Five Ten has had a reputation as a shoe brand for gravity riders since their first shoes, designed for downhill racing. Since then, the flat pedal shoe, the Freerider, has become one of the most popular mountain bike shoes in the world. Five Ten has had clipless options like the Hellcat and the Kestrel Boa, but their intentions have always been pointed downhill too. Despite being one of the (if not the most) popular brand for mountain bike footwear, they have had an obvious opening for endurance riders.
It looks like this will change next year. At Outdoor Retailer in Denver, Five Ten showed off the new Kestrel Boa, re-envisioned as a “downcountry/gravel” shoe. We’ll still have some time before we know how it performs. Five Ten plans to launch the new Kestrel Boa in April of 2023.
Five Ten says the men’s size 11.5 weighs 12 ounces. For reference, the Scott Gravel Tuned shoe we reviewed this winter weighs 11.3 ounces in a size 8.
The new Kestrel Boa will have an impact resistant toe box and a breathable, abrasion resistant upper made with recycled materials. The inside of the heel will have a slip resistant fabric. The sole will be made from repurposed materials and reinforced with glass fiber for stability and stiffness. The glass fiber is more environmentally friendly than carbon fiber soles too, says Five Ten.
The sole will also feature Five Ten’s Stealth rubber for traction and walkability. Five Ten says the shoe MSPR will be $230.
