Gear Junkie

How does the material inside feel against bare skin? Do you think Injinji toe socks would work with these?

No, go barefoot. The material inside the shoe is soft, made to wear w/o socks.

wow. I can’t imagine trailrunning in those! It’s bad enough walking over rocks with wetsuit boots on, and they have a rubber sole, seems like actually running would be quite painful. Or maybe I’m just a wuss. ;-)

Are the tops of them pretty thin too? I’m wondering if they’d work better with fins than bulkier wetsuit boots…

Ill bet they would be good for archery when doing a sneak on animals?

Re Ice’s question, the top fabric is thin and breathable.

As my story says, you should be a strong and experienced runner before putting these on for a jog. You have to run with a forefoot strike, not a heel-to-toe “roll.” They allow you to mimic a barefoot running style, though with some protection underfoot.

Weird indeed—even weirder than using poles for fitness walking still is and snowshoeing used to be. Snowshoeing finally caught on big-time. Hopefully, Nordic Walking will too. Maybe these “foot gloves” will hit big too. But then again, probably not. Tevas and other river sandals and then Crocs and clones became popular footwear styles, but they both are easy to put on and take off.
Claire @ http://nordic-walking-usa.blogspot.com

I purchased a pair and I think they would make good aqua socks for kayaking, but not for running. Good fit, but as in the review I do have some discomfort on the heals.

Hi Stephen,
I tried out a pair of Five Fingers on a Via Ferrata climb in the Dolomites last September. They were fun to climb in, but did poorly on the icy sections. I have a great photo of them in use, if you would like, I can e-mail it to you.
I have had good comments from people while I have been walking around in them.

How tough are they? I could see myself using these on many occasions, either doing calisthenics or for around camp (apres backpacking). Does the rubber show any separation from the material?

Austin—Very little wear on mine, though I run pretty light on my feet in them and stay on grass trails, smooth dirt and asphalt. They don’t get much use here in MN in the winter, though.

Rod—Please do send me those images!

stephen@thegearjunkie.com

Hey Stephen,
I have been contemplating getting me a pair of VFF. However I live outside the US, UK, and Canada, so a try out is not possible. I have used the Nike Air rifts on trails before and the feel was great but lacked the traction, so I got the Puma Complete Trail Fox, awesome shoe. As you can tell I prefer minimalist shoes, especially as I am a sprinter, but I am concerned of the complete lack of cushioning. I intend to use the VFF for speed work and short runs. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Dwayne,
They are minimal. Nothing really there underfoot. It’s like a second skin for barefoot runners. Would you speed train barefoot? If so, these might be the “shoes” for you. Make sure there’s a return policy if you buy online to make sure you get the right fit. As my column said, I took a whole size smaller in these than what I wear for street shoes.

I hadn’t heard of these until I saw them on JuliB.com, where Lisa Hoffman recommends them for tide pools… sounds like about the right speed, considering the look of them.

I’ve been an advocat of barefoot running for some time now and I absolutely love these things. I have the ones with the strap over the top. I don’t know if it’s the hippie in me or something else but i hate shoes and these are the perfect option for me. Like Stephen says, there is no support, only the thin sole. I use mine for hiking, running, water sports, and just wearing around town. It took some getting used to but now I can’t see myself ever running in shoes again.

Stephen, I found your site a few days ago and I’ve barely started exploring it but I really enjoy it. I hope you don’t mind a clarification? The model you’ve pictured is the KSO (“Keep Stuff Out”). The Sprint lacks the mesh in front of the strap, and has two short Velcro straps around the heel plus the instep strap.

The KSO and the Flow (same coverage as the KSO but with a 2mm Neoprene lining) aren’t going to appear on the VFF website until April 1, according to email from a VFF customer service person. (Though a few sites already advertise the KSO as being in stock and ready for delivery.) Google found me a brochure showing both new models: http://www.head2foot.se/fivefingers/pdf/fivefingers_workbook.pdf. The CS rep also told me that the Surge model (the boots) is being discontinued so if you like them, get them while you can.

I got a pair of the Sprint about ten days ago but I’m in Pittsburgh so I haven’t worn them outside, just on the treacherous terrain of carpet and hardwood floors. Toby, for me they’re fine over Injinji’s Outdoor and Performance socks as well as over bare feet. I won’t be using for real, I returned them as soon as I learned of the KSO (I hate stuff getting inside my Keens). My primary use for them will be running, I’m trying out Nicholas Romanov’s “Pose Method.”

D.

I wear my Sprints both with and without Injinji socks.
I wear either Sprint or KSO on the golf course. Sprint tends to collect sand from traps, but it’s easy to empty them out. I can put on my Sprints easily by leaving them flat on the ground and sliding my feet in; holding them in the hands and sliding them on (like socks) does not work so well. The KSO are harder to put on (or perhaps I have yet to find the right technique).
Walking the golf course in VFFs feels delicious. Traction for swinging is excellent on dry grass; marginal on really wet grass.
Fit for VFFs is based strictly on foot length (back of heel to tip of longest toe). The VFF web site translates this measurement into a size. The translation is different for different models. (I have 11-inch feet and wear a size 44 Sprint and size 43 KSO).

I just purchased a pair of Vibram KSO’s and I have mixed feelings.

During my initial run with them, I stepped on a twig (not a branch, merely a twig) which rolled over and ripped a hole in the upper of the Vibrams, over the big toe. I am fully onboard with mimicking the barefoot running technique, but I seriously question the durability of these shoes.

I purchased the Vibrams from Rock Creek Outfitters online. I immediately emailed my concerns that the shoes didn’t make it through my first run and their response was that they were unwilling to take them as a return or exchange. Essentially, I had wasted $80. If you want to purchase these shoes, DO NOT BUY THEM FROM ROCK CREEK OUTFITTERS. They will not offer any sort of customer service when necessary.

Hmm, too bad. Must have been a sharp twig! I have run many miles in mine and the uppers are fine.

I’d contact Vibram direct to see about warranty.

For folks wondering about how to fit any and all of the 4 current (winter 08) models of VFF’s, here’s an overview of how to fit each one, and how they fit – especially if you have an “odd” foot shape. also covered: how to size and fit with sox.

As a barefoot runner for nearly 7 years, the most important thing is to properly ‘transition’ to barefoot running. VFFs are a decent alternative when barefooting isn’t possible, but they do not substitute the slower training needed before you can use them. Regardingheel-striking, this is caused ONLY when wearing traditional running shoes die to their positive heel design. This along with over-cushioned design element cause the feet to become lazy and causer a medley of injuries. Check out www.BarefootRunner.com to learn more as well as keep an eye on Skora footwear, which I’m trying to launch for late ’09 / early ’10. www.skorashop.com Happy trails! David.

I have a pair of classic and i really love it!I wear it indoor, and i always notice people saying omg:)Its very comfortable!When its really hot , the sidewalks are hot tooo and i have to hurry:)So i recommend it it to everybody!

http://www.runcolo.com/Product-Reviews/Vibram-Five-Fingers.html

I have the Classics, love ‘em!