Full-carbon soles used to be the reward you got for spending flagship money on a road shoe. Specialized moved that feature down the range with the Torch 2.0, which pairs a FACT carbon plate with a single BOA dial at a mid-range price that undercuts a lot of shoes still running nylon. The 2024 overhaul reshaped the last and reworked the upper, borrowing fit ideas from the S-Works Torch so the whole thing feels closer to the top-tier shoe than the price tag suggests.
The story here is comfort that doesn't cost you power. The seamless mesh and TPU upper wraps the foot without stitching to rub against the top of your foot, and it's laser-perforated throughout for ventilation, so these breathe well on warm rides. The last runs a touch wider with a roomier toe box than older Specialized road shoes, which is a change worth knowing about if you found the S-Works cut too snug. If you run wide or just want a little wiggle room over long miles, this is the fit that gives it to you.
The carbon sole sits at 7.0 on Specialized's Stiffness Index, tuned for efficient power transfer without the harshness that maxes out that scale. Body Geometry construction handles the alignment side, using the Varus Wedge, longitudinal arch support, and metatarsal button to keep the foot, knee, and hip tracking straight through the pedal stroke. Large rubber grippers at the toe and heel give you a stable platform for clipping out at lights and walking into the coffee stop.... Read More
Closure comes from a single BOA Li2 dial with soft guides, dual-direction micro-adjustment, and pop release for tool-free loosening, backed by the BOA Guarantee. It's a three-bolt cleat pattern, so it works with all major road pedal systems. One thing to flag before you buy: the cleat holes are fixed rather than adjustable, a spec Specialized reserves for the pricier Torch models. For most riders setting cleats once and leaving them, that's a non-issue.
