# Five Ten Access Mesh



## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

Just got a new pair of Five Ten Access Mesh and love them. Stiff S1 rubber sole and a quick drying, lightweight, breathable, mesh upper. Not sure there is a better shoe for me. Looking forward to ruining them on the CT this summer.

Five Ten | Access Mesh Approach Shoe - Grey


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## Smithhammer (Jul 18, 2015)

Nice. Love to hear your thoughts after using them for a while. 

5.10s are all I wear for trail riding and bikepacking anymore. :thumbsup:


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## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

I've done a couple weekend trips that included scrambling up a few desert peaks and they have been great. I can feel air moving across my feet as I ride! Kind of a big deal as the 100 temps should be right around the corner. 

The CT will be a great test and I'll post more after that.


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## bmike (Nov 17, 2009)

I have their guide sneaks and the high top light hiker sneaks. Love both of them but they run hot and sweaty. These look like another good option.


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## Affe (Dec 4, 2007)

Have you experienced any heel rub?


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## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

Nope, none at all. They are a touch wider than than Aescents at the heel but not by much.


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## jmctav23 (Oct 16, 2010)

they look pretty dope...but first I'll need to wear out the D'Ascents and Guide Tennies...


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## Affe (Dec 4, 2007)

Any updates on the feel? I really need shoes that dry quick and work with flats. In the "category" these look best but i still doubt if they really are quick drying like trail running shoes. The ones who own these shoes have you got em soaked and how well/fast did they dry? Do you have experience with other mesh quick drying shoes and how they compare? Thanks!


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## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

No word on how quickly they dry. In 105 degree heat they do keep my feet cool and I can feel air moving through so I still believe they will dry quickly. Suppose I could be a real dork and soak them in the sink for a test. Nope.

After the CT and all its HAB and summer rains I'll know more.


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## Endless Trails (Apr 10, 2016)

Affe said:


> Any updates on the feel? I really need shoes that dry quick and work with flats. In the "category" these look best but i still doubt if they really are quick drying like trail running shoes. The ones who own these shoes have you got em soaked and how well/fast did they dry? Do you have experience with other mesh quick drying shoes and how they compare? Thanks!


I had a look at these a couple of days ago in a store, they won't dry as fast as my Trail running/hiking shoes(some old Ice bug I bought 3 pairs of because they fit so good ) but like you said, these are the "best" I found. Unfortunately they didn't have my size so I ordered a pair. They should be here on Monday, will do initial assessment of them during the week if you can wait.

I'll leave on a one week dh trip followed by ~two weeks of bikepacking in the wet and muddy scandinavian mountains so I need something quick drying. Hopefully these will do.


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## mdilthey (Dec 15, 2014)

I have a pair incoming. I'm taking them to Iceland for 30 days of bikepacking in the rain, starting July 5th. That'll be a helluva test!


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## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

I thought I had cool trip planned. Colorado seems pretty lame once Scandinavia and Iceland are on the table. 

And.....I'm riding a geared bike. Lame-O alert!

In my favor my new blue Access Mesh (another lame-o alert for that name) shoes look darn good. Hike-A-Bike is for suckers, I'm going with Run-A-Bike!


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## JNKER (Feb 19, 2016)

For what it's worth, Adidas Outdoors shoes also have the same Stealth rubber. Adidas owns Five Ten. Five Ten are just a bit wide for me and the Adidas are great.


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## Affe (Dec 4, 2007)

JNKER said:


> For what it's worth, Adidas Outdoors shoes also have the same Stealth rubber. Adidas owns Five Ten. Five Ten are just a bit wide for me and the Adidas are great.


Do you have a specific adidas model in mind that would be good for flats and quick drying at the same time?


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## JNKER (Feb 19, 2016)

Good question. Take a look here: Men's Outdoor Shoes, Boots, & Sandals | adidas Outdoor


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

JNKER said:


> For what it's worth, Adidas Outdoors shoes also have the same Stealth rubber. Adidas owns Five Ten. Five Ten are just a bit wide for me and the Adidas are great.


I don't think they do.

adidas Group - Home

But I do see that Adidas Outdoor has some shoes with Stealth rubber (and some that use Continental rubber soles with huge f'ing lugs).

These look the best for mtb use, but they're not on the US site. They also don't look nearly as quick drying as the aforementioned Five Ten Access Mesh shoes.

adidas Terrex Trail Cross SL Shoes - Black | adidas Regional


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## JNKER (Feb 19, 2016)

Adidas *does* own Five Ten. They purchased them in 2011. They are also on the US site.

Let me google that for you


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

JNKER said:


> Adidas *does* own Five Ten. They purchased them in 2011. They are also on the US site.
> 
> Let me google that for you


It's not on the corporate site under "brands", so you can understand my mistake.

Why don't you tell me where the Terrex Trail Cross SL shoes are, if they're supposedly on the US site?

adidas Men's Outdoor Shoes & Boots | adidas US

19 Men's Outdoor shoes on the US site.

adidas Men's Shoes | adidas

48 Men's Outdoor shoes on the global site.


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## Affe (Dec 4, 2007)

Endless Trails said:


> I had a look at these a couple of days ago in a store, they won't dry as fast as my Trail running/hiking shoes(some old Ice bug I bought 3 pairs of because they fit so good ) but like you said, these are the "best" I found. Unfortunately they didn't have my size so I ordered a pair. They should be here on Monday, will do initial assessment of them during the week if you can wait.
> 
> I'll leave on a one week dh trip followed by ~two weeks of bikepacking in the wet and muddy scandinavian mountains so I need something quick drying. Hopefully these will do.


Great! My shoes would be used in Scandinavia as well so really looking forward for your review!


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## Affe (Dec 4, 2007)

mdilthey said:


> I have a pair incoming. I'm taking them to Iceland for 30 days of bikepacking in the rain, starting July 5th. That'll be a helluva test!


So great to get these shoes put to real tests!


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## Endless Trails (Apr 10, 2016)

Alright, received the shoes two days ago, unfortunately I couldn't test ride them until today because I managed to destroy my wheelset this weekend. Decided to 27.5+ convert my Giant Trance while I was at it and over-nighted the new stuff from England. Unfortunately I recived the wrong dynamo but managed to frankenbuilt a new front wheel anyway so it looks like I'm gonna be on a 69er for my upcoming trip :9

Back to the shoes, unfortunately these are going back to the shop as I can't see them work for me. I haven't been able to use them alot, just a short round outside my house so take this for what it is, a first impression.

First, these feel a lot more like a light weight pair of trainers rather then approach shoes or bike shoes. They have a lot of heel cushioning and a pretty big heel-toe drop. Also, the sole is very soft, I can feel small rocks or sharp stuff through it, not good for a approach shoe. I could live with this for a bike shoe but not ideal.

Second, the heel cushioning stick out alot to the sides, I hit the rear stays constantly and this is why they're going back.



















I considered simply cutting it of but then if I'm gonna start moddifying my shoes I would rather just get a pair of lightweight trailrunners and some vibram sole sheet and glue on Vibram Sohlenplatte Supernewflex 8868, 6mm, schwarz - extremtextil

The good parts then, these breathe really good, the heel is padded but the front is just a 3dmesh, no fabric. Didn't soak them because IU'm sending them back but I think that they would dry relatively fast.

The sole is also what I'd considered a very good compromise between being hiking friendly(unless it's muddy) and still be really good for flat pedals.

So I guess the verdict is if you got good clearance to the rear chainstays and don't mind the soft sole, these would be a pair of quite good bikepacking shoes. Otherwise not.


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## mdilthey (Dec 15, 2014)

Affe said:


> So great to get these shoes put to real tests!


Don't get too excited. The sizing didn't work for me... I really wanted to like these shoes, but I couldn't get them to fit. The top of the shoe and the tongue don't have a lot of "give," so I wasn't able to loosen them up enough for my big feet, even though I had the sizing right. It's just not gonna work for me and my tall arches.

They're VERY light, a lot lighter than they look. The mesh looks durable and strong, and they look like they'd dry very fast. I didn't have any heel clearance issues on my chainstay, but I'm on a fatbike with a wide BB.

I'll be using a pair of trail running shoes in Iceland. The grip on the pedals won't be ideal, but they'll dry fast and good enough is more than enough!


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## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

My arches have been flattened enough by thousands of miles of hiking in Chacos so my fat feet just squeeze in there. They, the Access Mesh, don't loosen up very much though. 

Overall I get a better fit with the Aescents but for the CT and its wet hiking I think I'll stick with the Access. 

For my money the heel end feels more similar to a Freerider, padded and supportive, while the forefoot is closer to an Aescent, lightly padded and thin. For HAB I don't think they can be beat.


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## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

Also--
My pedals, VP Harriers, chewed right through the Mi6 rubber in 6 months. Starting to see some wear already on the S1 rubber. Might have to switch pedals?

Anyone else having their pedals destroy soles? I've got a couple pairs of shoes with nice uppers and destroyed soles.


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## mdilthey (Dec 15, 2014)

Matterhorn said:


> Also--
> My pedals, VP Harriers, chewed right through the Mi6 rubber in 6 months. Starting to see some wear already on the S1 rubber. Might have to switch pedals?
> 
> Anyone else having their pedals destroy soles? I've got a couple pairs of shoes with nice uppers and destroyed soles.


Pedal spikes destroy soles. I've never had the soles actually fail before the uppers of the sole and the EVA in the shoe.

I was really disappointed with the Harriers. The plastic bushings left them with significant play after just 8 months, and I can't find the rebuild kit. Forget them.

My Shimano commuter pedals have gone 15,000 miles and don't even need grease, so I picked up the Shimano Saint pedals. They come with spacers so you can bring the spikes lower, which won't dig into your shoes as much. That might extend the life of your soles.


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## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

Thanks mate!

I have already taken apart and regreased my Harriers but am finding them to be quite nice. Not much play after 7 months and they are huge which is good for my large feet.


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## albeant (Feb 24, 2004)

I've found that it's not all the pins, but the center ones, that shred soles. I remove them, and generally prefer the pedal feel without center pins anyway.


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## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

Yep its the center pins that are doing the damage. Kinda like em' and am not sure they are removable but I'll look and think about it. Paying for shoes is a drag.


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## Smithhammer (Jul 18, 2015)

I've been using 5.10s with S1 more days than not for the last 3-4 months straight, with a pair of RF Chesters, which have the grippiest pins I've come across. Somehow, my soles don't seem to be getting torn up prematurely at all, only general wear and tear that I would expect. In fact, for such a grippy rubber (which usually means 'soft') I'm impressed with how well they're holding up. YMMV.


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## albeant (Feb 24, 2004)

Matterhorn said:


> Yep its the center pins that are doing the damage. Kinda like em' and am not sure they are removable but I'll look and think about it. Paying for shoes is a drag.


Yeah, some thin pedals (Spanks, and maybe the Harriers from the looks of them) seem to use those center pins to prevent squeaking between the sole of the shoe and a rotating element of the pedal. It's worth a shot though.


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## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

Did a test with the center pins removed. Bring on the shoe damage! 

I also took the stock insoles out of my Access shoes. Feel much better and allows a slightly thicker wool sock for what I hope will be cool temps in CO. As Max said they are low volume with little adjustment.


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## Affe (Dec 4, 2007)

Endless Trails said:


> Alright, received the shoes two days ago, unfortunately I couldn't test ride them until today because I managed to destroy my wheelset this weekend. Decided to 27.5+ convert my Giant Trance while I was at it and over-nighted the new stuff from England. Unfortunately I recived the wrong dynamo but managed to frankenbuilt a new front wheel anyway so it looks like I'm gonna be on a 69er for my upcoming trip :9
> 
> Back to the shoes, unfortunately these are going back to the shop as I can't see them work for me. I haven't been able to use them alot, just a short round outside my house so take this for what it is, a first impression.
> 
> ...


MY LBS couldn't get a pair for me to test before I left for summer holiday and I went with my old 5/10 Freerider vxi's. This time I hated the sweating more than ever before.

Which shoes did you go with and did you do the glue thing? I never thought of that myself.. Doesn't seem like a bad idea and gives more options.

Though other than the heel rub issue you're impressions were positive so I guess I will be asking my LBS again. Which shop did you get yours from? Might help me getting a pair to test..


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## Affe (Dec 4, 2007)

Matterhorn said:


> Just got a new pair of Five Ten Access Mesh and love them. Stiff S1 rubber sole and a quick drying, lightweight, breathable, mesh upper. Not sure there is a better shoe for me. Looking forward to ruining them on the CT this summer.
> 
> Five Ten | Access Mesh Approach Shoe - Grey


How have these been holding up?


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## Affe (Dec 4, 2007)

mdilthey said:


> Don't get too excited. The sizing didn't work for me... I really wanted to like these shoes, but I couldn't get them to fit. The top of the shoe and the tongue don't have a lot of "give," so I wasn't able to loosen them up enough for my big feet, even though I had the sizing right. It's just not gonna work for me and my tall arches.
> 
> They're VERY light, a lot lighter than they look. The mesh looks durable and strong, and they look like they'd dry very fast. I didn't have any heel clearance issues on my chainstay, but I'm on a fatbike with a wide BB.
> 
> I'll be using a pair of trail running shoes in Iceland. The grip on the pedals won't be ideal, but they'll dry fast and good enough is more than enough!


Sad these didn't fit your feet.. It's nice to read your positive impressions though. Which shoes did you use in Iceland and how did they work out?


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## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

Mine are great. No real signs of wear after 550 miles on the Colorado Trail. Feet were comfy and cool the whole time. Love the shoes. 

As stated above the only real issue could be fit (lower volume shoe) and potentially the wide heel. I had no issues with the heel striking the chain stay. No issue at all. 

I was worried about the sole being torn up by my pedals (VP harriers) but doesn't seem to be worsening quickly. 

Got mine online from 5.10 directly.


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## Affe (Dec 4, 2007)

Matterhorn said:


> Mine are great. No real signs of wear after 550 miles on the Colorado Trail. Feet were comfy and cool the whole time. Love the shoes.
> 
> As stated above the only real issue could be fit (lower volume shoe) and potentially the wide heel. I had no issues with the heel striking the chain stay. No issue at all.
> 
> ...


Nice to hear! BUT did they get wet?!


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## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

Yes, they were involved in several soaking rain events and participated in numerous high speed creek crossings. They did not hold water, get squishy, or heavy. Dried from fully wet to fully dry overnight or during a couple daytime hours.


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## Affe (Dec 4, 2007)

Thanks for the info. Sounds pretty good!


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## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

Only concern would be sizing. Might go 1/2 size up? I took the factory insoles out to provide a bit more volume. No problems yet.


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## Harryman (Jun 14, 2011)

Bumping for feedback. I love my five tens for the rubber, but honestly, the uppers on every pair I've seen are junk compared to the quality of good cycling shoes. Plus, hot.

It makes me miss my Sidis.

How are you all like these? I'm looking at either the Access or Aescent for next summer.


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## Affe (Dec 4, 2007)

Also bumping for new feedback. 

I need new shoes for an up coming trip and I think I'm going to give these a try. I'm flying overseas for two months and planning to manage with just one pair of shoes for everyday use involving biking and hiking. Someone who owns/have seen these think they'd be up for the task/durable enough?

Sizing: I have 5/10 Freerider VXi's in size 44 EU/10,5 US/9,5 UK. Should I order the same or 1/2 size up? Sadly I can not buy these locally.


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

JNKER said:


> For what it's worth, Adidas Outdoors shoes also have the same Stealth rubber. Adidas owns Five Ten. Five Ten are just a bit wide for me and the Adidas are great.


Thanks for this. Five Ten doesn't have a women's version of the Access Mesh, but Adidas does have something that could work -- Adidas Terex Solo


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## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

Affe said:


> Also bumping for new feedback.
> 
> I need new shoes for an up coming trip and I think I'm going to give these a try. I'm flying overseas for two months and planning to manage with just one pair of shoes for everyday use involving biking and hiking. Someone who owns/have seen these think they'd be up for the task/durable enough?
> 
> Sizing: I have 5/10 Freerider VXi's in size 44 EU/10,5 US/9,5 UK. Should I order the same or 1/2 size up? Sadly I can not buy these locally.


They should be fine for 2 months of hiking/biking/everyday wear.

I never tried a pair 1/2 size up but still want to. Once I took the insole out my foot had plenty of room in the foot box. Aescents have a wider foot box which works better for my foot.

Short story--Access Mesh still going strong after 8 months of use.


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## MrkT (Jan 12, 2016)

Matterhorn said:


> They should be fine for 2 months of hiking/biking/everyday wear.
> 
> I never tried a pair 1/2 size up but still want to. Once I took the insole out my foot had plenty of room in the foot box. Aescents have a wider foot box which works better for my foot.
> 
> Short story--Access Mesh still going strong after 8 months of use.


I'm going to have to try that with mine. My Freeriders are just crushing the hell out of my pinkie toes. They're like medieval torture devices.


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## NickSmolinske (Mar 8, 2008)

Another option for those whose feet don't like Five Tens is La Sportiva approach shoes. Similar sticky rubber but marketed towards climbers instead. They have some mesh options as well as leather.

The downside is they have lugs on them, so they only become great bike shoes when they get worn down. I use new pairs for scrambling, peak bagging and more rugged backpacking. Then when the lugs get worn down halfway they become great bike shoes and I get a new pair for hiking. I'm on my 4th pair right now, I get a new one every year or so.

Five Ten's would be more convenient but they just don't fit my feet well for some reason.


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## Affe (Dec 4, 2007)

I asked Five Ten about the sizing and they replied: "Yes we would recommend sizing up about a half size in the Access."


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

Don't know about sole stiffness on these, but Five Ten has a water specific shoe, the Five Ten Eddy Pro.


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## sjmilin (Apr 7, 2016)

I have a pair of Five Ten Freerider Contact's and the leather grips have started to tear off after a season. I don't "bikepack" yet at least but I ride flats and they have been my go-to riding shoe, and I also use them a lot for everyday casual use. I am a bit disappointed that the stealth grip started to wear off after only a season but I have got a ton of use out of'em and some gorilla glue should do the trick to keep mine going through this season.

From what I've heard, they're quality has gone down a ton since Adidas purchased them but that they're not very proud of their product and will replace things for free. 

The solar blue ascent mesh's look so clean though.. really tempted to buy a pair.


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