Sure, you can ride a mountain bike in just about any shoes you want, but mountain bike shoes are always our recommendation because they are specifically designed for that purpose. If you mountain bike once or twice a year, it may not be worth it to you to spring for mountain bike specific shoes, but if you ride with any frequency, the performance benefits of shoes made for the purpose should not be overlooked.
Whether you’re riding cross country, trail, enduro, or downhill, there are models designed to be optimal for each type of riding. Mountain bike shoes generally have more rigid soles to promote more efficient power transfer when pedaling and prevent foot fatigue when descending. Grippy outsoles provide traction on the pedals and when off the bike walking on varied terrain. Protective features like padding and reinforced areas are integrated into many designs to ward off rock strikes to the toes and heels. And, of course, shoes designed to be used with clipless pedals have a cleat mount area for the cleat that is necessary for clipping into the pedal.