Five Ten’s Freerider Pro is a long-standing shoe for the brand, but now, it packs the convenience of a Boa closure. Features aside, it’s a top performer, providing top-level comfort and decent breathability, making for an excellent summer trail shoe. Although Five Ten is now owned by Adidas, it certainly hasn’t lost its edge when it comes to outright traction.
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Five Ten Freerider Pro Boa – Technical details
Now coming in three models, there’s not all that much that sets the Freerider Pro Boa apart from its regular Freerider Pro range mate. However, the extra £20 graces the shoe with a Boa Li2 closure for on-the-fly microadjustment.
With an EVA midsole, the shoe benefits from an Ortholite insert in a bid to boost comfort, and the outsole is made using Five Ten’s famous Stealth S1 rubber with the instantly recognisable Dotty tread pattern.
Moving towards the upper, it’s made from synthetic materials and it’s complete with a reinforced toe cap for protection. Five Ten then says that the shoe is built of at least 20% recycled content, which has become a new standard for the brand.
The Freerider Pro Boa comes in two colourways, black and red, and white, and is available in sizes 5.5 up to 14.5 UK. Five Ten claims that they weigh 361g in a size UK 8.5, whereas a single 9.5 shoe weighs 373g, which is a little heavier than pricier options, but the shoe’s weight certainly doesn’t hinder its performance.
Five Ten Freerider Pro Boa – Performance
Five Ten has been a key player in the shoe game for years now, and with the Freerider Pro Boa, the brand shows absolutely no sign of letting up. Sizing and fit are very good, being true to the 9.5 UK, or EU44 size as expected. It’s snug enough for stability, but there’s a good amount of wiggle room around the toe box.
Comfort, however, is one area where the shoe seriously impressed, and that’s mostly down to the Ortholite insert. It’s plush, a little squishy, and it conforms to the contours of the foot, which boosts stability and security further. Against shoes with slimmer inserts, it does sacrifice some pedal feel, but the payoff in comfort is well worth it. It also provides some vibration damping, which is always appreciated.
I’m a big fan of Boa dials as they make the simple act of putting on and taking off a shoe super quick, and that’s certainly the case with the Freerider Pro Boa. However, they can pose a drawback in that when a shoe is built with just one dial, it can struggle to distribute pressure evenly over the foot. That is something I’ve noticed with this shoe. Before winding down the dial, I’ve had to rearrange the lace just to make sure that it’s putting pressure on each of the opposing flaps evenly, and even then, it’s not perfect. But owing to a well-padded tongue, the shoe does get away with some unevenness at the top of the foot.
On the subject of the tongue, when combined with the perforations at the toe, breathability and airflow are plentiful. I’m not talking full-on summer shoe style, but even when riding through warmer weather, I’ve been impressed with a clear feel of air entering the toebox to keep things cool. Weather protection isn’t a key feature of this shoe, but that’s not to be expected, given its build.
To touch on weather protection, it doesn’t do all that much to stop water ingress. Again, the tongue is textile, so water can easily make its way in. Though, as most of the upper is made from a TPU, very minor splashes are fended off. Still, it’s not a shoe I would count on for year-round use.
Five Ten has made its name through the traction of its products, and its Stealth rubber provides. With that, grip is abundant. I’ve ridden in these shoes using both Race Face’s Turbine pedal and Leatt’s 8.0 Ceramag pedals – two mighty different pedals, might I add, with one featuring huge pins and a deep concave whereas the other utilises shorter pins with a much flatter profile and grip has translated well over both.
Rarely have my feet unexpectedly come off a pedal, and I’ve been able to ride with full confidence. Although the Dotty tread pattern is textured, it’s not terribly tall, which means that I’ve been able to reposition my feet on the pedals without much effort. Stealth S1 is certainly a softer compound, so the outsole is showing signs of wear after a few months of riding very aggressively pinned pedals, but there’s certainly a lot of life left.
During my time with these shoes, I’ve really struggled to find fault. It would be great to see an extra Boa or a velcro strap just to achieve more even pressure over the top of the foot, and well, white isn’t the best colour for an MTB shoe as it hasn’t stayed white for long.
Five Ten Freerider Pro Boa – Verdict
£150 for a Boa-equipped flat-pedal shoe certainly isn’t crazy expensive, in fact, it’s pretty on point. A similar shoe is Ride Concepts’ Accomplice Boa, which gets a full textile construction. Having tested the Accomplice Boa Clip, I found the closure to apply more even pressure over the foot, though I rode the clip shoe, I can’t speak for grip.
The Crankbrothers Stamp Trail Boa shoe is another Boa-laden flat pedal shoe that’s well worth a look, however, that’ll set you back £200. Comfort is very good, though not quite as luxurious as the Freerider Pro, but it does a better job of putting even pressure over the foot owing to the fact that the Boa is placed lower on the shoe, and a velcro strap takes care of the upper portion. Grip is good, but its tread pattern is taller, which can get cumbersome when shifting position over a pedal.
With the Freerider Pro Boa, Five Ten still proudly dons the crown of making some of the grippiest shoes around. Throw in its excellent comfort and the convenience of the Boa dial, it’s one of the best mountain bike shoes on the market. It’s not without a couple of niggles, but the package as a whole certainly outweighs them.
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Product purpose:
Build extra:
Micro-adjustable dial-based BOA® Fit System
Synthetic upper with reinforced toe cap
Textile lining
EVA midsole
Weight: 361 g (size UK 8.5)
Midsole drop: 8 mm (heel: 25 mm / forefoot: 17 mm)
Stealth S1 rubber outsole with Dotty tread
Contains at least 20% recycled content
Product colour: Core Black / Red / Cloud White
Product code: IH3050
Product construction
Product construction extra:
Product performance
Product performance extra:
Product durability
Product durability extra:
Product weight
Product weight extra:
Product comfort
Product comfort extra:
product value
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