Five Ten Ladies Fit Guide

For all the ladies that love flat pedals,
​here’s a fit guide for the new women’s Five Ten bike shoes.

For the last 4 seasons I’ve been riding the men’s Five Ten Danny MacAskill Freeriders. I can’t believe they’ve held up this long. They just won’t die. But with the addition of the new ladies styles I think it’s time to retire the old Freeriders and find myself a new pair of Five Tens.

It’s hard to find ladies bike shoes that are made for flat pedals and if we’re (meaning ladies) lucky we might find one style at a local bike shop….one, maybe. Luckily, Five Ten continues to support the female rider and has come out with three ladies styles. Two styles are available as we speak and the other will be out Spring of 2016.

My foot: I am a true size 7. Narrow heal. Wide forefoot. High arch. I do not like my toes cramped or touching the end of my shoes. 

My riding style: All mountain, Enduro and DH 

​Sock: I was wearing a mid-weight sock when I tried these on. Normally I would wear a thinner sock but this particular day was chilly.

I recently had the chance to try on all three styles. Three ladies styles? Yes, that’s right, three! Never before have I been able to try on three different ladies styles at once. It made me so excited that I wanted to share what I learned with all the ladies out there. So ladies, here you go! I hope this helps you figure out which shoe is best for you.

Top to Bottom: Kestrel Lace, Freerider, Freerider Contact

Kestrel Lace: 
* The one clipless version in the bunch
* Dual-compound Stealth Mi6/C4 outsole that is similar to the Freerider but adds an increased power transfer to the pedal 
* This shoe was designed so you can hike and pedal with ease 
* Fits pedals from small platform eggbeaters to larger platform DH pedals 
* Narrowest fit of all the styles with a snug fit that hugged my entire foot 
* Fits true to size 
* Traditional lacing system with the addition of a Velcro strap to keep your laces out of the way 
* Available in Spring 2016 in one color 
* Comfortable right out of the box even though it’s the stiffest outsole of the three models 
​* If I was looking for a clipless shoe then I would definitely give the Kestrel Lace a try

Left to Right: Kestrel Lace, Freerider, Freerider Contact

Freerider: The old classic Freerider remade for the ladies! 
* Casual shoe fit that you can wear on and off the trail. An all-day shoe of sorts. 
* Comfortable right out of the box, I don’t imagine needing a lot of break in time for this one. 
* Softest midsole of the 3 styles but still more support and stiffness than a non-bike shoe 
* Simple design without a lot of bells and whistles 
* Toe box was super comfortable, not a lot of extra room but just enough so my toes weren’t    cramped 
* Traditional lace up design 
* Shock absorbing Stealth S1 rubber outsole – super sticky! 
* High-friction Dotty tread outsole 
* Breathable leather/mesh upper 
* Fits true to size 
* Available NOW! in one color 
​* This version has a thinner upper and tongue than my previous Danny MacAskill Freeriders and feels less structured. It fits like a glove though and I could wear it all day long.

Left to Right: Kestrel Lace, Freerider, Freerider Contact

Freerider Contact: 
* Abrasion-resistant synthetic upper that has more structure and a firmer fit than the Freerider 
* Heal of this shoe wraps up and around the back of your ankle for a more secure fit 
* Stealth Mi6 rubber outsole that has a treadless design under the ball of the foot so you can make adjustments on your pedal without lug interference 
* Stiffer midsole than the Freerider but softer than the Kestrel Lace 
* Fit is wider through midfoot than the other styles 
* Higher volume shoe in general 
* Fits true to size but my big toe touched the end of the shoe just a tiny bit. A thinner sock will probably solve this issue 
* Traditional lace 
* Available NOW! in two colors 
​* Not as comfortable right out of the box as the Freerider but once broken in this shoe will give you more support and a stiffer sole than the Freerider.

So which one will it be? Freerider, Freerider Contact or Kestrel Lace? They are all designed to meet my biking needs with a sticky outsole that is great for pedals and but also hiking around on the trail. And they all look good, not too girly but just enough color detail and sleekness to make them look like a women's shoe. I don't think I can make a wrong choice with any of these styles.

Drum roll please....I’m going with the Freerider Contact! The treadless design under the ball of the foot really caught my eye and the more structured feel will be a nice chance of pace from what I’m wearing now. I will be ordering the Contact in size 7 and will keep ya'll posted as to how it performs.

I hope this fit guide helps give insight into which style is best for you!
​
Thank you Five Ten for caring about the ladies!
To find out more about Five Ten visit www.fiveten.com

Post by Sarah White, Outsiety Founder