Leaving no stone unturned when creating the Dyna-Sys range of 10 speed components, Shimano designed a whole new chain from the ground up. The end result is their first ever range of MTB specific chains.
The SLX keeps the cost down by losing the zinc plated found on the XT version. Otherwise, the chain has the same construction including the same directional design, meaning it needs to be oriented in the manner specified by Shimano for best performance.
A standard 10 speed compatible chain tool can be used for installation.