Five Ten Kestrel Lace Women’s Review
Five Ten can often be the go-to choice for ladies, with their great range of flat-pedal shoes they are a tour de force in the market but we don’t necessarily think of them straight away for clipless shoes. For those that are used to the Five Ten fit but fancy a shot at clipping in, the Five Ten Kestrel Lace is a fantastic option. It has a much more ‘low profile’ look than the flat shoes tend to and secure laces making for a very comfortable shoe. The low profile sole tread means that they would work fine with flat pedals at a pinch or will balance nicely on your clipless pedal if you’re struggling to clip in.
The sole features ‘stealth rubber’, as on all Five Ten shoes, for off the bike grip and comfort, the tread depth is minimal, relying on the grip of the rubber rather than physical traction, so maybe not great for running in mud! Saying that, the ‘cleat box’ is large and allows for good mud clearance when you need to jump back onboard and clip in quickly. Venting is minimal with the perforations on the toe upper and tongue allowing for just a little breathability – the Kestrel lace is a good 3-season shoe. The sizing is generous which is probably a good thing for riding into the colder months where we aren’t strangers to waterproof socks. The cleat plate allows for good fore and aft movement encouraging a good position for descending aggressively.
The styling is not particularly ladylike which is as good or as bad as you want it to be, personally we would have liked to see a slightly more delicate shape.
This is a great all-round trail shoe, fantastic for those new to clipless pedals and those who enjoy the descents and want a shoe that allows for a positive position on the pedals.
Price: € 139.95
Weight: approx. 420 g (Size 40)
More info: fiveten.com
Colors: shock blue (as pictured) and Maroon/Onix
