Interested in the Freeride Elements – the ones without the smooth area on the sole. Anyone got these and are they any good in terms of weatherproofness, comfort, grip, longevity etc? Ta v much.

elements have no grip whatsoever for walking on wet grass/mud.
i ordered some and sent them straight back.
the sam hill impacts are a far better shoe suited to winter. i got some a month ago, not had then of my feet.
wipe clean with a cloth, weigh nothing, plenty grip…….ace

I am forever having to retie the laces when they snag on undergrowth. Grip like shit though

The Freerider elements VXi are the ones with the smooth bit on the sole. I use a pair for commuting mainly, but have used them for offroad stuff too. If I was doing a lot of pushing up steep stuff I would look elsewhere as I found them a bit slippery, but as a RIDING shoe they are top drawer. Took a while to break in and become comfartable, but now I’m very happy with them

I like mine, comfy. not had them long enough to comment on longevity but they have no signs of wear so far, about 6 weeks. feet stayed dry yesterday.

The freeride elements and Sam Hill impact elements both have the grippier sole….I think
The elements xvi with the smooth sole are very comfy, hold water out and if they get submersed are quick to dry. Mine are holding up pretty well in terms of wear. Pretty sure the ones you want will perform the same but with extra grip for off the bike manoeuvres!!

Teva links still going cheap?

I’m very impressed with mine, decent weatherproofing, stiff comfy, good grip off the bike, not quite as good as 510 on the pedals tho, still pretty decent

Had a couple of days out with mine. Seem stiffer than stock version and I don’t that think it’s just newness. The toe shape is different which makes them look a bit “big”.

Grip is up to standard both on the pedals and for pushing. Wore them at the weekend on damp trails and pushing through soaked grass,mud stones etc no problems and all dry inside after the ride.

Got the VXi Elements. Had the odd slip when pushing, but it’s a case of being sensible. Did Nan Bield in the pouring rain and they gripped to the rock like rock shoes. Just don’t be a plank and stand on smooth surfaces. Although nothing funnier than watching a mate running stood still on wet grass before stacking it.

*Edit: Oh and they have held up pretty well in a year of use. They dry quickly, even after doing an unplanned crossing of the River Feshie.

Cheers for these. The Elements I’m looking at DON’T have the smooth sole area – they have pimples all over – so they should be grippy on and off the bike. Just wanting something that lasts ok and doesn’t weigh a ton when wet and take a week to dry out. Think these could be a goer. My Giro Jackets were good but not quite Five Ten grippy and the Vibram sole has now worn away in patches after 18 months. Not complaining – I do a lot of miles. They’re around £90 to replace though I think. Can get Elements for less.

Those Macaskills not work out?

I looked at the AM41s which seem pretty winterised, but not heard good things about the grip compared to 5-10s. Mate has the VXIs and thinks they feel a bit thin. I’m going to get the elements with the full soul and some new sealskinz. Silly money tho.

Had mine (non-vxi)for almost a year now riding about 5 hours a week on them. Look pretty much as new once cleaned up only a couple of scuffs on the toe. Look like they’ll last at least another two years and I’ll then buy another pair of the same.

They seem pretty weatherproof, never ended up with wet feet and they seem a bit warmer than the Vans Gravels they replaced. Pretty much glued on with a set of Nanos as well.

I have a once ridden pair of am41 to sell. size 11

I’ve got the Danny MacAskill 5.10s and they’re great, been riding twice a week in them since April in all conditions and they still look like new. They’re good to walk in and dry out pretty quickly too which is a plus but they do get pretty heavy when soaked and hold water once wet which is the only downside for me.

My experience of Five Ten Elements:

I bought some last autumn and I’d ripped the sole off by June – it’s pretty thin. This is riding in them pretty much every day (weekdays are commuting).

Grippy and comfy but the weatherproofing is “interesting” – they tend to fill with water and then don’t drain! So you end up riding around with pools of water in your shoes.

They don’t dry particularly quickly either. Couple of days on the radiator when sodden.

My recommendation would be to get a set of “regular” (i.e non-weatherproof) shoes that are grippy and not too built up so they don’t become waterlogged and dry quickly. Shimano AM40/41 or Vans Gravel are very good in this regard.

I’ve got a set of Giro Jacket Mid which I’m putting through the Autumn ringer at the moment, look good so far.

elements have no grip whatsoever for walking on wet grass/mud.

This, I’ve had more falls walking than riding but on anything Rocky, even wet & on pedals they grip like Shit to a blanket. Quite often forget I’m not attached & try to uncool when dismounting

Just received my elements. Added a set of new sealskinz which seem a lot less ‘stiff’ than my (very) old ones. First impressions on a quick ride is they’re going to be nice and warm in winter, especially paired with those socks 🙂

Grip is std 5-10 (mine aren’t VXI so full stealth sole) so amazing. Definitely lighter than my other 5-10s and nowhere near as much absorbant material to collect water. Rode through some puddles and mud (not hard to find at the mo) and feet stayed dry and shoes dried very quickly afterwards.

Not cheap even in the CRC 10% off sale, but if they keep my feet warm and dry ish through autumn and winter, I’ll be happy. Proper mud-fest test tomorrow.

Oh and I reckon they’re okay to wear in the pub afterwards as well. Don’t look quite so special as my other pair!

As Fuzzhead said, keep an eye on the soles, they are very thin and will detach once your pins start to push through. Or the rand will peel away if you (like me) rub the inside of your shoe on your crank when pedalling.

Improvement over last year’s though, the sole at least has some grip off the bike now, and they are lighter and dry a little quicker.

I just bought the ordinary freerider mtb 2014 five tens for £58 from CRC with a £5 off code. Taking them out for the first time tomorrow to see how they go in these changeable conditions.
I avoided the waterproof versions after hearing several reports of them retaining water when water comes in over the top.

VXI elements are brilliant, get a size up and a nice thick pair of socks. Dry V quickly too.

ton – Member
elements have no grip whatsoever for walking on wet grass/mud.

The regular Freerider Elements, not the VXI, have the same sole pattern and thus grip as the Impacts. The VXI has the worn out patch on it.

Anyway, big seller for me is the Freerider Elements dries out *a lot* faster than the Impacts and doesn’t feel like a wet sponge when they get soaked. So a bit odd some of the above comments. I got them as spares for my Impacts when they get wet but they’re so good I wear them instead of the Impacts most of the time.

The sole coming off issue I believe was with older Freeriders. Though it could still happen, but then I’ve had the sole literally rot through on an Impact.

It looks like the old Freerider Elements is maybe discontinued, lots of clearouts and limited sizes and that. Just bought a set myself as I really can’t get on with the Impact VXI’s lack of feel, really disappointing. Haven’t rried a Freerider VXI but since it’s the sole that ruins the Impact I’m kind of wary…

I avoided the waterproof versions after hearing several reports of them retaining water when water comes in over the top.

To be fair, not many items of waterproof footwear incorporate one-way drainage systems…