First, some clarification. Fiveten has made two versions of the freerunner, the Freerunner and the Freerunner V2 (Alien Glow.) The original uses an older rubber type, while the newer version uses the Stealth Mystique rubber (same used on the daescent). The V2 also has some moderate changes in structure and support.
This is the important part, The Freerunner V2s are only available in the Alien Glow color at the time this review is posted. Hopefully that will clear up some misconceptions on 5.10's part.
FIT:
I've found the Freerunner V2s to be very true to size. I ordered them in my tiny 8.5 and have had no problems with the fit. The arch in the original insole is rather high, and your heel is quite elevated, but this just takes some time getting used to.
FLEXIBILITY:
Now onto my biggest gripe about this shoe, the lack of flexibility. Because of the rubber, the extra support, and the thick cushioning, these shoes are stiff. While this has helped me in some movements, it really sacrificed my landing technique. Yes the shoe's thick cushioning made up for the falls, but I tend to land very hard in these shoes.
WEIGHT:
One very surprising aspect of this shoe is how light it is. Given the look, you'd expect it to be rather heavy, but i find these to be lighter than my pair of new balance shoes that I run in. I would definitely consider this a strength of the shoe, as it makes precisions very easy.
GRIP:
Let's face it, if you're thinking about getting a Fiveten shoe, you're doing it for the stealth rubber. This shoe does not disappoint. It sticks like glue to any textured surface (brick, cement, wood, stucco, etc.) and will do as good as any shoe on the slick stuff. Something that you might have heard is that stealth doesn't do well on slick things. You must keep in mind that for the most part, any shoe wont stick well to that type of surface. Just modify your strategy and overcome. The bottom line is, on most surfaces, you just don't slip... period. The Freerunner V2 does not under perform in any way with the grip.
BREATHABILITY:
For the materials used, I found this shoe to be surprisingly cool for all the training i've done in them on hot days. Though, I do have a high tolerance for heat, so I won't really care unless i'm feeling my feet burn. These shoes did not burn my feet even on the most bi-polar hot summer days of Maryland. (seriously, it goes from 50 to 90 every other week.)
CUSHIONING:
Second gripe about the shoe. To me, the Freerunner V2s have way too much cushioning. To some this may be a blessing, but to me it sacrificed my landing form. This is all a matter of personal preference (seriously, I find running shoes have too much cushioning) and despite the gripe, I would still recommend this shoe very highly.
Durability
Another excellent quality that the shoe has. It's made of leather and rubber, all very durable and ready to take what you throw at it. Be careful though, the sole does wear down somewhat quickly. You'll find that the little nubby bits on the forefoot will be totally gone within 2 weeks time... but anyone that knows anything about friction knows that more surface area in contact = more friction. And friction is what keeps you on that surface. Also, if the sole wears down too much, you can purchase stealth paint from the Fiveten store to reapply some sole grip to your shoe quickly and easily.
Price
Like all 5.10 shoes, the Freerunner V2's are rather expensive. At 95 dollars they wont break the bank, but you could still afford two pairs of regular running shoes for their price. I still love them anyway.
GENERAL COMMENTS:
Despite a few aspects of the shoe that I dislike, I still love these shoes. Like many other traceurs, I rotate between pairs when I go out to train, and I find myself putting these on most, second only to my daescents. Despite my few grouses about the shoe, these still get a big fat recommendation from me.
The Bottom Line:
This review is very opinionated so keep in mind that I may not feel the same way about these shoes that you may. This writeup is meant only to be a suggestion, not a be and end all review.
Pros: Copious grip, solid construction, very lightweight, comfortable. (Lots of cushioning?)
Cons: Inflexible, sole wears down quickly. (Too much cushioning?)
