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5.10 Question

Original Post
Chris Rice · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 55

5.10 climbing shoes

I've never owned a pair of 5.10s but I had someone ask me about them and I realized I knew pretty much nothing about them. The 5.10 website offers zero actual information about their climbing shoes and the kid at REI knew even less. No info on lasts used in each model – I keep seeing “made on Anasazi last” which leads me to believe they also have other last shapes – but no mention of … well……… much of anything on the site. Downturned, highly, moderately asymmetric, straight, slip or board lasted – nothing. Is there somewhere I can go to actually learn something about their shoes?

RockinOut · · NY, NY · Joined May 2010 · Points: 100

Why not just try them on? GO to a store be it a climbing shop or REI and just try them on.

runout · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 30

5.10 shoes are great. C4 rubber is arguably the most sticky. They fit my wide feet well, better than narrow la sportiva shoes.

I agree 5.10 is shooting itself in the foot (haha) by changing it's line so often and removing shoes that have worked for a long time.

mountainhick · · Black Hawk, CO · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 120

Rubber is great, shoes are hit or miss for the most part. If your foot fits them you may be set, but for many the fit is weird! I would not order 5.10 shoes blindly without trying on. I love my resoled supermocs for thin cracks but they have some bagginess in fit. I've tried numerous other 5.10s and gave up on even trying anymore. However everything gets C4 when resoling. YMMV,

Frank Stein · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 205

I have ping pong paddle feet, and Anasazi lasted shoes fit great. They do change their models way too often though.

Devin Horgan · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 10

I've found 5.10 to have the stickiest rubber. The problem for me is that the heel cup in many of their shoes to have a lot of dead space. Maybe I have unpronounced heels, but their aggressive shoes are no good for heel hooking. I do, however, highly recommend their shoes for your slab, crack, smearing, technical edging needs. I've been rocking the new pinks lately and they are delightful.

MOST IMPORTANT IS TO FIND SOME SHOES TO TRY ON IN-PERSON

Chris Rice · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 55
RockinOut wrote:Why not just try them on? GO to a store be it a climbing shop or REI and just try them on.
And right here is the problem - you make this sound so easy. Only those of you who have size 13 feet will understand - NOBODY carries big enough shoes IN STOCK to actually try them on. I usually end up ordering 2 or 3 pair and keeping the one that fits. REI did not - Neptune did not - West Virgina and North Carolina did not - and Ohio is not exactly the center of the climbing shop world either. Try climbing shoes on in a store - I wish!!! In the 30+ years I have been climbing I have never found a pair of climbing shoes "in a store" that fit me. Actually this particular question wasn't for me but a friend - but 5.10 could still offer a little more information on it's site - everyone else seems to be able to.
Willie Wilson · · America · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 125
Chris Rice wrote: but 5.10 could still offer a little more information on it's site - everyone else seems to be able to.
I think they change their shoes up too often for their web developer to know whats going on.
Eric Santos · · Reno · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 30

There's a 510 outlet in Redlands CA that has the shoes available to try on and purchase. They would probably know what's up.

Austin Eddy · · Chattanooga, TN · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 11

I think 5.10 shoes are the best. People complain about fit, but they fit my feet perfectly. A lot of Sportiva shoes crush my wide feet. A lot of their aggressive shoes are a lot softer than other brands, which I like, it makes them more comfortable, sensitive, and allows you to actual use the strength in your toes.

John Ryan · · Poncha Springs, CO · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 170

I've owned one pair of 5.10's and found them to perform much less adequately than Sportivas. This could be because I've been wearing Sportivas for 20 years, and experimenting with other brands here and there, but I found the rubber on the 5.10's I had wasn't sticky. I expected the hard rubber to be more durable, but that wasn't the case either.

Chris Rice · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 55

We still haven't answered the original question though. Where can I (or anyone) find any information about the different shoes? the website is worthless.

Mike Cara · · Hendersonville, NC · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 21

Rubber is the best out there. The sizes from one to the next don't even come close to making sense.
Adidas just bought them, not sure what make of that yet.
As for figuring out what will be best for you. Find a few pairs on the site then Google reviews of each shoe.

runout · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 30
Mike Caracciolo wrote:Rubber is the best out there. The sizes from one to the next doesn't even come close to making sense. Adidas just bought them, not sure what make of that yet.
Really!? That's news for me. Not sure what to make of that yet. Adidas has been sponsoring pro climbers a lot lately. Seems like they are keen to get a piece of the growing climbing pie.
runout · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 30

Oh wait. They bought them in 2011. I'm behind the times.

As for OP's question - buy a bunch from Amazon or Zappos and do free return/exchanges. Keep what works and return what doesn't. Don't use them though or else you can't return them.

If you got specific questions about a particular shoe (like stiffness, heel hooking, etc), ask here.

Clif Clap · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 862
Chris Rice wrote:We still haven't answered the original question though. Where can I (or anyone) find any information about the different shoes? the website is worthless.
Dude a bunch of nice people on here gave you some solid feedback. Go to outdoorgearlab.com/ or something and read their reviews.

If you can't try them on anywhere locally then don't even bother. These things fit or they don't. I can wear them and do exclusively. La Sportiva and Scarpa do not fit my feet, however. Only one real way to find out.
Chris Rice · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 55
Clif Clap wrote: Dude a bunch of nice people on here gave you some solid feedback. Go to outdoorgearlab.com/ or something and read their reviews. If you can't try them on anywhere locally then don't even bother. These things fit or they don't. I can wear them and do exclusively. La Sportiva and Scarpa do not fit my feet, however. Only one real way to find out.
Cliff - Yes people have been nice in trying to help and I appreciate it. I have looked at all the review type sites I have found like outdoorgearlab etc. My friend went to REI and ended up with a pair of Evolvs that he said fit the best.

I guess I am disappointed that a major player like 5.10 offers so little help online is all.
Chris Schmidt · · Fruita, CO · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 0

I just used the online support feature in the top right corner of their website and got an answer in under 12 hours. The response was very informative and helpful.

Taylor J · · Taos NM · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 390
Chris Rice wrote: Cliff - Yes people have been nice in trying to help and I appreciate it. I have looked at all the review type sites I have found like outdoorgearlab etc. My friend went to REI and ended up with a pair of Evolvs that he said fit the best. I guess I am disappointed that a major player like 5.10 offers so little help online is all.
Just do what I do keep ordering them till you get one that fits. I do this since there is no climbing shop even close to where I currently live. I exclusively wear five tens and love them. I can not wear sportivas they are far to narrow and I found them to not last nearly as long as my five tens.

If this helps I wear a sz 12 street shoe. I wear a 13 in five ten dragons (very aggressive) I wear a 12.5 in the arrowheads (slightly less downturned than the dragons) and I wear a 11-11.5 in the mocs (flat) ....
Max Forbes · · Colorado · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 108

A good bet with trying them on would be to order a few pairs from REI or someone with a good return policy and try them on and return the ones that don't fit. This is something they offer to customers with this issue, only downside is having a big credit card charge temporarily..

Austin Eddy · · Chattanooga, TN · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 11

Zappos is good for trying and returning.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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