# Do Five Ten soles lose grip?



## monkies (Jun 10, 2007)

My 510 shoes still look good aesthetically, and the soles aren't worn (i.e. the round circles are still present on the soles)...but the shoe feels like it has lost grip lately. Do the soles lose their 'sticky' stuff after time? I don't think it's the pins on my pedals because those are still present. Note: I've worn these shoes while riding on weekends for about 3 years.


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## Barman1 (Jan 8, 2014)

It's most likely the pins smoothing out a little.
On my 3 bikes I've got VP, Blackspire and Diety platforms all in different states of wear. My 5.10's are a little slick on my old Blackspires but don't move at all on the new Diety platforms. YMMV


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## oopsthathurt (Aug 5, 2013)

I've only had my 5/10's for 1.5 years, but so far they've been great.

3 years and yours are just now starting to lose grip? That's actually not bad.


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## ustemuf (Oct 12, 2009)

Yes they lose grip after a lot of use, but it has more to do with your pedal pins than the rubber. Not many things last forever. It takes a lot of use to wear them out though, but I've shredded through a couple pairs. Pedal pins and fabric are not friends.

Replace the pins on your pedal and you will feel the difference of a new edge.


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## kenbentit (Jan 2, 2003)

^Yep. Mine always wear out where the pins have been eating at them. I get little holes and shredded rubber in those spots and it def. feels less grippy. Some fresh pins will help a bit for sure but once the rubber is worn out you're kind of running on borrowed time...


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## ThomasF (Oct 4, 2013)

DAFUQ!!! how do you guys have 5.10's for 3 years? i've had mine since late november and i've already put thumb nail sized holes in them. do you pins not just cut up the rubber? i have the 5.10 freerider vxi... what do you guys have?


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## MTBCanuck (May 19, 2011)

I'm also convinced the rubber hardens a bit too. I only get about a year out if a pair and ill have eaten a hole through the ball of the sole.


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## Gemini2k05 (Apr 19, 2005)

Any rubber compound is going to harden and rot over time and from sun exposure. Harder=less grip.


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## whoda*huck (Feb 12, 2005)

I've never had a pair where the soles stayed on long enough for them to wear out.


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## 11053 (Sep 19, 2009)

Yes.
Dirt and oxidization are the enemies of 5.10 rubber.
Quality control has been an ongoing enemy of 5.10 footwear in general.
When 5.10 was just doing climbing and approach shoes, the simple onsite refresh for sticky rubber was a light scrubbing/scuffing-wire brush works well.
Iso alcohol and a light scrub will get the old rubber looking and performing like new again.


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## bing! (Jul 8, 2010)

The soles, like other have said, will get eaten up where the pins make contact. Mine last about a year before I start feeling my feet start slipping off. 

I have noticed that if I put the shoe to thru the wash that they get stickier for a while


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## shortnangry (Nov 16, 2014)

You can't go by the presence or absence of the "circles" on the sole. That's not what provides traction. The shoes work well because of the "sticky" rubber compound used and because it's soft enough to allow the pins to bite well. 5.10, indeed, makes the Freerider VXI completely smooth where the pedal hits the shoe to provide more traction. The rubber will harden and degrade over time. How long that takes depends on the conditions. A good scrub with dishwashing liquid or some iso can help for a time. The pins biting into the sole will also over time chew up the bottom. 5.10, in my experience, still makes the best shoe around, but nothing lasts forever.


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## KrisRayner (Apr 3, 2007)

Try washing your shoes. After a good wash cycle and drying, the soles are super sticky again.


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## griffter18 (Jul 3, 2009)

As a climber and biker who uses 5:10 shoes 11053 has it right the rubber hardens with time and needs to be reconditioned.
Easiest ways are to scrub with a wire brush which removes a small amount of rubber or 
use a light solvent ie Iso alcohol and then scrub.

Doesnt matter if the tread bumps wear out as long as there is a layer of rubber. If theres rubber it should be soft enough to press your finger nail into it if not its time to recondition.


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## Gman086 (Jul 4, 2004)

ISO alcohol will draw out even more of the plasticizers in the rubber and make them even harder so good luck with that method. Clean with a good detergent like Dawn and water and toss them when they get too hard. Ozone (from electric motors/furnace/refrig) and UV light are the two biggest detriments so keep away from those.

Have FUN!

G MAN


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## azdog (Nov 16, 2004)

KrisRayner said:


> Try washing your shoes. After a good wash cycle and drying, the soles are super sticky again.


This!!!!


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## rinseflow (Sep 18, 2007)

As Kris said. It works.

Don't know if it's recommended or to be avoided, but with my older Five Ten Karvers I've been just throwing them in a washing machine once in a while. Makes the soles sticky as heck again! Might do bad things to the gluing of the sole but with worn older shoes I don't care because it brings back the stickiness and removes all unwanted smells also.


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