Five Ten’s Trail Cross Pro Clip-In shoes build on the original Trail Cross Clip-In by furnishing it with a stiffer sole and a Boa retention system. The result is one of the most comfortable clipless shoes available, not to mention a worthy addition to the best mountain bike shoes line-up. However, they are fairly pricey and not exactly all-weather-friendly.
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Five Ten Trail Cross Pro Clip-In - Technical details
The Trail Cross Pro Clip-In is a clipless-compatible shoe that’s designed for gravel and mountain biking and can also deal with the odd bit of hike-a-bike if necessary.
In recent years, Five Ten has been pursuing environmental friendliness by building products using recycled content - and the Trail Cross Pro are a case in point. This shoe is created with an upper that uses at least 50% recycled content, in a bid to help end plastic waste.
The upper features abrasion-resistant material with a moulded and impact-resistant toe box. It’s heavily perforated and utilises mesh panels to encourage ventilation. The shoe also uses a single Boa Li2 dial and a small Velcro strap at the toe. There’s also neoprene cuff that has been included to keep debris at bay.
As it shares the same name as the Trail Cross Clip-In, it gets a very similar shape but for the Pro shoe, Five Ten has included a stiffer sole for better performance on the bike. And, as usual, there’s a Stealth rubber outsole. Finishing off the shoe is a lightweight EVA midsole.
All of that weighs 432g.
Five Ten Trail Cross Pro Clip-In - Performance
The original Trail Cross Clip-In was an interesting shoe for me as it paired excellent walkability with good performance on the bike. However, I felt that it leaned more toward off-the-bike performance and that showed as it was a little too flexy when getting on the power. With the Trail Cross Pro, Five Ten has directly addressed this and has vastly improved the shoe’s on-bike prowess.
Adding a stiffer sole has done a world of good, as power transfer is noticeably more direct and the foot is much more stable when clipped in. On the subject of power transfer, the new Boa dial creates a firm hold on the foot, which boosts transfer further.
But it’s not just power transfer where the Boa dial makes an improvement because the Trail Cross Pro is one of, if not the most comfortable clip-in shoe I’ve tested. Five Ten and Boa have done an excellent job of designing the shoe with even pressure over the top of the foot. When that’s paired with the soft upper, the Boa closure is very well utilised, resulting in an incredibly comfortable shoe.
On test, is a size EU44 which has a pleasantly roomy toe box. However, during gravel rides a little more snugness wouldn’t go amiss. The shoe has been designed to work well in both disciplines - gravel and MTB - and it does a commendable job as a result.
Gravel-specific riders will appreciate a stiffer sole - especially when smashing singletrack, as there is some flex present when you're really putting down the power.
It must be noted that this isn’t a wet- or cold-weather shoe as they have the propensity to take on a lot of water. But, as a summer shoe, the appreciable ventilation does an incredibly efficient job of keeping your feet cool.
The shoe comes with the very same tread design as its less expensive sibling and that’s only a good thing - especially if you find yourself needing to dismount during portages.
While a bit pricier than other Boa-equipped lightweight trail shoes, the Five Ten Trail Cross Pro shoes have good performance for the money. Its on-the-bike behaviour is awesome while remaining stiff when needed, and incredibly comfortable.
Five Ten Trail Cross Pro Clip-In - Verdict
Asa its main rival the Specialized 2FO Cliplite did rather on Ty’s test but didn’t score so well for its lack of ventilation and uncomfortable cuff. This shoe costs £175.
The cheaper £130 Giro Ventana Fastlace looks like strong competition thanks to improved comfort but we found issues with the cleat box and it wasn’t very grippy off of the bike.
Five Ten’s attempt to improve the Trail Cross Clip-In is one to be applauded. It retains everything we liked about the original shoe and makes it better. The inclusion of a Boa dial has made it one of the most comfortable clipless shoes on the market. While not cheap, its overall performance makes it stand out among its Boa-equipped rivals.