FIVE TEN TRAILCROSS PRO CLIP-IN REVIEW

Words by Michael Walker  |  Photos by Caitlin Wilkinson

The adidas Five Ten Trailcross range offers versatile shoes in a range of guises and options, which prioritize more comfort and versatility on and off the bike, but generally forgo some of the more bike-focused aspects we typically find in riding shoes. Does prioritizing versatility bring too much compromise on the trail? Read on to see how I got on with the Five Ten Trailcross Pro Clip-In shoes as my daily drivers over the last six months.

THE LAB

The Five Ten Trailcross Pro Clip-in carries over all the major traits and styling found in the Trailcross lineup and throws in some “pro” features. The upper portion of the shoe is a combination of abrasion resistant materials paired with a mesh material to keep things cool, and there’s a micro-adjustable BOA® Fit System for easy and effective fastening. Five Ten added a molded toe cap to tune the fit with a reinforced toe box for increased protection; and added a raised neoprene sleeve which is designed to keep dust and dirt out of the sock.

Five Ten gave these “pro” shoes a stiffer sole for increased performance for aggressive use, preventing pressure spots on the foot from the cleats on long and aggressive descents. The cleat track features lots of space around it to help to clear mud and aid clipping in through muddier conditions, with a fairly aggressive and rearward cleat track position to support a more gravity-oriented cleat setting. The remainder of the sole is constructed from 5.10s legendary stealth marathon rubber which uses at least 50% recycled content. The increased sole stiffness comes without forgetting the Trailcross DNA, so there’s still flex built into the sole for more natural walking. The EVA midsole keeps comfort in mind, but is relatively thin to keep them light.

The adidas Five Ten Trailcross Pro Clip-In shoes are offered in Men’s sizes UK 5.5-14.5 / US 6-15 or Women’s UK 3.5 – 9.5 / US 5 – 11 with half sizes available, in a choice of two colors, at a retail price of $200/£180.

THE DIRT

Over the duration of the review period, the adidas Five Ten Trailcross Pro Clip-In shoes were tested with the Hope Union Gravity and Union Trail clip-in pedals. With these pedals, to get my desired cleat position and feel, I found there was no need to use the cleat spacers supplied by Five Ten.

Initial standout impressions of these shoes was their light feel (weighing in at around 450 grams for the UK size nine shoes tested), and snug fit. The BOA dial system allows for a fine-tuned and incremental adjustment, which just cannot be achieved with a simpler laced shoe. The layout and design of the tightening system did a fantastic job of transmitting the tension evenly across the whole top of the shoe, which equated to a secure feeling shoe with very little to no concentrated or uncomfortable tight spots. I have experienced some discomfort with other BOA based systems in the past, but Five Ten’s execution here provided no such issues.

The sole of the shoes manages to retain the stiffness and rigidity expected from a performance shoe, however they retain just enough comfort for longer descents. This is paired with compliant flex, helping to find sufficient traction when off the bike pushing up steep inclines for sessioning sections or in hike-a-bike moments. Some of the purely riding-focused clip-in shoes I have owned in the past have often felt like walking in planks, but the Trailcross Pro’s proved to be a much more pleasant adventure shoe.

The cleat recesses in the shoes are slightly deeper than most clip shoes I’ve owned , which keeps the cleats tucked away. I noticed little to no tapping or scraping sounds coming from the cleats when off the bike, which offers much more confidence when walking on rocks or slick roots. When paired with the Hope Union series clip-in pedals, I found the shoes delivered a consistent feeling for both “clip in” and release, even when they began to clog up with mud and grime. They delivered a consistent connection between my feet and the bike, making for limited complaints even in the thick slop of the Scottish winter.

The added neoprene sleeves covered my ankles just enough to provide some additional protection from the cranks, and further contributed to that snug feeling mentioned earlier. The shoes are more enclosed than most which prevents dirt from entering through the top of the shoe relatively well. However, a byproduct of the enclosed fit is in the temperature control department. Depending on the season or where in the world you are riding this could be perceived as a benefit in colder climates, but these shoes ride quite hot, even with the mesh uppers. During the summer months this was noticeable and led to some discomfort with some rather hot feet.

As the top surface of the shoe is mostly constructed with the mesh material – which has the intention of cooling – the weather proofing or water resistance of these shoes is quite poor and as a result most winter rides would end with very wet shoes and feet on our wet Scottish trails. I found this to be quite odd as generally shoes that are too warm typically have good weather proofing, but they didn’t quite succeed with either of these criteria. They do dry out relatively quick though, at least.

During the test period I racked up plenty of miles in these shoes as my daily drivers for all trail types, and have been quite pleased with the durability of the shoes overall. The soles are still looking great, and the rubber is yet to dry out or crack. The outer surface is in great condition with all stitching in tack, which really is a testament to the abrasion resistant materials selected when designing this shoe. Overall, I’ve been really pleased with the performance and general comfort the shoes have to offer. The additional “pro” features, overall quality construction and durability in my opinion warrant the higher price point.

The Wolf’s Last Word

The adidas Five Ten Trailcross Pro Clip-in shoe provides a fantastic all-round shoe that remains focused on riding and the descents but keeps comfort and versatility on foot a high priority. Five Ten have managed to strike a fine balance with these shoes and they rarely felt compromised, however they might be best left at home during the hottest days and the winter months if you regularly face wet riding conditions.

Price: $200/£180
Website: Adidas.com