Vibram Five Fingers??

From my own personal experience and from the experience of others, I would encourage anyone to take it real slow when starting to run in minimalist shoes. Your calves and achilles will be screaming at you if you don't!!

Regardless of how much running you do, it is like starting over. It is a new way to run and there are many muscles from in your feet all the way up that are going to be exercised that weren't before.

I went out and ran three miles in my VFF's the first run and although I loved it, I was sore for a very long time.

The word on the street is to start at 1/4-1/2 mile and only add 10% or so every time you go out. Your body will let you know if you are overdoing it. Give your body a day or two to let you know how it feels about this new method of running. You will know if you can add more than 10%…

There are a select few that have been able to jump right into their regular miles, but most experience a lot of soreness in the transition from a padded, raised heel shoe.

I've had a pair of Sprints since '06 and they're still going strong with one repair. Since there's no padding to wear out, they seem to be really durable. I have also found my foot and back pain to be much less noticeable when I'm using them regularly.

When I got them, I was using them for climbing/scrambling and as camp shoes (way light!). Now I use them for running regularly, road and trail. I find they work really well with Injinjis, and now I don't run without. My feet don't chafe and dry very quickly with the socks on. Hoping to get a pair of the leather Treks this summer and put in some 'barefoot' miles!

I have a pair. The KSO model (although I wanted to buy the classics, the KSO felt better and would maybe keep the top of my feet from an ugly sunburn, we will see.)

I am not hiking or trail running with them (yet). My experience is like Jeremy's. I use them for running and try to do a couple of runs with them each week. They are totally teaching me to run differently, and YES you must start out very easy with them. I used to run with long strides, landing on my heel and rolling across my foot. Now I am running with more rapid strides and land mid to fore-foot and it is a much more sensible way to do things. These shoes will teach you to do this, because if you just hammer away on your heels – pain will be your teacher.

But this new way of running will really work your calf muscles (that is what they are there for – an amazing shock absorbing system that I was neglecting for so many years). All of this is quite the revelation — and all this getting my feet and lower legs in shape is paying dividends even when I don't run/hike with the five fingers.

Read the book "born to run" for more background on this and an enjoyable book all around.

As I have mentioned before, I no longer hike in them (unless on manicured trails). It is too easy to hit something with my little toe, i.e. rocks, roots, etc.

"does anyone have a reason why they did not work for a camp shoe?"

They seem to take a long time to put on. I just picked up some KSO's today so I don't know how things will change over time, but it's taking me a while to get them on because you need to work each toe into it's little tunnel. I don't mind doing this once or twice a day, but it would be a pain if you just need them on for 30 seconds to go pee at night.

Yeah Dan, the first time I got them, they look me literally 2 mins each to put on. I actually suffered a toe cramp on my first attempt…hilariously sad. I'm happy to say, that after they loosened up from wear, I can get them on in about 10-20 secs each. The key is to get the toes in first, before slipping in the heel. For reference, I'm using Sprints

They do take a little getting used to, but they do get a lot easier to put on.

If I were to only take them for a camp shoe, I would definitely find something else as there are lighter and easier to put on options.

Here’s a thread from last fall that talked a lot about camp shoes… some good suggestions in there.

Camp Shoes

Just got back from a 3 day 47 miler across the AT in CT and MA. first real backpacking trip with my very very worn down KSO's and they were awesome! very rock terrain on the last day, with surprising amounts of snow and lots of water everywhere but no blisters. I even swapped packs with another kids pack the last day that weighed about 30 pounds (arg!) my feet were a little sore this mourning, but they are fine now. I started the first day with trekking poles, but gave them to others on the subsequent two days.
mike!

in the REI shoe department I am seeing chubby middle aged women (and men) who look like they never set foot on a trail trying on Five Fingers.
We're still a ways out from Halloween so I don't know what to make of it.
They are becoming a Must Have item.

i agree, Art. they are starting to become trendy, ala "Crocs"

fwiw, i do use these for camp shoes. a bit heavy maybe, but they offer protection that i need since most of my camping is at large, where more rough surfaces are likely to be encountered. Here's a shot of the last 'campsite' we chose…

I really wonder if they're just a bunch of hype.

I'm very into minimal footwear and practice barefoot running (not exclusively, but short runs a few times/week). I'm completely sold on the idea that 90% of shoes on the market are overbuilt and probably causing people issues…so I'm not attacking 5 Fingers from the anti-minimal angle.

That said, I just don't get them.
I've tried them on many times: I don't feel very "barefoot" with a bunch of fabric between my toes and a fairly heavy slab of rubber on my sole. I honestly feel more "barefoot" or natural wearing MT100s without socks- they're way lighter and plenty flexible, especially when broken in.

I also question getting one's toes broken in them. I literally just came home from a trail run in which, as is completely common, I kicked a rock on a rough section. It hurt WITH my toes protected in a minimal toebox. I have to wonder…wearing 5 Fingers my little toe could have likely been jammed or splayed way off to the side resulting in a break or sprain. Yeah, yeah, i know about the Tarahumara and Barefoot Ted and all of our ancestors…

But I just don't get 5 Fingers…a little gimmicky if you ask me. I might end up buying a pair just to really give them a try, but aside from the "cool" or "quirky" factor (turning heads)I really don't see what I'm gaining over ultralight racing flats.

It seems that a lot of people are wearing their FiveFingers with and without socks. Do you guys buy a size larger so you could do this? For me, the 41's were way to big and the 40's (which I bought) are a nice snug fit so I can't imagine comfortably fitting socks into these as well. Maybe they'll loosen up enough though….

I always wear my injinji socks in my fivefingers. I just find it more comfortable. There are seams and such that can chaff and cause blisters if you are wearing it longer distances for running or hiking. It also helps with the major stink factor that comes with wearing these shoes without socks. Lastly it adds some warmth when wearing it for lower temps. I actually went out for runs around 0F in these wearing two pairs of injinjis in them.

I was between sizes and decided to go with the larger size so that I could wear socks in them. I feel they have definitely stretched out some, so I may have been able to get by with the smaller size. On the flip side, I have heard that some peoples feet sizes change when they start running in minimalist footwear as the foot strengthens.

Craig,

Actually you will feel more "barefoot" running or hiking with the 5 fingers. You can really feel the peebles and small rocks, although there is enough protection on the soles, so you shouldn't get bruises. I think it is because there is no side support at all, and your feet can "expand" sideways. I don't know if I am communicating the expanding properly.

Your comments of getting one's toes broken, is why I rarely hike in them. Especially the little toe that is exposed. It is the smallest toe, just waiting to be injured.

They are a viable solutions for some situations, you will get more of a barefoot experience, and it will change how you footstrike. I would venture that if you did a normal long run in these, you will have some sore muscles, as you will be using them differently… that is unless you have been doing a lot of barefoot running.

Bottom line, I am hiking and running most of time in trail runners or racing flats now.

They are heavier than racing flats and your feet will STINK!! However they will last much longer than racing flats. Pretty impressed with the sole material. I wore out a couple pairs of racing flats last year.

I guess one of these days I'll just have to put up the money and try them. I'm not completely opposed to them, I'm just not convinced that they're something that's going to help me run better. Maybe they will, but true barefoot running combined with flats on longer/harder trails seems to have taught me what I need to know.

Ahh, but see what you've all done! Now I've thought about them enough that I have to go get a pair just to prove myself right or wrong!

I'd like to hear what you have to say about VFF vs racing flats. I can tell you that I've been wearing my sprints 2-3 times a week for 3 1/2 years and they're still going strong. I've not heard the same for racing flats, but hopefully there's a pair out there without EVA cushion and with durable outsole material. It seems that most are designed to be disposable. Do you have any suggestions for a durable racing flat?

Ok, I broke down and just picked up a pair of black KSOs.
First concern is sizing- as these fit like gloves and I hope I dialed it in OK. I'm somewhere in between a 46 and 47, went with the 47 to accommodate foot swelling. Just hope I don't snag a toe on something.

I'll run 3-4 miles in them tonight or tomorrow morning and see what the initial verdict is.

First thing my 6 year old daughter said: "Eeeeewww. Those are ugly Dad."

First thing my 8 year old son said: "I want some!"

And my wife: "Those are ugly. You're really supposed to run in them?….You're going to wear those out to dinner, aren't you?"

I can see how the soles would be pretty durable though. The more I wear them around the house, the more natural they feel. They'll definitely be sweaty though.

So I'm anxious to compare them with running in my MT100s. I'll keep people posted if interested.

Interestred!

Please report back on the G,B,&U.

Started trail running last season in a pair of KSO. If your foot structure is relatively strong its a smooth transition from traditional shoes. You will still need to up the km gradually. Only complaints are KeepStuffOut, up to a point. End up with some fine debris like sand getting in. Could be my foot shape around the heel. Gaps (see photo). The new version posted above may deal with the issue. Seem to be holding up much better than expected. A bit of peeling after the 1st ~100km.

Just for fun took a short (~10k) day hike with ~18kg load wearing the 5F. Feet felt fine during, after and the next day. Not sure what consecutive days with more hours on the feet would feel like. My feet started not enjoying "barefoot" running in cooler (sub 50*F) wet conditions.

So I've worn these for a few hours around the house today and just returned from a quick 5k run around my neighborhood. Mind you, I can do the same 5k run completely barefoot comfortably.

Overall, I like the feel, but I'm looking at two problems:

1. There's a ridge on the bottom of the shoe's forefoot (marked with yellow arrows in my picture). This ridge shouldn't be there- I can feel it with every footstrike as I roll through towards my toes. It feels like I'm stepping on a hard edge of some sort with every stride. Way too much of a pressure point for me to be able to count on these shoes to be comfortable at any significant distance. I can see it's part of the design idea- placing thicker rubber under the forefoot- but the edge of that thicker part falls right under the bones in my forefoot.

2. The red arrow shows the location of a pretty hefty seam on the instep of the shoe…big enough that I don't trust it at all. If I can subtly feel it there on a 5k, it'll be a massive blister by 25k. Socks would remedy this…but, in my opinion, that completely negates the point of these shoes. No good, not what I'm looking for.

If this is supposed to be getting me closer to "barefoot" but I'm feeling seams and ridges and might have to wear socks…well, that's not working too well with the "barefoot" idea for me.

I really don't understand why every shoemaker on earth seems to find it critical to put gimmickry, weird seams, ridges, swooshes, and other nonsense on their shoes.

Other than this, I actually like them. They feel good, have great flexibility, feel pretty natural- just enough armor to not worry about puncture wounds. I just don't think they fit my feet well, not to mention I'll likely be able to run faster in flats due to more toe protection (not worrying as much about foot placement- which wears you down mentally).

I'll be returning them tomorrow and sticking with my MT100s.

I am pretty interested in trying something from Feelmax- basically they're synthetic moccasins with very little apparent gimmickry on the soles.

I'm kinda bummed though, I wanted the KSOs to work for me.

If you're feeling seems and edges in there check them out and make sure the stitching is all ok. I read a couple reviews where people had bad stitching that was affecting their feet. I've been wearing mine for day hikes for the past couple weeks (and I'm wearing them right now) and I don't feel any seams at all. Could just be a difference in our feet too though I guess.

I'm going to try them out on a 40 mile hike next weekend, that will be the first real test I put them through. I might throw my Nike Frees in my pack just in case. Carrying the little extra weight just for this trip might really save me if the VFFs start killing my feet half way though.

Edit: I don't wear socks with them either.

I agree, about the seams. I had a seam/ stitch that was poking my left foot near the middle of my arch, and it gave me a pencil tip sized blister that was still very uncomfortable. I ended up going through both shoes with a pair of scissors, and trimming away all excess fabric at the seams. As for the single raised stitch that gave me the blister?, I took a dremel to it.

However, it seems that Craig's big prob is with that rubber layer right by the ball of his feet and toes…not sure how to remedy that. Maybe experiment with sizes?

O yeah, Tristan, aren't nike frees great? Love mine. Those really really feel like slippers to me

I don't want to knock them too hard; I think it's more of a subjective foot-shape thing. Konrad is right- the biggest problem for me is the rubber ridge of the sole- it just doesn't line up properly with my bones. I was wondering if downsizing would help, but I do remember feeling it slightly when trying on a smaller pair. I could try some mods and keep wearing them, but I'd rather get my $$$ back and move on.

So I'll stick with what I know: real barefoot training and racing flats. There's no reason for me to change what I'm doing right now anyway, it was mostly just curiosity.

Now what do I spend my $90 dollars on? Yeah, $90 for shoes to run "barefoot"…only in America! The indigenous runners of the world must find us hilarious.

Craig not sure if the problem you encounter is due to flaw in construction or just a foot shape incompatibility. I have a real high arch. Maybe why I haven't experienced a similar problem. Also don't cinch the velcro strap very tight.

Length of foot, toe lengths relative to each other seem to be critical fit issues. Sounds like need to add foot shape as critical fit factor.

My soles are not tough enough to handle the loose stone on the hardpack fire roads I run on. The trails are even tougher than the fire roads on my soft bare soles. V5F deal with my soft sole problem. Back in the '70s I ran in a dirty bright blue pair of Onitsuka Tigers.
Few decades later and never finding a shoe that I liked as much as the Tigers the V5F ended up more or less the choice. Have yet to try the Nike Free. Not sure about Asics reintroduction Tiger model(s?).

I'd think you'd want to keep them just to wear them out to dinner……