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Five Ten Hellcat Pro Review

Awesome power transfer, foot protection, and off the bike traction with a mid-pack weight that expands this gravity shoe's appeal to trail riders
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five ten hellcat pro mountain bike shoes review
Price:  $180 List
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Manufacturer:   Five Ten
By Jeremy Benson ⋅   ⋅  May 5, 2021
82
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#4 of 19
  • Power Transfer - 20% 8.0
  • Comfort - 25% 8.0
  • Traction Walkability - 25% 8.0
  • Weight - 15% 7.0
  • Durability - 15% 10.0

Our Verdict

The Hellcat Pro is a high-quality clipless mountain bike shoe designed by Five Ten to meet the demands of downhill racers. While it was made for the DH crowd, we found this recently updated shoe to be versatile with a significantly reduced weight that expands its appeal to the trail riding crowd. A stiff 3/4 length TPU shank provides impressive transfer of power to the pedals, with a little flex forward through the toe to facilitate walking. Full coverage Stealth rubber soles get along well with large platform clipless pedals and provide excellent traction off the bike. The reinforced toe and heel provide excellent protection and the EVA midsole helps take the edge off vibration and impact.
REASONS TO BUY
Stealth rubber soles
Excellent power transfer
Significantly lighter than previous version
Great toe and heel protection
REASONS TO AVOID
No medial ankle protection
Short break-in period

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Star Rating
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Bottom Line A quality gravity shoe with excellent power transfer, foot protection, and off the bike traction with a mid-pack weight that expands its appeal and versatilityAn XC/trail riding shoe that combines high performance with affordabilityFantastic shoes for adventurous rides and bikepacking thanks to moderate sole stiffness and great walkability/tractionLightweight with good power transfer and walkability, these are a reasonably priced trail riding shoe with casual stylingThese shoes offer a good blend of on and off-the-bike performance for casual trail riding or bikepacking
Rating Categories Five Ten Hellcat Pro Scott MTB Team Boa Pearl Izumi X-Alp S... Specialized 2FO Roo... Giro Gauge
Power Transfer (20%)
8.0
9.0
6.0
7.0
6.0
Comfort (25%)
8.0
9.0
8.0
7.0
8.0
Traction Walkability (25%)
8.0
6.0
10.0
9.0
10.0
Weight (15%)
7.0
10.0
8.0
10.0
7.0
Durability (15%)
10.0
7.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
Specs Five Ten Hellcat Pro Scott MTB Team Boa Pearl Izumi X-Alp S... Specialized 2FO Roo... Giro Gauge
Closure Laces plus wide velcro strap Boa iP-1 dial, plus velcro strap Boa L6 dial Laces Laces
Measured Weight (per shoe) 452 grams 359 grams 435 grams 375 grams 452 grams
Size Tested 10 (44) 44 46 43.5 45
Width Options Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular
Upper Material Synthetic with DWR Synthetic Polyurethane, 3D Airmesh Seamless perforated synthic upper Synthetic Leather and Textile Synchwire on-piece composite
Footbed Five Ten padded foam ErgoLogic EVA heel support Specialized Body Geometry Die-cut EVA
Midsole 3/4 length Dual-density TPU shank/Compression-molded EVA Nylon/Glass Fiber Composite EVA heel cushioning Stiff Lollipop nylon composite plate Injected nylon shank
Outsole Stealth Marathon StickiRubber Vibram ECOSTEP SlipNot FG Rubber outsole

Our Analysis and Test Results

Five Ten recently updated their ever-popular Hellcat Pro clipless gravity shoe. The shoe still has excellent power transfer, great toe and heel protection, and full coverage Stealth rubber soles, but somehow they managed to shave roughly 100-grams of weight per shoe. This takes the Hellcat Pro from the heaviest shoe we tested to the middle of the pack for weight, instantly broadening its appeal to a much wider range of riders. We spent weeks testing this redesigned shoe and came away very impressed.

Performance Comparison


five ten hellcat pro mountain bike shoes review - the hellcat pro is a burly shoe for aggressive riders and terrain.
The Hellcat Pro is a burly shoe for aggressive riders and terrain.
Credit: Laura Casner

Power Transfer


The Hellcat Pro is no slouch when it comes to mashing on the pedals. Gravity races are often won and lost by fractions of a second, and this shoe intends to provide riders with every bit of their pedaling efforts. It's not XC race shoe stiff, but it isn't that far and off and is certainly the stiffest gravity shoe that we've tested.


The Hellcat Pro features a 3/4 length dual-density TPU shank that is stiff as can be from the ball of the foot back, transferring all of your input directly into the pedals. The shank ends near the toe, allowing for slight flex in the forward part of the sole to improve walking performance with no impact on pedaling performance. Giving it the ol' in-hand flex test, the toe area was the only part of the shoe that we could flex. On the pedals, there is no discernable sole flex whatsoever. Additionally, the sole is very torsionally stiff which we found to improve the feeling of lateral control. The cleat pocket also allows for a large range of fore/aft cleat placement, so you can dial them in to your preferences, even if that's slammed way back.

five ten hellcat pro mountain bike shoes review - they take a few rides to break in, but these shoes are quite...
They take a few rides to break in, but these shoes are quite comfortable and the lace closure with velcro strap works well to secure them on the feet.
Credit: Jeremy Benson

Comfort


There are many aspects to the comfort of a mountain bike shoe, and Five Ten hits the mark on many of them with the Hellcat Pro. They feel a little stiff and clunky when you first try them on, and we found there to be a short break-in period of a couple rides before they started to conform to our feet. The overall fit of the shoe is quite comfortable, we found them to be true to size with a medium volume. We feel the width will probably work well for feet ranging from slim to just slightly above average, but those with wider feet will probably find these to be a bit narrow. Unlike the previous version, the shoe is a bit more streamlined with minimal padding around the forefoot, tongue, and ankle cuff. The footbed is a firmer foam that is a few millimeters thick that conforms to your foot over time. We found the footbed to cradle the arch and heel nicely and complement the deep molded heel pocket of the shoe.


The Hellcat Pro is secured with traditional laces and a wide Velcro strap at the top of the tongue which we found to be more than adequate to get these shoes as tight as you want them. The velcro strap works well to really lock the heel down, and we experienced no heel lift when riding or walking. The sole also has a compression-molded EVA midsole for increased durability and shock absorption. This shoe also offers quite a bit of foot protection in the form of a reinforced toe box and heel pocket. These shoes have a burly and protective feel that adds a level of confidence and comfort when blasting through loose, chunky rock gardens. Unlike some gravity shoes, however, they don't offer any protection for the medial ankle.

five ten hellcat pro mountain bike shoes review - the mesh panel on the side of the mid-foot allows these shoes to...
The mesh panel on the side of the mid-foot allows these shoes to breathe much better than the previous version.
Credit: Jeremy Benson

The Hellcat Pro is ventilated by two rows of small holes across the top of the toe box, a large mesh panel on the lateral mid-foot, and a mesh tongue that is padded with perforated foam. The ventilation is a big improvement over the previous version which was super hot and clammy on the feet. They still aren't the airiest shoes around, but they breathe relatively well for such a heavy-hitting, protective model.

five ten hellcat pro mountain bike shoes review - the stealth rubber soles grip well, though they don't flex as easily...
The Stealth rubber soles grip well, though they don't flex as easily through the toe as some other models.
Credit: Laura Casner

Traction and Walkability


The Hellcat Pro is clad with their Stealth Marathon Dotty outsole. Stealth rubber is known far and wide for being super grippy, and the sole of the Hellcat Pro is just that. The wide outsole is covered entirely with the grippy rubber, except for the cleat pocket, and provides excellent traction on hard surfaces. The Dotty tread design consists of raised dots, not lugs, and is relatively flat and therefore doesn't provide the best grip in especially muddy or slick conditions, or on smooth wet surfaces.


The sole is not prone to holding onto mud, snow, or other debris, except around the cleat as with most other shoes. The Hellcat Pro has a stiff sole underfoot for pedaling power with a little flex through the toe for improved walkability. The 3/4 length dual-density TPU shank ends under the ball of the foot, leaving the front of the shoe's sole flexible to facilitate walking. They don't flex quite as easily as some other shoes, like the Specialized 2FO Roost, for example. You won't likely mistake them for a hiking shoe, but they do allow for a somewhat stiff but relatively normal gait.

five ten hellcat pro mountain bike shoes review - the new version is a lot lighter than the previous model. an average...
The new version is a lot lighter than the previous model. An average weight of 452-grams in a size 10 is pretty lightweight for a downhill shoe.
Credit: Jeremy Benson

Weight


Five Ten worked some serious magic when they redesigned the Hellcat Pro to shave a significant amount of weight. We were shocked when we weighed our size 10 test pair and the scale only read 452-grams (average per shoe). The previous version weighed 113-grams more per shoe in the same size! That difference is very significant, and while it might not matter much to most gravity riders, it certainly makes these shoes more appealing to the all-mountain and trail riding crowd, or anyone who pedals for their descents. These shoes still have outstanding power transfer and a burly, protective feel, but they don't feel like lead weights on your feet anymore.


five ten hellcat pro mountain bike shoes review - we rode these shoes hard they look no worse for the wear. they...
We rode these shoes hard they look no worse for the wear. They appear to be a high-quality and durable product.
Credit: Laura Casner

Durability


The Hellcat Pro's are beasts of shoes and are probably more likely to break rocks than get damaged by them. They appear to be a well made and very durable product that can handle whatever you or the trail throw at them.


The synthetic uppers are stiff and tough, and ours show no signs of premature wear. The toe is protected by a thick rubber toe bumper that fully wraps around the front of the toe box and provides protection where the uppers, and your toes, need it most. The rest of the toe box and the entire heel pocket are wrapped in a rubberized material with abrasion-resistant panels in the high wear areas. The Stealth rubber soles show little signs of wear despite a fair amount of hike-a-bike on sharp granite rock. The lace eyelets are all reinforced, so those shouldn't give you any issues. The laces themselves and the velcro strap feel like the least durable aspects of the shoe, but laces are easily replaced should they ever fail.

five ten hellcat pro mountain bike shoes review - this gravity shoe isn't just for gravity riders anymore. the reduced...
This gravity shoe isn't just for gravity riders anymore. The reduced weight makes it a viable option for aggressive trail and all-mountain riders as well.
Credit: Laura Casner

Value


We feel the Hellcat Pro is a good value. They aren't exactly cheap, but they are priced competitively with similar shoes. Considering their awesome power transfer, foot protection, reduced weight, and durable construction, we feel they are a good investment that will likely last for several seasons of hard riding.

Conclusion


The redesigned Hellcat Pro is a gravity-oriented shoe that combines excellent power transfer, all-day comfort, foot protection, and excellent durability. The reduction in weight places this shoe in the middle of the pack, expanding its appeal well beyond the gravity disciplines, making it a viable option for aggressive trail and all-mountain riders.

five ten hellcat pro mountain bike shoes review - we were super impressed with the hellcat pro. if you're looking for...
We were super impressed with the Hellcat Pro. If you're looking for a protective shoe with excellent power transfer that can span disciplines from trail riding to downhill, we recommend checking them out.
Credit: Laura Casner

Jeremy Benson