FiveTen Guide Tennie Review
First Impressions
This is my second pair of FiveTen shoes. The first pair was the Dome, a chunky hiker that I really liked the feel of. I was expecting something similar, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The Guide Tennie is an approach shoe with sleek styling. The look great coming out of the box and on my foot. This pair was the “Electric Avenue” color combo, grey upper with a blue collar, blue eyelets and blue stitching. The stitching is a nice criss-cross pattern that adds to the sleek, smart look.
Features
The Guide Tennie sports Five Ten’s signature “Stealth C4” technology which provides excellent grip on the ground. I’ve worn the shoe in many types of terrain, from pavement to slippery gravel and always feel sure-footed. Last week the trail took us down some loose, dusty soil and I felt comfortable and relatively stable despite the instability underfoot. Exceptionally comfortable, the Guide Tennie can take you from the trail to whatever is next.
Sold as an approach shoe to used for both hiking and climbing, my Guide Tennies saw a fair amount of hiking and have been comfortable and supportive over many miles.
Specs
Upper: Nubuck
Sole: Stealth rubber
Weight: 1 lbs 13 oz per pair (Mens size 9)
Many hikers have a short lacing area, but the Guide laces run from the back of the toes to high on the instep, allowing a more personal fit. The rubber around the toe area is really for those doing climbing, but I like it as I am often bumping into protruding rocks and roots and the toe cap helps the shoe weather those collisions without marking up the nubuck.
Fit
Fit was a surprise. I typically wear a 9 in both running shoes and hikers, but the 9 from Five Ten was too short. My toes were bumped up against the end of the shoe. Going up a half size solved that problem perfectly. As I noted earlier, the long set of laces allows for a snugger fit in the instep and a looser toebox, my preferred fit.
Final Verdict
What a different shoe than I was expecting! The sleekness of this shoe has real appeal without sacrificing any comfort or durability when hiking. I can’t speak to the climbing credentials of these, but I can say they are my new favorites for a hike, or for a day I know I will be spending long hours walking/standing. I look forward to the coming wet weather to see how the hold up in moist conditions.
