User Review: Five Ten Piton

Five Ten Piton
Above: The current Piton, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed November 14, 2006 by Mitchell

Rating:
Materials: Stealth Onyx rubber, lined leather
Use: crack climbing, traditional outings
Break-in Period: A few routes
Weight: 11 jumbo eggs
Price Paid: $105

So much rubber! The pitons are built for crack climbing, and their stiff sole is great for long climbs and many hours spent on the rock. Similar to the Ascent, these have a bit of cushion under the heel for walk-offs or ballett. The toebox is fairly large and is best suited for a higher-volume, wider foot. After two weeks in Indian Creek, I was convinced these are my favorite all-around trad shoes.

Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference between the new Onyx rubber and the standard C4. The Pitons still hold up for steep face climbing and smear well on slabby chickens or frothy gravel. The shoes run big...I bought them a full size down from my street shoe to get a proper fit. Consider that these are not high performace face climbing shoes, so don't size them too tight! If not for the somewhat selective fit, these shoes would get 5 stars.