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Reviews > Footwear > Trail Shoes > Five Ten Runamuck Shoe > Test Report by Gail Staisil

 Five Ten
Runamuck Shoes


Test Series by: Gail Staisil, Marquette, Michigan

Page Contents:

Initial Report:
October 9, 2009

Tester Information

Name:
Gail Staisil
Age: 57
Gender: Female
Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m)
Weight: 145 lb (66 kg)
Location: Marquette, Michigan USA
Email: woodswoman 2001 AT yahoo DOT com

For the last 19 years, backpacking has become a passion. I am a four-season backpacker and an off-trail navigator. Although I do take yearly trips to the American West or Southwest, the majority of my trips are in Michigan and Canada. My pack weight varies considerably but my base weight is below 18 lb (8 kg). I am primarily a tarp camper who averages more than 50 nights a year backpacking in a huge variety of weather conditions including relentless rain, wet snow and sub-zero temps.

Product Information

Manufacturer
Five Ten
Website www.fiveten.com
Model Runamuck
Color
Moss
Size Women's 10.5 US (42 EU) -Also available in Men's Sizes
Uppers
Synthetic/Mesh
Soles 
Stealth S1 Rubber
Manufacturer  Weight  NA
Tested Weight  21.8 oz/ 618 g (pair), right shoe 10.8 oz (306 g), left shoe 11 oz (312 oz)
Model Year 2009 
MSRP $89.95 US

Initial Impressions and Product Description 

Five Ten Runamuck Shoes
The Five Ten Runamuck Shoes arrived with a simple hangtag noting the type of rubber used on the soles of the shoes. My first impression was that the shoes were extremely light. I anxiously placed my feet into the shoes before doing a full examination of all their features. Even though I have worn other pairs of Five Ten Footwear in my normal size of Women's 10.5 (42 EU) I wanted to make sure that the fit was the same. The length and width were perfect and the shoes felt great overall.

The Runamucks that I received are the Women's model and come in sizes 6-11 US (36-43 EU). This version comes in one color option of Moss Green that is
accented with bits of orange, black and tan. Company logos are notable on the outer sides, tongues, and heels of the shoes. The overall colors/design are very attractive.

The Five Ten Runamucks are actually classified in the "water shoe" category by the manufacturer. However they are still classified as running shoes (yeah!). Reportedly they are a "hybrid running shoe built for wet and dry conditions". What makes them water shoes are the open mesh designs on the side walls and tops of the shoes. This makes the shoes easier to wear in wet conditions as the water reportedly can drain out of the shoes quicker. They would most likely dry quicker if the conditions were right. I expect to experience much testing in that category since it is already a wet autumn season here. 

The mesh inserts (sides and tops of each shoe) are partially covered with overlays of reinforced synthetic material that has an open pattern over both sides of each shoe. There are also synthetic orange-colored webbing ribbons that add to the support of the shoe. A synthetic suede toe guard protects the front of each shoe while a rubber rand extends a bit up the front of each shoe.
Insole
I love the simple lacing harness that quickly snugs the laces through loops make of orange webbing. There are two eyelets at the top edge of each shoe through which the laces are drawn before they are tied. The laces are made of round cordage and are white in color. The latter doesn't seem very practical for shoes that will be dirty a lot.

Each shoe features a padded tongue that lies underneath the lacing and extends to the top of the toes. Those areas are really the only padded feature on each
shoe.

The inside of the shoes are lined with a light tricot material and the back of each heel has a stiffened area covered with tricot material. Loops made of  black-colored webbing are sewn into the back of each heel to facilitate putting on/removing the shoes. The patterned insoles are ordinary in thickness and design shape other than the twelve drain holes located near the front of each insole.

 

What makes these shoes different than most shoes???  Stealth Rubber!
Stealth S1 Rubber Soles
The most notable feature on the shoes is the use of Stealth Rubber for the soles. The rubber was originally formulated for climbing applications but its use became more widespread for other types of footwear by the manufacturer. Reportedly Stealth Rubber "provides the best friction on the planet".

There are several types of Stealth Rubber. Stealth S1 Rubber is used on the soles of the Runamucks. According to the manufacturer "S1 is ideal for hiking and mountain biking shoes because it absorbs for more shock" and it's "also designed for durability".

The tread pattern on the soles looks aggressive enough to deal with a variety of surfaces.

Since I have owned three different pairs of Five Ten Shoes in the last five years I can honestly say that that I am very familiar with the use of Stealth Rubber. Even though I have owned the Insight, Prodigy and Genius Models, none of them are similar to the Runamuck in any feature other than the use of Stealth Rubber.

Due to the season that this test is starting in I plan to wear the Runamucks in many adverse conditions. During the next four months I expect to run, hike and snowshoe in rain, slush and snow. I will address any situations where I might have to wear waterproof socks with the Runamucks to provide further protection to my feet from the cold.


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Field Report:

January 13, 2010

USA Locations and Conditions

During the field test period, I have worn the Five Ten Runamuck Shoes during one backpacking trip and other endeavors (trail runs, day hikes and indoor spin classes) totaling approximately sixteen days. Locations ranged from and included boreal and deciduous forest communities, backcountry lakes, islands and more. Elevation ranged from 600 ft (183 m) to approximately 1400 ft (427 m).

 

Early December Solo Backpacking Trip:

Location: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore - Michigan, USA
Type of Trip: Trail
Distance: 11 mi (17.7 km)
Length of Trip: 2 days/1 night
Pack Weight: 27 lb (12.25 kg) 
Sky and Air Conditions: Cloudy, light snow 
Precipitation: 0.14 in (0.36 cm)
Temperature Range: 17 F (-9 C) to 25 F (-4 C) 


Performance in the Field


Off to a rough start
First loop problem on Runamuck Shoes
Shortly after I received the Runamuck Shoes I went on a trail run of about 5 mi (8 km). The next day I headed over to a local peak for a 4 mi (6.5 km) walk. Midway through the walk as I looked down at my shoes and noticed that one end of one of the lace loops was detached on my left shoe (top right loop hanging by a few threads as shown in picture at right).

This really surprised me as I didn't feel that there was an unusual tension on the loop. When I returned home I examined the shoe further. It was apparent that the stitching holding the loop was unbroken. I can only surmise that the edge of the loop must of been sewn too close to the stitching and unraveled and pulled out.

I contacted customer service by email the next day. A week went by and I didn't hear back from them so I re-contacted them. This time I got a reply right away but a return authorization number wasn't issued for 10 days. There was an apology from the customer service representative that it took so long. I immediately took the shoes to a parcel carrier. It was about a week when the replacement shoes were in my hands.

I was very disappointed to see that they sent me back the wrong size even though I had clearly stated in the email and in the return package the reason for the return. I again contacted customer service and asked if there was any way that I could be sent replacement shoes as soon as possible. After a few days I heard from the manager of customer service and he sent me a return authorization and this time the manufacturer picked up the tab. 


It only gets rougher.....
Loop defect on second pair of Runamuck Shoes
As stated I received the new shoes in about a week and was excited to get back to testing. (Luckily or unluckily the test period for these shoes did not start until just shortly before I received the replacement shoes due to one of testers not receiving their shoes weeks after me so I really didn't lose any time testing overall).

I went on a short dayhike of about 3 mi (4.8 km) and the next day I ran a 5 mi (8 km) trail run. It was almost deja vu again as one of the loops pulled out and was hanging by threads (top left loop). It wasn't even the same shoe or loop as the first pair (right shoe this time).

I honestly think that these loops are not seared or sealed and they just pull out with minimal or ordinary tension on them. I am definitely not hard on any footwear so I was stunned. I decided to just fix it myself (hand sewn with heavy thread) as it was too much trouble to even think about returning them again. If I had bought the shoes though I would of returned them for a refund as they obviously have a design defect which I think could easily be rectified by the manufacturer.

In early December I went for a short backpacking trip of two days. There was only a scant amount of snow on the ground and just a trace was predicted so I decided that it was probably OK to wear the shoes. I donned waterproof socks to make sure my feet wouldn't get wet in the cold conditions. This combination worked fine as the distance traveled was only 11 mi (17.7 km) over two days. Ordinarily I would of chose waterproof boots f
or this trip but since this might be the only opportunity to test the shoes this way due imminent winter conditions I thought I would go for it. I did have other footwear in the car in case I had to go back to retrieve them.


Comfort and Grip

Now for the good news about the Runamucks. I had no trouble adjusting to wearing the shoes right out of the box both times. They are super comfortable and lightweight. They feel supportive to my feet and I actually really like them despite the loop problem.


I especially like the grip provided by the Stealth 1 Rubber. It holds firmly on many surfaces that are ordinarily slippery with many other shoes. Fall was an interesting challenge as the rock surfaces were often wet and interspersed with leaf coverage. The Runamucks performed admirably in early winter weather with light snow conditions and cold weather. During trail runs my feet didn't seem to get wet even though I was running through a couple inches (5 cm) of very fine snow.

When the shoes did get wet from rainy weather, they have dried amazingly fast. I pull out the inserts and the shoes dry seemingly in a couple of hours in indoor conditions. Because the materials used on the shoes are lightweight and synthetic there is really not much to absorb and hold water.

For the first month of the field test period I wore them for many activities including day hiking and running. Now with the advent of snow on the ground I've worn them with waterproof socks and have also worn them for indoor spin (cycling) classes. It is probably not the most ideal use for the shoes but the mesh breathes well and the soles give plenty support for the standing and sitting required for intervals on the bike!
 

In the long term period it will continue to be winter here. I have switched over to boots for outdoor wear due to the deep snow conditions and frigid temperatures so I will have to be creative for their usage.

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Long Term Report:

March 9, 2010

USA Locations and Conditions

During the long term test period, I have worn the Five Ten Runamuck Shoes four times for snowshoeing sessions. Locations were in deep snow-covered deciduous forests (Marquette County) in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The temperature varied but the average was less than 20 F (-7 C).


Performance in the Field

Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing while wearing Runamucks
Since there was several feet (a minimum of one meter) of snow on the ground during the entire long term period, I didn't get the normal type of wear on the Runamucks that a person living in a non-snow environment would have.

However, I decided
that I could reasonably wear them for snowshoe outings (day trips) if I wore waterproof socks with them. They work as well as any footwear for that activity as I do not linger while I am snowshoeing. My feet stayed perfectly warm, dry (because of the waterproof socks) and comfortable. I also wore short stretch gaiters so that snow would not jam into the back of the shoes. All my snowshoe outings were in deep ungroomed snow (bushwhack style).

The Runamucks remain comfortable to wear and their lightness is definitely an asset for snowshoeing as well as for the other activities I had worn them for in the field test period. The support provided by the shoes is more than good considering the lightness of the materials in the construction.

I haven't had any further problems with the lace loops after making repairs on the second pair but they have only been worn four more times. As far as overall durability the other areas of the shoes have held up well. There is little wear on the bottom of the Stealth 1 Rubber soles but that is to be expected as I wasn't in contact with cement or dirt during the last two months.

The Runamucks have been quick to dry after snowshoeing. I just place them on the floor in my house and they dry out naturally in a few hours even though I only keep my house heated at 60 F (16 C). There simply isn't much padding in the shoes to absorb water.


Summary
Runamucks "after" snowshoeing
Although I have been mostly pleased with the Runamucks, I am concerned about the further durability of the lace loops based on what I had experienced in the field test period. I truly hope this issue is addressed by the manufacturer because I feel the design is very functional otherwise. However, based on their overall comfort and fit, I will continue to wear them for future hikes.

 

Pros 
 
  • Comfortable
  • Lightweight
  • Supportive

Cons 
  • Loop defect problem

Tester Remarks

Thanks to Five Ten and BackpackGearTest for this opportunity to test the Runamuck Shoes. This concludes my Long Term Report and the test series. 

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