The Bont Vaypor SL is a superb high-performance shoe with an impressively stiff sole, with an upper that has enough flexibility to keep your feet comfortable. These are the closest thing I’ve found to shoes that feel like a component, which is really saying something, as I’ve been testing shoes for well over a decade. However, there is no getting around that price – which is among the most expensive of any shoe we’ve tested.
> Buy now: Bont Vaypor SL for £369.95 from Bont
For more options, check out our best road cycling shoes buyer’s guide.
Bont is one of those brands that has been in and out of the cycling spotlight over the last few years. I remember in the early- and mid-noughties that some of the fastest riders in the peloton wore them religiously, including Alex Dowsett during his hour record. However, its shoes seem to have become less visible in the past few years, with fewer high-profile riders wearing them.
However, I can say that this hasn’t had a negative impact on Bont’s R&D, with the Australian company releasing its new Vaypors in 2023 and the Vaypor SLs that I reviewed in late 2024.
First off, the most important element of any performance shoe is the stiffness of the sole – and Bont has created a sole stiffer than anything I’ve used before. Bont has used high-quality carbon fibre from the Japanese company Toray, and this isn’t just used beneath your feet, it stretches around the heel too.
This means your foot is supported higher up, which improves stiffness and, strangely, almost makes the shoes feel like they are part of the bike itself. I have tested dozens of shoes in my time at road.cc and it’s the first time I’ve ever described shoes in that way, which really says something.
The quality of the carbon layup is clear when you look at just the shape of the sole, which looks moulded, as if it’s been laid up around a foot. It has more curves and rounded edges than any other shoe I’ve seen before. It means the sole seems to flow into the upper rather than having a definitive edge, which is again something I haven’t come across too often before.
In addition to being stiff, the carbon sole is also impressively thin, with a stack height of only 3.6mm. This combination of stiffness and low stack means that power transfer is excellent and especially when you’re putting the hammer down when climbing or sprinting, you can get power through the pedals with almost no noticeable flex from the sole.
As you would expect from high-end road shoes, they only support three bolt cleats and have a vertical and horizontal axis measurement to allow for micro-adjustments. At the front and back there are also buffers that have managed to keep the carbon soles relatively scratch-free during testing.
The front buffer is not replaceable, but the rear has a screw that can be removed and replaced if it wears down.
The upper is made from Durolite, which is a durable and malleable leather-like material. It moves and flexes with your foot, which reduces the chances of hot spots and makes it supremely comfortable. The closest I have found would be on an elite football boot such as the kangaroo leather on Adidas Predators, which is also tough and hard-wearing.
The uppers have added ventilation, with large vented areas across the top of the toe and on either side of the foot. I could feel air flowing over the top of my foot throughout the review even at relatively slow speeds, which is a good sign that the ventilation and breathability elements have been well-designed.
Bont has used the Boa Li2 Fit System with two dials on the top of the foot, one to secure the mid foot and the other to secure the top. The midfoot tightens the wire directly against the tongue to hold your foot in place, while the upper effectively tightens an additional strap over the top of the tongue. This not only makes them very comfortable, it also maintains a secure fit without any hot spots even after hours in the saddle.
The Boa is also particularly good for micro-adjustments on the fly.
While these are superb shoes, it’s worth noting that Bont’s sizing is unlike any other shoes on the market. Before these arrived I needed to tell Bont what my most comfortable shoes were and their size – Bont then sent me a pair that were a completely different size. Now this pair fitted perfectly and are the most comfortable pair I’ve worn, but it does mean you can’t simply buy a pair online and expect them to fit as any other shoes would.
The Vaypor SLs weighed in at just 442g, which is exceptionally light. In fact the only lighter shoes we’ve tested recently are Bont’s Vaypors from 2023 that weighed just 346g for a size 37, which puts them around the same mark for the size 43 that I reviewed. That is seriously impressive.
Value
Yes, the £369.95 RRP is expensive – but they’re not the most expensive shoes we’ve tested here.
The Mechanism PNS X Fiziks are £20 dearer but they don’t have replaceable buffers and at 561g they’re a bit heavier.
Jez reviewed the Trek RSL Road Cycling Shoes, which have the same impressive Boa system but at 550g they’re also heavier than the Bonts, and they don’t have the same aesthetic quality, though they are £20 cheaper.
Conclusion
Overall these are superb – comfortable, supremely stiff, incredibly light and stunning looks. And it really is saying something that having reviewed cycling shoes for the last 15 years, this is the first pair that have genuinely felt like they were part of the bike. Yes, they are expensive and you need to use the Bont website to work out your correct size, but that’s a relatively minor issue against what is an excellent pair of shoes… if you can afford them.
Verdict
Exceptional quality shoes that are not only extremely comfortable – they’re also the stiffest and lightest I’ve ever worn
> Buy now: Bont Vaypor SL for £369.95 from Bont
All the deals displayed on our review pages are pulled from a constantly updating database feed of the best affiliate deals available. The criteria for deciding on what are the best deals is who is offering the lowest, delivered price. In most cases we will be showing the very best deal available online, but sometimes you may be able to find an item cheaper. If you can please feel free to post a link in the comments box below. To find out more about affiliate links on road.cc click here.
road.cc test report
Make and model: Bont Vaypor SL
Size tested: 42
Tell us what the product is for
Bont says: “The racer’s favourite is reborn with the all-new Vaypor SL. Harnessing Bont Cycling’s modern approach to cycling shoe design and inspired by the roaring success of the Vaypor (2023), the Vaypor SL is the ultimate lightweight racing shoe.
Designed to meet the demands of the world’s fastest athletes with industry-leading pedalling efficiency and stability, the Vaypor SL delivers pro-level energy transfer, foot hold and comfort. When every session matters, Vaypor SL is the contemporary choice while our Vaypor S maintains its legendary market position with its unique and renowned monocoque construction.”
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
100% carbon fiber construction utilising hand-laid unidirectional carbon from Toray of Japan and Bont Cycling’s proprietary heat-moulding technology.
Ultralight and supportive Japanese Durolite upper for improved breathability, comfort and performance.
Comfortable honeycomb fabric liner with lightweight padding and anti-stretch mesh for a cool and comfortable fit across the entire day.
Industry-leading 3.6mm stack height (sole thickness) for a closer connection to the pedal, more rounded pedal strokes, improved stability and injury prevention.
Innersole – Bont Cycling x Cobra9 dual-density EVA innersole. The Vaypor can be further customised through the Vaypor Series innersoles (sold separately).
Sole Guard – Replaceable heel guards with titanium fittings.
Titanium cleat T-nut hardware for lightweight, long lasting and hassle-free cleat installation and adjustment.
Two widths with improved foot suitability across different shapes and types: Standard and wide.
Cleat Mounting: Slotted 3-hole road pedal configuration with alignment grid and grip with increase cleat adjustment forward and rearward, when compared to a fixed hole system.
BOA Li2 Performance Fit System with dual-dial adjustability for a fast, effortless and precision fit. Backed by a The Boa Guarantee, dials and laces are guaranteed for the life of your shoes.
Very well made with the carbon layup particularly impressive, wrapping around the bottom of the foot and seamlessly moving from the sole to the main body of the shoes – not something you see too often.
With a low stack height, malleable upper and impressive stiffness these offer excellent performance.
The upper feels robust and the rear buffer is replaceable, increasing the time these are likely to last.
They fit very well and thanks to the upper’s malleability they sit nicely against your foot without ever feeling restrictive.
Difficult one to score because Bont is very open about the sizing being very specific to them. The size I tested is larger than what I usually wear – but proved to be the correct fit.
One of the lightest pairs of shoes we have ever tested; the only lighter pair I could find is the 2023 Vaypors that were tested in a much smaller size.
Very comfortable, the soft uppers combined with the wrap-around carbon sole works a treat.
These are very expensive, though not the most expensive we have seen. And compared with other shoes that come in at a similar price, the Bonts are lighter and stiffer, so I’d argue that the value isn’t that bad.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Easy, the upper is durable enough to just wipe down
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well – they’re fast, comfortable, well ventilated, and the fact that the only real gripe I have is that Bont’s sizing is unusual is testament to how good these shoes are. And Bont is very clear about its sizing from the off.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The soles – not just the stiffness and stack height, but the way they’re formed is a thing to behold.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
You need to check sizing before buying.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
The Mechanism PNS X Fiziks are £20 dearer but don’t have replaceable buffers and they’re also heavier. The Trek RSL Road Cycling Shoes have the same impressive Boa system but are also heavier than the Bonts and they don’t have their aesthetic quality either.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It is not often that I come across something that feels like an elevation having reviewed bikes and kit for the last 15 years, but these feel like they do. They are insanely light, incredibly stiff, and even their form is something I haven’t seen before. The overall result is that they work superbly, offering you so much power and comfort.
About the tester
Age: 35 Height: 6 ft Weight:
I usually ride: CAAD13 My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo
I’ve been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed,
11 thoughts on “Bont Vaypor SL”
5/10 for sizing seems a bit
5/10 for sizing seems a bit harsh. I think if you follow a brand’s measuring instructions/sizing chart to get their recommended size, and the product you get ends up fitting perfectly, then that’s top marks from me – even if the label has a different number/letter than you might expect.
FWIW when I ordered some Bont shoes, the recommended size was my “normal” size (“normal” in inverted commas because over the years I’ve had various shoes +/- 1 size that fitted). They are yet to arrive though, so can’t confirm if they actually fit…
OnYerBike wrote:
I’ve found that I need to go a couple of sizes larger for Bont shoes (e.g. 47 rather than 45), but they do state that you shouldn’t use your normal shoe size. Here’s their page on shoe sizing (very important if you’re buying online of course): https://shop.bontcycling.com/pages/find-my-shoe-size
We recommend matching up the CM or JP number found on your current cycling shoes to the “Internal Shoe Length” millimetre (MM) measurement found on our size chart.
Assuming your current shoes are labelled accurately for length, matching up these numbers will give you the same shoe size as you are wearing now.
If in doubt, go up to the next size in the chart.
NOTE: DO NOT MATCH US/EU/UK SIZING.
I can recommend printing out their size guide: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0690/7674/6489/files/BontCycling_Measure_Your_Foot__A4_Size_en.pdf?v=1723520365
Yeah, I actually used their
Yeah, I actually used their printed size chart, so hoping it is accurate!
OnYerBike wrote:
Worked well for me.
I have had the Vaypor SL and
I have had the Vaypor SL and mine arrived exactly the size that corresponeded to my foot lenght in cm as indicated on their sizing chart. Maybe they have QC issues that result in some shoes being over/undersized.
All our shoes are sized as
All our shoes are sized as per the sizing chart and this is noted in the “internal shoe length” row. So, a size 45 shoe has an internally measured length to the millimetre of 285mm. As you can appreciate, measuring your feet is slightly more complicated due to the dynamic nature of a foot, which means it often flattens and lengthens as weight it applied. The good news is we offer free returns and exchanges for our customers in the UK!
It would have been helpful
It would have been helpful if you’d mentioned that for a number of models there is 5+ week delivery time for UK customers. I know this because I bought some new shoes recently. Bont Riots were on my shortlist until customer service told me of the lengthy delay. I bought some Shimano RC7s instead.
We’re working hard to reduce
We’re working hard to reduce this shipping time but given the high demand across all our high-end models, we prefer to state the shipping times on each product page so each customer can decide if they are happy to wait. We believe it is better to allow the customer to secure their pair rather than update limited stock, only for it to sell out quickly. It’s a challenge but a good one that we hope will also improve for our UK customers in the near future. This includes housing of local stock plus some new dealers!
Some detail on the sizing
Some detail on the sizing process would be a beneficial addition to the review.
Did you use the brand comparison tool or the actual measuring tool, did you test standard or wide widths, did you have to heat them up to make them fit?
I echo the other sizing comments in that I’m a 43 in Bontrager XXX and Bont recommend a 44 in their comparison sizing but then using the actual measuring chart, I’d be a 44.5.
We assisted with a sizing
We assisted with a sizing recommendation based off what we believe is the most accurate ‘system’, the CM/MM number printed on George’s best-fitting pair of cycling shoes. We have a (still in BETA) brand comparison tool on our sizing page which allows the rider to cross reference their current shoes to the most suitable size in Bont Cycling shoes. Foot measurements can also be used in this process to help guide a sizing selection but as you’ve noted in your comparison, sizing varies wildly across brands.
The titanium inserts are
The titanium inserts are fragile. My brand new shoes using effeto mariposa torque wrencch and the nuts early fail less than 5Nm. All bolts were greased. I report this to Bont almost 10 days but unfortunately still got no response yet. I left a message in thier Instagram, surprisingly fast feeback; but they just want me to accept their no efficiency response because they siad they are a very small team. I haven’t had a chance to put them on so it’s a review regarding Bont customer service.