Gear Review: Five Ten Trailcross XT Shoes - For Whitewater Kayaking
Whitewater kayaking can be a brutal sport. We often find ourselves hiking down into steep canyons, portaging over slick rocks, and cramming ourselves into boats loaded with gear. For many, this is only the start. Depending on your appetite for adventure as a whitewater kayaker, you may find yourself looking for a shoe that can keep up with you. I had a few friends recommended the Trailcross XT by Five Ten and decided to give them a try.
The original Five Ten River Tennie is well known in the whitewater world and highly regarded for its amazing grip and rigid edge. Those have been discontinued for a while now and boaters everywhere have sought to find a replacement. For some, the Astral Rasslers was the answer to that question. Others though, were still looking for a stiffer for sole with good drainage and bomber grip. If that is what you’re looking for the Five Ten Trailcross XT will not disappoint.
The first thing I noticed about the XT was the grip. It has a really sticky rubber on the sole that reminds me of the original Five Ten River Tennie. I used these on slick wet rock and dry basalt and found they grip well on both. Because this was technically designed as a mountain biking shoe, there is a shank in the sole that provides rigidity. This really comes in handy on the hike in and out when kayaking. On the other hand, I could see how not having the shank on the shoe would give the shoe a bit more flexibility in the boat. That didn’t seem to be an issue for me though.
Another feature that was ideal for kayaking was the neoprene cuff around the ankle. This kept dirt and pebbles out of shoe which is a must if you are trying to protect your dry suit. The drainage and ventilation were also excellent. The mesh all around the shoe lets water out easily even after submerging the shoe completely.
Overall, this is a bomber shoe for adventure kayaking. They offer killer grip, stiffness, drainage, and durability. After some extended use, I can tell these will last a long time.