These shoes will be on my feet for the first MTB ride of the year, if it's after a week from now. Isn't that the ugliest frickin' shoe you've ever seen? They grow on you ...somewhat. But the key is that they're "designed for flat-pedal mountain biking" - and highly rated. -Which means of course they're not SPD-compatible and that's important for perfect feel. The Batman-flap should be good for deflecting branches and keeping mud out of the laces too. I've been making due with low-end Vans for years, these are going to be sweet.
Read more about them here. Five Ten made their name on sticky rock climbing shoes.