[Tested] Five Ten Freerider Pro

Five Ten recently sent us out their revamped versions of the legendary Freerider model, dubbed the Freerider Pro. The Freerider Pros feature Five Ten’s Stealth S1 rubber, and the pair weighs in at 11.9 oz. The color way we received is titled ‘Night Navy’ and retails for $150.

First Impressions

The shoes definitely have the auora of high tech construction, and materials right out of the box. The first thing we noticed when slipping on the Freerider Pros, is the sense of feeling cushioned all around your foot. The compression-molded EVA midsole and removable Ortholite molded sock liner are 2 features that are felt immediately, giving your feet a sense of protection and comfort. It took a few rides to truly break in the shoes, and once that happened, they felt even more supportive and void of tight spots. Worth noting, we took these on a non-bike travel trip, and wore them nearly everyday for walking shoes, which was a good choice, as they were quite comfy and capable off the bike as well.

Specifications

• Synthetic, light-weight, weather-resistant upper
• Impact-resistant toe box
• Compression-molded EVA midsole
• Removable Ortholite molded sock liner
• Stealth® S1™ dotty outsole for proven grip and durability
• WEIGHT: 11.9 oz (338 gm)
• Buy online

On the Trail

We came from wearing a pair of shoes that were quite soft in foot support, as well as lacking grip compared to the legendary Stealth rubber. We’ve worn Five Ten’s in the past, but had forgotten how sticky the classic dot pattern can be. The Freerider Pros can feel locked onto your pedal while riding seated, as opposed to many shoes that don’t truly engage with pedal pins until full body weight is applied. Though feeling glued to the pedals was a sensation we hadn’t experienced in a while, it came as a nice change, and a welcome feature. When riding through rough sections of trail, we found less foot re-positioning was needed with the Freerider Pros and hence we could focus more on letting off the brakes than thinking about our feet. The materials Five Ten used in the Freerider Pros seem to work quite well for keeping breathability high, and they’ve dried reasonably fast after the few times we’ve got them wet.

Overall

We’ve been quite happy with the performance, comfort, and durability of the Freerider Pros. On the side of the front toe, just past the stitching we noticed the rubber start to peel back a bit, we’re thinking it won’t open up more, but it’s worth noting. Five Ten has let us know that the first pair we received were samples, so it’s unlikely that a retail pair will have an issue like such. If anything happens, the shoes are backed by Five Ten’s full 2 year warranty for materials. For the price point, and when compared to other offerings for flat pedal shoes geared toward both trail and DH use, we’d recommend the Freerider Pros as possibly the best all around riding shoes currently on the market.

More info and shoe models here: Five Ten