Five Ten is well known in the MTB scene. The shoes of the US brand don’t just have a special style, they also offer a good portion of functionality. This season, Five Ten introduced the Hellcat Pro, a new Gravity shoe compatible with clipless pedals. The Hellcat Pro is available in the men’s version and — for the first time ever in the Hellcat series — as a ladies’ model. Steffi has subjected the women’s version for fast bikers to an intense endurance test, just for you.
Contents
At first glance
A high-quality, lightweight gravity shoe that delivers what it promises. The high stiffness of the sole — with good walking characteristics – does its job even under the toughest conditions. Clever, well thought-out features and effective protection against water and dirt make it a reliable companion — and thanks to its high robustness, you can enjoy it for a long time. What’s more, the price/performance ratio is just right.
Steffi’s impressions
“I couldn’t have been more excited when I finally held the eagerly awaited box in my hands. The first impression was one thing above all else: the shoes are top workmanship and look really chic. Gravity shoes are not quite as light as road bike shoes, for example, but the weight of the Hellcat Pro is still impressive. With 470g per shoe in size 39, it‘s in the lower range of its category.
The Hellcat Pro is designed for click pedals. And here‘s the first clever detail: The cleat area is reinforced with plastic edges, so that this region is not as strongly worn out (as was the case with the predecessor, the Impact XVI). This increases the life span.
The welded seams in the toe area effectively keep water and dirt outside. Nevertheless, the shoes are well ventilated — my feet didn’t feel uncomfortable even after longer tours. A good foot climate ultimately is the basis for high wearing comfort — and there‘s nothing to complain about with the Hellcat Pro. The wide, diagonally arranged Velcro strap promises optimum support without pressing or even cutting the foot at the main load points. The combination of Velcro and lacing gives the foot reliable support.
The Stealth C4 Dotty sole provides a good deal of stiffness — just right for its field of use. It allows an extremely high power transmission. You can immediately accelerate to top speeds, so you can put your full power onto the pedal. This surprised me very positively, as this is often a problem with MTB shoes. Of course, the low weight also has a positive effect here.
Nevertheless, the shoes have good cushioning properties, so that the foot doesn‘t tire so much even on rough descents — and walking is also possible without problems. The Hellcat Pro is of course slightly stiffer than the Impact XVI when walking, but it‘s clear that reductions in walking comfort are necessary here. Stiffness and excessive rolling behaviour are simply not possible at the same time”.
So Steffi, would you recommend them?
“Clear answer from me: yes, definitely! The Hellcat Pro is high-quality processed and super suitable for Gravity. It gets my seal of approval!
I tested it downhill for 4 days in Bolzano and was very satisfied. You can fully rely on the Hellcat Pro even under the toughest conditions. My traditional enduro tour at home was also a pleasure, up or down. Its great characteristics bring perfect riding comfort and thanks to the good workmanship, you will enjoy it for a long time”.
- Fit: fits perfectly, the diagonally arranged Velcro strap allows the shoe to be neatly fastened, yet nothing is uncomfortable.
- Optics: subjective, but the shoe looks really good in my opinion!
- Price/performance ratio: top – Its positioned in the upper price range with a RRP of 169.95 €, but also shows real performance. You can get it for 154.95€ here at Bike Discount.
- Material: the synthetic upper is robust and weatherproof
- Quality/processing: one highlight are the welded seams — and the rest of the shoe is also of high-quality. This promises long riding pleasure
- Sole: Stealth C4 Dotty — top mix of stiffness and cushioning
- Functionality: perfect gravity shoe, meets all requirements and is just fun!
- Weight: 470g per shoe — something to be proud of
