The Specialized Recon 1.0 shoe has been around for a while now and it's a superbly versatile option that can be used for mountain biking, gravel riding, and bikepacking. The Recon 1.0 comes in as an entry-level shoe in the Specialized Recon line-up and has also recently been superseded by the newly updated and way more expensive S-Works Recon and the new Recon ADV that are aimed directly at fast gravel racing and adventure gravel bike rides.
However, the original Recon 1.0 still cuts it in the best mountain bike shoe and best gravel bike shoe listings. This wallet-friendly shoe doesn't skimp on features and it's now an even better option as Specialized has it discounted by 50 percent making it a superbly performing shoe at a budget mountain bike shoe price.
Why you should buy the Specialized Recon 1.0
Firstly, they are $54.99, that's the headline here. In my opinion an absolute steal to be grabbed, even if your current shoes have plenty of life still, get them now before they are gone or back to full price, and you've got them for when you need them.
There's no shortage of features on the Recon 1.0 shoes with one of the highlights that we loved when we reviewed them being the superbly grippy and aggressive sole tread pattern. Made from Specialized's proprietary and cleverly named Slipnot rubber compound it was proven to excel when forced to dismount and traverse muddy sections, even in the worst of underfoot conditions it gave a confident and sure-footed performance.
Elsewhere the Recon 1.0 uses the brand's well-established Body Geometry inner sole that is shared with the more expensive models in the range. With a Stiffness Rating of 5, it means the Recon 1.0 gives excellent comfort and performance with plenty of flexibility in the sole that copes admirably in both on and off-the-bike situations. The only real negative on the Recon 1.0, that marked it down on review, was the fastening system. Featuring three Velcro bands we found (for the cost) they performed well in most conditions offering on-the-fly adjustment, but they did clog up with mud and rendered the Velcro fairly useless, it's worth pointing out the shoe was totally submerged in mud, so not a deal breaker in my opinion.
If you want fancy more tech features or a Boa fitting system, it's worth looking at models higher up in the range starting with the Recon 2.0 or the Recon 3.0, both carrying hefty discounts at Specialized, but there are extremely limited size choices, but you may get lucky, so worth a look before you pull the trigger on the Recon 1.0's.
While this offer is for the US only, I've added our price checker below which will automatically give you the best price on the entire Specialized shoe range in your territory. If shoes aren't on the Christmas shopping list, then it's worth having a look at our best Christmas gift ideas for mountain bikers guide, and also the best deal I've seen all year - The buy one get one free on the Kona Process MTB range.
