBX 2.0 yet not as stiff as the one in Leatt's clipless models which are more focused on pedaling efficiency.
Lace retention is always welcomed but I accidentally permanently disengaged one of the elastic straps. All of the good anti-odor, bacteria, etc. has kept things fresh thus far despite some wet conditions.
Performance
Out of the box, the DBX 3.0 shoes felt comfortable and fit true to size. The toe box feels as if it has a little more room than a similar size Five Ten. There is ample padding in the midsole of the shoe and there is extra ankle support in the upper. The laces did an excellent job of cinching things up and not letting the shoes slip during riding. The elastic lace holders are helpful, however, I did tear one off after a few rides...maybe it was my cold fingers not having a lot of dexterity but it still pulled out of the tongue. That's not a deal-breaker, but it's worth a mention.
The heel cup provides a good bit more support and tightness than many other flat shoes currently available and the DBX 3.0's seem to mold to your foot after an hour or two of riding. The lining and footbed of the shoe are smooth and feel as if they're well thought out, and not just a generic shoe upper and footbed. Plus, they have anti-bacterial and anti-odor properties to them, although I haven't spent enough time in the shoes to validate that.
The shoes aren't the best ventilated out there but they are very water-resistant to splashes and creek soakings that don't crest too high up. When they do get wet, they don't become water-logged and dry fairly quickly.
The rubber on the soles provides a lot of traction, but not quite as much as the benchmark Five-Ten compound. The tread pattern partially makes up for that by allowing pedal pins a little more purchase. They are also easier to reposition than shoes with an ultra-sticky compound while still providing plenty of traction. As far as stiffness is concerned, the shoes are amply stiff and fall somewhere between the Five Ten Freerider Pro and the Impact Pro. I think it's a good balance. While we're comparing, the rubber compound seems to wear a bit slower than the Five Ten in the short time I've had these on test, and it doesn't seem to pick apart quite as easily from pushing into the pedal pins.
Leatt's waffle tread pattern is designed to be durable underfoot and on the pedal while also clearing mud away from the toe and heel through wider mud channels.
Pros
+ Great fit, very comfortable
+ Highly water resistant, fast drying
Cons
- Lace retention system failed on one shoe
- Rubber could be tackier
Pinkbike's Take
 | The DBX 3.0 Flats are well thought out and one of the best flat pedal shoes I've ridden as far as comfort and water resistance goes. The anti-microbial and fast-drying liner is appealing, especially in climates where rides typically involve can involve rain, river crossings, or both. It's too early to comment on long term durability, but I'll update this review if any issues arise. |
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
RC Shoes for the win.
ITS tires wore out in a heartbeat, stuck like super glue, weighed as a much as motocross tire and yet got pinch flats on the regular. I seem to remember the side knobs peeling off the carcass like seeds from a sunflower.
I’ve had your experience ever since.
I had a set of revamped Michelin DH tires that spit the top of the knob off and left a round underlying nub very few rides in.
Can we get someone to confirm whether the Intense Tires were Stealth Rubber or something else? They were definitely way different than even the softest stuff out.
Completely agree with both of your comments regarding 5:10's. Impacts are also my main riding shoe with the VX1 for a more casual ride. Around the workshop I'm still wearing my Freerider White Tiger's, although after nearly 10 years the sole has just started to leak so they may soon have to be replaced.
......showing myself out now.
I don't give a lot of chances when it comes to safety equipment, but I figured if they had crash replacement I'd grab another one, maybe it was a fluke. I contacted Leatt and gave them all info, pretty sure I sent pictures, and offered to send the helmet back, they replied nearly a month later saying their form is to make their product better and they don't offer crash replacement discounts. The Helmet was used as intended and caused injury and they didn't stand behind their product, or even acknowledge the issues with it's construction. It took 3 weeks get a response from one department.
When this crash happened, late August to early September 2019(forget exact date), I emailed Leatt South Africa because the region I was in was not responding, in January 2020 Leatt South Africa replied, again telling me there's no crash replacement discount and again not addressing the injury caused by the helmet... approx. 4.5 months after the email was sent.
So with that said I don't have a lot of faith in their shoes being any freaking good.
Leatts shorts and pants and not made for thick bodies. I swear my butt does not fit inside even though the waist is loose. And they crush my homies between the thighs.
I was also on a DBX 3.0 Enduro Convertible I had the chin bar off at the time of the crash. It was the plastic straps around the sides of the head above the ears that felt really sharp, I didn't really notice how sharp they were until I had crashed.
Glad yours are working out, they are expensive helmets.
Somehow people are surprised that new shoes err on the side of not going to the landfill in 3 months?
At the same time, we all want them to feel like Vans, soft, comfy, cruise the coffee shop in them.
The current Sam Hill's and Freerider Pro's are worlds better than my other generation's of Impacts. Lighter, dry faster, more durable. But in the end...I'm shoving these plush little fellas onto a meat grinder of a pedal, stuffing them into unknown rocks, sharpies & coal berms and can't expect mother earth (who is undefeated thus far) to not bite back.
I've got a pair of Ride Concepts on order as replacements, so I'll see how they fare in comparison.
There are kickers and then there are linebackers.
but what I REALLY WANT is a replacement soles for the 5-10 impacts. Like they used to make, but discontinued when bought out by Adidas... Talk about creating needless landfill. Here is a call out to all flat pedal biking shoes manufacturers : Shoes designed with replaceable soles in mind. its not the shoes that wear out. IT'S THE SOLES. having that approach would allow them to go for stickier compounds without the need to replace your shoes every year. Manufacturers out there: Please do it.
Shame cause 510’s are made of spit lately. But I am a gripaholic
I m on a quest for a decent five ten replacement!
Not great according to this Aussie
youtu.be/zoVUbHS6cxc
Hopefully they improve.
Wasn't sure of them on the first outing, have grown on my a lot, nice being able to reposition feet to some degree and it just feels having lighter shoes.
Just bought the freeriders pro from probikeshop. Great price, hope it lasts longer than my previous impact vxi
www.altrarunning.com/shop/mens-shoes-outdoor-adventure/mens-grafton-alm1965f
Light weight canyoneering shoe. Vibram rubber with a FiveTen dot-like pattern. Wet weather performance and crash durability would be my main concern.
www.adidasoutdoor.com/five-ten-sleuth-men%27s-mountain-bike-shoe/EPB23.html?dwvar_EPB23_color=Grey_Five&cgid=men-bike-shoes#start=30
Why does every shoe company provide nice lace retention for clip in flats but but not standard flats? It's like they think that people who run flat pedals can't understand the complexity of clipless pedals, so a velcro strap to hold laces down would also be to complex for us to operate...
I talked to some lady on here who works for five ten and they said their isn’t a market for it. How the hell would they even know if they haven’t even tried it. The ELC is the only model that had something and it was overengineered and a heater of a shoe.
***Why do shoes make such bad politicians?
Because they have soles.
So many shoes to choose from. All normal/narrow sized...
"Oh hey guys, want your feet to be soaked regardless of trail conditions? WE'VE GOT THE SHOE FOR YOU!!!!"
Make them fast drying, leave waterproof/not breathable stuff for cold riding conditions.
Regardless, a lot of us also live places where things like a higher ankle cuff are appreciated, but so are breathable shoes. Options across the range would be nice.
I will say, that given the beating my first pair has taken over the past 4 years (they're now resoled and serve as my commuter shoes), DWR isn't nearly durable enough to last along as their water resistance seems to have lasted.
That said, once the rainfall intensity exceeds what they can handle, boy oh boy do they soak up that water and stay wet.