Five Ten Blackwing Women’s

Unfortunately, the slim profile makes the Blackwings feel a bit insecure during heel hooks. Although I never found this to cause any true slippage or to affect their heel-hooking ability, the heel just felt a little less than solid. Five Ten designed the heel to be slimmer than those in their other shoes, and it feels just a bit too tight, almost as if my heel was about to pop out of the shoe. (For women with very narrow heels, this may be a great benefit.) Likewise, the Blackwings feel only average at toe-hooking because of the impressive downturn and lack of thickness on the top of the foot.

The Blackwings obviously are not meant for trad climbing, but I was a bit surprised to find that they don’t perform well on small rounded holds or those lacking any positive edge. They feel much more insecure and prone to slipping on questionable holds like these than other more basic all-around shoes like the Katanas. However, in turn they absolutely master the tiniest of positive edges, whether on vertical or roof-like walls.

Bottom Line:

Overall, the women’s Blackwing is an excellent high-performing, aggressive shoe. Much like other aggressive shoes, the intense down-turn also basically eliminates the possibility of climbing comfortably on slab or while smearing for any extended period of time. However, they excel at anything overhanging, especially pocketed climbs. Toeing in with the Blackwings feels like a piece of cake; they stick exactly where you put them and they don’t let go. They also edge supremely well on steep routes, which is particularly helpful for drop-knees and other movements that require you to turn your hips in to the wall. In short, get on anything overhanging, and these shoes will work like magic.

I’m still not sure that aggressive shoes necessarily improve your red-point grade, but I can understand the draw. They certainly make you feel like you’re climbing stronger! The Blackwings perform just as well as similar aggressive shoes, but with greater sensitivity and comfort than some of the popular options like the Solution. They ensure that the details are taken care of and leave the hard-core crushing to the climber.