Five Ten Freerider VXi Elements 2014
Reviews / Shoes
176,806
At A Glance
This summer Five Ten launched the all-new Freerider VXi, their flagship MTB shoe that is both functional and stylish enough to wear down the pub. With winter coming up they gave the shoe an overhaul and kitted it out for wet weather! The upper has been given a DWR treatment, (durable water repellent), that keeps the shoe dry. Inside the shoe there is a thin layer of PUR foam insulation to help keep you warm on the coldest of days and it also wicks sweat away from your foot too. Finally the outsole has been furnished with the new Stealth MI6 rubber; this compound is far sticker than the previous rubber found on the Freerider VXi, which incidentally was excellent!
Buy Shoes on
On The Trail
We’ve been wearing these shoes ever since the rains started falling this winter, and we’ve been thoroughly impressed. Our feet have stayed dry, even on the wettest of days and they have proved to be warm too. The most startling feature though has to be the new Stealth VXi rubber on the sole of the shoe. Couple these with a decent pair of flat pedals and some good pins and you’ll be glued to the pedals. It’s quite staggering just how good these new shoes are, and the old ones were pretty amazing. If you’ve ridden with Five Ten shoes before and know all about their sticky grip, try these and see what you have been missing. If you haven’t ridden with Five Tens at all, then get ready to have your mind blown. They do take a couple of rides for the uppers to soften up, after that they mould to your feet a little and are really comfortable. We won’t be riding anything else this winter, that’s for sure!
Overall
Perhaps the best winter flat shoe ever made, stylish, ridiculous amounts of grip and they do a good job of keeping your feet dry and warm too!
Buy Shoes on
This review was in Issue 27 of IMB.
For more information visit Five TenRelated
By Rou Chater
Rou Chater is the Publishing Editor of IMB Magazine; he’s a jack-of-all-trades and master of none, but his passion for bikes knows no bounds. His first mountain bike was a Trek 820, which he bought in 1990. It didn’t take him long to earn himself a trip to the hospital on it, and he’s never looked back since. These days he’s keeping it rubber side down, riding locally and overseas as much as possible.
