Giro Gritter gravel shoes reviewed: a solid all-around gravel shoe with one tough fit element

I came into the review of the Giro Gritter gravel shoes with high hopes. The Giro Imperial II was my favourite road shoe last year and remains my go-to after a year of riding and racing. Unfortunately, the Gritter doesn’t generate the same affection.

The Gritter is a solid performer with several notable strengths. Power transfer is strong, and despite my moderate arches, I didn’t experience any hot spots or pressure points that sometimes plague me. It’s also surprisingly capable during hike-a-bike sections, offering more versatility than expected.

Where the shoe fell short for me was in the fit. One of the standout qualities of the Imperial II was its snug yet flexible feel: secure without being restrictive. The Gritter, unfortunately, lacked that same balance. Its long platform, narrow toe box and relatively structured upper made it feel less dynamic than its road counterpart, and I struggled to find the same comfort and connection.

That said, for riders with the right foot shape and the right use case, it could be a dependable and capable option.

Specs:

• Use case: Gravel racing, mountain bike racing, bikepacking
• Materials: Carbon composite and rubber sole, with a Syncwire fabric and “film” upper
• Closure: Li2 Boa Dials
• Cleat compatibility: Two bolt spd compatible
• Weight: 331 grams (size 45.5 European)
• MSRP: $435 USD/ £ 384.99

Construction, features, looks

The Gritter, as with so many other gravel shoes like the Shimano RX910, Specialized Recon, and the Quoc Gran Tourer, is a stripped-down, dual dial shoe. The tongue straddles the two rigid side panels, offering the bulk of the shoe's flexibility and adjustability.

Like the Imperial II road shoe, the Gritter uses the newly refined Li2 closure system from Boa. The Li2 uses lightweight aluminium dials with dual-direction micro-adjustments and a quick-release for a refined adjustment system. Beyond the dials, the shoe has a robust rear build, with a high heel and ankle support. The side construction is also fairly rigid, but doesn’t impact ankle mobility on the pedal stroke.

The highlight of the shoe is its sole construction. The strong carbon composite delivers excellent power transfer, while a neutral arch provides a flexible platform for most foot shapes. Adjustable insole inserts make that even more customisable. Additionally, the rubber tread along the bottom of the shoe is more robust than most other performance-driven off-road shoes on offer, providing a great platform for hike-a-bike occasions. There are plastic toe spikes as well, but I removed them because they made walking on my sleek apartment floors a bit too treacherous.

In terms of colour scheme, the Gritter comes in Light Sharkskin (an off-white), Trail Green and Black. All of the shoes have the same black rubber sole and silver dials. I tested the Light Sharskin in size 44.

The Light Sharskin is an off-white that is closer to a stone than a tan. The Giro logo is a flash of gold that complements the shoe's metallic accents, while the toe is reinforced and painted black. That makes the shoe's overall design look less cohesive, but it allows it to withstand a bit more dirt and tyre rub.

Fit & Feel

For me, the fit issues I experienced had to do with the shoe's front end and the lack of adjustability there.

Giro tries to address the fit challenges of many different foot shapes by offering shoes in half sizes, but even so, I found it lacking. For the Imperial II, I went through a few different sizes before settling on 43.5. I thought it would be the same with the Gritter. It was close, but ultimately the 43.5 seemed short. Sizing up ultimately worked better, with less toe bang overall, but the dimensions were still difficult for the front of my foot.

Ultimately, the fit issues were two-fold: 1) regardless of sizing, the toe box pinched in and was restricting; 2) with that size restriction, I had to run the larger shoe, which created wiggleroom. That wiggleroom was not just in length but also in height, and I found myself curling my toes and holding more tension in my feet than I would have preferred. I played with different sock combinations and found one that worked well, but I suffered a couple of toe blisters first.

If you have a narrow or long foot, the shoe might be a great fit, but the pinched toe box is a fairly specific design choice that some riders may find hard to work around.

Value & Verdict

With an MSRP of $425 USD, the Gritter is a high-end shoe. That price puts it in the same general range as the premium offerings from Specialized, Shimano and Fizik. Materially, the shoe is certainly on par with those, offering excellent power transfer, versatility and clean aesthetics.

Ultimately, the big variable that will determine the overall value is fit. For premium shoes, it is a big investment for a fit that I foundto be far from broadly compatible.