Five Ten Galileo, $125
Overall grade: A Target climbs: All-around sport climbing and bouldering Fit: Moderately asymmetric; medium width and volume throughout Summary: Five Ten’s Anasazi Velcro slipper has a large, loyal following, but many who use it find themselves wishing it were just a little more comfortable for all-day use. Enter the Galileo, built on a similar last and with the same construction, but a bit stiffer and a little more relaxed. The result is shoe that climbs very well, yet you can still feel comfortable keeping it on for extended periods of time and taking it on multi-pitch climbs.
Several testers noted the Galileo’s versatility. “I felt confident making moves off of a variety of footholds — slopey ramps, pockets, edges, and whatnot,” said one user. “I also really liked the heel cup.” The Galileo’s heel is wrapped in fingers of rand rubber, creating a pocket that’s both supportive and flexible. “It’s the second best heel we’ve ever made,” says designer Charles Cole, in a cryptic allusion to an even better heel that he has in store. The real story on the Galileo, however, is the rubber. Five Ten, already widely respected for its rubber, chose this shoe to debut their new formula, Stealth Onyx. While we need more time to determine the rubber’s durability, Onyx delivered a noticeable increase in both stickiness and firmness over its storied predecessor, C4. Five Ten is currently only able to produce Onyx in small batches, so for the time being the Galileo is the only shoe on which it’s available. Five Ten: 909.798.4222, www.fiveten.com
