Great for the price.

More lifestyle than riding shoes.

The Good:

– Stealth Rubber works as expected
– Sleek and clean look
– Very Comfortable

The Bad:

– Needs a stiffer sole
– Poor ventilation
– Sweat soaks into the body of the shoe

Overall Review

I decided to give flat pedals a try again for all types of riding, not just downhill. 5.10 was always the shoe of choice back in the day. Though the options have grown, 5.10 still seems to be the go to brand for grippy soled riding shoes. I was going to get the Freerider Pro, but when I tired them on they were a bit too wide for my taste. Turns out the 5.10 Sleuth is more narrow and has more of a lifestyle look to them. I liked the look and feel so I decided to give them a try.

I wear a size 10 in most shoes in my life, but I ordered a 9.5 in these. The 9.5 sized Sleuth has worked well for me so far. The toe box just felt too big when I tried the 10’s on.

I started with the Crank Brothers Stamp 1 pedals and quickly got the OneUp Components Composite Pedal, much better. I have noticed I have to be a bit more aware of how I am pushing down on the pedals. If I am lazy, like I was clipped it, I will slip a pedal on roots, rocks and quick hits. Being more deliberate with a downward motion, and keeping the pedal flat, has helped me from slipping pedals.

As it comes to riding with the shoes, I have no complaints. The Stealth Rubber works as expected, except for the mentions above where I feel it’s more on me, the rider. The performance as a riding shoe though is something I would like to see improved upon. The thickness of the material doesn’t allow for good ventilation, and there are no vent holes. Riding in Texas’ 110% humidity this past weekend soaked the body of the shoes due to all the sweat. I would expect better performance from a riding shoe than what I experienced here.

I also wonder why riding shoes like these, for non-clipless pedals, don’t have a better closure systems. As I sweat, and ride, the shoe expands. A quick, easy way to tighten the shoe on my foot would be much appreciated. I always loved the BOA system for this, but that doesn’t seem to be an option on any flat pedal riding shoe, unless they have a clipless sole option. Velcro straps would be affective here, but they add a bulky look to the shoe.

I guess what I am saying is I would like to see a 5.10 Sleuth Pro option. An option where the shoe is more of a riding shoe and less of a lifestyle shoe. That means they’ll charge twice as much and I’ll probably still buy this version because at that point it won’t be worth the $200 price tag.