Don't miss a moment of the 2024 Tour de France! Get recaps, insights, and exclusive takes with Velo's daily newsletter. Sign up today!.
For the runners in the crowd: Have you ever wished your running shoes had … gravel tires for soles?
We hadn’t thought of this either, but are well and truly intrigued by a new collaboration from Vittoria and Craft Sportswear.
The Italian bicycle tire company and Swedish outdoor apparel brand have partnered to create the Craft Xplor, a trail running shoe that merges gravel tire technology with running innovation. The shoe is set to launch for the 2024 spring and summer season.
Read also: Vittoria’s New Gravel Tires Are Their Fastest Yet
“We aim to provide dedicated runners with the world’s best shoes, and teaming up with Vittoria, the leading manufacturer of performance bicycle tires, is truly amazing,” said Daniel Högling, creative director at Craft.
The Craft Xplor’s outsole was inspired by Vittoria’s popular Terreno Mix and Terreno Dry gravel tires. The shoe design integrates the two tire tread patterns for performance and stability in a variety of conditions.
Tire-wise, the Terreno Dry excels in loose, dry terrain. Its closely-spaced knobs provide low rolling resistance, ensuring efficient pedaling over smoother surfaces, while still offering ample traction and stability on loose or uneven terrain. The tire’s specialized fish scale tread pattern sheds mud and debris to prevent performance-hindering buildup.
On the other hand, the Terreno Mix tire is crafted to tackle a wider range of conditions, making it an excellent all-around choice for mixed terrain adventures. Its aggressively-lugged tread pattern features a combination of closely spaced center knobs for fast rolling on hard surfaces and side knobs for enhanced cornering grip on loose or soft terrain.
“Seamlessly integrating our gravel cycling expertise into trail running has resulted in a unique outsole, promising unmatched grip across diverse surfaces and in ever-changing weather conditions,” said Ken Avery, SVP of product development at Vittoria.
Sounds like a match made in heaven for the bottom of a trail running shoe.
Read also: The Mid South Double
The Vittoria-Craft collab isn’t the first time that a tire manufacturer has produced a shoe outsole. Both Michelin and Continental have been doing it for years, with their rubber appearing on the soles of ski boots, running shoes, fashion footwear, and work boots.
However, the Craft XPlor is certainly the first time a gravel-specific tire design is being tested on a running shoe. Interestingly, the shoe’s specs are comparable with other bestsellers on the market.
The men’s XPlor weighs 300g while the women’s is 60g less at 240. Heel drop is 6mm on both models. For reference, Hoka’s popular Speedgoat model also weighs 240g for women, with a 4mm drop.
We predict a healthy showing of the kicks at the 2025 Mid South Double, where Vittoria tires are already a top pick for the 100-mile gravel race. Now, there’s a shoe for the 50k running portion, too.