turns out every shoe in my closet is actually size 13 so looks like I will be going with that.
was just looking at the Diddie’s again - what about that arch in the sole between the heel and ball of the foot? does that cause any issues moving around on the pedals?
Yes, the arch in the middle of the sole looks like a deal breaker.
I keep the balls of my feet on the pedals except for big drops, so I haven’t found it a problem.
I have these shoes, and I haven’t really noticed much difference vs. the flat soled shoes I usually use (I use the Diddie’s for cold/wet in the winter, so not too often here in Atlanta). I ride with the pedal maybe halfway between the ball of the foot and the midfoot, and I never change position.
It might depend on your pedal - my concave pedals probably cup the curvature of the shoe sole better than a flat pedal would, or a pedal like the Deitys that are taller in the middle.
I rode in motorcycle boots for a while. Their sole was hard and poor on grip.
Sometimes I found myself “hanging on” by the heel when climbing. In this position the rider can get further forward with the toes pointed down. It changes the thrust zone.
I subsequently converted them to a hybrid construction with Adidas “Nets” basketball shoes as the sole. Although I much prefer this sole all-round, the heel hanging was quite interesting.
I never thought I’d have a day of wearing, of which I previously perceived as really ugly shoes, the Converse. My second day on them. And now I’m tellin you, Im lovin these breavable leather Converse Varvatos!
I have enough faith in them to ride some really knarly, rocky garden single tracks. Love the sensitivity of the pedal on them, really good control, without too much grip so I can make adjustments without thinking about it, and with adequate ankle support, love the unbulkiness. I just found my other GoldiLocks.
20150715_115152_opt.jpg
Also, it has the convience of easy on and off side zippers too.
Yeah, I had to have strong faith in them or else they might decide to take me over the edge:D
I’d forgotten all about these shoes! I had a set in hand a few years ago, didn’t really like them due to weight and poor breathability, so I returned them. They would make great trial building shoes and winter riding shoes.
Sadly Five Ten didn’t have my size (13), but I got them for $69 on Amazon 
Get em’ before they’re all gone, this was a once in a lifetime shoe build from Five Ten.
As to the OP’s initial “quest” for a shoe to protect from an ankle roll:
There is no such thing, basketball players wear ankle brakes or tape.
You need to practice riding until your dismounts improve, then you won’t land poorly.
When I was first learning I would stay on the uni until the last instant, which would lead to bad falls and injury.
What I learned with experience is to sense when a fall was imminent and there was no recovery, then I’d spend that last instant setting up my dismount.
I like to think of my seat like a pommel horse. When I sense a fall coming, I push off from the seat and “post” into the air vertically, which gives me time to spot my landing.
I have broken all of my fingers at least once apiece, so the learning process is not without risk 
Not with this sole:
I tried it once and went back to nice long-lugged hiking boots. Also, the pieces of rubber extending up from the outsoles on the instep sides beside the ball of the foot, with the Five Ten logo on them, have torn loose from impacts with my Ventures.
Admittedly, these are zero-flare cranks with an unfriendly angular profile, but it did happen too quickly. I still recommend the shoes, but not for trailbuilding or to anyone who plans on whacking them into their cranks a lot.
Actually - I land just fine 99% of the time. I learned pretty quickly that a planned dismount was much better than trying to stay on past the point of no return.
The issue on this day (that I fractured my foot) was…
- just switched to shorter cranks that day and was learning them
- was trying to freemount on a slight uphill
- was wearing myself out freemounting 7x to get one right (should have stopped at 2x and did an assist mount)
- just happened to get off with a far right lean on a freemount which caused me to land with a lot of momentum to the right
So, it was not really a matter of me practicing more dismounts to fix this issue. The issue is practicing freemounts to the point where I’m hopping up ON CENTER rather than hopping up and having an extreme lean to one side or the other.
Still, most times I still land squarely on my feet… just this one time my ankle rolled.
Been thinking about getting some Spitfire:
http://shopfiveten.com/P-5048040/Spitfire--Midnight-Black.aspx
Do Fivetens small big or small? I’m size 9 in U.S. Sizing, should I go for that size when I order them?
I’ve tried a lot of shoes, including Vans-style flat bottoms (great for attaching rubber for street luge), Puma tennis shoes, Brooks running shoes, and combat boots. Personally, I found that the extra oomph of the boot really lets me feel connected to the pedals.
Some people like to go light (or barefoot) on the feet, but I like feeling that comes with a heavier shoe.
Walmart sells a brand of boots called Brahma, and there’s a model called the “Adan” that I got for $30. These have been my designated uni-shoes ever since. They’re steel-toed work shoes that look like a sneaker and have a flat sole.
The picture is actually pretty deceptive; the sole is much flatter than that in person. For the price, they really can’t be beat.
Basketball shoes are a pretty good start. They have thick soles good for shock absorbing drops and high tops which helps protect from ankle whacks and bad landings. The soles are generally pretty good grip on the studded metal pedals I use.
I have tried a few of them recently but my favourite remains my custom boots I mentioned in my previous post where I fitted cut down low ankle basket ball shoes over the uppers of lightweight motorcycle boots.
I expected them to be a bit over the top for ordinary riding which is why I experimented with lighter shoes but I feel I ride so much better in them that it is hard to want to use anything else. I feel I am able to control my ankle movements better with a boot having an upper halfway up my calf. I notice this advantage mostly in steep descents.
I been really thankful for the thick basketball soles and ankle support after a huge UPD. Normally when losing control on a steep descent one usually lets the uni drop out for a rear dismount. On this occasion I lost it and launched forward over the steep drop and had to land from great height onto concrete.
Knowing one’s feet and ankles are virtually invulnerable leads to being a bit more adventurous too. The benefits seem worth the little extra weight. They are about 800 grams each.
However if I would use different footwear racing on a flat track. It is hard to argue with the advantages of reducing the reciprocating mass when you are trying to reach very high cadence. I have a pair of Adidas Brooklyn Nets for this circumstance. They are a lightweight basketball boot that cover the ankles and weigh a little over 400 grams each.
I broke my longtime garage sale streak and bought a pair of these new after you posted the link. I needed a pair of regular shoes and figured I could see if these would work for some type of unicycling, too (basketball or road riding). I wear a 9.5 but ordered the 10 in these because I like a little extra room in my unicycle shoes. I found they are pretty true to size (the 10 is a little big for me). Thanks for posting!
The Spitfire looks great. Probably my next FiveTen, after I wear out my Converse Varvatos . The Karvers with velcro strap is too bulky for me and rubs on crank and frame when Im on the 36er. I like how the rubber sides are sewed on too. The blue and black Karvers had a problem with separation of which I had to glue back.
I am exactly opposite. I prefer a very close fit because I want the forces from my feet transmitted precisely to the pedals and vice versa without any “lash”.
My custom hybrid boots fit my feet like gloves.
Received them a couple of days ago.
Won’t comment on their unicycling performances as I haven’t done any serious riding since.
Just a couple of observations.
I do size a regular 42, which translates as a US-9 or UK-8. I have rather narrow feet for their size. My left foot is a tiny bit longer than the right.
After reading the comments and suggestions on Amazon, I decided to go for US-9.5 (European 42.5) and they’re a perfect fit. Almost too short on my left foot, but I’m sure they will stretch enough as it’s minimal. So nope, they don’t size big, they’re more on the small side.
When you look at the photos, they seem to be hi tops, and in real life they’re a little bit lower. I like hi tops because they protect your ankles from the cranks. The medial malleolus is half uncovered, but with socks (or chin guards) it’ll be fine.
The soles are not the super-crazy grippy you find on DH Five-tens, those are more BMX oriented I think. But the sole is flat which is rather nice, and the compound seems pretty grippy.
Waiting for a ride to give final impressions, but so far I love them. Especially at that price.
just a quick update for anyone interested. I did end up getting the Diddie’s (they were less than $40).
I’m just a few days in back riding after several months off with a fractured foot… so, my skills are affecting my comments…
Quick Comments
- the dip in the middle of the sole is no big deal. I don’t notice it.
- they are pretty sticky - hard to move around on pedals
- the higher tops tend to brush the cranks as I pedal. I don’t feel comfortable sliding feet to far out… riding a bit bow-legged seems to help. This only happens 60% of the time. the rest they seem to miss.
- weight: they are definitely heavier than my Vans. Will see how this affects my free-mounting practice
- I feel pretty protected in these (which is good for a 50 yr old guy)
Giro “Jacket” review
Thought I’d wait a bit before reviewing these shoes. Got them on sale, perhaps because they’re being discontinued. Wanted something not as expensive as my Impact Lows. I’ve been using them for a couple months, riding almost daily, with a mix of street/freestyle and mUni. Here goes:
- Lighter than the 5/10 Impact Lows
- The area which got most damaged on my Impacts, which is the inside uppers, where my Venture cranks rubs the shoes...this area is holding up better on he Giro Jacket than on the Impacts.
- These shoes are a bit narrower and more snug than the Impacts, but they still fit me well, and this is using the same size as the Impacts.
- The tread is different than the Impacts. It's harder to reposition the feet, because the pins sit inside the grooves. This does not bother me, and I consider it a plus, especially when sticking to the pedals is important.
- While there is good ankle support, and while the soles are stiff enough to survive landing on an edge without rolling over, the shoes are, in general, not as padded as the Impacts. However, as I mentioned above, they are quite a bit lighter.
So, yes, I am happy with my Giro “Jacket” shoes. The only color they had them in, in my size, was white, which seems kind of geeky but is growing on me. Strongly recommended!