Review: Vibram Five Fingers Classic

http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/08/10/review-vibram-five-fingers-classic/

by edw519 • 17 years ago

68 53 17 years ago

icey• 17 years ago

Proponents of these shoes love to make the argument that we were made to run without shoes... but they never seem to mention that we weren't made to run on asphalt and pavement either.

mgrouchy• 17 years ago

I can't really say anything about the shoes, I never tried them, I am not a physician and I am not a medical professional.

That being said though, a good friend of mine is a runner on the track team at one of the University's here and he wears them for time to time(I don't think he runs in them all the time) and he says they are incredible.

bretthoerner• 17 years ago

The Tarahumara tribe runs on rocky terrain, not cushy grass.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1170253/The-...

Daemmerung• 17 years ago

"Strips of old tire" (from your cited article) would be thicker than the soles of my Fivefinger Sprints. All of my running surfaces are rocky or gravelly, and the Sprints do not provide enough protection for me against stone bruising. Perhaps my feet will toughen, with more miles in these shoes... I don't know.

They're great fun as river shoes, though I have to guard my toes with greater care than I did with worn-out trail runners (my previous river shoe of choice).

Radix• 17 years ago

They implicitely acknowledge that by buying thin +$50 foot coverings.

gregwebs• 17 years ago

The same logic (shoes don't cushion you, they weaken you) that applies to other surfaces applies to pavement. If you accept that there is no shoe that will make your running healthier on grass, then there is no shoe that will do it for pavement. The only argument would be that we should not run at all on pavement.

Eliezer• 17 years ago

> If you accept that there is no shoe that will make your running healthier on grass, then there is no shoe that will do it for pavement

...total non-sequitur.

anulman• 17 years ago

I own a pair of these, and I can attest to what the author wrote: when you run in Vibrams (I own the KSOs), you can run faster and longer than in anything else.

He doesn't mention, though, that your muscles will (initially) hate you for it the day after a run. I'm in my early 20s, and for the couple of days following my first "long" run in my Vibrams, I was walking like I was in my late 60s or 70s.

That said, the pain is worth it -- I'm now walking with a better posture and with more natural-feeling movements, even in my socially accepted shoes.

spydez• 17 years ago

If you want some socially acceptable looking shoes that aren't padded, I have some Vivo Barefoot shoes and they are expensive and lovely. All they have is a few millimeters of puncture-resistant rubber between your foot and the ground.

All I wear now is Vibrams and Vivos, and I don't even run... >.> I used to hate shoes and wear flip-flops at every opportunity, but now even flip-flops feel clunky.

http://www.terraplana.com/vivobarefoot.php

nwinter• 17 years ago

All agreed. I have the Sprints, and running in them takes some intense getting used to (muscles and blisters). Now that I'm used to them, though, I feel like a ninja.

dallasrpi• 17 years ago

Quick Review: The shoes hurt on pavement to start but after logging 25 miles total or so it didn't really bother me anymore. They are great for running in grass and other uneven terrain where you might lose your balance with regular shoes.

I find they hurt when running on gravel(nickel sized rocks hurt!) more than anything so I try to avoid that but it might be something your feet adjust to with more mileage. I started at 2 miles and have worked my way up to 8 at a time. When switching back to the KSO's after doing a run in regular shoes the day before you feel very light on your feet because they weigh so little. The most pain for me is that im getting blisters in a couple of places I havent before but I expect that to not be a problem once my feet adjust accordingly. Also make sure you get socks if you are going to do running..you dont need them for regular use but you will want them for long distance running.

EDIT: The KSO's are probably the shoes you want to get if you want to do longer distance running vs the classic (Based on numerous other reviews I read when trying choosing a model).

rivo• 17 years ago

People keep asking me about my Vibrams, telling me how cool they look. If "socially accepted" means blending in, then of course, you're right. But I've never had a "what a weirdo" reaction. (I live in Berlin, Germany, and there are far weirder looks here.)

I've had mine for about a year now. I just wear them like that, I don't use them to run. I like them a lot.

wizawuza2• 17 years ago

as a 27-year old with incredibly flat & wide feet, relatively good shape (170 lbs at 5'10" and pretty strong), I always had some flab cause I couldn't really run due to my bad knees/feet/ankles.

While these shoes aren't saviours, they are easily worth it IMO. First couple of weeks made my ankles and calves hate me, but afterwards I've always felt great.

le_dominator2• 17 years ago

When you say they aren't saviours, what are the drawbacks you experience? I'm curious to try them since I'm pretty athletic but they seem kind of Skymall-ish, you know? :D I have yet to meet anyone who's actually worn them and had informed criticism. Do you use them all the time now or just here and there?

catch23• 17 years ago

Some drawbacks:

running on hot pavement - the thin soles enable you to feel the temperature of whatever surface you're on. It never gets unbearable, but you'll definitely know when you're standing on a hot surface.

stepping on a single small rock - wearing normal shoes, the soles don't bend much if you step on a rock, but the vibrams flex around the rock so you'll definitely feel the pain.

stubbing your toes - the vibrams make it feel like you're barefoot, but the shoes make your foot slightly larger so sometimes you might trip on yourself walking normally because your body assumes you're barefoot.

not good on small clipless pedals on bikes - I bike a lot and sometimes I'll jump on my bike without my shoes with cleats. Normally it's not a problem with normal shoes since the rigidity of the soles protect me from the small surface area of the clipless pedals, but the vibrams make me feel like pedaling on tightrope.

getting sand in shoes - I have the KSOs, but sometimes a small sand particle will still make it in. Once in, the sand particle will make it down to the sole area and you'll definitely feel it since you don't wear socks to wear vibrams.

You'll get over most of these drawbacks after a few months though. The shoes are definitely worth it over the small drawbacks. If you're not sure, you should try them out in a running store first, you don't have to order them over the net.

wizawuza2• 17 years ago

as catch23 said, one big thing is feeling rocks under your feet. Another thing is that for the first bunch of runs, you will feel pain.. this is mostly because your feet aren't used to working out and they will hate you for it. But it does build of foot strength. And I mean it won't turn a fat person skinny.. and it won't make running the most wonderful thing in the world (unless you already enjoy it), but it will make things better, hence the "not a saviour"

I hear you on the "skymall-ish" comment... but trust me it's definitely not some crap like that, it's solid, and I highly suggest everyone at least try them out.

crass• 17 years ago

I completely adore these shoes, which allowed me to take my barefoot running off of the rubber track and onto any surface I desired. Fantastic sensitivity, forced my running technique into shape, and they disturbed anyone who saw them.

Unfortunately, they also provide little to no toe protection, so when I smacked my 2nd toe against a wooden ridge, the nifty independent-toe design happily allowed that one toe to hyperflex, which chipped my metatarsal and ruined the joint space permanently.

Great shoes, but make sure to have a little more vigilance than usual. To be honest, I can't wait to get back into them once my surgeried joint heals up.

gcheong• 17 years ago

Not sure this would have helped in your case, but it looks like they are coming out with a model more suited for trail running called the KSO Trek: http://barefootted.com/labels/fivefingers.html

asmithmd1• 17 years ago

Blisters, knee and ankle pain, and now surgery inducing injuries. I think I will stick with my over-padded, waffle sole Nikes

I guess I am lucky and never have had running injuries, but why are people giving these things such good reviews?

diN0bot2• 17 years ago

> why such good reviews?

because they're fun. they're not a holy grail, certainly not one with instant gratification. they are pretty good when used as one part of a larger effort towards joyful outside time. the next step is seeing how easy it is to make neat footwear yourself, both recycled or from leather. then it's such a good feeling. shot and dang. plus, maybe you could make padded sneakers with low heels that you used to walk ball-first. just to try.

kareemm• 17 years ago

> why are people giving these things such good reviews?

because they're comfortable! try running barefoot in a grassy field vs. running w/ shoes. no contest which feels better.

with the 5 Fingers you get the same barefoot feeling while running on asphalt, concrete, whatever.

i love my five fingers KSOs!

maneesh• 17 years ago

yea...i ripped both my shoes on separate event sin 14 days...i'm going to use them less hard and hope the new ones don't break so quick

csytan• 17 years ago

I agree that these shoes are fantastic for running. The one thing that annoys me about them though, are the independent toes. Sure, they feel a bit more "free" than normal shoes, but on the other hand, they make the shoe tougher to put on, require expensive toe socks, and make it easier to stub toes.

khafra• 17 years ago

I wear mine without socks; the chafing you'd get with normal shoes that way is completely absent if the Vibrams are correctly fitted, and they have a somewhat-effective antibacterial coating.

SystemOut• 17 years ago

Not exactly an answer to why but the individual toe pockets can also help you if you have a neuroma since they spread out your toes a bit. I know a few folks with a neuroma that swear by these shoes.

sh1mmer2• 17 years ago

After I'd seen a bunch of people with these who wholly recommended them I kept meaning to buy some. Last week I did.

One thing I think is interesting, is that Vibram seem to be getting a lot of grass-roots evangelism but the company itself has done a terrible job of encouraging that. Someone I know who's had Vibram's for way over least a year (to my knowledge) asked them repeatedly if he could sell them somehow, since everyone always asks about his shoes. Vibram said that unless he wanted really large distributor amounts, then no.

It seems to me like they could make a great story by enabling people wearing the shoes to refer people to their online store with a small discount in return for a buck or two. If you wear these shoes people will stop and ask you about them, and this would be a great model to encourage Vibram owners to upsell them.

aantix• 17 years ago

I like the idea..

Just thinking to myself, it'd be interesting if Vibram included X number of preprinted "affiliate" cards in the box of each pair of shoes you bought from them. The set of cards would contain a custom url (e.g. xyz123.vibram.com) and the wearer of the shoe could carry these cards with them and pass them out whenever someone asked about the shoes.

The preprinted business cards would give each customer an easy way to get up and running referring other potential customers.

lsc3• 17 years ago

it's hard to encourage your customers to become resellers without looking like some shady herbalife-like MLM scam.

lsc3• 17 years ago

Also, vibram is an established brand; I have horribly flat feet and prefer large and heavy boots with industrial-strength arch supports over running flats, but when I go to buy boots, I look for the yellow vibram logo. I don't think I've bought a pair of boots without vibram soles in the last 10 years. The idea is that they don't need to use shady marketing practices; they have a good reputation and innovative products.

sh1mmer2• 17 years ago

I don't see how this is shady.

If I like the product and people ask me about it I don't mind evangelizing it. However if so many people ask me about it that it becomes a burden I can see why people want a little love back.

wehriam• 17 years ago

Performance aside, you'll feel some interesting sensations while wearing them. Surfaces that you cannot walk over barefoot - for example loose gravel - are remarkable experiences.

(I've had a pair of classics for a few weeks now. I like to run in them. Sadly, the appearance is somewhere between gorilla feet and ballet slippers.)

silencio2• 17 years ago

Agree wholeheartedly - I went jogging up in the santa monica mountains in brentwood (near la) yesterday morning with my fivefingers (sprint), on a trail with lots of loose stones and gravel. The feeling of walking on gravel and stones was incredible, as long as I didn't step on anything sharp directly (but that'd be enough for it to hurt in any shoe). I liked it even more because it's something I enjoy doing barefoot but usually don't because it's harsh on my feet :)

le_dominator2• 17 years ago

What's up fellow Angelino! I've been thinking about these things for surfing since there are so many damn rocks everywhere. I don't recall a time whenever I've gone into the ankle snapping, toe jamming continental shelf and felt anything incredible about it (other than on the pain scale) :D, so the more I read, the more interesting these look. How do they hold up against sweat / moisture?

commiebob• 17 years ago

Amazing shoes, however I would recommend buying either the sprint or the KSO if you will be doing any running in them, the addition of a strap across the top of your foot helps a lot with keeping them on well when running.

kudzoo• 17 years ago

I bought a pair of the sprints and ended up returning them because the strap was irritating and uncomfortable. I don't have any problem running in the classics, and I also like simplicity. The best advice is try on both styles before you purchase.

Periodic• 17 years ago

These shoes were the ones that informed me that I am disabled. I never considered my mutation to be a deformity because it really didn't impact me until now. It is only after seeing these shoes a while back that I wasn't able to do something I wanted to do thanks to my malformation.

My second and third toe are fused together at the skin and vascular level. They have independent bone structure and ligaments, but they never fully separated in the womb. I could theoretically have surgery to make them "normal", but I always felt I should be proud of who I was and not have mutilate my body to make it like everyone else.

For now I'll continue to have to go barefoot.

kfranken• 17 years ago

I have the same thing with my toes. It's genetic -- my father and grandmother both have fused 2nd and 3rd toes.

I've been told that it's not uncommon in Ireland.

callahad• 17 years ago

I'm planning on picking up a pair and just slitting open the material to make room for my webbed toes. I figure it'll be fine so long as I stay away from gravel.

oconnor03• 17 years ago

Has anyone had bad longer term experiences with these or other "barefoot" shoes?

jplewicke2• 17 years ago

My girlfriend had some significant issues with an attempted transition towards Nike Frees. The higher impact on the foot gave her sesamoiditis and a stress fracture near the big toe. If you have a foot structure that's not the norm, it's worth thinking twice about these.

Rotating your shoes is one of the best ways to prevent injuries if you're trying to move towards more lightweight shoes. I try to use a combination of racing flats, Nike Free 3.0s, and trail flats, and variety really does help cut overuse injuries. If you intend to run fast on trails, you can get many of the benefits(e.g. low weight, flexibility, and a more responsive foot feel) with a trail flat like the inov-8 X-Talon 212, while avoiding a lot of the catastrophic injury possibilities.

One final note: although I love my pair of Five Fingers KSO, they smell really bad very quickly. If you get a slightly larger size, some people have luck using the Injinji toe socks with them.

Torn• 17 years ago

Yeah, my sprints do smell bad quite fast. The fabric loves absorbing sweat.

I'd recommend hand-cleaning them with washing powder in the sink, and really scrubbing the insides of the soles and fabric around the toes.

oconnor03• 17 years ago

Did the sesamoiditis & stress fracture heal and does she still wear Frees or did she give up on the transition?

Did you have any problems?

ChrisXYZ• 17 years ago

I feel like there's money to be made if someone can make the exact same product, but with a covering for the toes, so they look like regular shoes and don't stand out so much.

endlessvoid94• 17 years ago

I have a pair of the KSOs.

I haven't run in them, but I've hiked significant distances in them. First time was in the smokey mountains in Tennessee, along a portion of the appalachian trail. I brought along a pair of hiking boots in case my feet got sore. They didn't.

The sheer amount of texture you feel is incredible. I wear them constantly now. It's tough to describe without experiencing it, but the shoes give you an awareness of your environment that can't be felt any other way. It's not enormous, but its enough for me to pay for the shoes.

i guess they got me. i love them.

Derrek• 17 years ago

I'll do 5-mile runs through the city (on sidewalks, streets, grass, whatever) without injury. Sure, it took me a while to get to this distance, but running in these is a true pleasure.

I also do my gym workouts in them too.

diN0bot2• 17 years ago

i made my own "barefoot" shoes by sawing off the heels of old runners, cutting out all the material above the soles, and then drilling three holes in the soles: one between my big and second toes, and one each next to my ankle. this left me with a shoe very much like the Tarahumara tire shoes, although i lace it (with the runner's shoe laces) a bit different.

you can also make tire shoes yourself quite easily.

you don't need $80 shoes for awesome sandals.

that said, i have 5-finger shoes as a bday gift. they are excellent boat shoes. pretty good in rivers, but as stated before, rock bruising is very real. maybe that's something that has to be developed over time like any muscle.

lux3• 17 years ago

I bought a pair of their Flow shoes and they really seem to work well. I'm barefoot as much as possible anyway, and these give me as close to that experience as I can have when I'm out and could be faced with a "no shirt, no shoes, no service" scenario.

Unfortunately, I only bought one pair of the toe socks for use with them and going barefoot in them makes for a sweaty experience. So I ordered another 6 pairs of socks so I could use them all the time, but UPS wants $48 for customs into Canada (but mostly for their brokerage fee) which is ludicrous so I refused the shipment. Now I'm waiting to reorder them but this time using the USPS which seemed to work fine the last time when I ordered the shoes themselves.

Once that's sorted out, I'll be wearing these things until it's just too cold to do so up here!

lux3• 17 years ago

The back-story to me buying these was that I developed really bad shin splints a few years back and had to stop running, tennis, basketball, ultimate, or pretty much anything with an impact on my feet/legs. I was able to keep mountain biking and kickboxing, but I wanted to get into running and couldn't.

Doctors and shoe specialists all told me I needed better support. The supports and insoles only ever made it MUCH MUCH worse. I have one flat foot, so that was the focal point of all their recommendations... But the only thing that seemed to help, which was a fluke discovery and not recommended by any "professional", was being barefoot.

In these shoes, I can run around and play any sport I want with zero problems so far.

oconnor03• 17 years ago

Was it just shin splints that you had issues with? Have you had any feet,knee,or ankle problems since going barefoot?

Review: Vibram Five Fingers Classic

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