The 3 contact points on a bicycle. The hands on the grips, the sit bones on the seat, and the feet on the pedals. Gravity riders aren't concerned with sitting on a seat, so our feet and hands do all the work of staying in contact with/controlling the bike. That's why Five Ten shoes and Gravity riding go hand in hand. Look around at any DH race or bike park and most riders are wearing Five Ten shoes. It all started with the Aussie invasion of World Cup DH when racers Nathan Rennie and Chris Kovarik were turning heads with new school lines, flat pedals, and mysterious Intense branded shoes with the sticky rubber soles made by Five Ten.
Fast forward to over a decade later, Five Ten currently has a full line of mountain bike shoes for all disciplines of gravity riding with the Impact being the most popular shoe for flat pedals amongst DH riders. For 2014, Five Ten has revamped the Impact line-up with a new low top flat pedal shoe and a very similar looking spd/clip-in shoe. We'll be taking a look at the new Impact VXi for flat pedals and comparing them to the old Impacts and how they performed during 3 days of rough, rocky, and dry conditions at Northstar.
I've owned several pairs of Five Ten shoes for the last 10 seasons. High top Impacts, The Karver, 2 pairs of Low Top Impacts, and the FreeRider VXi Elements. I've been happy with all of my Five Ten shoes. In general, they are comfortable right out of the box, the fit is spot on for my size 11 foot, they are durable and the uppers last a really long time under a lot of abuse.
Right out of the box, the Impact VXi feels noticeably featherweight. The old Impacts are heavy and clunky and I was pleased that the VXi's are light and low profile. The old Impacts weigh in at 1150 grams (2.5 pounds). The new Impact VXi weighs 825 grams (1.8 pounds). That's a 325 gram difference, over a half a pound. Could I tell when I put them on my feet and walked around? Yes. Could I tell when riding? Yes.
After 3 days of lift access rocks, dust, and jumps, I am happy with the new Impact VXi. It is a lower profile shoe than the old Impacts but it is slightly stiffer and offers better foot and toe protection. The new toe box protected my toes from a few rock strikes over the weekend, with my Devinci Wilson in Low/Slack mode, and it really is an improvement. The subtle stiffness of the sole translated into more feel on the pedals/bike but I also think it transferred more feel to my feet. I could feel this on my first run, in a different but good way. Perhaps the new Impacts are not as cushy and thick soled as the old, but I like the slightly stiffer sole better. I usually run a BobHannah MX Racing insole in my shoes and most riders I know use an "aftermarket" insole, so after the first afternoon, I put in my usual insoles. The new shoes needed a bit more break-in time compared to the soft and cushy, instantly comfortable old Impacts. This is mostly due to the stiffer upper construction and the "tight", low profile design of the new Impact VXi, a difference that I prefer. Don't get me wrong, the new Impacts are very comfy and feel fine while walking around, and will most likely be softer after a few months of use, but hopefully the sole won't get flexible and uber-soft like the old Impacts.
The new low profile design of the Impact VXi offers a better fit and gives me a better feel at the pedal and the ability to really fine tune my foot placement, which translates to more control. I also had no crank arm or chain stay rub like with the old Impacts. The stiffer sole felt better on rough terrain and offered a better feeling of control at high speeds and an affective and sensitive feeling while pushing hard in corners and jumping. I didn't notice the new Mi6 rubber, as far as stickiness is concerned, but the new rubber compound might be more about the stiffness combined with better shock absorption with a thinner sole. I did notice the smaller rubber dots on the new sole, giving a more specific feel, another improvement. The Impact VXi also has a better weather resistant outer coating and doesn't take on water and dirt the way the old, fabric Impacts can. The Northstar dust rinsed off easily due to the outer coating.
Other nice details are the red finger loops for pulling on the heel of the shoe, this made getting the shoe on a LOT easier. The "Lace Loops" for stashing the laces is also an improvement. They're elastic and easier to use, unlike the old Impact that had an awkward loop that usually got stuck under the laces and was too small.
One opinion I developed over the weekend concerns wearing the Impact VXi as an everyday shoe. As the old Impacts are quite comfortable as a daily shoe, and worn by the police and military (and bikers) as such, the new Impact requires some break-in time and feels like more of a cycling shoe than a loose fitting skate shoe. The stiff sole and footbed just doesn't have the flexible feel of an everyday shoe. This translates to a better shoe while on the bike and it's an obvious improvement unless you're looking for a shoe to wear all day at work.
Overall, even though some riders with always love the thick, cushy, and clunky old Impacts, the new Impact VXi is an improvement over the old. The new Impact needs more break in time, but offers a better fit, stiffer sole, more protection at a noticeably lower weight, and stealthier profile. I still wear my old Impacts almost daily and they are my favorite comfy shoes, but when it comes to riding my DH bike or flat pedal trail rides, I'll be lacing up the new Impact VXi every time. Due to the performance advantages over the old, the new Impact VXi sets the new standard for the best flat pedal, DH/Gravity specific shoe.
The Five Ten Impact VXi is available in Team Black or Sam Hill color ways at an MSRP of $149.95.
Info at Five Ten's Website: http://fiveten.com/products/impact-vxi
Fast forward to over a decade later, Five Ten currently has a full line of mountain bike shoes for all disciplines of gravity riding with the Impact being the most popular shoe for flat pedals amongst DH riders. For 2014, Five Ten has revamped the Impact line-up with a new low top flat pedal shoe and a very similar looking spd/clip-in shoe. We'll be taking a look at the new Impact VXi for flat pedals and comparing them to the old Impacts and how they performed during 3 days of rough, rocky, and dry conditions at Northstar.
I've owned several pairs of Five Ten shoes for the last 10 seasons. High top Impacts, The Karver, 2 pairs of Low Top Impacts, and the FreeRider VXi Elements. I've been happy with all of my Five Ten shoes. In general, they are comfortable right out of the box, the fit is spot on for my size 11 foot, they are durable and the uppers last a really long time under a lot of abuse.
Right out of the box, the Impact VXi feels noticeably featherweight. The old Impacts are heavy and clunky and I was pleased that the VXi's are light and low profile. The old Impacts weigh in at 1150 grams (2.5 pounds). The new Impact VXi weighs 825 grams (1.8 pounds). That's a 325 gram difference, over a half a pound. Could I tell when I put them on my feet and walked around? Yes. Could I tell when riding? Yes.
After 3 days of lift access rocks, dust, and jumps, I am happy with the new Impact VXi. It is a lower profile shoe than the old Impacts but it is slightly stiffer and offers better foot and toe protection. The new toe box protected my toes from a few rock strikes over the weekend, with my Devinci Wilson in Low/Slack mode, and it really is an improvement. The subtle stiffness of the sole translated into more feel on the pedals/bike but I also think it transferred more feel to my feet. I could feel this on my first run, in a different but good way. Perhaps the new Impacts are not as cushy and thick soled as the old, but I like the slightly stiffer sole better. I usually run a BobHannah MX Racing insole in my shoes and most riders I know use an "aftermarket" insole, so after the first afternoon, I put in my usual insoles. The new shoes needed a bit more break-in time compared to the soft and cushy, instantly comfortable old Impacts. This is mostly due to the stiffer upper construction and the "tight", low profile design of the new Impact VXi, a difference that I prefer. Don't get me wrong, the new Impacts are very comfy and feel fine while walking around, and will most likely be softer after a few months of use, but hopefully the sole won't get flexible and uber-soft like the old Impacts.
The new low profile design of the Impact VXi offers a better fit and gives me a better feel at the pedal and the ability to really fine tune my foot placement, which translates to more control. I also had no crank arm or chain stay rub like with the old Impacts. The stiffer sole felt better on rough terrain and offered a better feeling of control at high speeds and an affective and sensitive feeling while pushing hard in corners and jumping. I didn't notice the new Mi6 rubber, as far as stickiness is concerned, but the new rubber compound might be more about the stiffness combined with better shock absorption with a thinner sole. I did notice the smaller rubber dots on the new sole, giving a more specific feel, another improvement. The Impact VXi also has a better weather resistant outer coating and doesn't take on water and dirt the way the old, fabric Impacts can. The Northstar dust rinsed off easily due to the outer coating.
Other nice details are the red finger loops for pulling on the heel of the shoe, this made getting the shoe on a LOT easier. The "Lace Loops" for stashing the laces is also an improvement. They're elastic and easier to use, unlike the old Impact that had an awkward loop that usually got stuck under the laces and was too small.
One opinion I developed over the weekend concerns wearing the Impact VXi as an everyday shoe. As the old Impacts are quite comfortable as a daily shoe, and worn by the police and military (and bikers) as such, the new Impact requires some break-in time and feels like more of a cycling shoe than a loose fitting skate shoe. The stiff sole and footbed just doesn't have the flexible feel of an everyday shoe. This translates to a better shoe while on the bike and it's an obvious improvement unless you're looking for a shoe to wear all day at work.
Overall, even though some riders with always love the thick, cushy, and clunky old Impacts, the new Impact VXi is an improvement over the old. The new Impact needs more break in time, but offers a better fit, stiffer sole, more protection at a noticeably lower weight, and stealthier profile. I still wear my old Impacts almost daily and they are my favorite comfy shoes, but when it comes to riding my DH bike or flat pedal trail rides, I'll be lacing up the new Impact VXi every time. Due to the performance advantages over the old, the new Impact VXi sets the new standard for the best flat pedal, DH/Gravity specific shoe.
The Five Ten Impact VXi is available in Team Black or Sam Hill color ways at an MSRP of $149.95.
Info at Five Ten's Website: http://fiveten.com/products/impact-vxi
Available online at RideSFO:
http://ridesfo.lightspeedwebstore.com/five-ten-impact-vxi-shoes/dp/1000003116
http://ridesfo.lightspeedwebstore.com/five-ten-impact-vxi-shoes/dp/1000003116