This new Five Ten Impact Pro incorporates Five Ten’s latest improvements for weight saving, improved drying times and maximum toughness.

>>> The best mountain bike shoes

The iconic Impact is the undisputed downhillers shoe of choice and kick-started the revolution for sticky, flat pedal-specific footwear.

Over recent years, we’ve had issues with Five Ten soles and uppers delaminating and getting baggy and stretched quicker than you’d expect. This latest Impact addresses those concerns with a stitched shank, a wipe-clean, stiffer upper and various new materials in the mid sole, toe box and bumpers to bring wear life back up to scratch.

What’s not changed is the quality of outright grip and chatter reduction. Using the slightly harder, original, S1 Stealth rubber and a revised, more tightly-packed tread, feet simply don’t budge, with the added security of the sheer size keeping you even more clamped on. Made from polyurethane rather than EVA, the new midsole rebounds faster, so can absorb multiple hits faster and puts feet closer to the pedal, but still offers excellent damping and cushioning smashing rough trails.

Like the Freerider Pro, this shoe uses an impact-hardening smart foam toe box to protect pinkies slamming against the front of the shoe in case the bigger outer bumpers don’t dull any strikes enough. One downside of all this protection is extra weight and bulk, which can be felt pedalling and also reduces clearance if your frame has wider stays.

Excellent at fending off water, drying fast and offering top protection, the Impact Pro is a bombproof performer best suited to big mountain riders or pure downhillers. The thicker sole won’t appeal best to those who love a tactile, feel-every-contour, sensation through the pedals though.