Winter is a great time for using flat pedals, we've been brushing up on our essential mountain bike skills on them whilst the weather has been chilly and the mud sticky. In turn, this has led to some awesome testing conditions so we can bring you our 'best in test'. Here are a number of great options for your next flat pedal foray.

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As well as looking at these high scoring pedals we have also written a buyer's guide to mountain bike pedals so you can make sure you are getting the right ones for you. Read on for our top-rated pedals, just click on the picture of the pedal to go straight to the full review. 

HT's PA03A pedals might not have the snappiest of names, but when it comes to getting boatloads of grip from a durable and comfortable platform at a bargain price, it's a name worth remembering as they're the ones to beat. They are pretty cheap and fairly light too at 351g for the pair. That makes it eminently easy to overlook any small flaws and if you're into the whole colour matching thing, there's a huge palette of finishes to choose from.

• www.ht-components.com
• www.ison-distribution.com
• You can buy the HT PA03A pedals here

DMR's Vault flat pedal is hugely popular with both trail and gravity riders and with good reason. It's super grippy and offers masses of support from a tough and reasonably lightweight platform, though you do need to keep an eye on the pins getting loose as they can rattle out. At full retail, they're fairly pricey, but if you shop around they can be had for much less. Even at full whack they still make sense, with an all-around combination of grip, support and durability, putting the DMR Vaults up there with the best. They also come in a staggering array of colours, plus pro-rider special editions if you're into the whole matching vibe.

• www.upgradebikes.co.uk
• www.dmrbikes.com
• Buy the Vaults here from Tredz

Bontrager might be Trek's in-house component brand, but these Line Pro flat pedals stand on their own merit thanks to tough construction and plenty of tuneable grip. The Line Pros can suck up the punishment and offer plenty of traction. At 420g for the pair, they're moderately heavy for the money, but that's certainly offset by the fact they've lasted extremely well. Bontrager might not be the first brand you'd look to, but you'd definitely miss out if you ignore these. The only small issue is that if you want a set in this rather lovely orange, then sorry, the only colour currently available is black.

• www.trekbikes.com
• Buy the Line Pro pedals here

When you consider Nukeproof has World Champion downhiller, enduro racer and renowned flat pedal user Sam Hill on the payroll, it's little surprise the Horizon pedals work superbly. At 430g for a pair, they're not particularly light but they're pretty similar to other designs of a similar size and price, such the DMR Vault. The Nukeproof Horizon pedals are amongst the very best flat pedals we've tested and they're well worth investing in if your preferred riding style involves you getting your foot out while you're going flat out.

• www.nukeproof.com
• You can buy the Sam Hill Horizon pedals here

Not the cheapest or the lightest flat pedal, but the grip and durability on offer make the Specialized Boomslang's well worth the trade-off. At 439g a pair, they’re not the lightest pedal in the playground, but who cares when they’re this good. Strength and durability come at a price, £125 to be precise. But for that, you get a durable pedal with spare pins carried in the pedal itself too, they’re ‘weathering’ well too we are happy to say. 

• www.specialized.com
• Buy Spesh Boomslang pedals here

OneUp’s aluminium flat pedal offering delivers super sharp and grippy pins with variable heights for their location on the pedal and a super thin and large platform for maximum clearance and stability, making it a cool contender. It's not quite up there with some of the best in terms of grip and shape, but then its cheaper than some and despite the minor bearing roughness from the get-go, they’ve been hammered in the muck since with no further deterioration. The pins thread through from the opposite side too meaning they can still be removed and/or replaced when you’ve knackered the sharp end. All in all, a very good flat pedal with well thought out features and a reasonable price tag.

• www.oneupcomponents.com
• Buy here from OneUp Components

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