# Vans vs 510 Freerider Pro



## nauc (Sep 9, 2009)

how well do the Freerider Pros hold up compared to a pair of Vans. i think these are the Vans i have now (see below). saw the 510s at REI, they seem so lightweight, just curious. thanks

https://www.vans.com/shop/ProductDi...&categoryId=1091108&langId=-1&catalogId=10703


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## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

No comparison. The Vans soles would shred quickly especially if you like longer pins and they taco easily. The FRpros have much better toe box protection and stiffer sole/outer body. 

Vans used to make a great flat shoe in the the early 2000's, apparently not that popular. I loved mine but I am a 5.10 convert now, mainly for the sole, toe protection and look decent.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

5.10 seems to have a magic formula for sticky rubber soles. I have tried many other shoes (including Teva, Salomon, Shimano etc. ) and there is no comparison


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## Rusnak_322 (Dec 6, 2009)

I think that the question is, are they 3 times better? Will they last 3 times as long? Because they are 3 times more expensive. 
I have a pair of 5/10 impacts that I bought used off of pinkbike for $50 shipped and they are awesome. they are grippy as hell, to the point that it is hard to move my foot on the pedal on my dirt jumper when moving.

But I cant see spending more on a bike shoe then I would on a pair of dress shoes.


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## root (Jan 24, 2006)

Rusnak_322 said:


> But I cant see spending more on a bike shoe then I would on a pair of dress shoes.


I spend more time in bike shoes than dress shoes so i easily can see spending more on a bike shoe. 
I like my Freerider Pros so far, not sure about durabilty, been using them 6 months with no signs of significant damage, but i havent ridden as much the past months, its been rainy. Impressed with how light they are , weighed them and they're lighter than my carbon soled clipless shoes. Fit same as my 1st gen Danny Mckaskills. Sole is stiffer and thinner, good for pedaling, but not for street walking. It deals whith wet conditions pretty well, the dont feel like saturated mops on your feet. The rubberized outside helps that and makes cleaning off mud easier. Sole not good for hiking in the clay mud here, but neither would Vans.


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## RS VR6 (Mar 29, 2007)

I've got both. Vans (Sk8 and Chukka boots) and a couple pairs of 5.10. The Vans are slippers compared to the 5.10. The soles of the Vans have absolutely no support. You can bend and twist the Vans with minimal effort. If you ride dirt that is remotely rugged...the Vans will destroy your feet.


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## TNTall (Nov 7, 2016)

After a month of riding, I'm still waiting on my new Freerider Pros to break in. My oldish freeriders are much more grippy on the pedals.


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## ericzamora (Dec 14, 2017)

I'm new to mtb, but i picked up a pair of Freerider Pros and i find they grip my Chesters so well, i have a hard time repositioning my foot once i'm moving. After a month of riding them, i found this Bobo-review. had me laughing:






eric
fresno, ca.


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## Gats (Jan 21, 2017)

510's are not worth 3x as much as Vans. It's probably more like 5 or 6x more. I'd been wearing Vans as my everyday sneaker since the mid 90's, until I got back into MTB a few years ago. I currently have a pair of Freeriders that have more than 2 seasons of hard use on them and while the sole is somewhat worn, I don't see any need to replace them this season. I bet I could wash them and they'd look new. There's not a stitch out of place!
In my experience, vans start falling apart after 6 months of just walking around. I also have a pair of 510 spitfires that I only wear as my daily sneaker and they're in perfect shape after 2 years.


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## Chicane32 (Jul 12, 2015)

RS VR6 said:


> I've got both. Vans (Sk8 and Chukka boots) and a couple pairs of 5.10. The Vans are slippers compared to the 5.10. The soles of the Vans have absolutely no support. You can bend and twist the Vans with minimal effort. If you ride dirt that is remotely rugged...the Vans will destroy your feet.


^^^This, especially if you have quality flat pedals with proper long spikes, like One up pedals.


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## scoon (Aug 26, 2005)

I run RF Chesters with vans and they have been great. I also run emericas as well. If 510s ever get around 60 bux I’ll give them a go. I get that people love them but they are to pricey for me. I am fortunate enough to have my home trails at the bottom of my street and I ride almost 7 days a week. Vans or emericas have never hurt my feet.


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## Frogeron (Jan 22, 2018)

with size 15 feet, I couldn't find 5 ten style shoes forever and wore Vans for about 2 years of heavy riding. I love Vans, they are my go to casual shoe, so I'm not trying to hate on them here. When riding in Vans, the shoes got thrashed fast and it beat the hell out of my feet. We ride 2-4 days a week on chunky stuff and my feet were really taking a beating. Finally found a pair of 5 ten shoes in a size 15 and the difference is mind blowing. The stick factor as awesome and as said above, they are super durable. They also provide much more protection for your toes when you snag a big rock. I have worn them for about two years now, year around riding and they still work great. I am looking for a new pair now but only because I know it could take months to find them (the curse of big feet) but I will probably keep wearing this same old pair for at least another 6 months. You can find Freeriders for $85, that's not much more than what I pay for Vans at the local outlet. Any of you that are sticking to vans, try a pair of 5 tens out, I would be shocked if you ever went back to Vans as your riding shoe of choice.


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## ericzamora (Dec 14, 2017)

scoon said:


> I get that people love them but they are to pricey for me. I am fortunate enough to have my home trails at the bottom of my street and I ride almost 7 days a week.


well then, you save so much in gas money, that you could put it towards a pair of 510s, and see what all the fuss is about! at least, that's how i justify expenditures in my life... lol (I've got an Xterra, and the best trails around are at least an hour away from me)

sometimes, ignorance is bliss. that's another saying that figures into my life.

just joshing around 

eric
fresno, ca.


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## JDHutch (Sep 29, 2017)

Nothing wrong with wearing Vans but next time you have $100 buy a pair of 5.10 Freeriders and it will be a huge upgrade. They protect your feet, improve your performance, and will last 10 times longer. I rode with Nike's for a year before switching...again, they work but they are nothing like 5.10.


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## root (Jan 24, 2006)

BTW, the Freerider Pros are ridiculously light, I weighed it out and the shoe itself is lighter than my carbon soled XC shoes. They also fare well in the wet, I didn't like using my old Freerider Danny M editions in the wet because they'd get waterlogged and heavy. The pros synthetic upper with rubberized outside don't get soggy like that and actually seem to shed water if its light. 
Before 5.10s I ran Globe shoes which lasted a heck of a long time. The 5.10 with the non stitched welts did not last though, they gripped great but delammed.


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## GRPABT1 (Oct 22, 2015)

Vans are BMX shoes, they're flexible for a reason.


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## HaxEJxuK (Jul 28, 2011)

Had Vans and those gripped ok and it was flexy which isn't really good for my flat feet. I've been using Freerider since last year and it grips much better and sole is harder so it helps with pedaling and my feet.

Even if Vans last longer, Freerider is the way to go.


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## b rock (Jan 5, 2017)

ericzamora said:


> ...i picked up a pair of Freerider Pros and i find they grip my Chesters so well, i have a hard time repositioning my foot once i'm moving.


Finding the same, but otherwise can't complain. I will try the Contacts next time, if these ever wear out before I do.

One thing to consider in the comparison is the stiffness of the sole. Vans probably flex more, which means wasted effort pedaling.

Also, if you have a light colored bike, the rubber from 5 10 soles will mark it up if you rub your shoe on it by accident, which happens to me a lot.


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## HaxEJxuK (Jul 28, 2011)

Hahaha I remember first time I took road trail ride with my son. I was on Freerider and OneUp composite pedal. I was doing track stand at the light and wanted to put my right feet down. Silly me, I couldn't get it out and fell like if I had a clipless I couldn't get out.

I've gotten better since than and it's no issue but it was that sticky.


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