Shimano literally invented SPDs and they’ve been making clipless shoes for over 20 years. The AM9 here is known as their flagship model. It’s had a few different variations now and I’ve been trail testing the AM903 model for the last few months. It is by far the most advanced SPD shoe I’ve ever put on my foot.

The AM9 range has always had a bit of a spacey kind of look and makes this shoe quite iconic in Shimano’s range. It doesn’t really look like anything else in the market right now. Noticeably because of this large flap that protects the laces. One of the cool things about this shoe that really sets it apart in my mind is a lot of gravity-specific shoes designed for enduro and trail and downhill like this shoe is often that big and bulky or they’ve got large pronounced armouring but this shoe is actually really slimline it stays out of the way of all that trail noise. 

Shimano has done a fantastic job of incorporating armour into the shoe. Where it’s hidden it’s got a huge toe box section here it’s got heel protection in the back and it’s got a raised ankle protection on the inside exactly what you need and nothing you don’t. 

One of the big standouts about this particular model is the amount of lockdown – how it stays on your foot whilst you’re riding. The AM903 features one of the best lacing systems I’ve ever seen. This is called a speed lace. The speed lacing system works exceptionally well and it means it’s extremely consistent for getting the right tension on your left and right foot each and every time. One of the things I really like about this system is the big strap here at the top. there are no pronounced buckles, knobs or levers. All that stuff is good but it’s a bit gimmicky and often snaps off when you’re riding. Here everything is protected, everything is hidden, and nothing is going to get damaged on the trail. An absolute winning system that Shimano have got for lockdown and in my opinion probably the best on the market. 

Of course one of the most important attributes of any quality shoe is how comfortable it is. I found the AM9 to be the perfect balance between being able to walk around the trail when you’re hiking-biking up thanks to this grippy sole. On the bike, the shoe feels nice and stiff, but not too firm. It just has a little bit of “give” in it which is more comfortable for long rides especially when you’re in the saddle for a couple of hours. My feet have never gone numb or anything like that. 

I think Shimano absolutely knocked it out of the ballpark with the AM9. shimano’s latest version of the flagship clipless gravity shoe is an absolute winner in our books. It steps it up another notch over all the AM9s we’ve seen in the past. To check out the entire new season Shimano range jump online to Australia’s largest Shimano stockist: pushys.com.au