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5.10 Freerider Contact vs Pro

schwaaa31

schwaaa31

Turbo Monkey
Jul 30, 2002
1,432
1,020
Clinton Massachusetts
It’s time to upgrade my trusty freeriders after about 5 or 6 years of abuse. They’ve actually held up great, other than the soles are just getting worn out. I’m looking at the contacts and the pros. The little research I’ve done says the contacts had delaminating issues? The pros supposedly solved that issue? Anyone have real time experience with either? It sounds like the quality of 5.10’s has dipped since Addidas took over? I’m looking for something a bit more stiff than the OG freerider. I use them for both DH and trail riding, but pedaling generally fucking sucks, so mostly DH.
 
HAB

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,006
Seattle
I tried on both, the Contacts fit me better. I've only got a few dozen rides on them, but so far so good.
 
rockofullr

rockofullr

confused
Jun 11, 2009
7,342
924
East Bay, Cali
I'm on the Pro and I like them. A bit more sturdy feeling than the contact. The kinda waterproof toe box saved my toes from freezing on a cold and wet ride. After 6 months they seem to be holding up pretty well (last pair of Freeriders died by delamination after about a year so we'll see how it goes). Would recommend.

Now for what I don't like. The stiffer material on the toe box tends to crease when the shoe is flexed rather than bending like the fabric toe of the standard Freerider. My last pair of Freeriders had flat rubber under the ball of the foot where you stand on the pedal. I actually liked that design and the Pro has those circle lugs over the whole sole.
 
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6thElement

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,934
13,186
Are the Pro's a stiffer sole?

Wife doesn't like the newer Impact VXi's and finds her Freeriders aren't stiff enough soles for DH compared to the 2FO's she was using before them. The soles on the 2FO's just don't last long enough with as much as she rides.
 
Jim Mac

Jim Mac

MAKE ENDURO GREAT AGAIN
May 21, 2004
6,352
282
the middle east of NY
When 5-10 had their own site, they had a great closeout section. Now that they have been consumed under the Adidas umbrella, anyone have leads on sales? Looking for das kid - size 8 or so...he rapidly grew our of size 7 freeloaders we scored for $50 on said closeout last year.
 
Metamorphic

Metamorphic

Monkey
May 12, 2015
274
177
Cackalack
Jim Mac said:
When 5-10 had their own site, they had a great closeout section. Now that they have been consumed under the Adidas umbrella, anyone have leads on sales? Looking for das kid - size 8 or so...he rapidly grew our of size 7 freeloaders we scored for $50 on said closeout last year.
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Dear Bike Jesus - when did this happen? I used to get all my 5.10's off the closeout section of their site. Holy shit. Sorry....i've apparently been under a rock. But damn! Adidas you are trippin.

Anyways, to contribute something other than aimless rambling, I spent a long time on the OG Freeriders and recently (1 year or so) moved to Freerider Pros. They are legit for sure. Love them. As previously mentioned, they shed water mo' betta' than the Freeriders ever did. Stiffer sole for sure. My only complaint is the upper is stiffer too, and that can kind of pinch your ankles when your foot-calf angles get weird. Would bang again.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,817
24,393
media blackout
Jim Mac said:
When 5-10 had their own site, they had a great closeout section. Now that they have been consumed under the Adidas umbrella, anyone have leads on sales? Looking for das kid - size 8 or so...he rapidly grew our of size 7 freeloaders we scored for $50 on said closeout last year.
Click to expand...
steepandcheap / backcountry.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,817
24,393
media blackout
Metamorphic said:
Dear Bike Jesus - when did this happen? I used to get all my 5.10's off the closeout section of their site. Holy shit. Sorry....i've apparently been under a rock. But damn! Adidas you are trippin.
Click to expand...
a while ago. i read someone else that according to a rep who was with them before adidas, that the quality has indeed gone down. sad really.

adidas can fuck right off.
 
Dogboy

Dogboy

Turbo Monkey
Apr 12, 2004
3,209
584
Durham, NC
The Freerider Pro's are so much better than the Contact's. Better grip, more refined fit, better materials. Probably the best shoe they've made, though I'm keen to try the Impact Pro's for a burlier option.
 
Dogboy

Dogboy

Turbo Monkey
Apr 12, 2004
3,209
584
Durham, NC
jonKranked said:
a while ago. i read someone else that according to a rep who was with them before adidas, that the quality has indeed gone down. sad really.

adidas can fuck right off.
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Couldn't disagree more. The shoes they are making now are better than ever. I put over 3k miles on a pair of Freerider Pro's last year and they are still going strong.
 
chris_f

chris_f

Monkey
Jun 20, 2007
390
409
I went through two pairs of Impacts last season. Warranty covered it, but still pretty bad. I'm now on my third pair, and they seem fine for the time being.
 
'size

'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
Dogboy said:
Couldn't disagree more. The shoes they are making now are better than ever. I put over 3k miles on a pair of Freerider Pro's last year and they are still going strong.
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agreed. post adidas OG freeriders have lasted me 2+ years and barely show any wear. granted they never get wet, just dusty but no issues with the sole, delamination or stitching like i've read about.
 
sundaydoug

sundaydoug

Monkey
Jun 8, 2009
611
275
I've had pairs of original Freeriders, 2 pairs of Impacts (Sam edition), 2 pairs of Impact VXi, and most recently the new Freerider Pro. Honestly, the new Freerider Pro is my favorite out of all of them. They're light, adequately stiff, very comfortable, and thankfully have the more durable rubber (compared with the VXi rubber that would last 1/2 a season). I have wide feet and there's a generous amount of room up front. They're just as comfortable for a 20 mile XC ride as they are for a day at the bike park.
 
Udi

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Did anyone run the OG Danny Mac freeriders (black with blue accents)?

They had a beefed up toe box over the regular ones, I think also a stiffer sole, or maybe just the improved insole. I've run them for a few years and quite liked them, particularly the stiff toe box. Durability was excellent too since they ran the line of sole-upper stitching all the way around. I'm now on my last pair though and it's time to find something new.

Would the new freerider pro tick all the same boxes while (presumably) being a bit lighter and a bit stickier?

Also I heard the sizing changed a bit, what's the recommended up/downsize number if any?
 
HAB

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,006
Seattle
Udi said:
Did anyone run the OG Danny Mac freeriders (black with blue accents)?

They had a beefed up toe box over the regular ones, I think also a stiffer sole, or maybe just the improved insole. I've run them for a few years and quite liked them, particularly the stiff toe box. Durability was excellent too since they ran the line of sole-upper stitching all the way around. I'm now on my last pair though and it's time to find something new.

Would the new freerider pro tick all the same boxes while (presumably) being a bit lighter and a bit stickier?

Also I heard the sizing changed a bit, what's the recommended up/downsize number if any?
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Having tried on but not ridden the Pros, I'd say they run pretty true to size. They do sound on paper like they'd fit the bill for you, but they didn't fit me especially well. My feet are slightly on the narrow side, though not to a huge degree or anything, and the heel box on the Pros was just too wide for me. I had the same issue with the standard Freeriders of old though, so if those worked for you, decent chance that the Pros would too.

They did seem well constructed, and the sole is definitely much stiffer than the old Freerider. If they'd fit me better I'd have been all over them, just didn't seem like the best option for me personally for that reason.
 
sundaydoug

sundaydoug

Monkey
Jun 8, 2009
611
275
Udi said:
Would the new freerider pro tick all the same boxes while (presumably) being a bit lighter and a bit stickier?

Also I heard the sizing changed a bit, what's the recommended up/downsize number if any?
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The Freerider Pro sizing seems consistent with other 5.10's I've had (reg Impacts and VXi), if not maybe ever so slightly larger. This could be due to the larger front/toe area though. I'll tell you this, while Impacts took a handful of rides to get broken in the Freerider Pros almost seemed to have the ability to break in on one or two short rides. They're pretty comfy right out of the box.

In terms of weight, I did the ultra scientific weight test for a Freerider Pro vs Impact VXi (holding one of each in opposite hands) and I couldn't tell any significant weight difference. The soles on the Freerider Pro's might not be quite as stiff as that of the Impacts, but I think that the difference is negligible and the stiffness is adequate. They really do check all the boxes IMO.
 
Metamorphic

Metamorphic

Monkey
May 12, 2015
274
177
Cackalack
Udi said:
Also I heard the sizing changed a bit, what's the recommended up/downsize number if any?
Click to expand...
I am but a single data point, but I did not find this to be the case. Barons, OG Freeriders x2, all @ size 11 fit me great. New Freerider Pro...also 11. Also great.
 
Gary

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,618
5,538
UK
@Udi
Y'know how the UK, US and EU all have their own separate shoe sizing scales? Which one do you guys tend to use?

If it helps 5:10s size up true to normal US shoes eg. Vans and Etnies and compare equally in both their UK and US sizes.
Shimano Speshialized and most other cycling specific brands have weird sizing. Scott being a notable exception (maybe because they do other sports equipment well too).

Yours Imelda

x
 
'size

'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
9M119 said:
I've found wet weather and sandy soil will kill the breathable mesh panels pretty quick. I have about 6 months on mine and it's starting to fray where it flexes.
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makes sense. i run my feet pretty far forward on my pedals so i don't get a lot of flex anyway.
 
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