Got a standard QR on the back end of my orange five which I think is the only weak point of the bike after upgrading everything else, I am now considering converting the rear axle to a 10mm through axle (still QR). Has anyone done this and if so did you notice any benefits, particularly with regards stiffness. I doubt there is much between the two with regards sheer force strength, but I think i would be more inclined to take the five over bigger drops with the bigger 10mm through axle.

I think it felt stiffer when I swapped over to a 10mm rear axle, and it's relatively cheap to do, so go for it…

Can't say it was night and day but think it feels bit stiffer. Too much hassle to go back to qr to chech tbh.
Mounting wheel is more painful as it doesn't hold in place while you push through 10mm axle.

I run an old skool bulb on my 5 so I don't see any benefit from going to 10mm thru axle. I've already got a 15mm axle downsized to 10mm at the dropout fixed in place with a qr skewer which fully supports the axle along it's length.
A ProII has a 15mm axle that's downsized to 12, 10 or qr but in a different way from the XC/Bulb hubs. The qr and 10mm version have end caps that close over the end of the axle to form the interface betwen axle and dropout. So on these hubs a 10mm axle will be a stiffer fixing because the skewer being 10mm will sit in the dropout not the axle end cap. The Maxle version @ 12mm is even stiffer but that's because it threads into the dropout and fixes the skewer to the frame at both ends.
A maxle light may not be stronger than a 10mm thru axle on Hopes though. I've seen a few snap the axle where they get no internal support from the Maxle light skewer at the driveside hub bearing seat. This is a machined step in the axle which is a stress raiser.

But apart from that, unless you've got a really stiff wheel build, how can you differentiate between axle stiffness and wheel deflection?
"It feels stiffer" isn't a reliable source of data for a test of this percieved extra stiffness.
It's a placebo. They're selling you stiffness that you can't perceive based on the fact nobody would question it for fear of ridicule.

Congratulations! you just bought a load of bollocks!

well despite what skyline says it stiffened up the backend on my faux bar kona

I changed my rear QR to a 10mm bolt up kit, as the bike is quite stiff anyway not sure I noticed a night and day difference but rightly or wrongly it feels a more secure way to hold the wheel in place than the QR.

Detecting a change in stiffness is very subjective but if you feel better for it then it's not wrong.

Skyline – you can't run 10mm on a bulb rear, only QR or 12mm.

💡

Qwerty

where do you get them skewers from???? have you got a link