Clipless or flat pedals? One pair or two? How to choose footwear that performs on the bike and off it.
The footwear problem is one of the most overlooked parts of a bikepacking kit list. You're spending hours on the bike, then pitching camp, then potentially scrambling off-route to find a viewpoint or a water source. One pair of shoes has to do all of that without destroying your feet.
Most cycling shoes are terrible off the bike. Most walking boots are terrible on it. The honest answer is that you're looking for a compromise, and the right compromise depends on how your trip splits between saddle time and everything else.
The Bikepacking Footwear Spectrum
Think of bikepacking footwear as a spectrum, with a pure road cycling shoe at one end and a full walking boot at the other. Both ends perform badly at the opposite task.
At the cycling end: stiff-soled, cleat-compatible, efficient on the pedals, miserable to walk more than a hundred metres in. At the walking end: comfortable all day on foot, but with a sole too flexible for efficient pedalling, no cleat compatibility, and a heel that clips every pedal rotation.
Deciding where on the spectrum you need to sit comes down to one question: how does your route split between riding and everything else?
- Route with 90%+ riding and minimal off-bike time: a dedicated cycling shoe makes sense. You're optimising for the majority of your time
- Mixed riding and walking on well-surfaced paths: a stiff-soled trail shoe or a low-cut approach shoe bridges the gap
- Bikepacking into the hills with significant hike-a-bike or remote camping: a hiking shoe or light boot on flat pedals, or a multi-activity shoe designed explicitly for this problem
The Case for Flat Pedals
Flat pedals are the single most effective way to open up footwear options on a bikepacking trip. No cleat requirement means any shoe with a firm, grippy sole works. No power transfer penalty on a loaded, multi-day pace.
For routes with significant hike-a-bike sections, boggy ground, or technical offroad terrain, flats plus a capable walking shoe or light boot is often the better system. You can walk efficiently in the same shoes you ride in. You can put your foot down without clipping out. You can scramble, climb, or wade without swapping footwear.
The performance case for clipless pedals on a loaded bikepacking rig is smaller than it sounds. On long days at moderate pace, the efficiency gains are minimal and the versatility loss is real.
What to Look For in a Bikepacking Shoe
A shoe designed for multi-activity bikepacking use needs to answer two questions well: does it transfer enough power on the bike, and does it perform off it?
On the bike, sole stiffness matters. A shoe that flexes too much under pedalling load wastes energy and creates hot spots. On a flat pedal, you also need enough grip to keep your foot secure on the platform under load.
Off the bike, you need enough traction and foot protection to handle hike-a-bike sections, uneven ground, and camp duties without thinking about your footwear. A shoe that forces you to change between riding and walking is adding complexity and pack weight.
For riders who do use a dedicated cycling shoe for the riding portions, the companion option is a compact, lightweight low-cut shoe: light enough to sit in a frame bag or top-tube bag, comfortable enough for camp, short walks, and morning trail time.
If You Carry Two Pairs
Some bikepackers do carry two pairs: one optimised for riding, one for camp and walk sections. It adds weight but solves the compromise entirely.
If this is your approach, the walk/camp shoe should be as light as possible. A lightweight low-cut shoe that handles camp chores, short walks to water, and morning and evening trail time is all you need. Pack size matters; a compact, low-cut shoe fits more easily into a frame bag or top-tube bag than a full walking boot.