I've just returned from a trip to China and once again wore canyoneers - and glad I did.

They gripped rock so well I felt like Spiderman, even hummed the tune as I made my way down some ridiculously steep calcite flows that my head was telling me I should be falling down not walking down....and falling down would not have been good, there were some long drops 

Yes, they do wear out quickly when caving - the caves of Mulu give them a battering, however for me they are worth the cost as canyoneers certainly make caving abroad safer and more enjoyable.  Everyone on the team wore a pair apart from one - and Tim left him his when we left so hopefully he's doing a Spiderman impression now 

Five Ten sent me the following (not very detailed, apologies) list of stockists as I was asked where they could be bought when at Hidden Earth - we had a pair as a prize.  Here's the list:


COLLINS NETS LTD

CANOE AND KAYAK STORE

UP AND UNDER

BRATHAY  TRUST

KAYAKS & PADDLES LTD

GO KAYAKING SCOTLAND LTD.

WHITE WATER CONSULTANCY LTD

I-CANOE

SURFLINES

NEEDLE SPORTS

TEES ACTIVE LIMITED - NORTHSHORE WATERSPORTS

OUTDOOR KIT 4 U LTD

THE CANOE SHOP DESPERATE MEAS.

ANCRUM OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTRE

BOURNEMOUTH CANOES LTD

JOINT SERVICE MOUNTAIN TRAINING CENTRE

SHETLAND ISLANDS COUNCIL

ACTIV OUTDOOR PURSUITS JIM DEBANK

AS WATER SPORT

CLIMB LTD

MARK BROWN

THE OUTDOORS COMPANY

VERTICAL DESCENTS 

ONE PLANET ADVENTURE LTD

MANCHESTER CANOES

GRAHAM TISO LTD CALL BIGSTONE- BIG DEL

EQUIP OUTDOOR TECHNOLOGIES UK LTD

FIVE TEN UK

V 12 OUTDOOR

ANDREW BONNEY

KENDAL WALL SHOP LAKELAND CLIMBING CENTRE LTD

EDEN ROCK

CANOE EXPED

2PURE LTD. / FAO CHRIS FELTHAM

RIVER DEEP MOUNTAIN HIGH

These are the boots before they went to China - so will be a bit muddier now!



Thank you Five Ten for supporting ukcaving and China Caves 2015 

 


And a big thumbs up from the people on the Mulu Caves 2015 team who had Canyoneers too. The Canyoneer 3 has several improvements on the Canyoneer 2. We're putting some sort of review together on them soon.

Many thanks to FiveTen supporting caving in Mulu too 

I had some years ago for paddling but didn't get on with the cuff, or the buckles.
This new design looks much better though and may be worth another punt, though I suspect an expensive one !

TC

cavermark said:

 


And a big thumbs up from the people on the Mulu Caves 2015 team who had Canyoneers too. The Canyoneer 3 has several improvements on the Canyoneer 2. We're putting some sort of review together on them soon.

Many thanks to FiveTen supporting caving in Mulu too 

Click to expand...

Please post a review on here, Mark, thank you, Jane 

I bought the Canyoneer with buckles on recommendation from somebody who had been to Mulu but was disappointed that after a few not very hardd caving trips in New Zealand the buckle broke and the toe cap was peeling. Collins Nets couldn't replace them directly as Five Ten had realised by then the buckles were a weak spot (I thought they were when I bought em) so I now have the new ones with laces and a slightly better seam at the toe. These are wearing better and they have got an extraordinary grip compared to wellies - I just need to learn to trust them. I do like the snug feeling that you don't get with wellington boots. I will report when they wear out - currently some of the yellow material is wearing a bit.

Hi Doc
I have found  "Freesole" glue works really well to fix peeling soles or reinforce where the fabric has snagged/started to wear. Snoopy loops and gaffa tape help hold the repairs together under compression, and then the glue stays stuck really well (dare I say better than the original glue?).

http://www.outside.co.uk/shop/Freesole

I recently started using a pair of 5/10 for caving, i forget the name it was a hiking boot but same sticky sole. Before wearing, i used alcohol to get off machining residue from their creation and sealed all seams with E-6000. Doing this really prolongs the life of cave boots. So far i love them. Only issue was after being in mud, transitioning to slick rock, the mud didnt flake out so tractio decreased. But overal way more traction than ive enjoyed in all other boots. They do not yet rival the hightrc paraboots but are close. Otoh, the paraboots last years of hard caving without wear. So there is that. But as i do not fit the paraboots, the 5/10 will be my new go to. I got last years model from amazon.com for $30 shipped.

cavermark said:

Hi Doc
I have found  "Freesole" glue works really well to fix peeling soles or reinforce where the fabric has snagged/started to wear. Snoopy loops and gaffa tape help hold the repairs together under compression, and then the glue stays stuck really well (dare I say better than the original glue?).

http://www.outside.co.uk/shop/Freesole

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip

Amy said:

I recently started using a pair of 5/10 for caving, i forget the name it was a hiking boot but same sticky sole. Before wearing, i used alcohol to get off machining residue from their creation and sealed all seams with E-6000. Doing this really prolongs the life of cave boots. So far i love them. Only issue was after being in mud, transitioning to slick rock, the mud didnt flake out so tractio decreased. But overal way more traction than ive enjoyed in all other boots. They do not yet rival the hightrc paraboots but are close. Otoh, the paraboots last years of hard caving without wear. So there is that. But as i do not fit the paraboots, the 5/10 will be my new go to. I got last years model from amazon.com for $30 shipped.

Click to expand...

My  wife Angie got a pair of Paraboots on recommendation from Amy's partner and has found them excellent as well - and a bit cheaper to be honest.

I have Para boots too and like them, but sadly mine are slightly too big.  I went up a size to allow for wetsuit socks but this proved to be unnecessary: I should have stuck to 8's.  Not that they are way too big, I only notice it on technical climbs.

I gave up with the 5.10's after going through my fourth set, two of the canyoneer 2's and two pairs of the canyoneer SAR model. Unfortunately they stick so well it was hard to stop buying them even though they last such a short time. I was wearing out a pair of 5.10's every eight or nine months, including the running repairs stage.

That was until i found a Spanish company called Bestard, and bought some of their Canyon Guide boots. They are ten times better in my opinion. More ankle support, much better fitting system with the lacing, loads more comfortable and equally sticky on wet rock, the real winner is that after about 14 months use they are showing almost no sign of wear.

Its worth adding that I probably use them (5.10 and Bestard) on average about two or three times per week throughout our busy period, sometimes more.

I would be interested to hear how people get on with the new canyoneer three's though, i heard they had sorted much of the old falling to bits issues.

Thanks for the Bestard lead, I will keep them in mind!
FWIW I doubt 5.10 fixed their problem, as I know someone went canyoneering in Utah recently with the new ones, and they died about halfway through their trip. they were new at the start.

The 5.10 I got were not the canyoneering kind, they were Five Ten Women's Dome Mid Hiking Boot. I'll keep folks posted about how they did. But I did E-6000 them initially, like I do to all my cave boots. They don't seem to be that hard wearing, but been on two trips and look ok so far. They seem just a bit "soft" I worry they the tops (not soles, the uppers) will shred with crawling or some shit, ha. But, comfy and grippy.

Have just heard from Five Ten - they are going to sponsor ukcaving with another pair of canyoneers next year - so some lucky person will be able to cave like Spiderman!  Thanks Five Ten 

Comparison of 5.10 and Bestard.....

https://www.facebook.com/Britishcanyoningassociation/posts/541491575899442

I'm on my third pair of 5.10 Canyoneers. They are great in use but are not built to last. The strap has failed on my current pair after relatively little use. It's the toe strap that has broken so I've cable tied it back on for cosmetic purposes only. If the ankle strap fails the boots are useless. I am a professional user so ideally need something that will last better than these. I was considering trying the Etche canyoning boots next time from Starless River. Has anybody used them? At ?48 they seem worth a try.

Hi Hammy,

I was considering a pair of those Etche boots from starless.

I seriously recommend the Bestard's if you use them a lot as i do.

Couple of thoughts - I take it none of these things have steel toe caps.  I'm sure they're great for your average sports caver etc, but anyone involved in shifting rock about, or even scrambling about on loose rubble slopes (slate mines?) might want to consider the potential for hobbling back out and home with broken foot/toe.

Also - I like tucking my oversuit in to my wellies, nice and neat for pantin use etc. not sure I'd like the idea of not have anywhere to tuck them in, but thats a personal preference thing.

Hi Sam

I use mine in mulu where they are ideal for long forest treks with river crossings and long caving trips on the full range of surfaces. They are more precise and less tiring on your feet after long days. We tend to be in Ron hill trackers so the tucking in over suit issue isn't an issue. Cycle clips or snoopy loops?
There are Canyoneers available with a toe cap (think it's a plastic not steel tho).
Wellies still my preference in the UK of course. 

The SAR Canyoneer's have a solid toe, its not metal though.