We pedaled for about six months with these shoes, the most valuable in the Treviso-based company’s price list. Studied in collaboration with Filippo Ganna, they have proven to be exceptional in every aspect, from performance to comfort. Thanks to their comfort, they are the ideal choice for professionals and advanced amateurs.
The Northwave Extreme Pro 3 they were born from the requests and needs of Filippo Ganna, the leading athlete of the Treviso factory. Everyone knows that the good Pippo is capable of imparting impressive power to the pedals, which requires absolute stability of the foot with the least possible dispersion of energy, but perhaps not everyone knows that Pippo wears size 47 shoes. Such a long foot amplifies the forces in game and when the forces at play are the strongest in the world for designers it is a real challenge.
In addition Ganna, and the other riders supported by Northwave, were looking for great sensitivity on the pedals but above all they were asking for comfortable, extremely comfortable shoes, and this last detail made the design even more complex. With these assumptions, we couldn’t wait to try the Pro 3 and last autumn, when they arrived in the editorial office, we decided to carry out a complete test in all seasons of the year.
Technical features
The upper integrates the ARS (Anatomic Reticular Support) structure whose design refers to a reticular beam, an exoskeleton in PU (plastic polyurethane), a light material, capable of deforming under stress, considered ideal by Northwave technicians to wrap the foot with a pressure distributed homogeneously on the median area, or midfoot. This ensures stability and a perfect foot-shoe connection, leaving the forefoot space necessary to expand when pushing off.
On the inside, the upper is open and replaced by a special breathable fabric, which leaves the ARS structure visible. The support on the instep is guaranteed by the classic tongue.
For the closure of the shoe, Northwave relies on the proprietary X-Dial SLW3 (Speed Lace Winch 3) system based on two rotors with micrometric adjustment, one for the toe and one for the instep. Rotating the rotor towards the tip of the foot winds the cable thus closing the upper. The rotation is accompanied by an audible click. Pressing the release lever down you get the micrometric release of a single click. In this way the adjustment is quick, intuitive and easy to operate even when pedalling. The complete and immediate opening of the shoe retention system is obtained by pulling the lever upwards.
The hyper-technological cable is made of very high molecular weight polyethylene, a specialized polymer worked with techniques similar to metals. Mothball yarn produces a fiber 2 times stronger than Kevlar and 15 times stronger than steel. This super fiber is mainly used for bulletproof vests but also, due to its smoothness, for ski and snowboard bases and sails and ropes. Northwave chose it because compared to Kevlar it is more resistant to abrasion and does not absorb humidity.
The heel has a shell that, compared to the past, leans more towards the ankle. It is the shape of the shell itself which, working together with the shoe’s locking system, stabilizes the foot and prevents it from being kicked off. The inner lining is made of synthetic material.
The sole of the Northwave Pro 3 is in unidirectional carbon with a stiffness index of 15, the maximum achievable on the current carbon scale. It is equipped with the Powershape plantar support system which, in addition to transferring 100% of the force applied by the foot to the pedal, promotes correct knee and ankle alignment. Ventilation is provided by two air intakes, one at the toe and one in the middle of the shoe, with an outlet under the heel.
The cleat fixing area is large and, to simplify positioning, it is equipped with a millimeter grid with a high-grip surface. The drilling is compatible with all types of attachment to the pedal including the Speedplay / Wahoo system (to be carried out with the appropriate Northwave adapter).
Two inserts in plastic material protect the toe and the heel when resting on the ground. The insert under the heel is not replaceable due to a precise design choice by Northwave: the Pro 3 are not made for walking. Northwave, during the design phase, however considered that amateurs want a high-performance shoe but they have to take a stroll to drink a coffee or to enter the starting grids of granfondos and therefore envisaged a very durable material.
On the toe there is an insert in rubber material that protects the upper from possible rubbing against the front wheel of the bike. The material of which the upper is made has the ability to take the shape of the foot and therefore to make the shoe more comfortable and personalized. When it meets water, both for a wash and for the rain, it returns to its original shape, as if it were new, with use it will then return to better and better wrap the foot. The process repeats itself with each wash.
The Northwave Extreme Pro 3 are available in two colors, black and white. Sizes range from 36 to 48, with half sizes from 39 to 45. The package includes a shoe bag and two 3 and 5 mm thick insoles for maximum customization of the internal support. The weight that we have detected, for a single shoe size 42, is 286 grams. The prezzo list price is 329.99 euros.
Ranking
Each product submitted to our test receives a judgment on the various objectively determinable functional aspects. Aesthetics and price are not considered, as they are considered parameters resulting from strictly subjective evaluations.
This is our scale of values.
Identikit
In alphabetical order the main features, with our assessment resulting from the test.
• Morphological adaptability
• Comfort globale
• Comfort in stance and walking
• Finishes
• Sole stiffness
• Plantar sensitivity on the pedal
• X-Dial SLW3 clamp/release system
• Sole ventilation
• Upper ventilation
Our proof
We tested the Northwave Extreme Pro 3 for about 6 months, starting from the end of last summer with temperatures still close to +30°C, passing through autumn and winter with temperatures of 5-6°C, up to spring 2023 with temperatures around 15-16°C and air still a little cold.
When you put on the Nortwave Pro 3 you have the feeling that your foot is entering a shell. The higher heel, the upper and the tongue have a fair consistency and even with the cable loosened to the maximum you have to help yourself with your hands to put them on.
The space reserved for the forefoot is always comfortable, a feature that has now become a trademark due to a precise choice by Northwave. In fact, the Venetian technicians believe it is essential to give the metatarsal area of the foot the possibility of finding adequate space to expand when pushing on the pedals.
The closure system generates an optimally distributed uniform pressure. Upper, tongue and ARS structure are modeled following the shape of the foot and create a whole with the shoe while the metatarsal area remains comfortable and comfortable.
The heel has a comfortable, enveloping and extremely stable housing, the shell becomes an extension of the sole. The foot is firmly in its position. There are no points of friction or greater pressure, contact with the skin does not require adaptation, it is comfortable right away.
The Northwave Extreme Pro 3 are racing shoes and you feel, after having engaged the pedals, they express all their performance. The foot, wrapped in the shoe, becomes one with the pedal. The sole is rigid, functional to create a thrust platform perfectly connected with the transmission, reducing energy dispersion to a minimum.
The stiffness of the sole offers excellent pedal sensitivity with an excellent reading of the road surface conditions and the behavior of the bike. This makes it possible to establish a very refined driving feeling and to better manage and modulate the actions of strength and speed of the athletic gesture in the various situations required, a very important feature also for perceiving the grip limit of the tyres.
Under effort uphill you have the clear sensation that every single watt is going from the muscles to the rear wheel, while on the flat the push on the pedals becomes easy, fluid, extremely effective and profitable.
As far as comfort is concerned, the Northwave Extreme Pro 3 are real champions. The pressure on the foot of the components of the closure system (upper, ARS structure, tongue and cable) is not felt in the slightest. The feeling is that of a custom-designed shoe but most of the time it feels like wearing nothing with the certainty of being in solid contact with the bike.
In our tests we have perceived an improved sensitivity on the pedals and a lot of comfort even after several hours in the saddle without experiencing soreness, tingling or loss of sensitivity.
The two vents in the sole allow a good flow of fresh air to pass through, with the one positioned under the arch of the foot doing the most work. In case of rain, the water enters and exits from the same openings and there is no feeling of soaking the foot. The expulsion of hot air and humidity takes place above all through the internal opening of the upper, the ventilation of the foot is good even with high temperatures.
The protective band on the toe is a very useful innovation to preserve the upper from possible contact with the front wheel and is easier to clean than leather, especially if it is white as in the case of our test. The rubber inserts under the sole allow you to walk easily without scratching the carbon, they are soft enough for comfortable footing and Northwave has given us ample assurances that they will last as long as the shoes themselves.
– Website Northwave
Article and photos by Sergio Doria