I know this has been debated before, but I’ve been thinking about the whole Five Tens v Skate shoes thing: Does anyone else find the soles of the Five Ten Impacts too thick to allow proper feel, and therefore control, of the pedals?

I might try riding in some skate shoes and see how I get on.

Try the Freeriders, far thinner sole and more like a traditional skate shoe. Also don’t look as “special”…..

True, but I have read that the soles last about as long as a chocolate gateaux at an over-eaters anonymous meeting

mine are 18 months old worn on and off the bike

Fair enough. Have you compared them to the Impacts? Do you get more feel through the shoe? If so, does it make any difference?

I have the basics which are… basic and they’ve lasted 18months of wet manchester commuting plus all the other riding around that and they’re still going strong. Sole has obviously been used but loads of life left in it. Pretty annoying actually as I fancy some of the better looking freeriders but have no justification!

Ralph, mine are about the same.

Much prefer mine to the Impacts to be honest, as I like to feel closer to the pedal.

Got some Impacts and Basics.

The Impacts are pretty new and I’m finding it difficult to get my feet in place. The soles are almost too grippy as I can’t shuffle around on the pedals. The sole seems thinner/more flexible on the Basics (18 months old) but I guess the Impacts need wearing in a bit.

I use the Impacts for riding DH & the Freeriders for everything else. The sole is thicker & stiffer on the impacts, also it’s noticably more grippy too.

The Freeriders are too flexy for me for DH, but for XC & general mucking about, they are fine.

2 years old & still going strong, been worn on & off the bike. The sole looks a bit mashed up now but they still grip just fine. If I was to replace them now I would probably also consider the new Vans Gravel shoe.

The construction of my Basics was shoddy, they worked fine while they lasted but that wasn’t long, one winter killed them- linings collapsed, inner sole broke up (cardboard FFS!), stealth layer delaminated off the shoe, stitching burst… It was like they just weren’t designed to get wet.

So I replaced them with Shimano’s AM40, which is marginally less grippy, but better in every other way. Sadly discontinued now so not sure what I’ll get next.

I find my five tens (the marzocchi versions) mega thick and unfeeling so much so that I loose the feeling in my feet when riding and feel as though im wearing boats when walking with them, I’m yet to have enough spare cash to choose a different pair of shoes to try though! I do agree that they are sometimes too grippy too and struggle to relocate a tiny bit and have to move my feet around big gaps to eventually get the right position!

Aside from having a poorer grip skate shoe soles are far too flexy for MTB. You don’t the same power transfer when pedalling and the sole of your foot will tired quicker because of the lack of stiffness. Your average skate shoe is a lot less robust, will fall too bits much quicker and generally offer much less padding/protection on the uppers.

thread hijack here
thinking ahead to riding time
currently using nike 6.0 good grip but relatively stiff and firm
just bust mt heel are 5-10 impacts the most padded soled shoes out there?

cheers

I agree with the too grippy comments for the impacts, you have to lift your foot off the pedal to reposition it. That’s the only complaint I have (except maybe the special styling), they do seem to last forever and I can’t think of another shoe that’ll protect your feet as much.

jamm

Your average skate shoe is a lot less robust, will fall too bits much quicker

What a laugh… My Vans were clapped out after everyday shoe use, so I retired them and started using them on the bike. After a year of using them, I got my 5 10s. After about 9 months of using the 5 10s, they were dead. So switched back to wearing the Vans for another few months til I got my AMs, and still use the Vans occasionally on the mountain bike, and every day for the commute. So even forgetting about their past life as everyday shoes they’ve outlasted my 5 10s by something like 3 to 1 and they’re still going strong. Look like s**t though 😉

They’re very flexy though. This is a matter of taste, I don’t like the lack of feel you get from a very stiff shoe, but this pair of Vans are definately too flexy for my taste. As far as your feet getting tired though, if you ride in soft soled shoes often your feet unsurprisingly get stronger.

Are 5-10’s really worth the £70-£80? I’ve been mulling over getting some for ages now but always come back to the thought that spending up to £80 on a pair of shoes I will essentially be buying to trash will be a waste of money. Especially as the £20 airwalks + less than £5 set of big grub screws seem to hold me on pretty well.

Yes, 5 Tens are horrible unless your riding down Pleney on a hardtail where they are pretty useful.

The soles are too thick, I prefer my Vans shoes

I’ve still got the original 5 10’s that I bought maybe 5 years ago and they are in top condition, the wife puts them in the washer after every!! Would never ride with anything else. 😀

I’ve had both the Impacts and the Freeriders. I didn’t feel much difference on the pedals, but definitely preferred wearing the freeriders.

Both are on the way out after a full season of guiding on each, but the Freeriders definitely lasted better.

Northwind – I’ve just got some Shimano grippy flats shoes which are the next thing on from the AM40s = cant remember the number but it is AM 4something £50ish from wiggle.

They are a bit Joey Deacon lookswise but grip well, wipe clean and seem reasonably leaj resistant. Plus it gives all your mates something to laugh at, until they fall off from being clipped in.

EDIT AM41s are the ones I got – spud version is Am45. Spud version is cheaper on MRP – not sure how that works?

Tis the fugliness that puts me off, it’s not like the AM40s were attractive but these new ones are gimp helmets for feet. Oh, can you confirm that they’ve not got the adjustable sole stiffness any more?

i reckon there is a gap in the market for mtb shoes at the moment.

5.10 type = super grippy, pretty ugly, useless in UK weather, expensive
Am40 type – grippy enough, ugly as hell, durable, cheap
skate type -decent grip, look good, multi purpose, reasonably durable, can be cheap

Is there anyone making a shoe which has:

street type looks (i.e. skate style) that you could wear going to buy a pint of milk without looking like you just arrived from the future
grippy stiff(ish) sole – doesn’t need to be 5.10 superglue, but something grippier than skate shoes and a little bit stiffer too
durable in UK weather – constructed from similar materials to the AM40
mid priced – don’t think any of these requirements suggest a need for an expensive price tag? Somewhere in the region of £60 would be palatable for both tightwads and label whores alike?

sure, the Sam Hill pinkbike followers might not be raving about their amazing grip despite the fact they’ve never even use a pair (5.10 style) , but there must be a relatively huge market?

its a pity the shimano shoes are so fugly, as otherwise they fit the bill.

had 5.10 impact lows, thought I was alone in thinking it was nice to be able to feel the pedal under my foot as they are so widely praised. Poss as I’m a recent convert to flatties but whats the point of having ultimate grip without feel, I can equate it to some motorbike tyres which I’ve used when I was never sure what they were doing.

I prefer my old vans to 5.10s, and have recently got some shimano AM40s which are even thinner and have more feel than the vans (but come with stiffener inserts).

And 5.10s seem to have recently increased in price by 20 quid overnight 🙄

I really don’t understand why people say Five-Tens are bad in wet weather: I have used them in all weathers and never had wet or cold feet. This includes riding down streams on a dh course in south wales, in the middle of winter.

I may have to give those Shimano options look, next time I need some new shoes.

Is there anyone making a shoe which has:

street type looks (i.e. skate style) that you could wear going to buy a pint of milk without looking like you just arrived from the future
grippy stiff(ish) sole – doesn’t need to be 5.10 superglue, but something grippier than skate shoes and a little bit stiffer too
durable in UK weather – constructed from similar materials to the AM40
mid priced – don’t think any of these requirements suggest a need for an expensive price tag? Somewhere in the region of £60 would be palatable for both tightwads and label whores alike?

Yes Vans Gravel.

WTF are people doing wearing 5:10s off the bike?

WTF are people doing wearing 5:10s off the bike?

I only use them off the bike when I am travelling between home and riding places. However, I will say that they, in my case the Karvers, are incredibly comfy, and I do know people who wear them all the time.

GW – Member

WTF are people doing wearing 5:10s off the bike?

Pushing up? Walking down

I’ve always worn skate shoes for riding in. Coming from a skate background I suppose I go with what I know but I’ve always found them to last exceptionally well, albeit DC’s which fall apart the moment you show them griptape. The soles tend to be soft but grippy and hard wearing and I’ve yet to find comfortable MTB shoes with decent ankle and top support, for me at least.

It’s horses for courses on this one but I have a pair of Circa Jamie Thomas skate shoes from about 8 years ago that have outlived a lot of other shoes and are still going strong.