Following the Nathan Rennie and Sam Hill signature shoes comes the new Chris Kovarik ‘Karver’ model, named after his aggressive riding style.
Like the ultra popular Impact 2 model, the Karver features sturdy action leather uppers, protective heel and toe boxes, and the all-important Stealth rubber sole that grips pedals like nothing else.
The Karver is a little more suited to our wet conditions thanks to its high inside ankle protector, which we especially appreciated on freezing cold days when we were in agony just tapping our ankles on the crank arms. It also has a weatherproof flap that covers the laces.
The flap attaches with Velcro on both sides,and though it keeps out virtually all the muck that’s thrown at you, it can sometimes catch on your crank arms, so check the position when attaching.
The fit is snug and comfy, just like most FiveTen shoes, but the inner ankle protection makes it feel like you’re wearing a lot more shoe – in a good way – and an elastic lace retainer sits under the flap to keep things neat and tidy at all times.
If you ride flat pedals a lot and you still haven’t checked out FiveTen shoes, then you need your head examined. They really are the best shoes for the job.