There are three models with the Trailcross tag, this Five Ten Trailcross XT being the mid-top version with a stubby neoprene ankle insert. It has a lightweight textile upper which is breathable and comfy, but it doesn’t offer a lot of support. The open weave can also let water in, but Five Ten does claim there are drain ports to let it back out again. Regardless, your feet will still get wet.

Even the best mountain bike shoes manufacturers have one rubber they use on their flat shoes – Five Ten has several. The Trailcross XT’s sole has the familiar dotted tread, but actually features a new Phantom rubber compound. We measured this at around 55a and, while that’s the same hardness as the Ride Concepts Hellion Elite, it has a slower rebound and better shock-absorbing properties. It’s easily the grippiest rubber we’ve ever tried; our feet were literally glued to the pedals. It’s almost like we were riding clipped in. In fact, trying to shuffle a foot around on the platform isn’t easy. After a few months the sole is starting to cut up, but we’d trade any foot tweaking or reduced wear characteristics for this level of grip – it’s just amazing.

This sounds fantastic, but we’re not rating this shoe a perfect 10 because it’s too narrow at the front and there’s not a lot of support. Going up a size helps reduce pinching, but it’s a compromise, and the shoe still feels a little flimsy. You have options elsewhere, but if Five Ten added some stability to the Freerider Pro upper, it would easily be the only flat shoe worth getting – this rubber is literally that good.

The second-best flat shoe is actually the grippiest, but the Adidas Five Ten Trailcross XT is a little cramped and there was a lack of support in the upper, which means it feels a bit flimsy when working hard. If you have narrow feet, though, this shoe is super-comfortable, highly breathable and the grip is out of this world. To score an extra mark, Five Ten needs to either put this rubber on another last or ditch the lightweight walking boot styling.