One glance at Giro's Empire ACC Shoes, and you'll see they're different. Rather than the ubiquitous buckle/strap combo, Giro's outfitted them with something decidedly old-fashioned -- laces. That's about where the old-fashioned nature stops, though. The uppers are a single piece of Evofiber microfiber, which is highly breathable, but is also perforated for additional airflow. Those uppers are attached to an ultra-stiff Easton EC90 ACC Carbon Sole. This sole is among the stiffest available, and due to high grade of carbon fiber used in its construction, is also one of the slimmest, producing a stack height of just 6. 5mm. Between the uppers and the sole sits Giro's lauded SuperNatural FitKit, the long name for its user-tunable footbed. These insoles have swappable arch support so you can tune the fit of your shoes precisely to your feet.