Vibram Five Fingers

[lamontagne]

Over the course of the last 10 years or so, I have been having increasing issues with soreness in my feet. Trips to the Dr's have resulted in little to no relief in my feet, but major relieving of my wallet. Lately I have been purchasing quality footwear, which has helped immensely, but never really addresses the core problem. Thanks to the wonderous World Wide Web,I have been doing a bit of history research on my own and I have found a few interesting tid-bits. Which brings us back here to today. Foot problems are HUGE today, everybody complaining about this and that. Companies trying to sell this and that to fix or relieve this and that. And thats when it dawned on me.

Humans spread out across the entire planet, on foot, without shoes!

Maybe we werent really "made" to wear shoes? Did you know footwear as we know it (hard soles that is) has only been around for about 300 years, and only been available to the common masses for about 150?

Well...one day abit over a year ago, I happen across an ad for Vibram Five Fingers, and I was instantly in Gotta Have That mode.

A week later and I was rocking the original Five Fingers...

I was hooked. They took about 10 minutes to get used to them, then it like a baby taking my first steps. I literally had to learn to walk all over again! But once I got past that, I noticed the plantar fasciitis was markedly less, I was over pronating less, and I walked "lighter" on my feet than ever before. As much as I love these, there were some negatives. While the open tops allowed excellent ventilation, it also made them unwearable to work and sand would enter very easily. The other problem was the intergated bungie in the perimeter would put undo pressure on tendons across the tops of my feet. The was remedied by removing the bungie altogether.

I few months ago I splurged and purchased a pair of the KSO's (Keep Stuff Out). This model seems to have addressed all the issues I had with the originals and the increased thickness of the sole (4mm for the originals and 6mm for the KSO's) has made them a pleasure to wear in rocky terrain.

So the bottom line is this...

Are they Funky....Absolutely!
Are they comfy....Your opinion may vary, but they are for me.
Will you get stares, comments and questions...probably!

 

[Abel Villesca]

I know I couldn't pull those off. I'm curious, though. Do they offer any arch support?

 

[kellymoe]

The book, Born to Run, makes a pretty good argument for going barefoot or with something similar to the Fivefingers. I have tried running more and more barefoot and it has actually helped my bad back which is contrary to what you would think. More and more foot docs are telling patients to go with shoes with less support sighting that it's the way we were made and foot problems didnt really start until we started shoving our feet into running shoes with all kinds of artificial support. Something to consider.

 

[lamontagne]

Do they offer any arch support?

Not in the sense you would be used too.
They fit VERY snugly to the bottom of your feet, so you feel them across your entire arch. The difference being that walking barefoot, strengthens the muscles in your foot and toes thereby tightening the tendons that support your arch internally (and incidentally naturally aligning your spine in the prosess). Shoes do the opposite of this, they immobilize and mitigate the muscles in your feet and toes which leads to atrophied and weakend muscles and tendons, hence the need for arch supports.


Before I go any further, please note that I am NOT an MD of any sort! And everything I am sharing is simply my opinion based on information I have gleaned from researching problems I have been experiencing with my own feet.

 

[1speed]

I suffer from foot problems too. I've had Plantar's and have bouts with arthtitis in my feet a few times a year. A few years ago I switched to New Balance 970's (which are now discontinued) for trail running. They are a very light, minimally supportive trail shoe and they definitely helped my feet.

I bought a pair of the Vibram KSO's a few weeks ago but had to go out of town, then got the "flu from hell" so I've only run in them once so far. They felt a little strange at first but I knocked out five miles the first time. I did notice a few muscles in my legs that were sore that were not before so they definitely change your "geometry". I'll be back running soon so we'll see.

 

[Christophe Noel]

Our Five Finger rep gave me a couple pairs. I won't wear them. No way. I don't have feet issues largely because I've always been careful to select the proper footwear for each endeavor my feet are exposed to.

About 12 years ago I became certified as a Master Fit Systems boot fitter. Part of that process involved understanding why feet today are so hosed. It has a bit to do with footwear as you mentioned, but it also has a lot to do with the surfaces we stand and walk on. Sure, footwear as we know it today has only been around for 150 years, but think how the world's surface has changed. All day long we stand on tile, concrete, pavement, polished wood, even hard surfaces with carpet. We're not all walking around on sand and soft grass. Our feet don't articulate like they used to because they don't need to and in turn, they get weak and eventually injured. That atrophy you mention isn't just attributed to the footwear we use.

As a footnote.....just had to do that....I've heard of three rather serious foot injuries as a result of Five Finger shoes. That's three local injuries to our little town. One was a trail runner and the other two were hikers who had been suckered into them.

I see people headed for foot injuries all the time. Just yesterday a guy came into the store, said he was going to be backpacking with 50+ pounds off trail in the Grand Canyon and instead of buying a proper pack weight boot, he bought flimsy KEEN Targhees that I can fold in half like a sock. That's how you mess up your feet for life.

Good luck with your experiment, but do be careful. A podiatrist friend of ours said it best. While Five Fingers may be great for the thousands of steps you take, it won't protect you from that ONE poorly placed step you might take that could damage your feet for good.

 

[Christophe Noel]

The book, Born to Run, makes a pretty good argument for going barefoot or with something similar to the Fivefingers. .

One of our customers read that book, bought some Five Fingers, used them for about 4 months and in September his podiatrist scheduled him for his first of two surgeries to repair damage likely caused by one misplaced step on a shoe with no protection. He's hoping he'll be allowed to run again in 2010.

 

[lamontagne]

Flounder, you make valid points. I wholeheartedly agree with you that there is a right tool for every job.

For me, if I'm backpacking anything over 30lbs, I'm wearing my LaSportiva Trango Trek GTX's!

I find the Five Fingers work best (for me anyways) for running errands, driving, and general busy-work. But if I'm in the garage or doing yard work, I wear boots. Hiking of anysort, I wear hiking boots. And for work I wear Blundstones.

 

[crusader]

The Japaneese have been doing something along these lines for many, many years. See:

http://s2.thisnext.com/media/400x400/Genuine-Tabi-Ninja-Shoes_36053AD8.jpg

 

[Christophe Noel]

The real boon for Five Fingers was the book, Born to Run, but it wasn't until Crossfit.com training systems started advocating them for their workout program that the shoes truly took off.

I don't think I'll ever bring them into the store because personally, I think for us it just sends the wrong message. For us, outdoor footwear is all about protection for hiking, trail running, climbing, backpacking, etc. These shoes are different in that they don't really protect your feet at all. Used properly, that's perfectly fine. Used carelessly, and big trouble will find your feet.

Sounds like you understand your feet.

What size do you wear? If we wear the same size you can have both of my pairs.

 

[daniel3507]

Ive been wanting to try these out for awhile. Just dont have the cash at the moment. They dont look like something I would want to do any serious hiking in though.

 

[bucketosudz]

The mechanics of feet can in reality be complicated. I am looking at becoming a Cordwainer for my own households benefit. My wifes toes are so misshapen from improper footwear, its a wonder that she doesn't have more problems with her feet. I am a heavy-weight and have had some sports injuries that raise their ugly heads at the most in-opportune times. I visited an MD about a possible Morton's Neuroma, that can be dreadfully painful betimes. I also was developing awful blisters between toes 4 and 5 on my Right foot. This was also due to ill-fitting footwear. And then you get into arches. It was suggested that I get White's boots and wear them religiously. Great Boots....Terribly un-comfortable for me. The high arch in the Logger style boot contributed to my first experience with Plantar Fascitis. That also is dreadfully painful, not to mention inconvenient. Soooo.... I have taken to wearing a combination of a moccasin style shoe, with a rubber sole. My footwear now couldn't be more comfortable for me. A heel counter helps support my heel during hiking and stiffened upper near the ankle supports but doesn't give a false-sense of security for my ankles. Support is made by lacing around the forefoot, by development of pattern design and the natural anatomical footbed allows for toe sensory and movement. Circulation is increased, as well as sensory for MY feet.

Although I agree with Flounders statements, that if not careful in your choice of footwear, damage can happen. However I am not ready to drink the Koolaid that I need to be in a $300+ boot or shoe made from a last that isn't only remotely close to the anatomy of my foot. I think technology and mechanics have made footwear better for some, but also poorer for some.

Thus brings in the OP subject of Vibram Five Fingers. I am encouraged that the idea behind them would be beneficial if the science behind their simplicity is continued. Are they meted for all terrain use and for every situation? Probably not, however if we look at the history of footwear for thousands of years, I would think Vibram is on to something. I would like to try them myself, but like others haven't been to the point to pay for them.

I will watch with interest to see where barefoot running, walking and the like mechanics take the shoe industry. I myself am a supporter of double soled moccasins with some form of abrasion resistant thin rubber sole. I have hiked in them, fished in them, and been largely mobile in all other pursuits with much less discomfort than I have had in expensive hiking style boots.

 

[RAV4fun]

Everyone makes very valid points here...like any other footwear, VFFs aren't for everyone. For me personally, I've not looked back since switching to them almost a year ago. My journey starts like others on this thread, multiple injuries and damaged body parts leading to much money spend on boots and orthotics to try to "fix" my out of whack body. Then I started seeing a Reflexologist for a nerve problem in my right hand as a result of being a stubborn SOB combined with computer jobs and too much mousing...after she fixed my hand by poking my feet, not only was I convinced of the validity of Reflexology, but she also touted the idea of wearing shoes that let your feet flex as naturally as possible.

She was talking about things like the old Vans slip ons, or Converse Chuck Taylors, etc...at this point I was wearing Chaco's and Blundstones with serious inserts...so this was a major shift in thinking. I decided to give it a shot, and started REALLY SLOW by walking barefoot at home only. Then I got a pair of Sanuk Sidewalk surfers (flip flops with a canvas upper) that I wore for work only, so not much walking...then I found Fivefingers and thought I'd give them a shot for occasional use, just to help train my feet and lower leg muscles.

For some backstory, I spent 2 years as a bootfitter at the REI in downtown Seattle (flagship store) where we were trained to get people into the stiffest, must supportive shoe that was appropriate for their uses...

After a total of well over a year now, I wear my VFFs almost daily for walking around Jerusalem (which is paved in super hard granite and pavement), I walk anywhere from 2-5 miles each and every day and am doing great.

The pain caused by my 3 main injuries has backed off to the point where I only talk about two of them. I tore my rotator cuff in a job site injury, have a bulging disc in my lumbar, and have pretty much no usable cartilege left in my left knee. The shoulder and associated issues are basically gone, and the lumbar only really bothers me when I fly. The knee is a different story, I don't think any footwear is going to make a serious impact on that one.

To end this semi-incoherent ramble, going barefoot whenever possible and wearing my VFFs has helped me immensely. I walk everywhere in them, hike in them (no multiday trips yet, but I'm working on that), and wear them to work. If I can't wear them, I wear the softest, floppiest shoe I can find that will work in the situation at hand (have some Keen boots that I use in wet weather, etc...).

Bottom line, if you're thinking about trying barefootin'...just do it! But start slowly, remembering the muscles in your feet and lower legs are likely atrophied from lack of use over the years, and if it works as well for you as for me, lucky you! If not, go with what works.

Judean Desert viewpoint in Mizpeh Jericho

 

[7wt]

I have been wanting to try them out but was in no hurry getting them. Winter time in CT is no place for a slipper like this. Got a pair today and they feel awesome. I can't wait to put the miles on them. I bought them for track walking in the evenings and so far I think I made the right call. My only complaint so far is the color, I had to get black as that is all REI had and the things are on pretty much a national back order. If they end up working out, I plan on getting another pair in a different style for trail running and hiking.

 

[Life_in_4Lo]

I always wondered why every animal on the face of the planet is ok with bare feet except us!
It's amazing that our species has lost the ability to self-propel without artificial assistance!
I want to try the Vibram shoes because it makes a lot of sense. Their links to articles are interesting too
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/news/index.cfm

However, I agree with all the good points about tough boots and protective footwear too.
Maybe there is a more "crossover" version that will appear to appease the transition?