Northwave Extreme Pro 3

The Northwave Extreme Pro 3s are a very stiff pair of race shoes, have an excellent dual dial closure system, and are well ventilated. They are a touch heavier than the competition, though.

If you're looking for new shoes check out our guide to the best road cycling shoes, while our best cheap cycling shoes buyer's guide rounds up our top budget choices.

> Buy now: Northwave Extreme Pro 3 for £296.99 from Northwave

The Extreme Pro 3 is the top-end shoe from Northwave, ridden by the likes of time trial specialist Filippo Ganna.

Sole

As you'd expect for a shoe with 'Pro' in the name, these have a carbon sole with a rigidity rating of 15. (Why don't all companies just use 1-10?) Northwave doesn't say whether 15 is its stiffest, but I found the sole really stiff and solid, and it never felt like any of my precious watts were wasted when transferring power through the shoes and into the pedals.

The sole is well shaped and the arch is supportive. Despite the stiff sole I didn't notice any aching or soreness while riding on the rutted roads of the south west.

The shoes will accept any three-bolt cleat design, and with an adapter they are compatible with Speedplay pedals too. There are adjustment markings to help you with positioning, and were easy to set up with Look Keo cleats.

The heel and toe bumpers are fairly minimalist but give good grip when off the bike and do a decent job of protecting the sole – there is little sign of wear after a few months of use.

Closure

The closure system on these is a pair of X-Dial SLW3 dials, which adjust the pressure in two different zones, higher and lower across the tongue. They are a bit different to the Boas on my regular shoes – they tighten the same way as the Boas but can be loosened by one notch, ie 1mm, by pressing the lever on the dial. You pull the lever back to release fully.

You might need to read the instructions, but they are very easy to tighten and loosen incrementally on the move. I really liked this, as during some long rides in hot weather I like to loosen my shoes as my feet swell.

Using the dual dials I could really get the fit just so and I didn't have any issues with heel slippage even when sprinting or climbing out of the saddle up steep gradients.

The dials work with the ARS (Anatomic Reticular Support) exoskeleton, which is designed to optimise the fit and aid power transfer.

I have to say, in the initial few wears I found the uppers very stiff and not that comfortable. I got some rubbing and early signs of a blister and was relieved I hadn't cycled too far from home.

However, after a few weeks of regular use they began to wear in and feel a lot better. The material seems to be excellent quality and I suspect these shoes will last a long time.

The tongue is fairly minimalist and doesn't have much padding but is still comfortable.

Fit & sizing

The shoes are described as a Pro fit and are a touch narrower than other shoes I have tested recently, such as the Scott Road RC Ultimates. They aren't a really narrow fit, though, if you have very slim feet.

The sizing for me is spot on; these are an EU45 which equates to a UK11. I usually wear a UK10.5/11 and these were just right. The toe box is a fairly standard size and I never had any issues with sore toes. 

They are available in half size increments across the most common sizes, and also come with an additional insole, one 3mm and one 5mm, to enable you to customise your fit. These were very easy to change. I found the 5mm one gave me a better fit.

Weight

The shoes weigh 638g a pair in a size 45, which is a bit heavier than some top-end road shoes around this price. For example, the Giant Surge Pros Stu tested were 515g for the same size. It was a little noticeable at times as my usual shoes are also a bit lighter than the Extreme Pro 3s.

The shoes have good ventilation, with a big mesh section and air holes on the upper and three vents on the underside allowing air to flow through. This worked well, and when testing these in temperatures of around 25-28℃ my feet didn't overheat.

Most of my testing was done in late summer conditions, so I haven't tested these in really cold weather. However, given how white these are (they are very white!) and my aversion to cleaning, I'd always wear these with covers outside of summer. As it was, they got a bit dirtier than I'd like, but they are also available in black.

Value

At £296.99 these are towards the top end of the road shoe market, if not right at the top.

Those Giant Surge Pro shoes I mentioned above are £3 more at £299.99 and received an excellent review from Stu who has tested a lot of shoes!

And if you are open to laces rather than dials, the DMT KR SL Road Shoes also received an excellent review, but they're even more expensive at £329.99.

You can find good shoes for a lot less, though, such as Shimano's RC7 road shoes, which scored well and are priced at £189.99. And Steve liked the Northwave Revolution 3s; they're only 12 on the sole stiff-o-meter but are £188.99.

Overall

The Northwave Extreme Pro 3s are a very good pair of shoes. The carbon soles are extremely stiff, the excellent dual dials help to achieve the perfect fit, and after you wear them in they are comfortable. They are just a bit heavier than a lot of similar priced competition.

Verdict

Very stiff, high-quality shoes with excellent dual dials, though could be a bit lighter