I have been a huge fan of Five Ten for years. It’s good to see that the brand is still alive under Adidas but I wish they’d go back to their roots and create some more outdoor styles beyond the biking styles they currently make.
However, some of these shoes can be used for other applications than intended like the Trailcross Mid Pro.
This non-waterproof, mid height boot can be used for maritime ops and incorporates D3O at the ankle to mitigate injuries.
Best of all, and features Five Ten’s famous stealth rubber sole compound?. Sticky, it will ensure you are surefooted on wet terrain.
They look good but fall apart fast with daily use in the water. And lack of a heel notch makes them garbage on ladders. The laces are also slippery and insecure. Plus they get pretty heavy and take ages to dry.
What do you use?
Depends on the need, but a mix of Arcteryx , Salomon, Adidas, Typhoon and Salewa. None are amazing I think it’s badly addressed part of the market with no great solutions but then the demands are so niche I understand why.
The best I ever found were the old Brit Malaysian boots, really sticky and good soles, light, good toe shape, kept debris out, but the lacing was mental and being effectively disposable of course didn’t last. But an update that addressed that would be interesting.
Again depends what your needs are.
Thank You. For ultra light stuff I actually in the meanwhile use non-rated civlian “barefoot” boots, full leather ones like by ZAQQ. But I actually need some maritime boot that gets wet regulary, I prefer a thin and light sole, and leather other synthetics, no insulation at all even for cold weather as I got drysocks and merino for that, the ankle protection with D3O of the Adidas one sounds nice which was the only reason I checked the comment. Ive used the HAIX maritime boots, they got drainage holes but are still too heavy duty (you could climb a mountain in them). I do not like Salomon and Arcteryx at all (company polices), but Salewa and other climbing brands are in my favor as well as LOWA, Hanwag, Haix, Meindl and other german brands. Sorry – got to say, I trust EU products rather than “US Brand Chinese Products” with that. So if you got some additional advise, I am glad to take it. Thanks ahaed.
Depends what you need a boot to do. I personally worry about the sole shape, rigidity and toe most as without that its complete fail, after that comes weight and ability to keep gunk out. Durability is mostly about how they disintegrate and the 5.10s blow out along the toes and the soles come apart which is full failure. Plus the dot soles wear down and are useless on some surfaces.
Id say the salewas have the best function overall as an amphibious and boarding shoe but lack a high top that would totally nail it. Maybe they have one im yet to see. They dont fit with fins well though. Very good for boarding re stability, ladders, on decks. The rands fall apart with the hex pattern but not catastrophic as the sole is well integrated.
Just checked, salewa do have a high top. Ordered.
How is the toe box? I have wanted to like Adidas over the years but too narrow for my hobbit feet. Even had an issued pair of GSG9’s, too narrow. 🙁 First world problems. C3
No not first world problem: Adidas boots are too narrow for everyone but some asian school kids. Its this fashion thing they implement. Totally nonsens. Just dont use them and get some barefoot boots – they have wide toe boxes. HAIX also offeres the same boots in different widths, if thats something for you!
The reality is that Asians have wider feet than Europeans and North Americans. What Americans have is a problem with fit. They want lots of slop on their footbed rather than a form fit.
The Asian joke was maybe based on thin air, true is that all brands use some way to narrow shape that only works if your feet are already used to this industry for 20 years. Since I stopped using regular shoe company’s and only but barefoot or super wide toe boxes, my feet adapted and got wider again. From 100mm back to 110-115mm. I see this with civilian hiking friends who swap from regular fashion boots to proper industry brands like Haix or for best barefoot brands. All of them report the same: Their feet got forced into too narrow shape by every shoe before.
Not waterproof buy the GTX version.?????