The Fizik Vento Proxy Gravel shoe is a breathable lightweight XC, CX and gravel shoe with an upper made from a see-through PU ripstop material and features plenty of scuff protection for your toes and the heels. A single Boa dial pulls its cord through five anchor points to tighten and loosen the shoe and the heavily lugged rubberised sole has a large cleat box with lots of adjustment. Without a doubt, this must be one of the most breathable summer gravel shoes on the market.
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Fizik Vento Proxy shoe – Technical details
The upper is made from a laminated PU mesh material which is translucent, (see pictures) lightweight, extremely breathable and tearproof. An internal skeleton is visible through the PU Mesh on the front and sides of the shoe providing structure for the Proxy and helping support the fastening system. The PU mesh is protected at the important impact areas around the toe box, the eyelet areas next to the tongue and the bottom of the heel.
The Vento Proxy adjusts via a single Li2 Boa dial pulling a nylon cord through five anchor points from the front to the top of the shoe. The Li2 Boa System offers micro-adjustments in both directions for tension levels to be quickly and easily adjusted mid-ride. The nylon cord is threaded through the tongue which is loose and free to float. The top of the tongue is padded to protect the top of your foot from pressure points from the fastening system.
The heel grip is provided by padding around the ankle bone area and a super grippy ‘cat’s tongue’ like material inside the cup to hold your heel in place. The outside of the rear of the heel features a reflective Fluoro yellow stripe for nighttime safety.
The cleat box is large with clear easy-to-read adjustment lines to help make sure that you line the cleats up properly. A small bonus over the Vento Ferox is that there is no need for shoe shields (to protect the soles from the bars of the pedals) as the Vento Proxy has an X3 Fibre Composite outsole, not full carbon. You will still need to measure cleat box depth and use the relevant shim under the cleat to maximise the pedal’s performance though.
The Fizik insole has a metatarsal button to alleviate pressure spots from the forefoot and has a sculptured foam rear footbed complete with a soft foam arch ‘support’. The toe section of the footbed is heavily perforated to increase airflow.
The Vento Proxy’s redesigned X3 sole design offers increased grip from its rubber blocks and midsole when off the bike and running. Should conditions turn unpleasant, toe stud blanks are fitted which can easily be removed with a flat-head or cross-head screwdriver and studs fitted.
Available in four colourways; Black, White, Coral/Purple (this pair) and Sky Blue/Reflective and in sizes 36 – 48 with half sizes 37- 46.5.
Fizik Vento Proxy shoe – Performance
In the heat of the UK summer, cough cough, and more usefully the South of France these Vento Proxys have shone with fantastic ventilation levels helping to keep my feet cool. In the mid-20s and indeed the mid-30s these shoes delivered the best ventilation bar non to any shoe I have used aside from and pair of sandals and they were hardly performance-orientated. With cooler fresher feet your feet don’t get sweaty or expand so you don’t need to loosen them off mid-ride. With fresher feet, it’s easier to keep pushing on the pedals and allowing the miles to keep ticking over.
The shape of the Vento Proxy is slim but not too slim. As with their Vento Ferox, Fizik appears to have made these shoes for especially me with my slim ankles and slightly wider fore foot which can cause pinched toes in some shoes I’ve tested – Shimano’s Rx6’s were the tightest – but no such concern here as the Vento Proxy has slipper-like levels of comfort from the moment I pulled it on in.
The singe Li2 Boa works well doing up the shoe although a second tweak of the dial is a good idea once you’re clipped in. The cord pulls pretty evenly through the five anchor points and no hot spots were produced on the top of my foot.
Fizik’s use of the ‘cat-tongue’ like fabric for covering the inside of the heel cup and generous padding around the opening meant absolutely no heel lift throughout the testing period.
The tongue does not have a locating slot like its more expensive sibling, instead, it floats freely under the Boa nylon cord and as you fasten the shoe it can take a couple of attempts to get it in the best position for your foot shape. The tongues padding works very well with no red lines on the top of my feet even after ridiculously hot gravel days in the mountains.
The only slight frustration is that while the left-hand shoe dial releases the nylon cord allowing you to remove your foot easily, the right-hand shoe is not so smooth. The Boa dial releases normally (pull away from the shoe body) but the cord does not release as easily and you need to pull hard on it to get enough slack to remove your foot from the shoe. It might be dirt in there but they have been that way from day one which makes me think it’s something to do with this dial as there is no visible cord kink. Luckily you can get replacement Boa dials so that might be worth a go if it gets worse or annoys you too much. I’ve just settled with pulling the cord harder on that shoe to release it.
That fibre composite outsole is stiff enough for explosive bursts of power and although not as stiff as the Vento Ferox (I’ve been switching back and forth between them) it is actually all the better for it. It happily transfers your power into forward momentum but at the same time it’s also more comfortable for everything less than ‘full-gas’ racing so you can use this for your gravel rides and your XC races and both will win out in performance and comfort stakes. It’s more comfortable off the bike and you don’t have to worry about damaging that fancy carbon sole on the rocks or the pedals as the Proxy’s X3 sole has rubber protection in that area.
Scrapes and scuffs are all part and parcel of life with an off-road shoe and the Vento Proxy has your back with a dark pink layer of polyurethane protection around the main potential sites – I’m pleased to report that it has done its job as there is little to no damage of note which is excellent to see.
Unlike the pretty technical insole on the Quoc GT CX shoes I recently reviewed the insole in the Vento Proxy looks initially a bit like an afterthought. Maybe they spent all the budget on the tearproof mesh and new X3 composite rubber sole, whatever the reasoning, it’s not an issue as I had no discomfort on any of the rides during testing. I remember my feet getting hot in the Vento Ferrox in Italy (albeit after 5-6 hours of riding) so the slightly softer sole is a positive for my feet.
What’s clearly not going to be good is its weather protection but as none is claimed you shouldn’t expect any especially as you can blow through the side walls of the upper with ease. If you want to keep wearing the Proxy’s as temperatures drop your choice of sock will be crucial in extending the riding range of these shoes. Overshoes will help, but these are not cold-weather shoes having zero windproofing (and therefore waterproofing) and are perhaps best left for warmer sunny days in the UK, holidays away or sunny training camps. A bonus of avoiding the muck and wetness is that that fancy colour scheme will look stunning for longer.
And finally that colour! You either love it or you hate it, but it is an awesome safety colour rotating and flashing away as you pedal. Still, black and white options are available as is a Reflective Blue which is a super idea for long-distance riders looking for every bit of safety.
I tested a pair of size 44.5 (or UK 10) and they weighed in at approx 367g per shoe, making a pair 734g. Not super lightweight but still pretty respectable and certainly not heavy. For reference Quoc’s Gran Tourer XC Lace came in at 718g, Sidi Dust MTB at 696g and Shimano’s old RX6, 646g
Fizik Vento Proxy shoe – Verdict
So before you splash out on a pair of the ultimate summer off-road shoes what else should be on your radar? Almost certainly the Fizik Vento Ferrox especially if you can get a deal on them and especially if you want maximum stiffness, a Boa and Fizik’s Powerstrap closure.
If you fancy trying laces instead of dials then check out the Quoc Gran Tourer XC Lace option at £220, a beautiful shoe and extremely comfortable with a great sole for hammering or chilling. Much less breathable but much more weatherproof.
Northwave Rebel 3 Epic Series at £189.00 are definitely worth a look with their stiff racing sole which also manages to offer all-day comfort. They feature twin dials but can also suffer from clogging.
At the other end of the market the excellent but not breathable (apart from their tongue) is the £80 Rockrider Race 900. These shoes represent an amazing opportunity for beginners or those on a tight budget looking to get into racing
Fizik’s Vento Proxy shoes have outstanding breathability and are excellent at keeping your feet cooler and fresher whether you’re riding in hot temperatures or just creating excess heat pushing yourself to the limit. The flow of air through the mesh material is wonderfully cooling although it can be a bit much as temperatures drop. The X3 sole is stiff enough for keen bursts of acceleration while still grippy and comfortable enough for gravel adventures on and off the bike. Whether you choose bright or more subtle colours keep them for warmer days and your feet will love you.
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Product purpose:
Build extra:
Product construction
Product performance
Product performance extra:
There is no weather proofing so these might not be the best shoes for winter riding but if you run hot or you just need a pair of shoes that blast air at your feet when you are pushing your limits, these should be at the top of your list
Product durability
Product durability extra:
Product weight
Product weight extra:
Product comfort
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Product comfort extra:
Zero heel lift due to the material inside the heal cup and the padding around the top.
No pain or pressure points on the top of my foot.
Product value extra:
They are a little expensive for their weight but they represent the most breathable shoe I have testes
