We assume you know the secret of a good drink? Right, we’re talking about the correct mixture of ingredients. With ION’s Raid II flat pedal shoe it’s pretty much the same story: To get the best possible performance in terms of grip, power transmission, durability, usability & style, we rely on a combination of various parameters. And when looking at the sole, you will see a new concept now mixing a rather soft EVA mid-sole with a soft yet durable rubber blend on the outer sole. We called it Pin Tonic… On the functional side of things, we’ve mixed in an asymmetrical shaft to add some protection on the crank side. The sole design still features dedicated pedal and walking zones. They extend from the ball of the foot to the very end of the mid-foot area. Toe and heel areas are shaped with particular climb zones to ensure maximum traction off the pedal. The second main focus in development has been placed on the right mixture of stiffness in the longitudinal axis and flexibility across the lateral axis: a flat-pedal shoe needs to provide power transmission without any compromises in the longitudinal axis during pedalling. On the lateral axis you need a certain flex to prevent the foot from tilting on the pedal but still allow for effective steering impulses. And all this while maintaining comfortable foot roll behaviour. In the toe area a pre-shaped firm toe box protects the foot when it hits rocks or roots. And the best part of all, the sleek design of the Raid II even allows you to wear it where you don’t need any functionality but ideally tons of style: in that bar you enter after riding. Weight: 400 g per shoe (size 42)