Weight: 869g/Sizes: 40-48/Three Velcro straps/Reinforced toe and heel
Contact: www.ultimatepursuits.com

It’s taken a while but Shimano has finally come up with an all-mountain shoe. Sadly it’s a bit of a (pardon the pun) cobbled-together affair, with the sole off the MW02 winter boot, an unnecessary double ankle protector and a thin flimsy upper.
With an open tread and soft grippy rubber compound sole, the shoe is good in the wet but it’s quite flexible and not that stable. A reinforced toe and heel cup get a heavy-duty covering but the AM50 doesn’t offer that much cushioning. The shoe extends up to cover both sides of the ankle but the one on the outside is superfluous. And mesh panelling lets the water in.
We reckon the AM50 is too narrow, too light and doesn’t offer the cushioning or protection of Shimano’s best all-mountain shoe: the DX. It simply feels like a race shoe with a high collar. All of which means we’ll be sticking with the DXs until Shimano gets it right.

MBR RATING: 6/10