5.10s are dead. The cardboard inner was crap and they held too much water. I ride with a midfoot position so want a flat sole rather than an approach shoe.

Your suggestions please.

Found my Teva Links very good and comfy, good grip, deffo dry out much faster than 5:10s, though the “water resistant” claims are a bit rich.

Got a set of Vans Gravels as a second pair of shoes, and was starting to realise that I ever-so-slightly preferred them when I noticed the sole starting to separate from the shoe. (CRC were very quick and courteous with warranty, but had no replacement available, so got a refund, shame). Would recommend the Gravels as being slightly comfier and slightly grippier than the Links, and being more leather they keep the elements out a bit better, but there may be a quality niggle or two, so I can’t really recommend them on that basis.

Freerider Elements/VXI Elements (dubious about the no-grip-when-pushing-up sole) look interesting. Would prefer the new design of the VXI with a normal sole.

You might be able to track down a Sombrio X-Shazam, by far the best I’ve ever used but now discontinued. Oh but weirdly only the purple/charcoal one, the black one has different construction and lacks the lace flap etc.

I’m looking around for the same sort of thing right now. My shortlist is Vans Gravel and Fiveten Freerider Elements. However, try finding Vans Gravels anywhere (in a size 10 that is). No chance, anyone got any ideas :-)?

Gravels were getting hard to find when I bought mine a year ago, and CRC said they wouldn’t be restocking them, so it’s possible they’ve been discontinued.

Any pair of shoes from sports direct with hard soles and leather uppers. I’m on my 3rd pair of shoes from there for under 20 quid, they last ages.

I’m using Shimano AM41’s. This is their second winter of off road commuting so they get wet and muddy every day at the moment. They do a good job of keeping my feet warm and dry combined with Sealskinz. I’d certainly buy them again.

I’m using Giro Jackets after many years on Five Ten Impacts – so far so good. Grippy enough and way lighter than Impacts, especially when wet. Done plenty of riding and hike-a-biking in them and they’re holding up well. They don’t keep my feet dry, but nothing will really. Wouldn’t pay full price for these shoes, but I paid around £60 I think.

I tend to buy what’s going cheap at the time, and use them with Sealskinz when it’s cold and wet, or hiking socks when it’s just wet.

AM41/MP90’s are the best by miles.
The Karrimors from Sports Direct are OK if you get the ones with the thicker sole.

Just got a pair of these very cheaply:

They’re an SPD shoe but grip well on flats, as did the DX’s that had a similar, SPD compatable sole.

Don’t find skate shoes supportive enough & Inov8’s last a matter of weeks.

I’ve got both Shimano AM41s and Sombrio X-Floats. I mostly use the AM41s in winter as they’re warmer. They do soak up water, but they don’t fall apart becouse of it. The soles, on the other hand, don’t seem to be lasting too well: there are obvious bald-patches where each pedal pin usually sits and the grip is not quite as good as when new.

The Sombrios do everything the same or better, but are a little cold without resorting to crazy socks.

I’ve got Gravels as my summer shoes and Freerider Elements as my winter ones. Got the Elements last autumn as my toes were freezing in the Gravels every winter (despite Sealskins, Woolie Boolies etc). Now this winter has hardly been the coldest but I’m reckoning the Elements are doing the job so far.

Both are similar weight and fit. Both seem about as grippy as the other – although in different ways.