As promised earlier, here are my first thoughts on the new offering from Fiveten, the Karver.
A few explanations first for those who’ve not heard of Stealth Rubber. Fiveten (5.10), the climbing shoe specialist, changed the little world of mountain biking a few years ago, introducing a sticky (yet resistant to abrasion) rubber to a Mtb shoe range. The grip provided by these shoes on flat pedals is unbelievable, giving you almost all the advantages of clipless pedals without the inconvenience (clipping/declipping can be tricky sometimes).
A big fan of the clipless, I tried the Fivetens last year and have never looked back ! The freedom and extra confidence they gave me added loads of fun to my riding.
Last year I tried both the Low and High Impact2 and chose the latter for the protection they give to the ankles... mine are pretty fragile. After 3 months of daily use, the only criticsm I could find about last year’s shoes was that they were a bit heavy/hot when it came to pedalling up and that they were a bit of pain to put on........
Tah dah ! Bring on the Karver... designed by Kris Kovarik, they feature an ankle protection on the crank side and a removable "flap" to cover/hold the laces.
The lower design, gives more freedom around the ankles and an easier fit but still offers good protection. The "flap" is a really cool feature, no need to tuck the laces in the shoes anymore ! It’s also more convenient to use than the one you find on Shimano’s. I think I will still use my High Impact for Downhilling though, as I really apreciate the extra hold on the ankles.
If you dig technical trails, go and get a pair, you really won’t be disappointed !
A girls’ version is also available starting at 6.5 US size.
Karver with/without the flap. Difference in heigth betwin the High Impact2 and the Karver.
