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First look: Giro Factor Techlace

Featuring an innovative system that combines straps and laces

When the Giro Empire brought laces back into the mainstream, people embraced the classic look and snug fit they provided but a compromise was they were hard to adjust on the fly and it took a bit more time to take them off and put them on. To address this, the Giro Factor Techlace embrace a new design that utilizes a Boa IP6 dial with a new closure system on the midfoot that combines the advantages of the subtle feel of laces with the adjustability of a strap.

Giro Techlace
The innovative design incorporates two Techlace straps to secure the midfoot on the shoe. The design is patent-pending and provides the feel of laces with more adjustability. The Boa IP6 dial on the top of the foot is becoming a mainstay on top-end race shoes because it’s ability to provide 1 mm adjustments per click to tighten or loosen and can be quickly released. I it used to secure the upper part of the shoe.

Giro Techlace

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The one-piece upper of the Factor Techlace is a durable, light and breathable microfiber. The stiff Easton EC90 SLX carbon sole is the same one that is found on the Empire SLX and is designed to be light and thin to give a direct contact point to the pedals.

For riders with different arches, the Factor Techlace also incorporates an insert that can be altered to provide different levels of support for your foot. The Techlace system can also be replaced if damaged, worn out or if you want to change the lace colour since there are six offered. This also allows riders with high volume feet to add more lacing.

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At 210 g, the Factor Techlace is also very light indicating that it is geared to torwards riders who want to go fast. A women’s version of the same shoe is also offered, the Factress Techlace which features a very similar design. Over the next couple of weeks we will be putting the Factor Techlace to the test so keep your eyes out for a full review.