I tried finding a clearance section at zappos.com and fiveten.com - could not find them… what clearance section are you looking at?
Have you check Amazon. They usually have pretty good prices.
My first uni shoes were running shoes. I bashed my ankles quite a bit on those; they were scooped throughout the mid-sole, and that didn’t help with dismounting.
My second pair of shoes were a cheap pair of high-top shoes. Riding with a lot of weight on the pedals caused my feet to hurt; the soles of these shoes had a lot of “give” and became increasingly flaccid over time.
Then I brought 5-10 Impact Lows. By that time I already had pinned pedals. I was suddenly sticking to the pedals in an unprecedented way. I did not like this at first. It takes a while to learn how to adjust the feet on pedals when you’re sticking really hard. Even though the 5-10s are low-top, there is enough padding next to the ankle bone to create some distance from the crank. Some riders say they like to feel the pedal under their foot; 5-10s are not for those riders. I felt that all my weight was being distributed throughout my foot, and my feet stopped hurting.
5-10s are great shoes, and a bunch of unicyclists wear them. However, I don’t know if they would have saved you from spraining your ankle. A pair of high-top 5-10s might be a good idea. Or low tops with ankle braces. One advantage of the 5-10s is: if you land on the edge of your shoe, that firm edge will support all your weight, whereas, with a softer shoe, the same situation could result in the shoe rolling off to the side. I don’t know if that applies to your particular injury or not.
Shoes, however expensive, are still cheaper than medical expenses. I wear U.S. size 13, and there is not much in the sale rack for 5-10s at this size. Mine are showing serious wear at the points where they brush up against the cranks, but they still have a lot of life in them. I would have probably destroyed a few pairs of cheaper shoes during the time I’ve had my one and only pair of 5-10s. Highly recommended!
Happy rehabilitation!
I was wearing vans and when I came off a failed free mount I landed on the edge of my right foot which promptly rolled and caused me to fracture the outer foot bone.
So, that is why I’m looking into something with ankle support which might prevent OR at least lesson the tendency to roll the ankle if you don’t land squarely on your foot.
I am like you - have size 12 foot and nothing in the clearance bin for me either.
I gushed about my 5-10 impact lows here: 5-10 review thread, and I still love them. I rarely ride any uni without them. Zappos was good to me. My wide foot has never been a problem in their non-wide size. They won’t prevent every injury, but I feel much more stable with the hard sole and padded sides.
The Diddie Schneider, though described as a trailbuilding boot, is also meant for riding. It’s a high-top, available in size 12 at $39, and I can recommend it from personal experience.
THANKS - I will definitely look into that - need to check all my shoes and see if I want to get the 12 or 13. I think someone said you should round up a 1/2 size for the 5.10s?
After looking at that link I can see why the 510s are so popular.
Search the fora for advice on sizing, such as this post. I find the DSs to fit in my usual size, but I like my shoes roomy and I keep a couple of these under my heels.
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.
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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.
