Asymmetric design puts power over the big toe, making it easier to climb seams and smudge off small edges There’s also just enough rubber for the occasional sideways toe hook on aretes and tufas, but not certainly not enough for more extreme hooking in a big featured roof or modern competition bouldering. Heel The upgraded version of the Pinks boasts some new features compared to the old model, including an improved heel and a sole plastered with Five Ten’s famous C4 rubber. This shoe is in its element serving up technical footwork on vertical terrain.Unlike the Blancos, the Pinks have a medium-stiff sole that facilitates all-around use in your gym or local crag. I got these a half-size down from my regular street shoe in hopes I would be able to crank them down a bit when necessary and use them as the all-around boot they are purported to be. The length seems just about right however the toe box is loose on the outside edges and tight against my big toe. As the comfy-ness waned I started to hone in on just what was so weird about the way these shoes fit: the Anasazi Pros are noticeably symmetrical compared to just about everything I have ever climbed (or walked) in.

After a few sessions, the VCS softens up, although they still retain good edging ability long after the break-in period. The full-length midsole has a large part to play in this, as does the new heel rand, both of which contribute to the precision and stability of the VCS toe box. Because the VCS is designed to be a performance all-rounder, don’t expect this shoe to have the unparalleled edging ability of the NIAD Lace or other stiff climbing shoes that are purpose-built for technical face climbing or all-day use Smearing Another unmissable addition to the VCS is the toe patch, an almost essential requirement for any modern performance shoe. This triangular-shaped patch sits over the big toe and instantly upgrades the shoe’s ability when it comes to bouldering and gym climbing. Directly underneath the rubber, in the interior of the shoe, the toe patch is lined with a higher-friction material, which helps toe hooking feel super secure. If gnarly bat hangs aren’t your thing, that’s not a problem, the new toe patch is significantly smaller than the full coverage of the Anasazi Pro, so it allows the toe box to remain flexible and unintrusive when not in use. The Heel when I found out Five Ten were working on a next-generation upgrade for these iconic shoes, the Nose In A Day range, I was slightly apprehensive. The task of updating and more importantly, improving, a shoe as iconic as the Anasazi VCS is no easy task.The designed heel uses a moderately high tensioned rand. You will discover that once your heel pops into place – with the help of the two perfectly placed heel tabs – is held securely in place and your power is pushed forward into your toes. Other nuanced improvements in fit revealed themselves throughout testing. In a nutshell, Five Ten minimized loose areas compared to the Anasazi line. Noticeable changes included the internal volume around the top of my arch, a common area of bagginess for me. The Pros feature the usual flat last and so they're great if you're looking for a performance shoe that isn't down-turned. On the whole they fit very similarly to the classic Anasazis, with the main differences being the tight heel and the overall stiffness of the forefoot due to the addition of toe rubber. Over the months I've being using the Pros, whilst they've given a bit to become more comfortable, there has been no significant stretching, which is not surprising due to the synthetic uppers and all that toe rubber. Materials The heel is the most apparent fit-related improvement. However, subtle changes to the lower volume last also made for a closer fit overall that still proved comfortable after hours of climbing. These shoes saw about 10 hours of use a week over 6 months before the toe area wore through to the rand, at which point I sent them off for a resole with the same rubber. Easy! Comfort and Fit

All of this whilst being one of the comfiest shoes on the market, the Five-Ten NIAD VCS is the perfect shoe, whatever your climbing preference. Five Ten says the VCS is designed for wider feet than the lace model, which I would agree with. My feet are fairly narrow so the shoes still fit but there is a noticeably long bit of Velcro which overhangs when they’re done up. This has been more of a slight annoyance than anything else though. I certainly found that my foot shape was more suited to the Pinks or Blancos than their Velcro counterpart. On the whole, always hard to tell after just a few sessions but I’d say it’s not much different to the original Anasazis (other than the sizing). Then again, I thought the same about the new Anasazis, which some people didn’t like apparently. May be my footwork is so bad that I can’t tell the difference 🤣 I think this is a win, especially considering in the world of climbing shoes most people won’t be able to keep their shoes on for half that time.

With regards to sizing the NIAD VCS use Five Ten's new sizing model: wear your shoe size. Sounds crazy doesn't it? You just wear your street shoe size. I think it's great: for a comfortable fit wear exactly your street shoe size, for performance go down a size and for all-day comfort wear a half size up. I wear mine in a UK 9.5 (and my trainers in a 10) and they're tight enough for technical climbing but still comfortable. I have worn a few different pairs of Five Tens since they implemented this new system and I have to say it works really well and seems to produce consistently-sized shoes, which is something that many brands seem to struggle with (including Five Ten in the past). Make sure you size your VCS to fit as, like any synthetic shoe, the stretch is minimal. After extensive use, I would guess mine have stretched 1/2 size if that. I’m a street size 10.5/11 US and got these in an 11 US.

With amedium-stiff sole, flat last, low asymmetry, and a healthy dose of that legendary C4 rubber, this is an incredibly comfortable and precise shoe that is ideal for long days at the crag. Even at a glance, it is obvious that the Anasazi VCS is designed for vertical – or less than vertical – climbing. That’s not to say you can’t climb a monster overhang or roofs in them, but this certainly takes a lot more effort than Five Ten’s performance shoes. The NIAD VCS is, one of the most comfortable performance shoes I have tested. Of course, the neutral last has a large part to play in this, as does the semi-stiff, sensitive, profile. The NIAD VCS is also available in a low-volume version: the teal 'women's' version of the Anasazi was always popular so it's great to see that it's received the same update. Materials Like any shoe, you could opt for a bigger, more comfortable size, or a smaller performance fit. In an all-around shoe like the Pinks, I prefer to have a size that I can’t wear all day but can wear for several pitches without having to take them off. The Anasazi Lace has a synthetic upper so they hardly stretch when breaking in, therefore I’ve only ever downsized the Pinks half or one whole size from my Five Ten approach shoe fit. The Verdict That said, despite the fact that the Anasazi is now a relatively old shoe, you still see it everywhere. Whenever I see a photo of Ned Feehally he always seems to be wearing them; Shauna Coxsey often wears the extremely popular women's version in competition;, and on a recent trip to Leonidio I often saw a pair at the crag. The Anasazi Pro therefore has a lot to live up to! So what's changed and how would I get on with it compared to the classic shoe? What's new?

These images were taken after several months of constant use and speak to the quality of the manufacturing. There is no doubt that these shoes are designed for slabs, long sport routes, and all-round beginner/intermediate level gym climbing. If you buy these expecting to crush those awesome cave problems at your local gym, you will be disappointed. Five Ten has replaced the Anasazi dynasty with a three-shoe NIAD (Nose in a Day) line this spring — the Lace, VCS, and Moccasym, which reportedly retain the best parts of the original while improving shortcomings. Thanks to its neutral, medium-stiff midsole, the NIAD VCS offers ultimate edging performance, whilst the Stealth® C4™ rubber keeps you solid on the smallest indoor chip of a foothold as-well-as the glassy pof'ed-up slopers of Fontainebleau. A new extended toe rubber provides improved toe-hooking performance and gives more versatility in both your indoor and outdoor climbing projects.