In recent years, I haven’t been very impressed by some of the “aggressive” shoes from Five Ten, which in the case of one model was so hard to get onto my foot that I couldn’t even find a size to test. But Five Ten has a special place in my heart since they were the first brand I wore that I felt made a noticeable difference in my climbing performance.
So I had low expectations for the Five Ten Crawe when it arrived earlier this summer. But after a few weeks of putting them to the test on granite boulders near my home, I’ve become quite impressed with the level of performance, particularly with edging and heel hooks.
Specifications
Semi-aggressive, down-turned shoe for sport climbing and bouldering
Sticky Stealth Rubber performs well and confidently
Unlined. Synthetic upper. Stiff.
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Where the Five Ten Crawe excels
The Crawe is billed as a “semi-aggressive shoe” by Five Ten, but I would say that it’s as aggressive and down-turned of a climbing shoe as one could possibly find useful. On really steep rock, the Five Ten Crawe offers up plenty of toe-power on edges and nubs.
The heel is beefy (more on this in a sec), and it really allows you to dig into your heel hooks. More finicky heel hooks, in which you might want a little sensitivity, are tougher in this shoe but I think many intermediate climbers will really appreciate the extra protection from the shoe here. Also when putting the shoe on, you can pull the pull-tabs on the heel, and it “rolls down,” which helps you slide your foot into the shoe.
Where it falls short
The Five Ten Crawe is very stiff and bulky, it almost feels like you’re wearing a high-performance ski boot when you first put it on. The shoe softens a bit over time, but not by much. If you like soft and sensitive shoes, this probably won’t be a go-to. I would recommend the Five Ten Crawe to intermediate climbers looking to step up their game and dive into more high-performing climbing footwear because it provides a lot of support and performance. More advanced climbers, however, might think this shoe feels a bit clunky.
Sizing
After prior experiences of having a hard time fitting into some of the newer “aggressive” climbing shoes from Five Ten, I decided to order up a 1/2 size from my normal street shoe, and this was perfect. Go with your street shoe size, or even a half to full size up.
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