UKBouldering.com

Five ten / Adidas to stop making climbing shoes? (Read 10433 times)

shark

Offline
  • *****
  • Administrator
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 8697
  • Karma: +625/-17
  • insect overlord #1
That’s the rumour from a solid source.

Anyone confirm ?

rosmat

Offline
  • **
  • menacing presence
  • Posts: 200
  • Karma: +15/-0
Hopefully

SA Chris

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 29221
  • Karma: +630/-11
    • http://groups.msn.com/ChrisClix
How will we tell? :)

GraemeA

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 1875
  • Karma: +80/-6
  • FTM
    • The Works, it's the Bollocks
That’s the rumour from a solid source.

Anyone confirm ?

Confirmed. And they are stopping making mountain biking shoes, which is a big surprise.

SA Chris

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 29221
  • Karma: +630/-11
    • http://groups.msn.com/ChrisClix
That is a surprise, so they are killing everything they got from buying 5.10 dead? Or will they be rebranded as Adidas now?

chriss

Offline
  • ***
  • stalker
  • Posts: 295
  • Karma: +8/-1
That’s the rumour from a solid source.

Anyone confirm ?

Confirmed. And they are stopping making mountain biking shoes, which is a big surprise.

This is a shame as I'm probably one of the few that climb & ride in them. Admittedly the quality has definitely slipped over the years.

They sponsor a fair few rider's and climber's, wonder what will happen to them? Full on Adidas

SA Chris

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 29221
  • Karma: +630/-11
    • http://groups.msn.com/ChrisClix
We have an unworn pair of mid 00s 5.10 Guide shoes in a cupboard, wonder if they will become collector's items?

Mullett24k

Offline
  • *
  • newbie
  • Posts: 24
  • Karma: +2/-0
Does this mean 5.10 can exist in it's true form again and we can buy all the anasazis we want ?

Teaboy

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 1176
  • Karma: +72/-2

Confirmed. And they are stopping making mountain biking shoes, which is a big surprise.

Is the Terrix brand still going to continue or are they getting out of the ‘outdoor’ market altogether. Seems a bit odd if they are going to continue making clothing aimed at (sub) alpine climbing but ditching the shoes.

Adam Lincoln

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 4943
  • Karma: +111/-30
    • Flickr Page, Vimeo Videos and Blog

Confirmed. And they are stopping making mountain biking shoes, which is a big surprise.

Is the Terrix brand still going to continue or are they getting out of the ‘outdoor’ market altogether. Seems a bit odd if they are going to continue making clothing aimed at (sub) alpine climbing but ditching the shoes.

Terrex going strong. Judging by all the new stuff that keeps getting released it is set to continue.

Don't think many will lose any sleep over Five ten. Hardly see anyone wearing it nowadays.

Ste Mac will surely go onto La Sportiva. Sadly most are velcro closure so no laces to leave undone.

Paul B

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 9626
  • Karma: +264/-4
Don't think many will lose any sleep over Five ten. Hardly see anyone wearing it nowadays.

I think dismantling one of the biggest brands of climbing shoe manufacturers isn't something they should be overly proud of even if they did have build quality issues.

SA Chris

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 29221
  • Karma: +630/-11
    • http://groups.msn.com/ChrisClix
Will Bosi looking for a new shoe sponsor. Can I start the bidding war?

duncan

Offline
  • *****
  • Global Moderator
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 2951
  • Karma: +332/-2
This isn’t a complete surprise given the way 5.10 has been managed over the last few years. It is always a possibility after a take-over and subsequent change of management or direction of the larger entity (outdoor business examples include TNF’s absorption of John Middendorf’s A5, further potentially libellous details over a pint; POD and Planet X).

To a completely uninformed outsider it looked like Adidas put their eggs and certainly their sponsorship into the comp. climbing / Olympics basket. This is the subject for a separate thread perhaps, but I sense the Olympics hasn't resulted in the big boost in interest and revenue some were predicting. Perhaps, as was said, the Olympics needed climbing more than the reverse (I'm happy to be told this is wishful thinking!).

I recognise 5.10 were neither the company or the shoes they were but, sentimentally, I mourn the loss because of my connection with the founder: my 5.10 business opportunity.

Most importantly, what will replace Pinks in the ukb poll? I think we need a poll...


Paul B

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 9626
  • Karma: +264/-4
...and Planet X).

Planet X can go and get in the sea. I saw some pictures last week of a brand new Selcof carbon fork that sheared under moderately hard braking. The thought of that happening at higher speeds is both  :shit: and  :sick:.

SA Chris

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 29221
  • Karma: +630/-11
    • http://groups.msn.com/ChrisClix

Terrex going strong. Judging by all the new stuff that keeps getting released it is set to continue.


Indeed. my partner got a pair of their hiking boots and loves them, I had a look and was slightly overwhelmed by the enormous range of options, many of which seemed nearly identical.

Dac

Offline
  • **
  • player
  • Posts: 75
  • Karma: +14/-0
With regard to Mr Adidas putting all his climbing eggs in the Olympic climbing basket, then not seeing the money come flooding in as he had hoped, I was reminded of this article by Andrew Bishsrat:

https://eveningsends.com/olympic-inglorious/

Allegedly a similar issue befell some when slope style skiing events where added to the Winter Olympics. Companies threw all there marketing and sponsorship at Olympic hopefuls, then sat back awaiting a big sales increase that never came.


On the wider subject of Adidas’s mismanagement of 5:10, it seems remarkable that they have fared so badly. Had Adidas done literally nothing with the brand (no new models no production changes) they would probably still be doing quite nicely.

I don’t feel comparisons with POD under Planet X are particularly apt. POD was already little but a brand name when it found itself in Planet X’s hands. As I recall wasn’t it Equip (who owned Rab at the time) who fist took over, and after a short while of making stuff to the original designs, who then changed all the rucksack designs for the worse. Planet X’s use of POD is really as nothing but a brand name, a bit like Karrimor for sports direct.




cheque

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 3389
  • Karma: +522/-2
    • Cheque Pictures
Had Adidas done literally nothing with the brand (no new models no production changes) they would probably still be doing quite nicely.

 :agree: That’s pretty much what they did for the first 5 or so years and no-one really minded. The shoes were the same until they moved production from the US.

Unparallel have surely been a big spanner in the Adidas works in this- when your old employees set up making improved versions of your old product in your old factory you’re going to have a hard time selling inferior versions to your established customers. Most people like me switched to Unparallels because they’re more like Five Tens than “Five Tens” are.

duncan

Offline
  • *****
  • Global Moderator
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 2951
  • Karma: +332/-2
With regard to Mr Adidas putting all his climbing eggs in the Olympic climbing basket, then not seeing the money come flooding in as he had hoped, I was reminded of this article by Andrew Bishsrat:

https://eveningsends.com/olympic-inglorious/

Allegedly a similar issue befell some when slope style skiing events where added to the Winter Olympics. Companies threw all there marketing and sponsorship at Olympic hopefuls, then sat back awaiting a big sales increase that never came.


On the wider subject of Adidas’s mismanagement of 5:10, it seems remarkable that they have fared so badly. Had Adidas done literally nothing with the brand (no new models no production changes) they would probably still be doing quite nicely.

I don’t feel comparisons with POD under Planet X are particularly apt. POD was already little but a brand name when it found itself in Planet X’s hands. As I recall wasn’t it Equip (who owned Rab at the time) who fist took over, and after a short while of making stuff to the original designs, who then changed all the rucksack designs for the worse. Planet X’s use of POD is really as nothing but a brand name, a bit like Karrimor for sports direct.

You're absolutely right, it was Equip rather than Brand X. My mistake.

Interesting to hear about the Slopestyle and thanks for the link to the Bisharat article. He absolutely nails it 5 years before the event.


teestub

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 2574
  • Karma: +166/-4
  • Cyber Wanker
Well I'm pretty sad as I’ve not climbed in much besides Teams and Hiangles for the last 10 or 15 years!

Despite many good reports, I know quite a few people that don’t get on at all with the recommended Unparallel copies, and I have seen enough pulled off heel tabs and torn straps to convince me that the build quality probably isn’t up to Italian standards!

Paul B

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 9626
  • Karma: +264/-4
...because nobody ever pulls bits off Solutions?

remus

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 2857
  • Karma: +146/-1


To a completely uninformed outsider it looked like Adidas put their eggs and certainly their sponsorship into the comp. climbing / Olympics basket. This is the subject for a separate thread perhaps, but I sense the Olympics hasn't resulted in the big boost in interest and revenue some were predicting. Perhaps, as was said, the Olympics needed climbing more than the reverse (I'm happy to be told this is wishful thinking!).

From what I've heard it's more that there was just no management of their sponsored athletes. For a time it was completely impossible for athletes to even get hold of shoes, and the only way they were keeping people on board was with big monetary deals.

To be honest it sounds like the whole transition was just very poorly managed, with addidas not really having any direction for the brand which left a big gap for unparallel to step in and take all the customers who were previously 5.10 loyalists.

Adam Lincoln

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 4943
  • Karma: +111/-30
    • Flickr Page, Vimeo Videos and Blog
...because nobody ever pulls bits off Solutions?

Never! Dont understand people pulling bits off. Look after your shoes. Ive never had a tab break or velcro bit break.

Bradders

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 2785
  • Karma: +135/-3
With regard to Mr Adidas putting all his climbing eggs in the Olympic climbing basket, then not seeing the money come flooding in as he had hoped, I was reminded of this article by Andrew Bishsrat:

https://eveningsends.com/olympic-inglorious/

Andrew Bisharat was incredibly prescient with this piece, spot on. His point that a great film carries more weight than the Olympics makes me think of Free Solo and / or The Dawn Wall; far more people have mentioned these to me than the Olympics over the years.

Really wouldn't surprise me if the lack of a post-Olympics sales bounce is the primary driver behind this.

peterbeal

Offline
  • *
  • newbie
  • Posts: 11
  • Karma: +2/-0
Heard from an informed source close to the situation who assures me the original rumor has no basis but that "big things" are in the future and to stay posted for the "official" announcement. So I guess we'll see.

CapitalistPunter

Offline
  • **
  • addict
  • Posts: 139
  • Karma: +21/-15
Will Bosi looking for a new shoe sponsor. Can I start the bidding war?

I imagine he will move to Unparralel like Ned if he liked the Hiangles so much. The Regulus is pretty much just a better version.

Moo

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Is an idiot
  • Posts: 1444
  • Karma: +84/-6
In the modern age of climbing shoes I think sponsorship for someone like Bosi probably goes to the highest bidder. My point being that now more than ever sponsorship isn't a reliable indicator of performance or build quality in climbing products.

Sorry for the off topic post.

Durbs

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 1009
  • Karma: +33/-1
I've never climbed in 5.10s, but love my Freeriders - though having said that, was hesitant buying my first pair due to the large amounts of reviews saying they disintegrate quickly (mine haven't!)

Anoesis

Offline
  • *
  • newbie
  • Posts: 6
  • Karma: +0/-0
At the end of 2011 after the sale of 5.10 was announced i was at a conference alongside a member of the adidas board and asked him directly about the purchase.  Effectively they wanted to dip their toe in the sector and 5.10 was the cheapest way of doing it before the like of Nike, et al bought them…
His comment regarding the patents for the stealth rubber was interesting - “we partner with the best rubber supplier in the world, if we wanted something better then stealth we could just ask for it”
Their $25M toe dip has been a bumpy journey..🤷‍♂️

SA Chris

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 29221
  • Karma: +630/-11
    • http://groups.msn.com/ChrisClix
$25M is relatively small potatoes

https://www.sportingfree.com/sports/adidas-net-worth/

You have to speculate to accumulate....

peewee

Offline
  • ***
  • obsessive maniac
  • Wilko Baggins
  • Posts: 477
  • Karma: +75/-1
  • If in doubt, Lock it out (Dynamically)
...and Planet X).

Planet X can go and get in the sea. I saw some pictures last week of a brand new Selcof carbon fork that sheared under moderately hard braking. The thought of that happening at higher speeds is both  :shit: and  :sick:.

i heard they have a voodoo doll with your face on it in the office after your recent communication  :jab:

Liamhutch89

Online
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 1259
  • Karma: +87/-1
His comment regarding the patents for the stealth rubber was interesting - “we partner with the best rubber supplier in the world, if we wanted something better then stealth we could just ask for it”

I recall watching a video some time ago where a representative of Vibram was explaining their rubber compounds for climbing shoes. What caught my attention was a comment suggesting that they could make higher performing rubber than their current offerings, but the price would be much higher or the durability worse. Surely the Ondra's and Megos' of the world would be sporting this super-rubber if true? Maybe they are?

 

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal