adidas Men's Bc0884 Track Shoe

Product Information

Just undoing the laces won’t make them instantly comfortable as there’s still tension from that heel rand gluing the shoe to your foot.The upper is thin but surprisingly comfortable, and the tongue is just long enough that I have never really felt any pressure from the laces, cuff, or seams in the upper. I tested the NIAD VCS in the Sierra Foothills and Yosemite Valley this winter. The results were impressive: The flat-lasted (neutral) sole excelled on thin seams and vertical to gently overhanging faces. The chiseled toe design was precise enough to stand on small nubbins and powerful enough to smudge steep edges, while additional support came from heel tension (slingshot rand) that pushed my toes into the toebox. And reliable friction came from the 3.5mm C4 rubber on the soles. Haven’t really tested the toe hook patch. Not sure it’s really required as this isn’t a bouldering specialist shoe.

At first, this does feel slightly unusual, once you get used to finding the sweet spot though, it’s easy to see the benefits of this design. Having power directed over the big toe might allow for a higher degree of precision but centralizing the toe box makes for more powerful, secure, foot placements. It distributes weight through two toes rather than just one and makes climbing long and technical routes less strenuous on your feet. After putting the NIAD VCS through its paces, I am happy to say this shoe lived up to its predecessor’s reputation and has thrown some interesting new features into the mix too. The NIAD VCS is, one of the most comfortable performance shoes I have tested. Of course, the neutral last has a large part to play in this, as does the semi-stiff, sensitive, profile. Following their release in 1992, the Anasazis started to build their reputation as a serious-sending shoe after Jean-Baptiste Tribout put up Just Do It, the first 5.14c (8c+) in the USA. Just a few years later, a 15-year-old Chris Sharma topped out Necessary Evil, wearing the Anasazi VCS, setting a new standard for American sport climbing.Because the Anasazi Lace strives to be soft enough to be good smearing, but stiff enough to hold a good edge, it’s not going to edge as well as a more specialized shoe like the Blanco. And because they are stiff enough to provide some support on long routes, they are not as sensitive as some softer shoes available. There’s also just enough rubber for the occasional sideways toe hook on aretes and tufas, but not certainly not enough for more extreme hooking in a big featured roof or modern competition bouldering. Heel It’s no secret that laces give you flexibility in the fit of your shoes. You have the option of having them looser for a day of playing at the gym, or tightening them up for when it’s time to get serious with those harder pitches. What’s great about the Pinks is that the lace extends far down the center of the shoe, allowing you to get a custom fit right down to your toes. Pete: Climbing shoes are one of the most difficult things to get right, they can feel amazing in the shop and then a couple of pitches up a route they can be agony! The Pinks so far have been brilliant, albeit with a little discomfort on the first few wears, they have bedded in well and now fit like slippers. These are going to be my “go to” shoe for almost any climbing over the next few years at least!

Five Ten started producing climbing shoes in the 80s. The Five Ten ‘Stealth Rubber’ sole was one of the grippiest shoes available and climbers around the world loved it. This success helps Five Ten to grow rapidly. Five Ten also ventured into mountain biking shoes with great success. Acquisition by Adidas

Conclusion

Asymmetric design puts power over the big toe, making it easier to climb seams and smudge off small edges

The Stealth C4 rubber brings a good balance between friction and durability that makes the shoe feel at home at the crag and in the gym. Pulling from Five-Ten's iconic heritage and legendary range of climbing shoes, the NIAD VCS is the new re-imagined version of the ever-popular and renowned Five-Ten Anasazi. Designed for all-round performance, the NIAD VCS sits comfortably on all disciplines of climbing, seldom-seen is a shoe that performs so well trad-climbing but is also relied upon by world-cup level competition climbers. I got these a half-size down from my regular street shoe in hopes I would be able to crank them down a bit when necessary and use them as the all-around boot they are purported to be. The length seems just about right however the toe box is loose on the outside edges and tight against my big toe. As the comfy-ness waned I started to hone in on just what was so weird about the way these shoes fit: the Anasazi Pros are noticeably symmetrical compared to just about everything I have ever climbed (or walked) in. First impressions aside let’s get into performance a bit here. Having a home woody makes testing a bit of a convenience so I first pulled onto an overhang and poked my foot at a small jib. “I don’t really have much of a toe here but, this rubber… well I…” I edged onto some tiny sharp edges on some slab and lowered my heels, “hmm, not bad…better than ok, actually” then I stood on some slopey dual-tex foot nubbins on the vertical wall and did a few toe-ups, “Wuuuuut? Well now that’s impressive…” I slumped onto the giant beanbags I use for crashpads, mouth agape. This. rubber. I’m not lying when I say I had no words. ME: speechless. The cat couldn’t believe it either. Testing Disclaimer (3?): The Five Ten Anasazi Laceor ‘Pinks’, as they are simply known, have been a staple of the Five Ten range since the ‘90s. Over the decades they have built a reputation as the ultimate all-rounder and a loyal fan base due to the shoe’s reliable performance and adaptable characteristics.It was instantly comfortable enough to wear for an entire one-hour assault on a slightly overhanging granite boulder. I continued to wear the shoe at each boulder without taking them off otherwise, for a whole day.