First Look: Five Ten Drops 2 Lightweight Trail Shoes
Five Ten had two new flat-pedal shoes on display at Crankworx that looked and felt completely different from anything we've seen. First off, they are significantly lighter and much better ventilated than the skate style shoes that Five Ten built its gravity empire upon. The heel cups are more ergonomically shaped alongside the much more technically constructed uppers and soles are designed to flex towards the front to better facilitate hiking. That sounds like a true freeride shoe to me.
Trail Cross LT is intended to be a Summer shoe, so it's ventilated more than its high-top sibling.
They're named "Trailcross" and there's a classic low top (Trailcross LT) and also a gaitered high top version that was designed to keep out dirt and scree while you are either digging or slogging uphill on foot. Mesh panels and a mesh tongue evacuate water and dry quickly, and there is a waterproof insole that prevents moisture from invading the sole from the inside. The molded arch insert is also perforated to shed water quickly. Thin layers of D3O impact-absorbing plastic protect vulnerable zones near the ankles without the bulk look we usually associate with armored gear.
The LT sole's flex points double as water drains.
Pull out the arch support and you'll see the waterproof inner sole.
Classic Five Ten stealth rubber sole uses their non-marking Phantom compound. Special treatments at the heel and toe boost walking traction.
Flip the shoe over and you' be happy to find Five Ten's tacky and very durable "Phantom" rubber compound in the classic dot pattern, but with a new twist. The toe and heel patterns are tweaked a little to boost grip on sketchy dirt while you are off the bike. Materials and construction are excellent and the gray on black graphic treatment is tasteful - and, they're priced right. The Trailcross LT is projected to retail for $130 USD, with the high top Trailcross pegged at $160.
Diggers are going to like the high top Trail Cross. The elastic gator is thin enough to be all-day comfortable and is protected by slim, D3O panels on either side. It's a performance mountain bike shoe, with enough flexibility built in to handle steep slopes and long slogs.
Gator liner to keep the dirt out...
...And thin D3O armor in the side panels.
Five Ten Brand manager Luke Hontz says Trailcross will be extended into a family of shoes targeted at the adventure side of the sport. Prototypes have already been used by diggers and riders at Red Bull Rampage. Hontz says the all-day, any terrain design is perfect for endurance riders as well, and Five Ten is already looking for ambassadors to sponsor.
Will we see versions with cleat options? Hontz says not for now. Five Ten's flat-pedal fans are their primary focus. "Everyone has copied our skate-shoe designs," says Hontz. "This is Five Ten moving forward with significant improvements and new materials. Trailcross is a shoe that we've been wanting to build for a long time."
What Do We Think?
What do we think? Almost every skate-based gravity shoe is heavier than it needs to be, suffers from poor ventilation and traps copious amounts of water. The new Trailcross promises to handily solve those issues, so if they perform on par under power and go the distance, you can bet that a lot of flat pedal riders will become fans.
What Do We Think?
What do we think? Almost every skate-based gravity shoe is heavier than it needs to be, suffers from poor ventilation and traps copious amounts of water. The new Trailcross promises to handily solve those issues, so if they perform on par under power and go the distance, you can bet that a lot of flat pedal riders will become fans.
Molded heel cups boost support. The tag is reflective.
Before you get too excited, though, Five Ten plans to officially release the Trailcross range at Eurobike, with the first production slated to arrive at retail stores around February 2020. There's a good chance that we'll have a review posted by then.
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In 34 years of riding at no point have I ever thought "Wow, I'm nice and cool but my feet are just too hot" But on a LOT of rides I've had wet cold feet that just get colder each time water is sloshed over them. I ride in goretex SPD shoes and my feet stay nice and dry, so do that!
* and breathe.
So for me personally, for wet conditions: merino wool. Socks and jersey. If it’s coldish, out synthetic compression layer underneath. Wet but warm, fresh and comfortable. Then after coming home, just hose everything down. And 5.10 shoes got much better with drying up in recent years
Super comfy shoe to the point I actually use it for trail riding. But I think my feet got heat stroke the other day....
Personally I think the shoe looks like a great.
www.pinkbike.com/news/adidas-terrex-trailcross-protect-shoes-review.html
Throw on some low profile gaiters if you really want some extra weatherproofing
PNW full time mountain resident, rider/hiker/digger/skier... In my experience, stuff gets soaked, completely saturated no matter how water proof it was intended to be. IMO, don't worry about the wet, fear the cold. Good wool or technical socks, vapor barriers, gaiters, etc., all help. At the end of the day, you still get to take them off, their ability to dry quickly, makes getting back into them and start fresh quicker. I still have a pair of the original Impacts, they take forever to dry out after a good soaking.
I like this, finally a flat pedal shoe that doesn’t look like it was made for 15 year olds.
I'm in exactly the opposite camp, probably because you're in the cool wet UK and I'm in the dry high desert of New Mexico. I ride in temps from 0F to 100F and many of the newer 'enduro' shoe offerings just don't have the ventilation to be comfortable in summer (for me at least). Doing a 2000 ft climb in 90 degree weather with hot feet...is no fun. But fortunately we have lots of options these days!
1) Like other waterproof gear, I find that waterproofing buys you 20 min of being dry before the sweat of being in a waterproof layer nullifies the advantage.
2) Once this state is reached, I'd rather be in a ventilated shoe for two reasons: a) better ventilated shoes often have materials that don't weigh as much when wet or hold as much water and b) I want to give myself the best shot at starting to dry my shoes out.
Just two weeks ago I go some mild trench foot for being on the Colorado trail for 4 days and walking through snow drifts. Didn't rain once. Just couldn't get the shoes to dry out after being exposed to 10 min of walking in snow. Didn't want to be baking in heavily fortified waterproof kicks either.
I’ve been running some Bontrager flat shoes this summer: lighter and better for drying than my 5-10s but their grip sucks in comparison. Unfortunately, the hard sole on those Bontragers is too durable, hard to justify the cost on new shoes when they look too new. I’d love to get a good 5-10 summer shoe.
I lived in the cold and wet, hot and wet, so cold it couldn't be wet, and hot and dry 200+ days a year for many years.
Unless you wear hip waders your feet are going to get wet. Unless you're just standing around that is. Water will find a way in or sweat will soak you from the inside out. If it's cold you need to find a way to keep your feet warm while wet. If it's hot, you want your stuff to dry quickly.
These seem fantastic.
Riding in the Rockies, my rides can range from 35C to 10C in the same ride and I can often expect one ice cold stream crossing to wet the feet no matter the shoe. Give me wool socks to keep my feet warm when wet and shoes that vent and drain to get them dry quicker. Whenever I ride in “waterproof” shoes, I have to stop to pour out the water after a creek.
Them: how about some Adidas cross trainers?
Would a totally rigid sole be good on flats though? I haven't ridden them in years so idk. I always thought the main reason we (clipless kids) had such rigid foot plates is just because our pedal contact patch is so tiny. The shoe basically becomes the pedal.
Take whatever lessons from this story you'd like.
Same though, I just tied the two ends together and it's still holding up years later.
The insoles of those got... 'damaged' by *someone* (a "good samaritan" trying to dry them out, cooking and melting the Otrholite insole), so i had to buy the latest version. A bit different, some things are better but i still kinda miss the old ones :/
And how come the clipless crew is getting all the ratchety/boa goodness and us flat guys are always left with cords?
Gaitered perhaps?
Pros:
1.breathable mesh upper
2. aggressive sole thread pattern
Cons
1. narrower toebox
2. toe spring
3. arch support insole
4. Mesh upper
I like the idea but the final product needs more work
For anyone who doesn't know, addidas already make and sell these exact designs. I've been using the hi top version for half a year and it's f*cking amazing.
Bad news: Virtually no mid-foot protection.
There's a niche use when I take the kids out to practice small jumps on a summer evening.
Please be ‘brave’ enough to make a shoe without traditional laces!!! Dare to dream!
These look good from a ventilation/drying perspective; but the fit and midsole composition are very much personal preferences.
Any shoe with a "waterproof" membrane (most are actually called "water-resistant") will sweat out from the inside and cause both foot issues and drying problems. Talk to any thru-hikers (Andrew Skurka is an acknowledged expert for example) and they DO NOT wear waterproof footwear. Ditto Army troops and Special Ops people.
Will look forward to seeing these in person next Spring.
I'm betting on a $140 USD price for the lowcut versions since these will be "new and improved". Place your bets, folks! :-)
Also curious about the selection of the Phantom compound outsole vs. the other Stealth compounds.
Please bring back real mountain bike shoes for real mountain bike riders.
That's after approximately 20 hours of riding (if even). This is a joke for $185 and I HIGHLY recommend that none of you buy this or any other 5-10 product. Ironically I've never (once) had an issue w/ any of the cheaper freerider models, but since Adidas staff are being a*sholes about this, I will never ever buy their products again and I suggest you don't either - unless you just don't care about quality.
***or whatever that company was called ***