The Fizik Vega Carbon shoes are Fizik’s new top-of-the-line road cycling shoes that tout an innovative and reactive design optimized for speed and comfort. These shoes feature an updated last design with wider toe box and an integrated outsole design that reduces stack height without sacrificing stiffness. Retail price for the Fizik Vega Carbon is a premium $469.99 which is about $70 more than the Infinito Carbon shoes. Fizik has utilized their Aeroweave Pro Upper for a lightweight upper material and coupled it with mesh for additional ventilation. As you would expect, the Vega Carbon uses a BOA Fit System with dual BOA Li2 dials for micro tightening and micro loosening. The shoes also feature an integrated carbon sole for a stiff ride and low stack height.
The Fizik Vega Carbon cycling shoes combine a sleek integrated carbon sole with a knit-like upper material for comfort and ventilation.
| Retail Price | $469.99 |
| Rating | Design: A Closures: A Comfort: A Value: A– |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 568 (EUR 43.5) |
| Likes | + Stiff and stable when climbing or sprinting + Attractive design with built in ventilation + Integrated carbon sole reduces stack height and gives shoes more direct feel |
| Dislikes | – Limited color selection – Inner bootie makes putting the shoe on difficult compared to standard shoe designs |
| Where to Buy (US) | Fizik |
UNBOXING
The Fizik Vega Carbon shoes came in a BOA box for us with BOA branding on the exterior. Inside the box you’ll find:
- Fizik Vega Carbon shoes
- Info pamphlet
Fizik adds some plastic protectors on the cleat attachments to protect the cleats for buyers that want to test the fit without scratching the carbon.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the Fizik Vega Carbon has a knitted appearance with diamond fabric pattern and a combination of multiple materials. Fizik has utilized their Aeroweave Pro material which is a combination of nylon and thermoplastic polymers for optimal strength. The shoes feature a combination of the Aeroweave with translucent mesh for ventilation along with a thicker material along the closures. Fizik offers the shoes in three color options currently: white, black and white fluoro. The white fluoro color matches the Movistar race team colors with navy, fluorescent green and white color on the different material sections of the shoe. We have the sleeker and easier to clean black version that has gold Fizik branding and BOA logos. It’s paired with a gray cable color that helps that pop against the otherwise black shoes.
The upper material of the shoe has a center cutout which reveals the Airprene inner bootie instead of a traditional tongue. It’s a very soft neoprene-like material that feels like an elastic sock and eliminates any pressure points that normal shoe tongues can create. As far as the closure system, the Fizik Vega Carbon utilizes a BOA fit system with a dual BOA Li2 dial setup and three rows of cable routing. This is the top-of-the-line BOA dial with sleek dials and micro tightening and loosening by simply rotating the dials. Pulling up on the dial releases the tension and makes it easier to put the shoes on and off. You’ll also notice how Fizik has focused the Aeroweave fabric in a stripe pattern along the dial mounting location and cable guides to provide uniform tension. The top dial controls the ankle fit with a thin elastic strap that is sewn into the shoes.
One of the big updates to the Fizik Vega Carbon shoes is the all new last design which features a wider toe box and reduced front to rear drop for improved performance. Additionally, the outsole of the shoes have been fully integrated into the shoe and are mostly concealed by the upper material . It’s a full carbon construction with a 10 out of 10 stiffness index on Fizik’s scale and extends the full length of the shoe The only exposed portions of the carbon are at the cleat attachment point with a black protective piece surround. Surprisingly, there are no vents on the bottom of the shoe like you would find with most cycling shoes.
There is also a split and replaceable rubber heel pad along with a front toe guard to help the shoes from getting scratched up while walking. The Vega Carbon are compatible with 3-bolt cleat setups like Look Keo and Shimano-SPD with fore-aft adjustment and well marked indicators to make it easy to position cleats. There is no Look Keo Memory Eyelet on the shoes which is a feature only a few brands seem to incorporate into their shoes. Inside the shoes you’ll find thick Fizik branded insoles which have a thick foam construction with built in vents. The insoles are designed with curved edges and a metatarsal pad which should help with comfort on the road.
ON THE ROAD
Fizik has made some big claims with the Vega Carbon including claiming they are more natural, comfortable and efficient than previous shoes so we came in with high hopes. Right out of the box you can see the Vega Carbon have a more anatomical shape and squared off toe box. While the shape of the shoes are not as drastic as something like the Bont Vaypor shoes, the reshaping pays off with a much more roomy toe box from the first fit. Our wider feet felt perfectly at home in the EUR 43.5 compared to the EUR 44 Shimano / Bont shoes we typically wear. The upper materials knit like feel and the elastic inner bootie make the shoe have a sock-like fit that feels great.
Not surprisingly, the Vega Carbon feels stiff and stable on the road with plenty of ventilation to keep feet cool. Even without vents in the outsole, we always felt comfortable regardless of the outside temps. We don’t know the actual stack height numbers, but the Vega Carbon feels thin while still being stiff for high-effort sprints and climbing. Our only real issue with the shoe is that the inner elastic bootie makes putting the shoe on very difficult as you have to really force your feet through. Compared to the other Fizik shoes like the Vento Infinito or even the more affordable Velocis shoes, the Vega Carbon have some meaningful upgrades that give them a responsive feel. It’s hard to say whether these are better than other top-tier shoes, but they feel as good or slightly exceed other top-of-the-line models like the S-PHYRE RC9 and even DMT KR0.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Fizik Vega Carbon to be lightweight and stiff road cycling shoes. Fizik has refined both the fit and construction with the Vega Carbon shoes to make the shoe more comfortable and responsive. We felt those changes as the more anatomical fit felt more natural and roomy for our wider feet while the refined carbon sole provides direct power transfer. The shoes are one of our favorites we’ve reviewed to date as they have a glove-like feel and low stack height that gives you a very connected feel. As far as negatives, aside from the high price, our only issue was the elastic inner bootie that makes putting on the shoe more difficult. That said, the Fizik Vega Carbon is a fast and responsive road cycling shoe that’s one of the best we’ve reviewed.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Fizik. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.