Needing a new pair of footwear but can’t decide between the Impacts or the new Free riders contacts

Mostly do trail riding such as Surreyhills, Afan (bit of FoD, Aston etc). Reading up on the new impacts they sound a lot lightier and more waterproof so wondering if they’d be a good choice compared to the freeriders.

Any words of wisdom would be appreciated.

Impacts will last longer 18 months use so far , vxi’s lasted me 6 months before I tore holes in the M6 rubber sole and it came away from the base area! Now back on the impacts.
Fairly sure there is other mentions of poor life with the newer vxi out there.
Bats.

Whichever ones have got the proper “full” knobbly stealth rubber soles, and not that big flat smooth patch they’ve started putting on the new ones.

It’s useless for walking in and wears through quick as hell. FWIW I swapped a pair of Freerider Elements for Impact 2’s under warranty after the old ones died within 4 months.

Specialized 2FOs.

Grippy, far better build quality. Oh, and they dry out in under a month. Waterproof? Wear Sealskin socks.

Really liking the new impact xvi. Running them a couple of months now and they seem a lot more thought out than the old ones. Whether or not they’ll last longer is another thing.

Wee write up I did here http://totalguiding.com/2015/04/28/five-ten/

The new impacts are a world away from the old ones which fell apart, had cardboard i nets and operated love me very grippy sponges. Far better made, lighter and dry out quickly. Having said that I am on my second pair after returns the first set after 9 months as the sole had torn up and started to delaminates. Thought it was a one off, but judging by the comments on here it might be a known fault

Specialized 2FOs.
Grippy, far better build quality. Oh, and they dry out in under a month.

There’s no way that hard plastic vibram sole is grippier than stealth rubber, my vxis dry out overnight too

I would stick a vote in for specialized as well. Not tried the new impacts, but compared to old impacts and freeriders, and also am41s, I find the grip excellent (esp with boomslangs), sole stiffness perfect, they let water in extremely easily, but then will dry out whilst you ride. Very good.

I’ve had both the new impacts and free riders. Neither lasted 5 months. Both were really nice shoes though.
The old style impact is still better than both of them in terms of grip and last much longer.
I’m currently using the specialized 2FO which aren’t as grippy as any of the five tens, although they are not far off the impact vxi’s as they also have a much stiffer sole than the other five tens.

Impacts very good shoe had mine 7 yrs. Look a bit too clumpy but are comfortable. Like the look of the new ones. Apparently adidas own them now maybe why more design is going into them. Just got myself a pair of adidas terrex trail cross shoes from their flat pedal range with stealth rubber soles. Good so far bit stiffer pedal area.

I hated my Impact VXIs, for whatever that’s worth, the sole’s made of wood or something, they’ve got the same level of feel as my steel toecaps. Very grippy, very comfy, much better made than any other 5 10 I’ve had and better weather manenrs too, so they ticked all the other boxes though. If you like how they feel, I expect they’re fantastic tbh, but if not, they’re useless.

Still liking the old Freerider and Freerider Element, didn’t try the new model as it seems to have the same sort of sole

Where did you get the addidas shoes from Big Bloke?

Rocketdog from here…..

http://www.sportsshoes.com/product/adi7111/adidas-terrex-trail-cross-walking-shoes-~-ss15/

Check on there daily as their stock changes literally day to day. I paid £20 more than the current 49.99, only a few days ago. Rosebikes also have them too.

Got the terrex cross shoes too. I love them. Way better than both the impacts and the karvers they replaced. Might have to get a second pair if I can find them in my size

Cheers big bloke, size 14.5 might be a little on the large side for me 🙂

Yeah I had to keep watching for a week then a 10 appeared so I nabbed it.