Is Sam Hill the fastest gravity rider in the history of the sport? Some would say yes, most would also say he is definitely the best flat pedal rider in the game. Like all Sam Hill signature kit, the Five-Ten Impact Sam Hill Flats are a decent bit of kit that is built to last and made to perform. We spent a few months on a pair coupled with some decent flat pedals, a long travel trail bike and a whole lotta gnar… here’s our two cents.
Product: Five Ten Impact Sam Hill
RRP: $210 AUD
Available at: Wiggle, Chain Reaction Cycles and all good bike stores
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The Nitty Gritty
- Weight: 1200g
- Sole: Stealth Rubber
- Upper: Fast-drying synthetic
- Reinforced toe box
- Designed for DH and Enduro riding
- Built to grip, made to last and sturdy as the champ.
Test Results
There are not many riders out there that are not aware of how good the Five Ten stealth rubber really is on a flat pedal mountain bike shoe. It grips for days and is as trusty as your favourite mtb tire. The Five Ten Impact Sam Hill Flats are definitely a shoe that is built to be treated mean and dirty. The first thing you notice when you put them on is the size and feel of them; they feel like not just a set of shoes but protection as well, chunky and solid.
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The Five Ten Impact’s have loads of grip and at times too much grip, if that’s even a thing. What we mean by that is that when you wanted to move your foot whilst riding, it was sometimes difficult due to the rubber sole keeping your foot well planted. This is easily overcome as you get used to the shoes and by all means we would all rather have plenty of grip. In fact it’s certainly not something we are complaining about, you almost feel clipped in but with the benefits of flats.
These shoes have held up to the test of time with six months of testing and plenty of rocky and dusty terrain. We rode them in the wet at Garapine, in the dry at Boomerang Farm and everywhere in between. The only downside we can see to these shoes is that the sole isn’t non-marking, meaning you can get plenty of rubber marks on your frame (that wipe off easily enough) and tiled floors at home. The other thing we noticed is you do lack some of the feel you might get from other shoes due to the chunky nature of these shoes, but they are built for downhill and built to last.
The Final Word
If you ride flat pedals then you know the importance of a good shoe and pedal combo, the idea that just any shoe will do is one that is so far from the truth. Five Ten have made a name for themselves in the mountain bike industry for quality shoes with the best grip around, the Impact Sam Hill Flats are no exception. These shoes provide grip, protection, durability and they look damn good doing it. If you are chasing a set of high end flat pedal shoes, the Five Ten Impact Sam Hill shoes have tested well and might be a good choice for any downhiller or enduro rider out there.
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