Five Ten Freerider High Flat Pedal Shoe

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Riding flats with sticky rubberis kinda like putting a lime in your corona: It's damn good even before you upgrade, but once you see the light you just can't go back. After wearing out my old pair of Freerider lows, I decided to try the high-top version of a shoe I already loved for its tenacious grip. 

Test Location: Squamish, BC (12 months) Durango, CO (4 months) Phillipsburg, MT (2 months)

Riding Type: Enduro, dude. 75% pedal rides, 25% shuttle/park

Pedals Used: Chromag Contact, Race Face Chester, Canfield Crampon (V1 and V2) 

The Freerider High is an excellent choice for any flat pedal rider who prefers a softer shoe, from trail to DH. While the shoe breaths decently, there is still enough toe box reinforcement to ward off the odd rock-shoe connection. As always, the classic Five Ten S1 rubber grabs those tiny little metal pins and latches to those Bad Jacksons like a cowboy to a wild stallion. Unlike the cowboy, the Freerider pro never gets bucked off, given proper pedals and flat pedal technique. 

These shoes are very, very soft and therefore offer excellent pedal feel. Normally, I am a huge fan of this feature (it makes me feel more connected to the bike, not sure if there is any science behind this though), however, when your inner Sam Hill emerges and you drop a foot, the lack of support from the sole makes getting your foot exactly back in the right place on the pedal critical. If you don't, the shoe will collapse and droop over the side more than a stiffer shoe. The high top provides excellent support and protection for hucks to flat, ankle to crank contact, and planting a foot in corners. A major benefit of the high top is that you can leave the lower laces loose-ish and crank down on the ankle laces to give a secure yet comfortable fit. I have a high arch, wide-ish feet, and wonky heels but these shoes never gave me any hot spots or areas of discomfort. Additionally, the Freerider High is adaptable to a wide range of conditions, with their sweet spot being anywhere from 80-40 degrees. 

I found that these shoe's ankle support and soft soles paired my preferred pedal placement (way back under the arch) to work best with convex pedals like the Canfield Crampon. This combination led to a secure feel as the shoe wraps around the pedal and into the curve of my arch, while the high top supports my dropped heel, which leads to reduced fatigue. 

These have been my favorite flat pedal shoes I've ridden to date, but like all products, they are not without their pitfalls. My main complaint about these shoes is the mesh material that soaks up water and refuses to dry out. I really enjoy wet, nasty BC winter rides, but these shoes tend to soak through in about 20-30 minutes in these conditions. My solution is to use the old plastic bag over the socks trick, but it would be sweet to have shoes that stay semi-dry in the first place. As far as durability goes, these shoes have been acceptable, but it could be better. After about 18 months of using these shoes, the soles have ripped under the balls of my feet where the front row of pins sits. Additionally, one of the panels is delaminating from crank rub. The glue on the sole-upper connection failed, but the sole was still held in place by the stitching, which wraps all the way around the shoe. My last minor complaint with these shoes is that they are pretty soft for extended hike-a-bikes, and while the dotty sole gives 11/10 grip on pedals, it struggles on steep, loose, rough, or off-camber terrain. They kick ass at hiking up rock rolls though!

4.5 stars for grip and ankle support/protection, minus a half star for being a sponge. Would buy again, no question about it.