Five Ten Footwear

Five Ten Footwear (branded as Five Ten) is a German manufacturer of outdoor recreation footwear, focusing on rock climbing, mountain biking, and approach shoes. It was founded in 1985 by climber and engineer Charles Cole in California. Cole, an accomplished rock climber with an engineering background, developed Five Ten’s signature Stealth Rubber compound in 1986. This high-friction rubber, often described as the "stickiest rubber in the world," gave Five Ten climbing shoes exceptional grip and was later adapted for use in the brand’s mountain bike footwear. The company's early lineup included the Guide Tennie, often cited as the first modern approach shoe, and its sticky-soled footwear gained a loyal following among climbers and cyclists for its high performance.

In 2011, Adidas acquired Five Ten, integrating it into the Adidas Terrex outdoor division. The brand's headquarters were relocated to Herzogenaurach, Germany, where it now operates as a sub-brand. Cole died in 2018 at age 63 and is remembered as a pioneer in climbing shoe innovation, especially for inventing Stealth Rubber.