Five Ten Freerider Eps High Mountain Bike Shoe Review
For years V Ten shoes take been the benchmark in flat pedal mountain bike footwear, and for almost every bit many years riders take moaned that at that place hasn't been a winter or wet conditions-friendly version of the gluey soled shoes.
The Bear upon or Freerider models would act similar big sponges, seemingly soaking upward their own weight in water and so taking the best part of a calendar week to dry out.
This has meant packing multiple pairs for a trip away or defecting to other less-permeable brands, in my case frequently wearing Sombrio'south hi-top shoes in the wet.
Merely Five Ten accept been listening to riders and getting their shiz together in recent years, adding a multitude of new shoes since they were bought out by sportswear giant Adidas.
The humble Freerider has at present evolved into the Freerider EPS (though their website doesn't explicate what the EPS means) – a dedicated winter show with DWR-treated leather, Primaloft insulation, rut-reflective footboard and – of class – the famous Stealth prophylactic soles.
I purchased the "Loftier" version of the shoe, which is an talocrural joint-boot, and first impressions were good.
I'm ever a 44 in 5 Tens, but these were a bit harder to slip on than my previous shoes (diverse normal Freeriders), mainly considering of the stiff collar around the ankle.
Once on, they felt fine though, with no pinching and enough of room for my Woolie Boolie socks.
On the bike they accept a stiffer, more than substantial experience than the trainer-similar Freeriders. Y'all can still experience the pedals fine, but they don't wrap around them in the same way. I don't mind this at all as I'm used to riding noticeably less gluey-soled shoes and the Stealth safety makes these feel very secure to me.
Those mucilaginous soles are a boon when hike-a-biking up rocky hillsides, and the stiffer soles are a bonus so too. Equally with all Five Tens, they're a scrap dicey if you're ascending muddy slopes on pes – so careful planning is required on such occasions if you lot want to avoid one-act moments.
That's all very well, I hear you say, just are the go on the bloody water out or not?
Well, because they don't seem to merits to be waterproof, I have been impressed. Really impressed.
I don't article of clothing Sealskinz and I have submerged these right up to the ankle in wet bog (non always on purpose), and have been surprised to notice my anxiety accept stayed dry.
Those high, tight ankles do a decent job of keeping water splashes out. Water volition find its way in if you're riding through loads of puddles or in consistent pelting, just it'south by no means inevitable.
I've had the opportunity to test them on a few sub-cypher rides and the insulation seems to practise a reasonable job of keeping toes unfrozen, even when the windchill has numbed other extremities.
The only time I've plant a chink in their armour was hike-a-biking in the snowfall, where the cold did travel upwards through the soles to leave me with painfully frozen plates of meat. They were OK in one case I was back on the bike and pedalling again though.
If I were beingness picky I'd maybe like flaps to cover the laces, but there doesn't seem to be a water ingress result there – so that'due south just me being fussy I suppose.
Immovability has been splendid so far, with no sign of damage to the soles despite a lot of wear this wintertime. Overall, I tin't recommend these shoes highly enough. Five X take finally made the shoe we've been asking for all these years and it works pretty much as advertised.
If you've found this postal service useful or interesting, please follow the blog on social media via the icons at the top of the page.
Source: http://unduro.co.uk/mtb/review-five-ten-freerider-eps-high/
Post a Comment for "Five Ten Freerider Eps High Mountain Bike Shoe Review"