The name references the difficulty grade "5.10" in the Yosemite Decimal System — the level where climbing turns especially challenging. Cole, inspired after nearly slipping on a Yosemite descent, developed the signature Stealth Rubber compound in 1986; often called "the stickiest rubber in the world," it gave the shoes exceptional grip and was later adapted for mountain biking. Early models like the Guide Tennie are cited as the first modern approach shoes, and flagship climbing lines such as the Anasazi found their way onto many of the era's hardest ascents.
From the late 1990s, mountain bikers adopted Five Ten's sticky soles for flat pedals, and riders like Sam Hill won UCI World Championships on them. Adidas acquired the brand for US$25 million in 2011, relocating it to Herzogenaurach, Germany, where it now operates within the Adidas Terrex line. Cole died in 2018, remembered as a pioneer of climbing-shoe innovation.
