5-10's or Something different. For the impact friendly rider.

[Zimmerframe]

Having discovered some waterproof socks which work amazingly well, I've scrapped my plan to go full time armoured winter wellies.

Therefore I'm back into the boring search for "muppet" friendly mountain biking footwear.

5-10's generally seem to be the goto. Though the sizes sound like they can be a bit variable ? (I'm generally a UK 9). Which I think means I'm an "old 5-10" 6-8 or a "new 5-10" 12-18. Or a "friday 5-10" 3-27 or a left 6 and a right 11... I've lost track to be honest.

It's also been noted that the 5-10's can sometimes to too grippy if you need to move your feet around for stunts and fancy moves (A fancy move for me is staying with the bike). Since moving to race face chesters, I really like the fact that my feet seem to stay stuck to the pedals, though admittedly, when you do want to adjust your foot position, no matter what footwear I have on, it's not easy.

I'd like something high sided for extra crash protection. The football shinguards I settled on have extra inbuilt ankle guards, but they seem to still work well with high sided cheapo hiking boots (which I've pretty much destroyed in the last few weeks).

A lot of the 5-10's look like lady's slippers. My pinball riding technique also means I need extra toe protection ! (broken both big toes).

At the moment I'm edging more towards something like the V-12 Track VS360. High sides, light weight, composite sole and toe, partial hexagonal pattern sole (so at least when I'm lying on the floor someone might think I'm a proper mountain biker ... )

Track (VS360). Sports safety wear. V12 Footwear.

I've been a v12 fan for 10 years now since my Cat's started to fall apart in 2 weeks. I even have excess stock of work boots after I went all female and boot over stocked, in a crazed buying frenzy, and the various pairs I have in use haven't worn out ..

 

[outerlimits]

For you I recommend these Nike’s. They have Send help printed on them for those times you find yourself face down out on the trail. They also have the hi vis coloured soles that will attract the attention of passers by. And as a bonus have high side ankle support.
There is nothing scientific about my recommendation, but from what you have told us of your riding skills. You need these ?

 

[#lazy]

Shimano gr and whatever price range are good , not as grippy as some 5.10 soles but that’s good in some instances. Not waterproof but dry quick and if you wear waterproof socks it don’t mater ?

 

[Pabs]

RC would be the brand to make me brake my Five Ten monopoly on ride shoes....

....still weighing them up but they look promising, have two styles of high tops and two levels of sole grip to choose from

 

[Tim69]

Having discovered some waterproof socks which work amazingly well, I've scrapped my plan to go full time armoured winter wellies.

Therefore I'm back into the boring search for "muppet" friendly mountain biking footwear.

5-10's generally seem to be the goto. Though the sizes sound like they can be a bit variable ? (I'm generally a UK 9). Which I think means I'm an "old 5-10" 6-8 or a "new 5-10" 12-18. Or a "friday 5-10" 3-27 or a left 6 and a right 11... I've lost track to be honest.

It's also been noted that the 5-10's can sometimes to too grippy if you need to move your feet around for stunts and fancy moves (A fancy move for me is staying with the bike). Since moving to race face chesters, I really like the fact that my feet seem to stay stuck to the pedals, though admittedly, when you do want to adjust your foot position, no matter what footwear I have on, it's not easy.

I'd like something high sided for extra crash protection. The football shinguards I settled on have extra inbuilt ankle guards, but they seem to still work well with high sided cheapo hiking boots (which I've pretty much destroyed in the last few weeks).

A lot of the 5-10's look like lady's slippers. My pinball riding technique also means I need extra toe protection ! (broken both big toes).

At the moment I'm edging more towards something like the V-12 Track VS360. High sides, light weight, composite sole and toe, partial hexagonal pattern sole (so at least when I'm lying on the floor someone might think I'm a proper mountain biker ... )

Track (VS360). Sports safety wear. V12 Footwear.

I've been a v12 fan for 10 years now since my Cat's started to fall apart in 2 weeks. I even have excess stock of work boots after I went all female and boot over stocked, in a crazed buying frenzy, and the various pairs I have in use haven't worn out ..

I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't know, but 5/10s are still a great shoe!
And look great IMHO..
My last pair lasted 10 years.. most of them downhilling..
Got a new pair a couple of years ago, wouldn't get cought without them. Grip the flats like glue!
Tim

 

[outerlimits]

Seeing you own one of the best bikes made, you could keep it in the same stable with some 2FO’s. When you go flying through the air, people will point and say there goes a 2FO ?

 

[Dax]

5.10 impacts.

 

[Zimmerframe]

5.10 impacts.

I've just been looking at them.... ?

 

[Dax]

They're great shoes, I rode them for years before I switched to spds. They have decent protection against knocks

 

[steve_sordy]

Pretty much any Shimano shoe/boot. I like that the sole is almost as grippy as the 510's. That "almost" means that I can shuffle my foot on the flat pedals instead of having to lift off and replant which is sometimes impractical/impossible.

 

[Trickz]

I’m a size 9 and have a pair of size 10 5-10 impacts and they fit just Fine.

I've just been looking at them.... ?

5-10 impacts for me too,had them 2 years and I’m a size 9 but have a size 10 in these,they took me some getting used too as you don’t get any pedal feel but I’ve had two knee ops on my right knee and they live up too there name,I’ve dabbed a few times in them and it should of hurt but i didn’t feel a thing?

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

Therefore I'm back into the boring search for "muppet" friendly mountain biking footwear.
My pinball riding technique also means I need extra toe protection ! (broken both big toes).

Did someone say muppet and impact in the same sentence??

I was minding my own business yesterday, just merrily going along with the trail flow - when suddenly this stupid tree walked right in front of me! Bashed my right knuckles and stubbed my right middle toe at the same time when I clipped it.

Have always worn skateboardy shoes all my life, for flats. I was always sceptical about riding-specific shoes but perhaps it’s time I start looking into riding shoes with some form of toe protection.

Good thread... and timely...

 

[R120]

Unparellel West ridge - I have the low top versions and I rate them as better than 5-10's, at least as equal grip, but more of a technical shoe build, they dry out quicker too

West Ridge | Unparallel Sports

 

[outerlimits]

I once brought some shoes from a drug dealer. I don’t know what he had laced them with, but I was tripping all night ?,

 

[Pyr0]

I've been searching for some decent boots too.
These ones are a bit pricey, but I've just been looking at the Lake Cycling MXZ200 winter boots.
MXZ 200 – Lake Cycling International BV
Does anyone have any experience with them?

 

[Tim29]

I have a stable of shoes, pearl, 5-10, shimano, cannondale, spec,
My two go two are shimano waterproof high top and there 3yr old vented can’t remember the model. But both the shimano are by for most comfy shoes. i wear them for daily rides and i race in 5-10’s as there super grippy and tight on feet. But they make my feet fall asleep on long rides. not comfy for daily grinds. but
These shimano i really like but they run a little on big side.

 

[Gary]

I HATE 5:10s as I find them far too restrictive.
try actual skate shoes.
but NOT new (old) skool Vans as they have too thin/flimsy a sole for gnar. (fine for jibbing about tho)
You want a tough supportive upper and flat sole with enough grip for a board and thick enough so you can't feel your pedal pins digging into your feet BUT enough flexibility/feel that the sole of your foot can arc over the leading and trailing pedal edge.

THEN learn to hold your feet in place using your core.
contrary to popular belief pedal grip is NOT all about lowering your heels at all.
Get good at pumping, bunnyhopping, jumping (doesn't have to be huge) and tweaking the bike in the air.
Also learn one footers, then no footers as both when dialled mean finding/staying on pedals is ingrained in muscle memory.
Mannys won't hurt either.
(Or be a lazy bastard and spend £100 on a set of "special" shoes)





They can offer us stupid looking sticky soled shoes...

 

[Flatslide]

Sam Hill 5.10s are foot armour and have well padded ankle cut-aways. I've a pair of Impact Pros too which are cooler in summer, but not as 'fitted' as the SH's. Awesome soles on both, a really good stiff platform.

 

[B1rdie]

Shimano and Giro are the brand shoes that gave the less disapointing results. Mavic is the worst. 5-10 s may be good if the out sole does not peel of as all the 3 pairs that I bought in 2018 did.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Sam Hill 5.10s are foot armour and have well padded ankle cut-aways. I've a pair of Impact Pros too which are cooler in summer, but not as 'fitted' as the SH's. Awesome soles on both, a really good stiff platform.

I can't quite believe how much time I've wasted invested procrastinating on what shoe to buy

It's not helped by festive shoe tax.. whatever I spend on a shoe, the OH will expect at least twice spending on a pair of Ariats for her .. and as it's the festive season, that should be doubled again .. so a $299 pair of shoes becomes a $1500 pair of shoes .... It's something to do with sexual equality. But equality only seems to be obtained by using an x2 or x4 factor.

I quite like a lot of the Sam hill gear (I have the knee pads). It seems appropriate really as I taught Sam most of what he knows and made him the rider he is. Or at least I think I must have. Sam's obviously one of the worlds first time travelling Mountain Bikers and the only way he could have got as good as he did was by travelling to the future and learning how not to do things by watching me - there simply is no other possibility.

So where are we :

Wellies - great water protection, but ultimately too clumpy.

5-10's .. Definitely have the best logo, that 5, which read sideways as a 10. It's up there Ben Cathro's cathrovision "C" which also forms a camera - go Ben and good luck with this years WC.
I think the main issue I have against the 5-10's is build quality and sizing. Sizing, it looks like I should be able to buy a uk10 and that would fit my uk9 .. in theory, this might also overcome some of the 5-10 tightness ? Quality I worry about as I don't think I've had a single pair of adidas trainers or hikers which have lasted more than a month and have let me down when I really didn't need it.

The shimano's I quite like, but a few reviews say they wear out really really quickly. This probably depends a lot on the rider, but for what they cost I'm not 100% convinced - but they are still in my top 3.

The RC's look good, have good availability (bike discount.de), but I think aren't as Muppet (armoured) friendly as I'd need.

The MXZ200 just aren't leaping out for some reason and euro availability/pricing is not good.

The Unparalleled (UP) have great heritage, with a lot of the old 5-10 team involved. I like the lace flap. Not easy availability in Europe and whilst the reviewer here loved them, he did have to frequently glue them back together - which he passed off as normal and ok .. For me, that's not normal or ok.

Unparallel West Ridge—Stickier than Five Tens

UK seller :

Dark Ventures Ltd - Rock Climbing, Rock Climbing Training | Dark Ventures Ltd

The VS360 work boots, I think will be too heavy, I weighed my VS300 work trainers and they're 750g each .. so the boot will be higher .. I think 500ish is a better maximum to be hanging off your foot.

I've just dusted off an old pair of lidl's hikers for yesterdays muddy plod, these were bought years ago as emergency abuse boots, but actually aren't too bad. So with Gary's comments and seeing the number of bike shoes which look like re-soled hikers I've also looked at numerous hiking boots, walking boots, basketball boots, skate boots, motorcycle boots (was tempted to try my alpinestars, but they just seem wrong..) .. Nothing seems to offer protection in just the right places, or not too much heel, or the right tread, or weight .. or looks crap If I was "well ard" like wot Gary is, I'd just man up and go barefoot and shirtless - sadly I'm not.

At the moment, the Impacts or scrap the "high" and go for the Sam Hill's are edging into no.1.

 

[Pyr0]

I quite like the look of the 510 impact boots in grey, but wish they were full leather uppers.
[Edit] and still stocked anywhere lol

 

[B1rdie]

I HATE 5:10s as I find them far too restrictive.
BUT enough flexibility/feel that the sole of your foot can arc over the leading and trailing pedal edge.

At almost 60 I favour the soles with close to zero flexibility as it seems to put less stress on the heels.

 

[Gary]

At almost 60 I favour the soles with close to zero flexibility as it seems to put less stress on the heels.

What do you mean by "stress on the heels"?

 

[B1rdie]

I mean lots of pain there after the ride.

 

[Gary]

I mean lots of pain there after the ride.

What shoes were you using that were too flexible?
and do you mean you need a stiff sole to support your foot rather than your foot/ankle strength supporting you? I'm confused by your "at almost 60" comment

By:
"enough flexibility/feel that the sole of your foot can arc over the leading and trailing pedal edge"
I meant just enough flexibility for feel and the sole to wrap around the pedal body slightly. Not tons. just enough. eg. a Vans old skool shoe doessn't have enough, Even their pro models. whereas an Etnies kingpin has exactly the right amount of flexibility for me.
5:10s have very little flex and next to no feel. for an (extreme) example a converse would be the opposite, fexy, weak and so much feel pedal pins would hurt.
It's a balance finding a skate shoe that works for you. but once you do you have much more freedom than with 5:10s.
This is why you rarely see slopestyle, dirt jump or BMX riders wearing 5:10s

 

[B1rdie]

Its all about the age!

Most of the flat pedal specific shoes that I have tried were too flexy, like the giros, mavics, and even some model of 5-10.
The hard sole5-10 are awesome but the outsole peeled off in less than six monthes.
The hard sole clipless shoes with thick rubber outsoles have been the solution for me, even with the hole on the sole, shimanos and giros give enough grip for the pedals i use as they have a slightly curve shape that conform to the pedal concavity. This way it seems that trail shatter is driven upwards to the knees and legs and bringing some relief at the heels.

 

[Gary]

Goan explain the age thing? If only to quash my intrigue as to what might store a few years down the road

Sorry. I still don't get it.
Stiff soles on clipless shoes are only made to be so stiff BECAUSE the shoe is held by the clip.
sounds like you're after a motocross boot effect. The exact opposite of what I'd want to control pedals and killing any fine input/feel

 

[Zimmerframe]

Went back to the drawing board ....

The 5-10 impact high's are difficult to find, seem bulky, at 650g + each are pretty heavy and I just don't have confidence in the build quality.

The Shimano XM-9 isn't a true flat sole, so I think I'll be compromising.

Ultimately, there's not a great selection of mid's/high's with availability.

So starting from scratch with no pre-determined thoughts. Something robust with good protection. Good build quality which will last. Availability.

And it's looking like the Northwave Clan's.

Pinkbike review :

Review: Northwave Clan Flat Pedal Shoes - Pinkbike

Long term review (and a comparison 3/4 way through with the 5-10 Impacts).


Chain reaction and chain reaction reviews :

Northwave Clan MTB Shoes 2019 | Chain Reaction Cycles

 

[B1rdie]

Goan explain the age thing? If only to quash my intrigue as to what might store a few years down the road

Sorry. I still don't get it.
Stiff soles on clipless shoes are only made to be so stiff BECAUSE the shoe is held by the clip.
sounds like you're after a motocross boot effect. The exact opposite of what I'd want to control pedals and killing any fine input/feel

Its just like this, the feedback/input from the pedals and the bars becomes more painful to the toes and fingers with time and I’ve had to give some of the finesse these contact points.
Motocross kits is what most guys that I meet on the trails are wearing. It must bother them seeing me ride with short socks and no padding.

 

[B1rdie]

As per foot position, I use to place the ball if the foot on top of the pedal axle on uphill or slow tech where feedback from terrain is needed. For fast DH I put the foot more forward and centered in the pedal to spread the load of impacts and thats when a fully stiff outsole performs better.
The giros are stiff and light, but they not very reinforced and neither waterproof.