The Five Ten Impact Pro recently replaced the Five Ten Impact VXi as Five Ten’s most downhill/big hit-oriented flat mountain bike shoe. The Impact VXi was certainly a shoe that offered a great deal of protection, but it was also so stiff and bulky that it deadened trail feedback, which caused many downhillers to choose the Five Ten Freerider Pro instead. It also paired Five Ten’s beefiest, burliest upper with their grippy but fragile Mi6 rubber compound, which meant that the Impact VXi’s sole shredded rather quickly. With the launch of the Impact Pro, Five Ten aims to right those wrongs and make the shoe that the impact VXi had the potential to become.

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Grip

The Five Ten Impact Pro features the same Stealth rubber compound found on most of Five Ten’s Freerider lineup. While a touch less grippy than the Mi6 rubber found on the old Impact VXi, the Stealth rubber is extremely grippy in its own right and feels much more at home on a flat mountain bike shoe that is obviously meant to take a beating.

While the Five Ten Impact Pro features the same Stealth rubber as the Freerider Pro, it uses a different tread pattern. Rather than the Full Dot tread pattern found on most of the Freerider line, the Impact Pro uses its own “multi dotty” tread pattern. Rather than the consistent, large, raised “dots” of the full dot pattern, the multi-dot pattern features these same large dots with smaller, pin-like dots in between them. This makes for a pattern that your pedal’s traction pins can really burrow in and hold onto, providing a locked in feeling similar to that found on Shimano’s Michelin made soles.

The front and rear of the shoe also feature a more traditional hiking shoe type tread pattern, which combines with the rest of the multi-dot pattern and stealth rubber to make a shoe with great traction for hike a bikes on just about any sort of terrain.

The trend of great traction on and off the bike continues in wet conditions. The Sole of the Five Ten Impact Pro would probably be our second choice, behind only the Michelin made sole of the Shimano GR9 and GR7.

Rigidity and Protection

The Freerider Pro is a bit pared down from its bulkier predecessors. However, it retains the same ultra stiff sole and protective capabilities that they were known for. Even stiffer than the Freerider Pro, the Five Ten Impact Pro features the most rigid sole in our review. Of course, this is great for long days in the saddle and for marathon races, but it definitely dulls trail feedback and takes away from the feeling of being connected with your pedals, which makes other Five Ten flat mountain bike shoes so popular.

That stiffness goes right in line with the Impact Pro’s heavily armored toe box. Together, they will help protect your little piggies in the case of high-speed get-offs in downhill and enduro situations, which are the types of riding that this shoe is obviously made for.

Comfort and Breathability

Of course, all of the stiffness and protection discussed above does not make for a terribly comfortable shoe off of the bike, or on the bike for that matter. However, as with all stiff soled shoes, you will be thankful for them late in the ride on long days.

With a tough synthetic upper that does not include the mesh side panels frequently found on flat mountain bike shoes, the Impact Pro is not a particularly well-ventilated shoe. Of course, the lack of mesh does make it more water resistant, but a lace cover similar to the one found on the Shimano GR9 would really bolster the Five Ten Impact Pro as an all-weather flat mountain bike shoe.

The stiffer sole and added bulk of the Five Ten Impact Pro means that it will also be a less suitable shoe for wearing around town than the Five Ten Freerider or Freerider Pro.

Durability

The number one issue with the Five Ten Impact VXi was the same as with the Five Ten Freerider contact, the ultra sticky Mi6 sole was easily shredded by sharp traction pins and had a tendency to want to delaminate. That has been remedied, and the Impact Pro’s Stealth sole will now survive countless hike a bikes up and over jagged rocks, as well as countless descents shredding down them. 

This is much more in keeping with what we would expect from such a robust shoe, and it is a perfect match for the Impact Pro’s rugged synthetic upper.

Additional Features

There is not too much to speak of in the way of additional features for the Five Ten Impact Pro. Its features are all centered around providing maximum rigidity, protection, and grip. And it does all of those things very well.

The Bottom Line

If you are looking for a flat mountain bike shoe that provides maximum power transfer and maximum protection for your feet, then the Five Ten Impact Pro is a great option. The durability issues of the Impact VXi have been remedied by using Five Ten’s Stealth rubber on the sole, and the multi-dotty tread pattern offers great grip both on and off the bike.

Meanwhile, riders looking to have much trail feedback or a connected feeling with their pedals would still be better served by Freeriders.

Finally, a list price of ~$160 makes the Impact Pro a pricy choice, but still cheaper than an emergency room bill after breaking your toes!

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