They were super grippy and protective, but they rarely dried out between rides, and less than a year of use they are falling apart. About as durable as 5.10 rockboots then – though to be fair it’s the uppers not the rubber that have failed – still you’d think for an mtb shoe they would have worked on that 🙁

Thinking of trying Shimano AM41 next unless someone has a better suggestion?

shimano am41’s here.

i’ve been told* that they look a bit ‘odd’ – but the flappy velco lace cover is very handy.

quick drying.

more than grippy enough.

(*by people happily wearing shorts over tights)

are they still making 5:10’s out of cardboard?

My Teva Links have lasted well, are super comfy, dry out much faster than 5:10 (although their water resistant claims are ropey at best) and are generally an ace shoe.

Giro Feature getting good reviews too, not sure many people have actually tried them though

Quite like my AM41. They still take an age to dry if they get properly wet though (a big bag of silica gel cheap of amazon helps.)

Which 5.10’s?

My freeriders are coming upto 3 years old and still fine. Bit soft for riding in all day, but some ‘sports’ insoles added an Ok ammount of stiffness.

Scrunched up newspaper in them and they dry out quickly enough.

Considdered one of those ski boot dryers? I bought one but for various reasons (mainly breakig my arm 2 out of the last 3 winters) never got to use it.

Am41s are fairly good coming from 5:10s. I used them in wet weather and stick with the 5:10s when it’s dry.

I wish they had a slightly chunkier sole is all. Seem very flat and so don’t feel great to walk in imho.

Get a size above normal as they seem to come up small.

I had thought about getting some drysuit ankle seals and wearing them upside down to stop a bit of leg run-off.


Probably look a bit of eejit though… but an eejit with drier feet..

mine have been wet since at least October last year. The uppers are also now starting to fall apart

Which 5.10’s?

My freeriders are coming upto 3 years old and still fine. Bit soft for riding in all day, but some ‘sports’ insoles added an Ok ammount of stiffness.

Presumably impacts/sam hills/karvers. As above my red barons dry out very quickly and are still going strong after two years of solid abuse. Non of the new crop of five tens suffer from the sponge like characteristics of the old impacts. The next pair I buy will be the freerider elements.

Yeah, they’re impacts, the high version. jimjam I’m confused by all the sponges on offer – which would you recommend for quick drying durable 5.10s that are also high and well protected?

Kevin had the same problem with Impacts. Went to Linekings which are a lot better

Freeriders are better allround than Impacts but they don’t have much toe protection (I never thought that was an issue til I broke my toe, but tbh it still doesn’t really worry me). Longer lived than my Impacts, better made throughout, still not great in winter though but less spongy.

Sombrio’s X-Shazam was superb for a winter flat shoe, not as grippy as a Five Ten but still more than grippy enough, high topped, water resistant and warm. But sadly discontinued, worth seeing if you can find one in your size.

Two pairs of Impacts works for me. Well, to be precise, I’ve got an old pair that I keep for wet rides when I know I’ll be going out again the next day (or vice-versa)

I bought my Teva Links on the back of good reviews, inparticular their better longevity vs 5.10s. As mentioned above, they’re hardly waterproof. I’m not sure what 5.10s have been compared to Tevas but I suspect they must have been made out of a sieve. They’re also really stiff which I personally find pretty uncomfortable. I’d prefer something with a bit of give.

That said, they’re over a year old now and look almost brand new still. I had some of the old Shimano shoes before this (the grey AM40/41s with the flap over the laces) and I really liked those… I think when the Tevas go, I’ll look for something thats possibly not even an MTB specific shoe. Cheaper, comfier, bit more give at the expense of some water resistant-ness.

I hated 510s and Shimano’s.

Absolutely love my Sombrio’s.

Freerider Elements XVis dry out quicker, and are very grippy on the bike. Off the bike, well that’s another matter….

Teva Links are more weather proof than Impacts, but no where near waterproof or barely resistant. Probably warmer too.

Both have stiffer soles than AM41s, which will also get wet quickly, but will dry out quicker than Impacts. I found AM41s harder to pedal in, but liked the way you can more easily feel your pedal through their sole riding DH.

Should it really be so hard for someone to come up with a descent all weather flat shoe that isnt basically a walking boot? I’ve got a lovely pair of Northwave Celcius in my loft that I no longer use since changing to flats, I’ve thought about finding out if I can get them resoled.

How do the teva links compare to specialized, size wise?

Got the new 5:10 Impacts. Don’t see as sponge like as the old style. Liking them. Apart from struggling to get used to the gripper soles.