Gear Review: FiveTen Galileo


I thought I'd give this blog some actual use while I'm at it. Maybe these entries will be of use to someone when they're checking out new shoes.

I decided to try out a new pair of shoes for this trip, something that would be a little more friendly for my feet. After some research, I came across one of FiveTen's newer models, the Galileo. Based on the original (and well-known) Anasazi Velcros, they reportedly had a friendlier shape to them. They're also designed by FiveTen's European R&D group so they supposedly had a better fit for us Euros.
These shoes fall into the 'Vertical Meters' category of FiveTen's range, meaning that they're a middle-of-the-road-shoe, not too tight that you couldn't wear them all day, but also giving adequate performance.

Sizing: I wear a size 7.5 in Anasazi's so after a discussion with a very helpful staff member from Needle Sports in the UK, I went for the same. Fitting has been great, slightly looser on the foot but they've never felt like they're moving around. The heel also fits quite well (based on a new design) which is always a suprise for me with my skinny heels.

Performance: Definitely up there with the rest. I can wear them with the velcros loose for easy climbing and when I'm not pushing it, and whenever I really need to use small edges (i.e. hard routes :), just tighten them up as hard as I can and my foot is welded in. This is definitely not an option with the Anasazi's so I'm really impressed.
The heel isn't as good as the Anasazi's but is still adequate. It doesn't seem to grab as well as what I'm used to, however I've heard the heel has changed on the new Anazasi's also so can't compare to those.

Verdict: Fantastic, performed so much better than I hoped for, and much more friendlier on my feet than my usual Anasazi's. I'll be buying them again!

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