Gear Review: FiveTen Dragon
Updated to reflect typo errors
The second of the shoes I brought with me (I've three :).
O.k. firstly FiveTen's description reads like a warning: "With its radically down-turned toe, the Dragon is the darling of steep-climbing troglodytes everywhere." These things are banana shaped!
I bought these as the extreme shoe, basically, something I'd wear purely for super-difficult, steep routes. You WILL NOT wear these for a full day, although I must say they've been more comfortable than expected.
Sizing: Again, Needle Sports were great, recommending a size bigger than my usual Velcros. I will admit that when I first put them on in Ireland, I had my doubts after my toes were squeezed, but I'll give anything a try (and I didn't have time to ship return them anyway), so they went in the bag. Thankfully I didn't return them, they've been perfect. The first route or two were pretty tight, but they've loosened (only a teeny bit) into a perfect fit.
Yes, they're a tight, but amazing fit.
Peformance: Wow. That's all I can say. On steep routes (which is they're designed for), they are stunning. Since they pull your toes down, it means you litterally are 'grabbing' with your feet onto edges. I'm in awe to be honest, and it almost feels like cheating sometimes ;)
The heel suprisingly doesn't feel as good as I expected, especially considering there's no 'dead-air' around my foot, but still does very very well. Maybe it's just something I've to get used to as the rubber feels very thin at the back.
As for vertical/slabs? I'm afraid to try them there as so much pressure will be on my feet for a long time :) They're not that comfortable............
Verdict: Outstanding, as long as it's steep. Very aggressive fit, but if you're climbing on steep ground on little edges, you won't regret having shelled out for them.
The second of the shoes I brought with me (I've three :).
O.k. firstly FiveTen's description reads like a warning: "With its radically down-turned toe, the Dragon is the darling of steep-climbing troglodytes everywhere." These things are banana shaped!
I bought these as the extreme shoe, basically, something I'd wear purely for super-difficult, steep routes. You WILL NOT wear these for a full day, although I must say they've been more comfortable than expected.
Sizing: Again, Needle Sports were great, recommending a size bigger than my usual Velcros. I will admit that when I first put them on in Ireland, I had my doubts after my toes were squeezed, but I'll give anything a try (and I didn't have time to ship return them anyway), so they went in the bag. Thankfully I didn't return them, they've been perfect. The first route or two were pretty tight, but they've loosened (only a teeny bit) into a perfect fit.
Yes, they're a tight, but amazing fit.
Peformance: Wow. That's all I can say. On steep routes (which is they're designed for), they are stunning. Since they pull your toes down, it means you litterally are 'grabbing' with your feet onto edges. I'm in awe to be honest, and it almost feels like cheating sometimes ;)
The heel suprisingly doesn't feel as good as I expected, especially considering there's no 'dead-air' around my foot, but still does very very well. Maybe it's just something I've to get used to as the rubber feels very thin at the back.
As for vertical/slabs? I'm afraid to try them there as so much pressure will be on my feet for a long time :) They're not that comfortable............
Verdict: Outstanding, as long as it's steep. Very aggressive fit, but if you're climbing on steep ground on little edges, you won't regret having shelled out for them.
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