I’m old to unicycling, but new to Muni/Trials.
I think that my biggest concern is with spraining my ankles, because I really (really, really, really) hate the recovery time afterwards. And I also hate that each time I do it, I’m likely to be making it more vulnerable for the rest of my life.
That said, what sneakers are best for sprain-prevention while not sucking in other departments?
Thx.
Looks like a great idea
I don’t even hate the aesthetics. Very helpful.
Any other choices I should consider?
Here’s the new version: http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/16621-285_FIVHI7-1-Clothing-133-Shoes/Mountain/Five.Ten-High-Impact-2-Shoes.htm
I have three pair of the first version and they are the absolute best shoe for MUni/coker/trials, ect that I have ever owned! Incredible grip, long wearing, very comfy with ankle protection. 
Good to hear.
Initially, I sort of just thought that you were saying that this was the right genre of shoes, which in itself was sort of a revelation. Stupidly, I hadn’t realized that there was a market segment for this sort of shoe.
Anyway, I’ll probably just get these. That is, unless anyone else wants to make a case for getting something different :D.
Thx
Terry and some other riders really like those shoes. They’re nice especially if you can afford them. You should know they are really sticky and take some getting used to, but once you get used to them and can move your foot around, a lot of people really like them.
I am not saying that from experience, it’s only from what I have read. Terry can confirm.
Cheers.
I have narrow ankles and finding shoes to support them seems near impossible. So I wear these ankle braces whenever I ride. I also wear neoprene ankle supports under them just to prevent chaffing.
I use these. They’re great shoes and rated highly by lots of people on here.
The shoes do provide a degree of ankle protection but i’ve still had light sprains a couple of times. Still highly recomended though
Dan
Other shoes…
Forgive me as this is not related to the style of riding, but related to shoes, I wanted to target my question to people who know about this more than I do.
Any suggestions for ideal shoes in learning gliding/1fww? I’ve just begun to learn 1FWW and my Maxxis tire is starting to bald (from normal wear) but it is still a little bit knobby. I need new shoes for unicycling, too…so I want to find a good pair that is ideal for 1FWW and gliding as well…I imagine anything with a flat tread on the bottom. I also like extra padding on the side since I do a lot of BC riding and those bolts cut into your ankles. Any suggestions?
New MUni/ MTB shoe getting great reviews
Check out the Impact 2 MID at http://fiveten.com
These guys made a soft rubber compound for their soles that grips pedals much better than a high ankle supported hiking shoe.
They also have a specially designed tongue that has a depression at the top which eases pressure on the spot where your foot and lower shin meet. Especially good for MUni, as your feet are in a flexed position constantly. Also uses a slingshot tongue design to keep your heel back and down in the shoe. You’ll like them.
I recommend the Impact 2 over the originals. I had the originals, and within a few months the lace eyelet at the top ripped out. 5-10 replaced them under warranty with the Impact 2, but I was without shoes for a couple weeks. The new ones are going strong after almost a year. They rock. And they’re worth the extra money. Try looking around–I’ve seen them for under $90 a couple places online.
unfortunately they make it very difficult to find anything on that website by not providing a “search” feature…I don’t see those shoes.
I have the older version 5.10 Impacts (like MuniAddict’s 1st link), 2 pairs, in fact. They’re great for everything uni, except ankle sprain protection. They’re not high enough around the ankle to prevent sprains.
I have had two serious sprains with mine. Perhaps the newer ones are high enough?
I use lightwt ankle braces like Kevin (phlegm) for rough muni.
It’s funny. I hadn’t been looking at this site, and then I came back to it just now, having been made aware of ankle braces, and wondering what yous guys (sic) thought of them.
I’m gonna be on rough and sometimes rocky terrain.
Let me try to focus my question this way. I think I’m gonna get the impact 2 mid. So, what percent extra ankle-protection margin will I get if I also use a brace like the McDavid (see earlier in thread). Like, 50% more, 100% more(doubles the protection), or maybe 300% more, or whatever.
I don’t want to have to use a brace in addition to the impact2, but if it’s gonna be a night-and-day difference, I’d probably do it. Actually, it would help if anyone wants to talk about the down-sides to braces that I might not already realize–besides the discomfort and inconvenience that I’m thinking about. Is the reduced mobility much of an issue for effective trials-y muni.
(And does Kris Holm ever use them).
Thx.
I have worn ankle braces like Kevin’s(Phlegm). The type I wear has the laces up the front like a boot, but it adds two velcro straps that go over and under the foot and up the side of the ankle on both sides. Very similar to how you would tape a persons ankle that has been sprained. Then there is a velcro strap around the leg to keep it tight. It feels supportive at first for the first 15 minutes or so, but even with the velcro reduncies, I found it loosens up. To retighten, I have to loosen my 661’s to get at the brace. Kind of a PITA. I just want to ride. I don’t think it offers that much lateral support. I bought the brace with some flexible plastic inserts that fit into sleeves on the sides. Works in theory, but very impractical, as the pressed against my ankle bone and started to chafe quickly. I then rode without the plastic inserts.
Do a search on Active Ankles in the forums for more info on those. That’s a different animal. I wore those for about a year on both ankles for protection, but they wore out over time and got loose. Even with those, my ankle could twist, and they brace would sometimes hit the crank. I have a thick lower leg, so mine may have been too big, hence the result of not offering that much support.
Just my experience.
At least with my riding, I didn’t find a night and day difference between wearing the brace(s) and not. There wasn’t that much diffence in the mobility and was easy to get used to.
Cheers.
I usually buy my 5.10 high impact shoes locally at pricepoint, and their prices are also the lowest-most of the time. I found another place that is $10 less for the same shoe, (High Impact 2) and free shipping and no tax since they’re out of state.
This, very useful.
And then it’s always nice when someone gives me reason to do what I want to anyway.
But if anyone else has had a different experience and thinks I really should get a brace, let me know.
Thanks for that link Terry. I just ordered some. I really need these for CMW because I don’t think my feet can handle 3 days of riding on my really crappy shoes.
Oh and also, I use 661 ankle braces but they’re really annoying to lace up but I’d say its worth it to get some. I wonder if I’ll even need them with the Impact 2s though…
Another vote for 5.10 Impact 2’s. I have the low customs (Sam Hills). Great durability, sticky when wet, can be harder to chaneg foot placement, but all you need to do is run a shoe with shorter/fewer pins.
I considered the mid height shoe, but I don’t think it’ll help with ankle stability, and the shoe tends to rub/hit the crank. Instead I’d use a nice lace up ankle brace, which is far more supportive that tow additional laces of a shoe.
Worth the money if you have some to spare 
That’s the opposite of my experience. I find that my feet swell after I start riding, so I’ve learned to tighten the braces just the right amount so that they’re supportive without making my feet go numb.
Regarding whether or not one should wear them, I’d say you should wear them if you’re prone to bad sprains often. You know your body the best. Like I said, I wear them because it’s hard to find shoes that support my narrow ankles well, and I’ve sprained my ankles many, many times in my life.
I don’t know of any downside other than spending ~$50 and the time to put them on. I don’t feel that the braces interfere with any unicycling, and I wear them whenever I ride MUni, trials, uni-basketball, long distances, etc.