Vibram Fivefingers - the two-day review

[andygates]

My Vibram Fivefingers arrived on Friday and I've been tooling around in them all weekend. Time for a quick review.

In summary, fivefingers are a moulded rubber foot-shaped sole with separate toes, and then some minimalist shoestuff to keep that sole on your foot.  This model is the Sprint, which has an arch strap but no covering; the Classic has no straps (like a ballet shoe); the Flow and KSO have a larger upper and are for the cold and wet.  All have the same sole, which is unique: this is, AFAIK, the only all-toe shoe out there.

The sole is a bit of sticky Vibram rubber.  There is no padding at all: run heel-first in these and you'll jar your heel just like you would barefoot.  But you don't do that because your body is fooled into thinking it's barefoot; it's almost hard not to run (other reviews call it "foot euphoria").  I've noticed that stairs get gripped by a toe or two, cobbles are a sheer delight to run over, and a walk around the fields has an extra, fun dimension with the various hard, soft, knobbly and squishy textures underfoot.  The one area they're not gecko-sticky in is wet mud.

I haven't done a serious training run in 'em yet as it takes a while to build up the specific strength.  But they're fab for mooching around, and astonishing for short dashes.  They're the foot upgrade I was hoping for, "fearless feet" if you like.  You still have to watch for big stones that will spang your arches, but gravel and holly and glass, stuff that makes barefooting horrible - that's all covered.

I'm totally sold. 

Comments

[ravenbait.livejournal.com]

What's the fit like? How much were they?

[andygates.livejournal.com]

Pretty good - a little loose on the heel, but pretty perfect in the toes and the rest is adjustable. I followed this fitting guide and, since I'm a normal-toe person, ordered 42s (I'm normally 45).

They're brutally spendy, though - £70!

[ravenbait.livejournal.com]

Can't get girly sizes in the UK anyway.

[ladyjulian.livejournal.com]

I wonder if they do them in size miniature? I really like the sound of those (but then I'm a sucker for cool new shiny things, which is how I nearly ended up with a pair of Masai Barefoot shoes, which fortunately I had the foresight to try first, they were horrible.)

[andygates.livejournal.com]

Down to an 8 1/8" foot length.

[simoneck.livejournal.com]

ooooh.
I love the feeling of walking barefoot, but hate sharp stones.

c'est combien?

[andygates.livejournal.com]

Circa 70 molluscs, I got mine from Fitness-Footwear.com (code MVC5 for 5% off).

[flitljm.livejournal.com]

Wants now!