Five Ten Freerider – Kids’ Bike and Hiking Shoe Review

The Five Ten Freerider is a kids’ flat-pedal mountain bike shoe with a sticky dotted rubber sole and three hook-and-loop straps. Our five-year-old, Cy, has worn the same pair for about two years, biking and walking and biking again, because that’s what most of our days look like. It’s the best bike-to-trail shoe we tested. The one thing to know before you order: it runs narrow, and on a real hike, it’s a bike shoe first.

4.0/5.0

Best for bike-to-trail days

Five Ten Freerider (Kids’)

A bike shoe that walks just fine. Two years later, Cy is still wearing the same pair.

Shop at adidas$75

Sizes: 10.5K to 5.5 | Waterproof: No | Closure: Three hook-and-loop straps | Height: Low

Can kids hike in the Five Ten Freerider?

On short hikes and everyday walking, yes. It’s comfortable on foot and goes straight from the bike to the trail and back. For long or technical hikes, a dedicated hiking shoe grips better and flexes more. We have more options in our full guide to kids’ hiking shoes.

Where we tested the Five Ten Freerider

Everywhere, for about two years. Our days are rarely just a hike or just a ride. We walk on the bike park, ride to the trail, hike a bike, and ride some more. Cy has done all of that in this one pair, on dusty Colorado trails, desert trail in Utah, along the PNW coast, and plenty of everyday riding around our house.

Five Ten Freerider features: what actually stood out

These have really stood the test of time. Two years in, the only wear is a little pilling on the top of one toe and some grimy straps. Everything else is holding up.

Three hook-and-loop straps mean Cy puts them on and takes them off himself. The sole is flat, with no heel-to-toe drop we could feel, which we like for our kids. There’s plenty of room in the toes for them to spread out (though it could always use a little more). And they go from bike to walking to bike without discomfort in between.

What doesn’t work on the Five Ten Freerider

They run narrow, even in a size we got big. On a real hike, they’re a bike shoe first: the dotted sole is built to grip pedals, not wet rock and roots, and it’s stiffer than a hiking shoe. They’re not waterproof. And after two years, the straps are, honestly, a little gross.

Five Ten Freerider sizing guide

Real talk: we got these about two years ago, before we were testing gear, and did what most parents do. We sized way up so he could grow into them. He’s in a 13 Kids at age 5, and he’s still wearing the same pair. It worked this time, largely because a flat, strapped shoe forgives extra room. We wouldn’t do it with a hiking shoe, where a loose fit slides around. Even sized up, they run narrow.

Before you order, here’s how we measure kids’ feet.

Who is the Five Ten Freerider best for?

Kids who ride. If your family bikes to the trailhead, rides around the neighborhood, and walks in between, this is the one pair that covers it all, and it lasts. If your kid mostly hikes, pick a real hiking shoe.

Pro tip: Check the sole before you buy. The current version has a dotted tread, and that’s the one we tested.

How the Five Ten Freerider compares to other kids’ hiking shoes