adidas Five Ten Trailcross Clip-in Mountain Bike Shoes Men's

Product Information

Men’s and Women’s models are all called the same (albeit with a ‘Women’s’ suffix) and are the same design and spec. The size range and colourways are the only difference, thus the info and advice below is true for both the Men’s and the Women’s versions. The only criticism I have is with the toe box. It’s narrower than many other Five Ten shoes, though I’d counter that by saying if you fit in a pair of Adidas Sambas, for example, you won’t find the shape surprising – it’s much more Adidas trainer than Five Ten Impact. In regard to sizing, something important to note about the Traillcross Clip-in is that the stated fit (length) of this shoe seems to be large for its listed size. I sized down a half size to get the normal fit/feel compared to my other Five Ten shoes, and was glad that I did so. Five Ten offers the Trailcross Clip-in in a range of US Men’s 7 to 15, with half sizes up to a size 13, and in a women’s version with half sizes from 6.5 to 11. Kestrel (XC/trail), Hellcat Pro (DH), Hellcat (DH/enduro), Hellcat Pro BOA (DH/enduro racing with BOA closure) Five Ten’s famous rubber soles are the cornerstone of its reputation, but there are a few different types it uses, and each has its own pros and cons, which we’ve listed above for you to reference to. Five Ten Stealth rubber types

Heel lift is near non-existent, in my experience, largely thanks to the Velcro strap. It gets in the way when tying the laces, but other than that is an integral part of the shoe’s overall fit. The proprietary EVA mid-sole is said to have the necessary toe flex for walking, but without sacrificing the stiffness needed for effective power transfer in the rest of the shoe.

This means, on walked descents, those with average-to-wide feet might find their toes getting squashed – again, the Velcro strap really helps mitigate this. The Five Ten Trailcross Clip-In is a shoe for a specific kind of rider who requires comfort while walking and the ability to clip in - and it does this very, very well. However, if you ride in anything but bone-dry conditions, you will need to buy another set of shoes as these have a propensity to take on water owing to the prodigious ventilation on offer. With the cleat sat flush with the bottom of the sole, I found pedal pins (on the Nukeproof Horizon CS pedals I use) dug into the sole aggressively at the start. This made releasing from the pedals a little stiffer than I expected, though after a week’s use, pedal and shoe meshed nicely, and I no longer suffered from stiff releases. Riding in atrociously wet conditions didn’t highlight any shortcomings, and my feet remained dry for the entire duration of each ride. No water entered through the shoe’s body, and while my feet were dry, they also remained warm even in some of the harshest conditions I ventured out in.

The bulk of the upper has a fairly open mesh construction, but it’s bolstered in key areas to ensure longevity.

Our Verdict

From what we call see, the only MTB shoe not offered in a Women’s version is the Kestrel Pro Boa clip-in DH race shoe. Recommended models The heel section of the shoe appears pretty deep, but also offers ample bump absorption when bailing from the bike or during prolonged on-foot descents. When pedalling, the first thing I noticed was how well ventilated these shoes are. A cool breeze easily cuts through the tops of the shoes. As such, I’d be wary of wearing them on cooler days if you suffer from cold feet. However, in hotter temperatures this is a real bonus.