The Sleuth DLX uses Five Ten’s classic “Micro Dotty” tread pattern, which I’ve found to be excellent in terms of keeping my shoes on the pedals, though it’s definitely not great for things like trying to walk up mud, snow, or loose gravel (it’s great on packed dirt or rocks). I found that I could transfer power to the pedals with almost the same amount of efficiency that I could in the Five Ten Freerider Contact.

The fairly stiff sole and smooth tread underfoot make it especially difficult for the shoe to affect any sort of mechanical grip in those conditions. seasons it’s definitely worn down a bit and the rear center pin of the Vault is starting to get a bit deep in the rubber, but I’ve not worn through it yet. I’m guessing I’ve put somewhere around 60 days on a bike and a few dozen more just walking around in the Sleuth DLX, and it’s held up quite well so far.the Stealth C4 rubber on the regular Sleuth and the rubber on the DZR Shift, and slightly softer / stickier than the Ride Concepts Powerline’s DST 4. Although the Sleuth sports an easy-going skate shoe style, it also packs some features you'd expect in a more hardcore riding shoe. When I read about the D30 inserts in the insole, I thought it sounded gimmicky, and to what extent they deserve credit for the cushioning is hard to separate from the rest of the shoe overall. With the casual nature of the Five Ten Sleuth, we anticipated out of the box comfort and the Sleuth lived up to expectations initially.

Designed as a lightweight, more hiking-friendly alternative to skate-style shoes, the Trailcross LT presents an attractive list of features. The plain Freerider is slightly tougher than Sleuths, but it’s mostly an esthetic styling thing from what I can tell. One key component in foot comfort while riding is the crucial middle layer and the Sleuth addresses this with a die-cut EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate) midsole. The Five Ten Sleuth is a true fusion of style and function, engineered with technical cycling features wrapped in an effortless design. While it wasn't a problem during testing, we also wonder how the longevity of the permanently attached insoles will pan out.The Stealth® Marathon rubber cupsole has outstanding, non-marking traction thanks to its Micro Dotty pattern, gripping you towards the asphalt or your bike’s pedals all the same. The shoe is able to flex enough to fill that concavity, and I can feel my toes flex the shoe further over the front row of pins. While the Sleuth provides great off the bike walking comfort, that doesn't necessarily help in the rigidity department. And after spending a few months riding in the Trailcross LT, I found that the shoe was, in effect, everything that Five Ten said it was.