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Stomp Lox Slack, a Bicycle Shoe for the Rest of Us

Stomp Lox Slack Bicycle Shoe in the wildPhoto c. R. Frazelle
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I have a confession… I love me some Ronnie Romance (aka Turbo Romance, Ultra Romance, Papi, or Ultranicus). His ability to not take himself or cycling too seriously is refreshing to me. I like his whole deal, from his bike’s aesthetics to his actual philosophy on riding and cycling culture. His ability to take all of it and apply it to the unique products he’s been having made and selling through Ron’s Bikes and Ultradynamico has been fun to watch as it grows.

A while ago I wrote a piece on Ron’s new cycling shoe collaboration with Stomp Lox. The SPD-compatible bicycle shoe was called Slack. It was a cycling shoe that sported a nice alternative look when compared to a typical cycling shoe. Plus it looked like it had a nice, wide-toe box… I really dug the looks of it and wanted to try a pair.

Unfortunately, Ron wasn’t able to send over a pair of the brown top grain model for me to review but was able to introduce me to Mamyia at Stomp Lox Japan directly to get a pair of the olive suede style sent over to me to try out.

Stomp Lox Slack Bicycle Shoe tongue lable
Photo c. R. Frazelle

Note: The version of the Stomp Lox Slack that’s sold through Ron’s Bikes is made exclusively for them in Japan, and comes in sizes 8 through 13. Ron’s Bikes version has the LeRon Tulip label on the tongue and comes with brass hardware. The version of the Slack that I got directly from Stomp Lox is made in China, and doesn’t have brass hardware, or the tulip label, and only comes in black suede or olive suede.

Slack Out of the Box

Stomp Lox Slack Bicycle Shoe getting the box
Photo c. R. Frazelle

When I received the Slack and opened the box, I found that the shoe looked much narrower than the photos. They were packaged well and arrived undamaged. I was surprised that the shoes didn’t come with a rubber “block” or cover for the cleat area, in case you didn’t want to use them to clip in.

The Slack is made of durable genius suede cow leather for the outside of the upper and uses a breathable, wear-resistant pigskin on the inside.

Stomp Lox Slack Bicycle Shoe brand new Vibram sole
Vibram sole.

These shoes are compatible with any 2-bolt cleat system, come with cleat plates, and are pre-laced and ready to roll. The Vibram sole seems to be a nice touch and looks thick and durable. The suede is not waterproof and Stomp Lox suggests that they should be sprayed with waterproofing spray before use.

Stomp Lox Slack Bicycle Shoe new
Durable genius suede cow leather upper.

I received the Slacks way back in February and have finally gotten through some other reviews and was able to slip these on and take them for a first ride.

The Slack’s First Few Rides

Stomp Lox Slack Bicycle Shoe on the Gus
Slacks in action!

One of the things that attracted me to these shoes, besides their looks, (I love the way they look like they just walked off the Dolomites circa 1966), was the wide-toe box and laces. I honestly hate the way most cycling shoes feel on my feet. It’s one of the reasons I had switched to flat pedals, after 25+ years of riding clipping in

The traditional cycling shoe is like everything else the bike industry offers in wearable goods, they seem to be made with only smaller individuals, who race, in mind.

The Slack has a medium stiff sole which has proven good for on or off-the-bike walking as well as the few hike-a-bike sections I have in my riding area.

I ordered the USA 11, and the fit seems pretty true to size. They hold my foot snugly without having to crank down on the laces to tighten them. On the first few rides, I noticed zero heel lift and no hot spots on my foot.

The Slack’s full leather upper and supple pigskin made them really comfy right out of the box. I would imagine that the shoes may stretch, making the shoes even more comfortable as they get worn in.

Stomp Lox Slack Bicycle Shoe Used vibram sole
The Slack’s grippy Vibram sole is replaceable.

The Slack’s Vibram sole is part of Stomp Lox’s Power Ride Core System. This is a system that offers the “perfect balance of stability and flexibility”. Stomp Lox says the Vibram sole is also replaceable.

Upon my initial impression and the first few rides, the shoes checked all of the boxes for me.

They’re comfy right out of the box, they have a great non-traditional look to them, they’re made with quality material and they have laces, which I feel are infinitely more adjustable than other fastening systems for varying foot sizes and needs.

Stomp Lox Slack Bicycle Shoe black chrome
Again, no brass hardware. Seems to be good craftsmanship.

They’re really quite comfortable off of the bike. They seem to be made well, which is to be expected with the lofty price tag. Overall they seem to be a great pair of bicycle shoes. We’ll see how they continue to perform when we get into more detail in my full review in the next few months.

The Slack Sizing and Retail

Retail: $250 (Stomp Lox version direct)

Color: Olive suede or Black suede

The Slack comes in two shapes; “normal fit and Asian fit”

Stomp Lox Slack Bicycle Shoe Fit Chart

The sizing is as follows:

USA: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

UK: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11.5

EU: 40.5, 42, 43, 44.5, 46, 46.5

Japan: 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

Stay tuned here at Bikerumor for my full, long-term review of the Stomp Lox Slack!

StompLox.com

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21 Comments
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Wyatt
Wyatt
7 months ago

I want some shoes that look like that but not for riding my bike, especially clipped in….

david
david
7 months ago
Reply to  Wyatt

Have a gander at Birkenstocks and Danner

Todd
Todd
7 months ago

Love the wide toe box! Figures that I need a 14 and they don’t make that size.

Dirt McGirt
Dirt McGirt
7 months ago

A shoe for the rest of us, eh?

$250 and only clickyclacky….

Got it. Sure.

FrictionDi2
FrictionDi2
7 months ago

$250?!?! That is bonkers. The industry really doesn’t seem to care about the budget minded. I’ll stick with some discounted Keens from Sierra Trading Post.

yeahyeahyeah
yeahyeahyeah
7 months ago
Reply to  FrictionDi2

this is the dude that does crust bikes. $2000 for a 80s mtb frame

Sevo
Sevo
7 months ago
Reply to  FrictionDi2

That’s the price for well made shoes that have a replaceable sole. That’s not bad at all. You’ll have these for the rest of your life if you take care of them.

WhateverBikes
7 months ago
Reply to  Sevo

I think you are making more of these shoes than they are.
These are not some artisan, tiny workshop, craftsman’s shoes. Also, the resoling is nice, but it’s not the same as the resoling of a pair of formal leather shoes, where the soles are stitched to the upper etc.
These are resoleable like hiking boots; you pull off the bottom layer and glue on a new bottom layer. That’s noting to special.
In fact, these are best compared to old fashioned hiking boots. They’ll last you a while, but not for the rest of your life.

WhateverBikes
7 months ago
Reply to  FrictionDi2

I hate these ‘premium’ prices too, and not just because I can not afford to buy this stuff.
Luckily there’s ways around it. I happily ride my ’94 mtb (now in a gravel-ish setup), and know to find good and cheap parts for it. Clothing is affordable too, as long as you don’t care too much about tight lycra. I don’t use bib shorts (don’t like how they feel, and don’t miss them with a nice saddle) so I just wear flat seamed briefs from a functional fabric, and a nice Quechua stretchable hiking short (from Decathlon) on top of that. Not too flappy, not to tight, just right.
For shoes I just wear whatever suits the ride and the weather, as I use (good, grippy and big) flat pedals anything goes. Currently rocking nice ‘n airy Teva sandals that were on sale for very cheap.
Hardly ever buy new/modern cycling stuff, and I am totally happy with my gear.

Nick
Nick
7 months ago

Looks like no ventilation.

Eng
Eng
7 months ago

It’s fine if everyone likes Ron or whatever you want to call the niche he is a part of. He does take it very seriously. The whole alt movement is very serious about what the right way to be chill is. Personally it’s off putting but harmless. These shoes seem fine though I’ve never had any issue with any of the available spd shoes.

Casey
Casey
7 months ago

“riding shoes for the rest of us”, at $250 a pop? Who is this “us” you’re referring to?

Chris
Chris
7 months ago

Crazy price too big catering for men

Frites and mayo forever
Frites and mayo forever
7 months ago

I see that ‘slacks in action’ pic and I fear for your knees in a crash, Ron. Ride safe : )

Frites and mayo forever
Frites and mayo forever
7 months ago

(the bottle opener)

Bret
Bret
7 months ago

Man those are ugly…guess it’s for all those burning man freaks.

WhateverBikes
7 months ago
Reply to  Bret

You don’t have to like their looks (it’s not exactly my taste either), but why the need to dis ‘those burning man freaks’? Let’s not pretend ‘normal cyclists’ are very normal, shall we, with their posh carbon soled Italian dress shoe wanna be cycling shoes and their high silk like aero socks and their fetish like skin tight lycra suits and their huge multi hundred dollar plastic shades chasing KOM’s? Wanna guess who the biggest freaks are in the eyes of the general public?

Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict
7 months ago
Reply to  WhateverBikes

Freaks are in the eye of the beholder.

Tom Wenzel
Tom Wenzel
7 months ago

I’ll wait for Balenciaga to dip these in acid, add some holes, and charge $14K.

roberto
roberto
7 months ago

I used to love a pair of Keens – The Austin SPD compatible. They had a wide toe box, a comfortable arch, and regular shoe design. Keen still makes the Austin, just not as a bike shoe. They were so comfortable, I wore them off the bike as regular walking shoes. They lasted for years. I was heartbroken when I had to let them go.

Christian
Christian
4 months ago

I cannot speak for the Ron’s Version made in japan, but I can share my experience with the version ordered directly from StompLox.

From my experience, aside from these shoes being beautiful and comfortable, it needs to be STRESSED that you cannot wear these shoes in the rain or the heat. I owned my pair for 2 weeks before the sole started to peel apart after I got caught in summer, Arizona monsoon. I assume it was a combination of the heat and getting the soles wet. When I emailed the owner of StompLox about the soles coming apart after only two weeks, I was offered no sort of refund or exchange. I was just told that they cannot be worn in water, high heart, and that they are not meant to be hiked in.

Please consider before purchasing if you are looking for a shoe that not only looks good, but is durable. Since my email back and forth with the owner, they have added new return terms to the shoes on their website that states “Shoes used in conditions that cause excessive damage are not covered, Shoes used in excessively high temperatures or below freezing temperatures are not covered, The sole adhesive may peel off if the shoes are left in high temperatures or walked on in water.”

If you cannot tell, I am definitely still a little bitter about these shoes falling apart so quickly, but even still, they are falsely advertised as being a durable gravel shoe. Falling apart after getting wet or living in Arizona, to me, does not describe a durable shoe. If you are finally pony’ing to buy some fancy SPD shoes, after putting a basic pair through hell for years before they finally fell apart, I’d look elsewhere because hundreds of dollars for a shoe that cannot be worn outside is not an incredible deal.

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