FiveTen.com says the Rogue is designed to “take you from the gym to the rock.” This is true, but more than that, it is a quality, comfortable, multi-use rock shoe for all types of outdoor climbing. It comes with with Stealth Rubber and works for any climber, from beginner to expert. The perforated top fabric allows your feet to breathe and stay dry, which is not only nice for the gym but also for warmer weather/climates or just for highly physical, pumpy, sweaty routes or bouldering sessions. It is great for circuit training where easy on and off and long-term wear-ability comes into play. These shoes perform well for most of your average foot moves, from smearing to edging and heel hooking or toe hooking. They are also comfortable enough for just standing around belaying, spotting or talking crap. And they look great!
If you are looking for a more high performance shoe for difficult edging on extreme sport routes or boulder problems, then try the other Five Ten shoe with Stealth Rubber and more precise front point edging, the Five Ten Anasazi VCS. The other well made, high performance rock shoes in the world (although without Stealth Rubber) are the La Sportiva Miura and La Sportiva Miura VS. If you are just starting out and want to save a few bucks you may want to try the $5 less expensive but very similar Evolv Defy or the also similar but $20 less expensive Mad Rock Flash. The Flash seems to edge better but the Rogue is more comfortable and more sensitive. We lean toward the Flash but it's a tough call.Five Ten Rogue Review
Our Verdict
Our Analysis and Test Results
Likes
Stealth Rubber (and not a Mocassym) for under $100 = score! This basic Velcro two-strap shoe design is buffed out with all the latest features to make a very functional, multi-use gym/sport/bouldering shoe. It is slightly better for smearing or for cracks than the similar but more aggressive steep face type shoe, the Five Ten Anasazi VCS. It feels like a Velcro version of the Five Ten Moccasym that actually stays on your foot when you heel hook. The easy on/off Velcro closures are also slightly sticky/rubberized for better toe hooking and symmetrical with the shape of your foot. The Velcro straps are also cut to fit so they do not hang over the sides of the shoe. There is hardly a break-in period and they are very comfortable for long sessions. The color scheme is appealing, subtle, and classy. A breathable, ventilated/perforated top fabric allows feet to stay dry and cool and will probably also cut down on the smell factor.
Dislikes
There is not much bad to say about these shoes other than you get what you pay for. They are among the lowest priced Five Ten shoes. They feel similar to the Five Ten Anasazi VCS but they don't edge as well — not as pointy a tip or stiff toe box. The short break-in period is a “like” but also means that the shoes wear out/loosen up quickly/prematurely. These are not crack specific shoes but they work okay compared to other more crumple-toed strap-ons. The lightweight perforated upper material also can wear out very fast on top of the toe area when put through above average levels of use.
Value
If you love Five Ten and trust Stealth Rubber, then this a good deal for a great everyday, multi-use shoe.
Best Application
Gym/sport/bouldering — not great for crack climbing. These are what you want to wear when you're simply out for a good day of good old-fashioned rock climbing.
