Vibram FiveFingers

[ElementCamper]

I have to jump in here as I possibly own more pair of these things than any other DisBoarder, I'm going broke buying these things! I own some of the first pairs including some models that are no longer available.

As I Diabetic, I miss going barefoot as you really shouldn't expose your feet to any cuts etc. These are the perfect solution for me.

If you see someone at WDW next week wearing a pair of brand new black Treksports, that would be me!

Regarding this post:
Yeah I love the look of the kso treks... But am concerned with the kangaroo leather letting the heat escape enough so that my feet don't blister from excessive sweating and rubbing.
Treksports are the same shoe with a breathable top so it is not as hot. I found I do have to go up one size in these as they seem to be just a bit smaller than other models. These are thicker on the bottom than other models so you don't feel the ground or heat like you do in the thinner ones.

Yes, they are ugly but you really shouldn't knock them until you try them. Not everyone can wear them, they do feel very different and the instructions advise you to wear for short periods and build up to longer periods. This gives your muscles time to adjust.
They may be ugly but I love mine!

 

[yitbos96bb]

I have to jump in here as I possibly own more pair of these things than any other DisBoarder, I'm going broke buying these things! I own some of the first pairs including some models that are no longer available.

As I Diabetic, I miss going barefoot as you really shouldn't expose your feet to any cuts etc. These are the perfect solution for me.

If you see someone at WDW next week wearing a pair of brand new black Treksports, that would be me!

Regarding this post:
Yeah I love the look of the kso treks... But am concerned with the kangaroo leather letting the heat escape enough so that my feet don't blister from excessive sweating and rubbing.
Treksports are the same shoe with a breathable top so it is not as hot. I found I do have to go up one size in these as they seem to be just a bit smaller than other models. These are thicker on the bottom than other models so you don't feel the ground or heat like you do in the thinner ones.

Yes, they are ugly but you really shouldn't knock them until you try them. Not everyone can wear them, they do feel very different and the instructions advise you to wear for short periods and build up to longer periods. This gives your muscles time to adjust.
They may be ugly but I love mine!

Well I bought a pair today... KSOs. I'm a little concerned with the heat of the asphalt at Disney, but then again, I usually go in December... so maybe it won't be too bad.

Feeling the heat doesn't bother me, I just don't want it to be super feet burning hot... So I'm hoping the KSO's will do.

I'm a diabetic as well... I didn't think about that, but yet another reason...

Anyway went Naperville Running CO and checked them out. My feet fall between a 45-46. THe 45's fit a bit snug on top, so I went with the 46's.

They only had a few choices... no Trek sports in my size. The Treks were 45s and fit but were a bit tight, so I went with the KSOs. I guess I could have gotten them elsewhere, but these should at least get me used to them if I want to buy another pair later. I am looking at some Sprints or classics to wear just around (or maybe the Smartwool classics) and the Treks to wear to work... we'll see.

So far I like them. I am sitting in my chair, wearing them inside. Getting them on was a challenge initially... especially lining up the toes, but it has gotten easier.

My feet still feel a little fat for them... But that may also just me needing to get used to the snugness around my ankle. My big toe is large and feels a little cramped, but part of that is my toenail needs clipping. I was told by the person helping me that the KSOs do tend to stretch a little bit and break in more... kind of mold to the foot, so that should be awesome.

We will see how it progresses. I can return them for up to two weeks, so we will see how it is then.

 

[jediobiwan]

Congrats yitbos96bb! I hope you like them. The TrekSports are extremely hard to find right now as they were just released July 30th, so they are harder to find in the proper size than most other models. One god resource for you and everyone else (and where I got a lot of my info from) is BirthdayShoes.com
Think the DIS for VFFs and somewhat minimalist running/activity in general. The general discussion forum is great for all kinds of VFF user experiences. On that note, I am going to use a clever segue into talking about...

COUNTERFIETS!
Because of the popularity of FiveFingers and the relative price of them, a lot of poor counterfiets have been popping up. The first rule to spot a counterfiet is to look at the price on the official site and if the price where you want to buy them from is more than $2 off, it is likely counterfiet. Not saying there are no exceptions, but most cheaper are fake, even though they may come in legitimate boxes with real Vibram USA return addresses. On BirthdayShoes.com they have a store page that lists several legitimate online stores that all seem to keep a good stock that is usually better than local selection. If someone does need to order online for their first pair, a good piece of advice I got from BirthdayShoes was to order your two closest sizes, check the return policy, and just accept that you are going to lose about ten bucks on shipping (better than having to return and pay for shipping again).

Hope this info helps!

P.S. Just stay away from eBay when it comes to buying VFFs. Too many fakes.

 

[jediobiwan]

I have to jump in here as I possibly own more pair of these things than any other DisBoarder, I'm going broke buying these things! I own some of the first pairs including some models that are no longer available.

As I Diabetic, I miss going barefoot as you really shouldn't expose your feet to any cuts etc. These are the perfect solution for me.

If you see someone at WDW next week wearing a pair of brand new black Treksports, that would be me!

Regarding this post:
Yeah I love the look of the kso treks... But am concerned with the kangaroo leather letting the heat escape enough so that my feet don't blister from excessive sweating and rubbing.
Treksports are the same shoe with a breathable top so it is not as hot. I found I do have to go up one size in these as they seem to be just a bit smaller than other models. These are thicker on the bottom than other models so you don't feel the ground or heat like you do in the thinner ones.

Yes, they are ugly but you really shouldn't knock them until you try them. Not everyone can wear them, they do feel very different and the instructions advise you to wear for short periods and build up to longer periods. This gives your muscles time to adjust.
They may be ugly but I love mine!

Well said. Just out of curiosity, how many/which pairs do you have?

 

[jediobiwan]

I got a pair of KSOs in April & switched over to running in them. I may have a done a little too much, too soon because I developed an overuse injury on the bottom of my foot. Not PF, just sprained it. I love them so much that I bought a pair of Bikila's & back in June ran my fastest 1/2 marathon in them.

The injury occurred after the 1/2 & threw off my summer running plans a bit, but the upside of that is that I tried my first triathlon! . I throw on my running shoes once in a while & it feels terrible! Very labored. I'm completely sold on these things - just go easy, runners, when you transition over. I'm willing to work through my injury & give it however long it takes to run in my Bikila's without issue.

Yeah, I think a lot of people don't quite understand just how badly conditioned our feet become in padded shoes compared to when your whole foot flexes. I'm not a runner so I haven't had a hard transition at all. Some tips I have heard for transitioning from shod running to VFF or barefoot running is to run barefoot on carpet first to observe how tenderly you run on bare feet, to only run about half-a mile at first and then build up, and understand that you need to have a much shorter gait since you should be striking on the balls of your feet.

 

[pikaboo27]

I have been interested in these for a while now. A woman I work with has them and loves them, but I'm curious how they are after a long day in the parks. I usually wear some combination of sneakers and flip flops to the park, but I am curious what other's experiences are. Do you really feel the heat of the asphalt when walking on it? Oh, and do you take them off for water rides like regular shoes?

 

[yitbos96bb]

Congrats yitbos96bb! I hope you like them. The TrekSports are extremely hard to find right now as they were just released July 30th, so they are harder to find in the proper size than most other models. One god resource for you and everyone else (and where I got a lot of my info from) is BirthdayShoes.com
Think the DIS for VFFs and somewhat minimalist running/activity in general. The general discussion forum is great for all kinds of VFF user experiences. On that note, I am going to use a clever segue into talking about...

COUNTERFIETS!
Because of the popularity of FiveFingers and the relative price of them, a lot of poor counterfiets have been popping up. The first rule to spot a counterfiet is to look at the price on the official site and if the price where you want to buy them from is more than $2 off, it is likely counterfiet. Not saying there are no exceptions, but most cheaper are fake, even though they may come in legitimate boxes with real Vibram USA return addresses. On BirthdayShoes.com they have a store page that lists several legitimate online stores that all seem to keep a good stock that is usually better than local selection. If someone does need to order online for their first pair, a good piece of advice I got from BirthdayShoes was to order your two closest sizes, check the return policy, and just accept that you are going to lose about ten bucks on shipping (better than having to return and pay for shipping again).

Hope this info helps!

P.S. Just stay away from eBay when it comes to buying VFFs. Too many fakes.

Actually I have been reading Birthdayshoes and their reviews. They had one about a guy in WDW for 7 days in Sprints in hot weather with no issues, which made me feel good.

ALthough they exposed me to the VFF Speed, which for some tragic reason is NOT sold in the US. OMG... I LOVE the look of them... very retro sneaker look. I just want a pair for casual wear... they would look awesome with casual slacks or jeans.... I may have to order a pair from England... they are pricey... about $140 after the VAT and exchange rate... plus shipping... but I do love the look. I saw the 2011 Bakila LS which has speed laces. They are nice, but the Speeds look so much COOLER.

Interesting thing... According to BDAYSHoes and other sources, there is tons of anecdotal evidence the Black shoes size small for some reason... so a 46 Black KSO is much smaller than the others. Well I can definitely confirm that... shame as I wanted to get those to wear to work as well... Black out the yellow logo and they should work well.

Here is a pic of the Speeds if people are wondering. Love their look!

 

[yitbos96bb]

I have been interested in these for a while now. A woman I work with has them and loves them, but I'm curious how they are after a long day in the parks. I usually wear some combination of sneakers and flip flops to the park, but I am curious what other's experiences are. Do you really feel the heat of the asphalt when walking on it? Oh, and do you take them off for water rides like regular shoes?

Matter of preference for the water... Here is an entry on them in the ocean... the ones the man has are the Black KSOs..

http://birthdayshoes.com/relaxing-in-vibram-five-fingers-bahamas-style

This was nuttier to me... but hey...

http://birthdayshoes.com/finnish-girls-hike-alps-in-toe-shoes

As for the heat,

This guy wore VFF Sprints, which have a thinner sole than the KSOs and didn't seem to have any issues...

http://birthdayshoes.com/seven-days...-in-the-park-with-vibram-five-fingers-sprints

ANother one talks about Disney

http://birthdayshoes.com/this-is-not-a-fad-you-can-run-pain-free

 

[SamSam]

I have been interested in these for some time, but according to everything I've read they probably won't work with me feet. May feet are narrow, with second toe longer than big toe...dang, I really wanted them to work!

 

[Adrienne]

I really want to try them i wonder if they sell them anywhere in Australia.

 

[bouldertcr]

I got a pair of KSOs in April & switched over to running in them. I may have a done a little too much, too soon because I developed an overuse injury on the bottom of my foot. Not PF, just sprained it. I love them so much that I bought a pair of Bikila's & back in June ran my fastest 1/2 marathon in them.

The injury occurred after the 1/2 & threw off my summer running plans a bit, but the upside of that is that I tried my first triathlon! . I throw on my running shoes once in a while & it feels terrible! Very labored. I'm completely sold on these things - just go easy, runners, when you transition over. I'm willing to work through my injury & give it however long it takes to run in my Bikila's without issue.

My colleague, who is an avid exerciser and runner, purchased these in June and after 6 weeks of running, developed stress fractures in her 2nd and 3rd metatarsals. She is currently wearing a "boot" and will be out of commission for several weeks. I've done research on the vibrams and injuries, and from what I have read many runners have developed stress fractures in their metatarsal area. Some admitted that they didn't slowly ease in to them while others said they did and still developed the stress fractures. When you run, you put 3 1/2 times your body weight on your lower joints. When you run with regular sneakers, you strike the surface with your heel first and roll forward. With vibrams, you strike on the ball of foot first and then roll forward off the toes.

I think they look really interesting too but wanted to give you a heads up to some of the information out there. Believe me, I love going barefoot. I'm just not ready to go out and purchase these yet.

 

[yitbos96bb]

I have been interested in these for some time, but according to everything I've read they probably won't work with me feet. May feet are narrow, with second toe longer than big toe...dang, I really wanted them to work!

I've seen people comment that high arches won't work, flat feet won't etc. I don't think you'll know until you try... maybe buy them at a place allowing returns and don't wear them outside.

As far as the toes, my second toe is longer than my big toe. According to Vibram, its HOW MUCH LONGER that is important... 1/6 of an inch was the number Vibram threw around as possibly causing an issue.

Again, trying them on is the best way.

 

[yitbos96bb]

My colleague, who is an avid exerciser and runner, purchased these in June and after 6 weeks of running, developed stress fractures in her 2nd and 3rd metatarsals. She is currently wearing a "boot" and will be out of commission for several weeks. I've done research on the vibrams and injuries, and from what I have read many runners have developed stress fractures in their metatarsal area. Some admitted that they didn't slowly ease in to them while others said they did and still developed the stress fractures. When you run, you put 3 1/2 times your body weight on your lower joints. When you run with regular sneakers, you strike the surface with your heel first and roll forward. With vibrams, you strike on the ball of foot first and then roll forward off the toes.

I think they look really interesting too but wanted to give you a heads up to some of the information out there. Believe me, I love going barefoot. I'm just not ready to go out and purchase these yet.

I have a feeling that many of the ones who said they didn't may have not been quite that accurate... of course I'm sure some accidents happen, just like with any footwear. The studies on barefoot vs shoes though are very well done and convincing in describing how shoes are designed against feet.

I'd be curious to see the number of people developing stress fractures while barefoot or minimalist running (as there are many brands out there designed to emulate barefoot running) vs the entire amount of people who minimalist run and compare that to the same in running shoes... See if its more prevalent in barefoot or if it is the same statistically.

 

[yitbos96bb]

My colleague, who is an avid exerciser and runner, purchased these in June and after 6 weeks of running, developed stress fractures in her 2nd and 3rd metatarsals. She is currently wearing a "boot" and will be out of commission for several weeks. I've done research on the vibrams and injuries, and from what I have read many runners have developed stress fractures in their metatarsal area. Some admitted that they didn't slowly ease in to them while others said they did and still developed the stress fractures. When you run, you put 3 1/2 times your body weight on your lower joints. When you run with regular sneakers, you strike the surface with your heel first and roll forward. With vibrams, you strike on the ball of foot first and then roll forward off the toes.

I think they look really interesting too but wanted to give you a heads up to some of the information out there. Believe me, I love going barefoot. I'm just not ready to go out and purchase these yet.

Of course I bought mine more for walking and such rather than running... so hopefully that won't be an issue for me.

 

[SamSam]

I've seen people comment that high arches won't work, flat feet won't etc. I don't think you'll know until you try... maybe buy them at a place allowing returns and don't wear them outside.

As far as the toes, my second toe is longer than my big toe. According to Vibram, its HOW MUCH LONGER that is important... 1/6 of an inch was the number Vibram threw around as possibly causing an issue.

Again, trying them on is the best way.

If I ever see them in a local store, I will try them on.

 

[yitbos96bb]

If you have an REI in the area check there...

So I returned my KSOs. After using them around the house, my big toe was killing me and I got the feeling I needed to go up a size. The original shop didn't have anything larger so I went to REI... The local only had Treks, Classics and Sprints... So I tried on the Treks... and was in LOVE instantly. SO soft, the bigger size made a HUGE difference in comfort and so I bought them. The best part... REI has a VERY generous return policy... they said you can wear the shoes outdoors and return them months later... So they have a new customer...

I'm field testing the Treks at the Naperville Last Fling (those in the area are familiar) and will report back, especially on the breathability... I may have to end up using some powder to avoid blisters, but we will see.