Five Ten leads the shoe industry with innovation. In 1985, Five Ten founder and President, Charles Cole, developed a rubber that made climbing easier. Stealth Rubber soles increased the amount of body weight a climber could exert on his feet before the rubber bond broke away from the rock. Simply by buying a new shoe, climbers could climb better. Since then, Cole has upped the ante with Stealth S1, Stealth C4, Stealth HF (high friction), Stealth Amphibia (for water), and now Stealth ONYXX, which is twice as durable as any other climbing rubber available, with 25 percent more friction.
But rubber is just the start. In the climbing arena, Five Ten is responsible for the modern rock shoe design. Cole invented the first sling shot rand, the first down-turned last, and the first heel wedge to cushion impact. Other firsts include pull tabs on both climbing and approach shoes, baseball stitching in climbing shoes to alleviate hot spots and graded midsoles to adjust the shoe’s flexibility to different climber weights. Cole also invented the fishhook midsole, a leap in rock shoe design because, for the first time, a rock shoe could have stiffness around the toe’s perimeter for precision edging, and a flexible underfoot for smearing and sensitivity. Five Ten also introduced the first self-draining water shoes, and the first ankle to toe lacing on approach shoes, which allows a custom, performance fit.
Because of Five Ten’s commitment to innovation and performance, Five Ten is the shoe-of-choice for the world’s top climbers. Even climbers who are paid high-dollar salaries to wear other brands secretly resole with Stealth rubber. From hiking to paddling to mountain biking, recreational and expert athletes alike know that Five Ten means more than footwear—Five Ten shoes are essential equipment for adventure.
When you buy Five Ten, you know you are getting state-of-the-art technology—from the material of the uppers and the shape of the last, down to the ultra-technical midsoles and the world’s highest friction rubber. When you buy Five Ten, you know you are getting the best. A difference you’ll notice as soon as you step into your shoes.
