This shoe is pitched as an all-rounder. Out of the box, it's an edging machine. It's got a stiff, supportive midsole that stretches the entire length of the shoe, making it a great option for long routes on edges. Over time, the shoe softens up considerably, giving it a new lease of life – its forte becomes smearing, ideal for gritstone or sandstone where you really want to feel what's beneath. In truth, there have been more than one occasion on slab and vertical where the grip and edging ability of these shoes have given me the confidence to place weight on a tiny hold. These were situations I would have most likely bailed with a softer, more flexible shoe. Thanks to its neutral, medium-stiff midsole, the NIAD VCS offers ultimate edging performance, whilst the Stealth® C4™ rubber keeps you solid on the smallest indoor chip of a foothold as-well-as the glassy pof'ed-up slopers of Fontainebleau. A new extended toe rubber provides improved toe-hooking performance and gives more versatility in both your indoor and outdoor climbing projects. I'm happy to say that the NIAD VCS perform like the original Anasazi but with the improvements of the toe rubber and more closely fitting heel. They're a comfortable all-rounder that can bothedge and smear well: perfect for gritstone.

In this Five Ten Anasazi Lace review, we will look at some of the standout features of these shoes, and what that means in terms of performance. Toe Box

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At first, this does feel slightly unusual, once you get used to finding the sweet spot though, it’s easy to see the benefits of this design. Having power directed over the big toe might allow for a higher degree of precision but centralizing the toe box makes for more powerful, secure, foot placements. It distributes weight through two toes rather than just one and makes climbing long and technical routes less strenuous on your feet. If you are used to the old Anasazi when it was manifactured in the US then we suggest going a whole size up for the same fit** Smearing on textured granite felt secure — much of that credit to the fabled adhesive qualities of the Stealth C4 rubber outsole. The amount of stiffness muffled tactile sensation on less prominent textures, making for some tense moments, but on the crystalline granite, the C4 rarely failed.

Summary: Fred Nicole, Chris Sharma, Steph Davis, Dean Potter. Those are just a handful of the legendary climbers who have been known to wear the Anasazi line, the predecessor of Five Ten’s new NIAD range. We've refined the Five Ten Lace-Up that has delivered climbers to the top of more 5.14s than any other shoe. The lined Cowdura™ synthetic upper fits like a glove; providing the same fit, climb after climb, as the day the shoe was born. Stealth® C4™ rubber soles offer extremely high friction and great sensitivity. The Pros feature the usual flat last and so they're great if you're looking for a performance shoe that isn't down-turned. On the whole they fit very similarly to the classic Anasazis, with the main differences being the tight heel and the overall stiffness of the forefoot due to the addition of toe rubber. Over the months I've being using the Pros, whilst they've given a bit to become more comfortable, there has been no significant stretching, which is not surprising due to the synthetic uppers and all that toe rubber. Materials These images were taken after several months of constant use and speak to the quality of the manufacturing.

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Let me draw a mental image for you. Picture a straight line coming 90º from your heel through the center of your foot and out of your toes. Standing barefoot most pinky toes are considerably farther away from that ‘center line’ than the big toe is; something to do with how our feet evolved from grasping to standing kinda needed that to happen, I guess. I dunno, I’m not a foot scientist. In my mind there is one unifying purpose of all climbing shoes: to gather those little piggies up and pool their resources in a messed-up fleshy Voltron– turning our feet into singular en-toe-ties (get it? entities, but like, with toes ? Ah nevermind) allowing maximum force and surface area, pushing us to send the gnar. Sportiva’s lasts by my experience have always done that gathering from the little toes toward the big one which really focuses as much pressure as possible onto the strong boi, the hallux (still not a foot scientist, I just asked wikipedia.) The Anasazi Pro feels more like there is a rubberband around all of my toes, gathering them together like a stinky bouquet and pulling them all towards that centerline which seems counterintuitive and ultimately makes this shoe uncomfortable to me. Let me open Photoshop and draw you an actual picture: Fig 1. A Bare foot; Fig 2. A Symmetrical Last; Fig 3. An Asymmetrical Last Following their release in 1992, the Anasazis started to build their reputation as a serious-sending shoe after Jean-Baptiste Tribout put up Just Do It, the first 5.14c (8c+) in the USA. Just a few years later, a 15-year-old Chris Sharma topped out Necessary Evil, wearing the Anasazi VCS, setting a new standard for American sport climbing. In the years following I have rarely passed up an opportunity to tell 5.10 bros how bad of a choice they were making and even managed to convince a couple of them to come to the light . I took my persuasive ability as confirmation that I was in fact correct: Sportiva > 5.10 and anyone who disagreed had to be some gym gumby who thinks a crimp is a type of English biscuit or a gaston is some sort of Disney anti-hero. So what if Chris Sharma sent Realization in these? “His hands are too strong,” I’d say, “he could have done that climb in heels. Plus he’s an Evolv climber now and is obviously sending harder since he stopped repping 5.10. Don’t buy the hype guys! Wanna smell the fresh resole I just got on my Cobras?” After extended periods of time standing in the Anasazi Pro, I almost feel as if I have to stand bow-legged to compensate for the loss I feel of side-to-side balance, not to mention the pain from the pressure on the tops of my big toes that I’m still not used to after all these months. I ran around the house looking at all the shoes I owned; none of them are nearly this symmetrical. “Welp. Unless I rest most of my weight on my heels, chilling on a ledge for hours is probably out.” I said. The cat was nonplussed. I got these a half-size down from my regular street shoe in hopes I would be able to crank them down a bit when necessary and use them as the all-around boot they are purported to be. The length seems just about right however the toe box is loose on the outside edges and tight against my big toe. As the comfy-ness waned I started to hone in on just what was so weird about the way these shoes fit: the Anasazi Pros are noticeably symmetrical compared to just about everything I have ever climbed (or walked) in.

The Pink might not boast the flashy appearance of an Italian-made shoe, but don’t let looks deceive you—its design is thoughtful, tried-and-true, and well-executed. Five Ten’s synthetic “Cowdura” fabric wraps around the foot in a single swath on each side, resulting in minimal seams and a simple transition from rand to upper. The lined Cowdura is designed to maintain all of leather’s comfort and breathability while minimizing stretch. On this front, the material performs admirably, and the shoe holds its shape better than leather models like La Sportiva’s Katana and Miura. Further, a thorough lacing system where the uppers meet provides great versatility in the fit and shape of the shoe. And no matter the terrain I’m on, the laces never press down hard into my skin thanks to the minimally reinforced tongue. After a few sessions, the VCS softens up, although they still retain good edging ability long after the break-in period. The full-length midsole has a large part to play in this, as does the new heel rand, both of which contribute to the precision and stability of the VCS toe box. Because the VCS is designed to be a performance all-rounder, don’t expect this shoe to have the unparalleled edging ability of the NIAD Lace or other stiff climbing shoes that are purpose-built for technical face climbing or all-day use Smearing The upgraded version of the Pinks boasts some new features compared to the old model, including an improved heel and a sole plastered with Five Ten’s famous C4 rubber. This shoe is in its element serving up technical footwork on vertical terrain.Unlike the Blancos, the Pinks have a medium-stiff sole that facilitates all-around use in your gym or local crag.Another unmissable addition to the VCS is the toe patch, an almost essential requirement for any modern performance shoe. This triangular-shaped patch sits over the big toe and instantly upgrades the shoe’s ability when it comes to bouldering and gym climbing. Directly underneath the rubber, in the interior of the shoe, the toe patch is lined with a higher-friction material, which helps toe hooking feel super secure. If gnarly bat hangs aren’t your thing, that’s not a problem, the new toe patch is significantly smaller than the full coverage of the Anasazi Pro, so it allows the toe box to remain flexible and unintrusive when not in use. The Heel I’d recommend anyone looking to leave behind the gym rentals to try the VCS as they will provide a high level of comfort and durability on a wide range of climb types. The Anasazi Lace is a slightly asymmetric, moderately downturned shoe. It is designed with a roomy toe box that allows the forefoot to lie flat rather than in a curled position, and has a medium-stiff midsole. The result? The Pink feels supportive and firm, offering power and stability on edges, although it is flexible enough to smear and slab when sized loosely or once well-broken-in. And just as a refresher: Softer shoes—like the La Sportiva Skwama or Five Ten Hiangle—do not provide this same stability needed for precise edging, but enable you to toe-in better on steep routes. Plus, you’re able to feel the holds more underfoot, which many climbers like. The low asymmetrical profile and the rounded toe box of the NIAD put the shoe’s tip – the focal point of its power – centralized between the first and second toe. This makes for an interesting contrast, as most ‘performance’ shoes opt for a more asymmetrical shape, that places the point over the big toe.