Reviews > Footwear > Sandals > Bite Xtension 2 > James Triplett > Initial Report

Initial Test Report:

Personal Biographical Information:

Backpacking Background:

I was brought up exploring the woods, primarily West of the Mississippi from Missouri to as far North as Hudson Bay, and have a heavily ingrained appreciation for nature.  In college my recreation consisted of hiking to bouldering areas and rock climbing on the bluffs and trails in Southern Illinois, which ultimately led to continuously hiking the lower 1/3 of the Appalachian Trail.  I hike every day, and backpack when possible.  I am a mid-weight backpacker, experienced hiker and camper, and have had some exposure to longer hikes of 50 to 500 miles (80 to 800 km).  I prefer a tent over a tarp, in fact I love tents, but have not yet tried a hammock.

Manufacturer Information:

Product Information:

• Mens 7 - 16
• Womens 5 - 11

• Mens:
• 5005a - Wheat / Almond
• 5005b - Taupe / Natural / Red
• 5005c - Taupe / Natural / Yellow (this test)
  
• Womens:
• 5005a - Wheat / Almond
• 5005b - Taupe / Natural / Ruby
• 5005c - Natural / Navy / Teal

Upper
- Xtension 2 pulley strapping system secures the foot to the midsole
- Quick-drying lightweight Durahide upper
- Dual buckle design provides a snug, adjustable fit
- Forefoot straps hold foot securely around metatarsal heads

Outsole
- Burst outsole with multidirectional grip
- Thin, responsive outsole for lively ground feel
- Enerflow system transfers energy from heel to toe
- Contoured Phylon midsole cradles the foot for support
- ATS heel pad for soft impact and forefoot Pe Launch Pad for life
- Medial post featuring Grey Matter to eliminate pronation
- Motion Control Stabilizer and Spring Bar for exceptional foot control
- Arch shank gives extra support and stability
- Toe Guard protection for security

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Review:

Included literature: The Bite Xtension 2 sandals arrived with a small six-page informational hang-tag, a registration card which also includes information on checking for a proper fit, and a full product line catalog.  The hang tag includes the general Bite philosophy, as well as information on the Enerflow Outsole unit (which is a subset of the "Burst outsole with multidirectional grip") and the proprietary specialized pulley system.  The catalog repeats much of this information with a little more clarity.  The Fit Test information, attached to the registration card, recommends testing the "shoes" for at least an hour, at the end of the day, and to check for comfort, heel and toe alignment, strap tension, and arch alignment.  It goes on to say that "a shoe that has a more generous fit is better than one that fits tightly."  Some of the information here is separated out in different sections for shoes and for sandals.



The Xtension 2 style: The Xtension 2's look great!  I am happy with the color I chose as the yellow highlights have a nice, but not too radical, contrast with the more natural prominent colors of the rest of the sandal materials.  The sandals are different in only one respect from what I viewed on the Bite website, and that is that the sole or tread in the picture on the website has a big black X with a dark BITE emblem in the middle.  The sandals I received have a big yellow X on the bottom with a bright yellow BITE emblem in the middle (see the header picture in this report).  This is fine with me, as the yellow looks intense, but it doesn't match the website.  All workmanship looks exceptional.  There is a little visible glue where some of the layers of the Enerflow system components are laminated together, but overall I am satisfied that there are no defects in the sandals.  The Xtension 2 soles are substantial, stiffer than other sandals I have owned, and the webbing strap system looks sturdy and more than adequate.  From holding the sandals and examining them closely, there is every indication that these are a premium product.



The Xtension 2 features:  As described in the Bite features list above, there are a lot of components in the Xtension 2 sandals.  The Durahide uppers consist of straps and elastic which go over the toes, around the ankles, and down to the soles at the front foot pad, the arches, and rear heel of my feet.  The front-most portion of the uppers is wide and stretchy and is of a fixed dimension.  However, the mid-section strap has tensioning capability and pulls on the metal O-ring which the stretchy material is attached to.  This mid-section strap runs down through the "pulley system" just behind the arch, and then up again and wraps behind the heels.  There is a locking clip-together buckle on the inside portion of the strap, above the heels and behind the ankles.  So by pulling on the straps at my heels I can apply tension to the elastic over my toes.  This is probably made clearer by simply looking at the picture below.  The other strap is less complex, and easier to explain, as it simply runs across the top of my feet and attaches to the sole on both sides near my heels.  This strap has a different style (non-locking) clip-together friction buckle on the outside of the sandals and the loose end of the strap can be secured with Velcro.



The Burst outsoles are nearly as complex in their makeup as the uppers, but they don't have any moving parts and some of the components are not visible as they are buried inside the laminated layers.  To clarify the naming convention, the outsoles are called the "Burst outsole" and they contain the "Enerflow system" which consists of different materials at different locations to transfer energy during walking or running.  The components as described by Bite are as follows:

1. Upon landing, the heel impact is absorbed by the ATS Shock Pad (1) [hidden] and Phylon Midsole (2).
2. As the foot strides forward, the Enerflow system promotes the foot's natural gait to the lateral side by using firmer density Grey Matter (3) at the arch area and soft lateral Release Line (4) on the outsole.  To maintain control, the foot is stabilized by the Motion Control Stabilizer (5).
3. Promoting a dynamic step push-off, we designed a specialized Spring Bar (6) to ensure proper forefoot flexibility and roll (no slapping), and the PE Launch Pad (7) [hidden] for energetic acceleration.
4. To protect the feet, and particularly toes, we utilize our patent pending Toe Guard (8), and a Sculpted Phylon midsole with high sidewalls.
5. For traction and confidence, we designed the durable Burst outsole (9) with multidirectional grip on any surface.

(Note 1:  These bullets are numbered 1 - 6 on the hang tag and in the catalog; however there is no number 4 in Bite's list.)
(Note 2:  The descriptions above are from Bite, the picture below is mine.)

Reviews > Footwear > Sandals > Bite Xtension 2 > James Triplett > Initial Report