After shredded shins from pedal slips I needed some heavy duty mountain biking shoes with grip, protection and durability. Here’s my review of the 5:10 High Impact shoe.
Five Ten’s Impact 2 High
Five Ten Impact 2 High Technical Features
- Weight: 727g each (1454g a pair)
- Sizes UK 4-12, 13 US 5-13, 14
- Stealth Rubber technology on the sole for superior grip
- Well ventilated yet durable
- Increased ankle protection
Comfort and Fit
The Impact High is a surprisingly comfortable shoe despite being so bulky. The fit is a little snug, so I’d recommend getting half a size larger than your standard size.
Weighing in at almost 1.5 kg per pair, they felt like concrete blocks compared to our old Vans.
If you are often ascending on single track or enjoy AM riding, the Impact High is not the shoe for you at all. However, for the gravity runs I needed them for, weight wasn’t an issue.
The tongue is asymmetric, only open on one side, reducing the chance for anything to get inside the shoe and it keeps your feet snug. On the toe they are rigid with not much wiggle room and boxy feel but still comfortable.
Air vents are on the side to keep you cool, however they’re not that great; you’ll still end up dying to take them off to let your toes catch a breeze.
That being said, Five Ten have put a lot of thought into Impact. It’s heavy for a reason: durability for downhill thrashing.
Stealth Rubber means you’ll never lose grip
Five Ten Impact High 2 | Positives
The grip is fantastic so you’ll never slip off the pedals once you’re in place. When riding it’s impossible to slide them around, you have to lift your foot vertically to get off the pedal. There’s no lateral movement; they just dig in and grip.
The magic behind the grip lies within the “Stealth” rubber technology, developed in 1985 for use in rock climbing, making them ultra grippy shock absorbers.
The sole is tough as nails too, withstanding pedal pins throughout regular all weather rides and a summer of non-stop hammering in the Alps without as much as a loose thread or hole.
Features like the reinforced toe cap and metal eyelets go to show how thought out how durability was factored into the design. Even the asymmetrical rubber sole protects against uneven wear from rubbing on the crank arm.
The Impact High fully covers ankles, which we found useful on crashes and when hiking on uneven ground, so your ankles are protected from any cuts or twists.
The rubber sole welt protects against crank arm rub
Five Ten Impact High 2 | Negatives
The weight is an issue and you’ll really notice it.
Another downside is that they let water in if you’re not careful – don’t go through any puddles thinking you’ll be safe as after a few seconds that ice-cold creeping feeling will envelop your foot.
When wet, they take forever to dry. After one rainy riding session it took several days propped up on the radiator before you could wear them again without getting damp toes.
Final Take
The Five Ten Impact High is a great shoe for downhill and gravity runs when ankle protection is needed. Stealth rubber technology means they’re incredibly grippy and give you a sense of near invulnerability when descending.
It’s not great for single track or all-mountain riding; wherever you need to pedal, due to their weight and boxy feel.
Due to their design and size, they are a let-down in wet weather too, especially with drying time.
If you’re not worried about ankle protection and want a lighter shoe for AM and DH use, look at the Five Ten Impact 2 Low.
No Comments