So there's been a a lot of mud thrown at Adidas for "ruining" the Five-Ten (5.10) brand. There are too many sound-bites and 30 word armchair social media opinions to consider in what would be a very long list of 5.10 (mountain bike shoe) users that have bemoaned the changes brought to the brand by the German track suit giant!
Some opinion is based I'm sure on the fact that in the MTB world, Adidas is not a cool brand? It's tried and failed with a few items of eyewear and clothing in the past and (at least from what I've seen) the collaboration with Troy Lee Designs was widely mocked for it's aesthetic alone. Which I personally did not fancy at all!
Most people think this happened recently, but if you've been in the trade or been paying attention, you'll know that Adidas actually bought 5.10 back in 2011.
Most people think this happened recently, but if you've been in the trade or been paying attention, you'll know that Adidas actually bought 5.10 back in 2011. Yeah, ten years ago! Only integrating it into the "Adidas family" around 2017. This marks the point where a lot of MTBers started freaking out. Well as you'll get to know throughout this blog entry. I'm not actually one of them.
I love 5.10 Stealth rubber. For me, there is nothing grippier than having a fresh sole, some new pedals and a warm day to use them on. At the right temperature with the right pedal they are so confidence inspiring. My problem with 5.10 as a standalone brand was always the build quality and an apparent reluctance to innovate. In my opinion they just had it too easy with the MTB market essentially cornered. With the stealth sole on their shoes and everyone else turning to tyre manufacturers for help (Michelin & Continental for instance) they just cruised along knowing that that stealth sole would carry them through.
Everyone else's shoes for the most part had mostly superior upper build quality in my opinion, but no-one could rival the Stealth sole.
Everyone else's shoes for the most part had superior upper build quality in my opinion, but no-one could rival the Stealth sole. Complaints of stitching, god awful smells, sub standard materials (cardboard?) used in the uppers, premature sole wear, tell tale black skid marks on your floor as well as dodgy stitching and panels peeling of the toe box are all things I've heard or experienced first hand.
Many peoples favourite shoe (The Impact and Impact Vxi) were my least favourite shoes. They were heavy, too wide, rubbed on the crank arms and prevented my foot from engaging on the pedal where I like it. I pretty much tried every other flat Pedal MTB shoe to avoid dealing with 5.10 but ultimately sacrificed some of the features and qualities I want from a shoe by buying them anyway.
Enter the integration with Adidas. I'm from Scotland, home of the legendary "Ned" (Non-Educated-Delinquent) where among other sports brands (Kappa, Elesse, Donnay, Champion etc) the 3 stripes of Adidas against the shiny white polyester of a matching tracksuit top & bottoms when seen after dark, usually meant you were about to get your head kicked in and your bike was about to appear on Gumtree for a tenth of it's market value.
"I don't like the Adidas brand, I don't wear it and I don't like the aesthetic. I think it looks cheap, feels cheap and carries a bit of the above (Ned) baggage with it."
I don't like the Adidas brand, I don't wear it and I don't like the aesthetic. I think it looks cheap, feels cheap and carries a bit of the above (Ned) baggage with it. But I do like their mountain bike shoes. They are not perfect, but I do believe that after a many years using the 5.10 product. We may have finally reached "peak MTB shoe"
I should say that I started out with these snazzy numbers. The original Terrex Trailcross. I did NOT like them at all. Too soft, to big and too heavy. So it took some doing to get me trusting the brand again.
So we've had enough rhetoric right? I'l gonna now dive into the shoes that I think Adidas has nailed for MTB in the last few years. They consist of four models. three of them are even a version of the same shoe with one of those three being the shoe that both myself (and a good few other riders) have been aching to be made for many years. I am also sad to say that none of these are legacy 5.10 models either. They are all Adidas Terrex or Trailcross models.
So lets get into it with the Trailcross SL, Trailcross LT, Trailcross Mid Pro and the Trailcross XT GORE-TEX. If you want to read my opinion on these shoes having used all of them then keep scrollin'
Adidas Terrex Trailcross SL Review
Straight up, this shoe was amazing. It was so light, dried in no time and was had the Stealth sole too. They weighed 400 grams which after the Impact and Freeriders we were used to was just amazing. But more importantly, they felt light with great build quality and looking down at them with one piece welded uppers they just felt great, looked good and ticked all the boxes. With the single piece upper and no stitching, they just looked awesome!
I fitted elastic lock laces to mine and when they were set up I never let them out again. The stiffness of the upper was very good considering the light construction and when the laces were set, I simply slid them on and off of my feet when I used them.
My one beef was the sole. The stealth rubber was there, but the sole pattern was more of a multi-use outdoor shoe. Indeed this was never really marketed solely as a an MTB shoe but was more adopted as one due to the features above. The grid type sole meant that your pedal pins "slotted" into ridges and when twisting your foot to reposition met with some resistance. It was quite frustrating, but a reminder that the "penny" or "dotted" Stealth sole was the most desirable foot / pedal interface for Stealth rubber.
I'll stop here with the SL as they are no longer available. But I thought they were worth touching on as they signalled my reinvestment in what was shaping up to be the direction Adidas were taking 5.10. Now we come hurtling a few years forward into the modern era of 5.10.
Adidas Terrex Trailcross LT Review.
Ok, this is where it gets interesting. Branded as Adidas as well as 5.10 people absolutely lost their minds when they first saw this. I wasn't a fan myself, more because of the inevitable "big business" intrusion on what started as a cult brand in a minority sport (climbing). I kind of understand the sentiment of those people. But life is tooooo short folks!
First up the dotted sole was back! This was really all I needed to know to give them a try. These feel a little heavier, look more industrial and they are stitched together on the heel as opposed to welded. They are a bit more "armoured" in the right places with a more substantial toe-box, though there could be more meat up front if I had my way. The heel area has doubled up material for support and protection too. The fit is neither narrow or wide but the feel is good and not too clumsy.
The sole is smartly designed too. With a dotted stealth pattern all the way back to the heel, basically the pedal contact area, Then when the heel starts the pattern starts to turn into a diagonal ridged pattern to help with those hike-a-bike moments. Theres even slots cast in the elongated dots at the very front to aid with off the bike grip. But where the foot meets the pedal, it's all business! The sole is thick, stiff and resists twisting forces really well. Super comfy!
You should know all you need to know about 5.10s intention to keep you dry by the intentional design addition of holes in the side of the shoe to "let water out. Yes... I'm serious!"
Still though, they get wet. They don't dry very fast, but definitely faster than their cousins of yesterday-year. You should know all you need to know about 5.10s intention to keep you dry by the intentional design addition of holes in the side of the shoe to "let water out" Yes... I'm serious!
It summary, I liked these. They are overwhelmingly a step in the right direction. But still lightness means cold feet and no smart textiles mean wet feet and wet feet means you need to be quick at drying them if they are your only shoe, which means lots of high heat which means premature degradation of glues and materials. We all have most likely "over-dried" our shoes and seen how long they last when that is the case.
This is a sturdy shoe with good support and a super grippy sole. the tongs are long and offer support and protection whilst the lacing feels secure when pulled up really tight. The laces don't have eyelets but are over built in the stressed areas and show no signs of stretching there. Aprt from the (slightly improved) drying times, these are just a good, solid show with no bells or whistles. I like them a lot.
These are really for the Summer and mibbe 2-3 season use with the right socks folks. Sealskins at the ready with these!
Adidas Trailcross XT Mid Pro Review
Now, I'll be honest, there's not much to say about these that I didn't say about the LT above as they are basically the same shoe from halfway along the upper only with added ankle support. So I'll touch on the differences. There's an extra bit of support on the upper lace holes that pull the bridge up a little tighter so movement is reduced as you lace them further up to the cuff.
This bridge support is on the LT too, but on the Mid Pro it's separated from the rest of the heel upper allowing your ankle some freedom to move whilst feeling secure across the length of your foot. Where this support is located there is also the only metal lace ring on the lower part of the shoe, giving you the confidence to get them pulled up nice and tight!
The cuff is where it's at really different here. It's a mid / high top design that laces all the way up well past the ankle. Apparently this makes it look like a waterproof / warmer / winter shoe but sadly it's not either one of these. The aesthetic of the cuff is quite misleading as almost everyone that sees these shoes asks me if they are waterproof. They are most definitely not.
The neoprene cuff has no fastener and just grips the ankle with its elasticity. It's not designed to support, just to keep debris out of the shoe which for the most part it does, but I still find myself emptying dirt out of them on really dusty, dry days. There is some additional support however in the doubled up material of the higher ankle upper that houses a D3o armoured area to protect the ankle from knocks.
It's really just everything that the low shoe has with some additions. When they are done up tight they feel secure and confidence inspiring. The D3o armour has some function as does actually offer support in its "soft state" when riding steeper more technical terrain when you're moving around a lot on the bike. This is why I bought them and it's when I wear them. I find them really handy on steeper and more demanding terrain. Again though, 2-3 seasons with your Sealskins ready to rock!
Adidas Terrex Trailcross Pro GORE-TEX.
And we end where we should. A shoe that picks up where all 5.10 shoes seemed to fall short. So lets take an inventory so far. What do we like about the rest of the shoes? The latest variably dotted and slotted Stealth sole like its sister shoes. A high ankle cuff to keep out debris and add support. A strong, flexible upper with welded seams and a close feeling, tight easy lacing system that tightens equally.
"At last, we have a pair of genuinely waterproof 5.10 flat pedal mountain biking shoes and with GORE-TEX too... Thank you Adidas!"
All the features of the previous models save one major difference. These shoes are genuinely and without a doubt an actual unicorn. At last, we have a pair of genuinely waterproof 5.10 flat pedal mountain biking shoes. Thank you Adidas! I've been out in some genuinely terrible conditions wearing these and my feet stayed 100% dry. However I was wearing waterproof trousers on all rides to stop the water getting in through the cuff too. Fair enough I think?
We also have a much improved toe-box too. It's a lot stiffer and offers some extra meat for protection. This also actually means that the cold stays out a little longer too as the wind-chill is less. But no, they are still not really warm shoes. 5.10 actually do a Freerider EPS model with a full leather upper and a Thinsulate lining. Your feet get wet but are insulated by your body heat.
When worn with Sealskins they (The Freeriders) are pretty effective, but again, drying times are silly long and prolonged high heats absolutely rob the leather of its long term effectiveness. GORE-TEX is a great at keeping water out and has questionable breathability as a result, so for the most part with the right socks these shoes can keep you warm and dry. But potentially by result of your own sweaty feet!
I doubt GORE-TEX and Thinsulate will never meet as the bulky nature of all this material would no doubt effect the now streamlined profiles and fits of the new generation of 5.10 shoes that we're being treated to. I'm on the side of warmer socks and dry feet as opposed to warm wet feet. Many prefer the opposite but thats my take on it.
If you Like mountain bike shoes this is truly a great time to be alive! All of these shoes seemed like a true size fit and then room for a mid thickness Merino sock. Not too wide or narrow, but then they all seem to use the same sole platform excluding the older SL.
So there you have it. I think thats actually the whole current Trailcross range covered. There's an XT model too which is just the exact same shoe as the LT in this review only with a short neoprene cuff. A good addition to an already good shoe. These shoes all are dirty because they are mine. I have used them all in all conditions and the above reviews are my findings. So if you want to ask any questions or think I've left anything out please leave a comment below. Alternatively jump to Facebook or instagram and get into it there.
Full disclosure on my sources and obligations.
My sources are me. Not any manufacturer or distributor. I'm a mountain biker with 30+ years in the saddle. I've worked in cycling retail for decades and run a mountain bike guiding & tuition company. I spend 100's of days out on the hill and I have personally owned and used all of the items in this blog entry. Nothing in this blog post was given or loaned to me.
However, I'm just one guy so I'd be glad to hear your opinions on the above.
Thanks - Allan.
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