So I wore my Vibram FiveFingers for five miles this weekend... (semi-reviewish)

I need to see some pictures of them in action guys… come on. Help me out.
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I love mine, but cannot walk further than 1 mile in 'em. I must use different muscles to walk in them than conventional shoes, because that 1 mile is extra exhausting. The ground feel is there, and very informative and sensuous. They let you realize just how much tactile information about the terrain that hard soled shoes mask/hide from us.

Where my big toe rubs against the second toe, the fabric is worn thru. I like to wear them whilst chasing Labradors and their frisbees. If I could wear them for 5 or 10 miles, they'd be EXCELLENT for above freezing temp. hunting trips. They let you sneak around soundlessly.

They made OK wading shoes and fun camp shoes on the JMT. The soles show no visible wear, but the fabric sidewalls between the toes are taking a beating.

If you break a toe, you won't be wearing them for at least a week.:(
 
Edwood7 said:
I need to see some pictures of them in action guys… come on. Help me out.
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Not quite an action shot... but here you go.
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I've had my KSO Flow(s) for over 2 years (before Fila and Adidas copied them) and I love them. By far the best thing about them is that since each toe is individually encased, there are no hot spots and therefore: No Hot Spots = No Blisters!
 
Erasmus said:
I must use different muscles to walk in them than conventional shoes, because that 1 mile is extra exhausting.soundlessly.
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Hehe, when I first started wearing mine, my little toes ached for a week. I guess I never used them for balance as much before.
 
im glad to see other people on here love the fivefingers! i have yet to try the KSO treks yet. im a big fan of the regular KSO and the sprint.
 
Edwood7 said:
I need to see some pictures of them in action guys… come on. Help me out.
.
Click to expand...

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Vibram fivefingers "Flow" (tragically I tore the right big toe on this pair towards the end of last summer)
Next time I go out hiking I'll get some action pics. The ground here is still cold and a bit wet, so it might be a while before I can do any real hiking in them.
 
I love them and done many 10+ miles hikes. Yes they smell and bad, trying washing them but did'nt help much. When the ground is cold you can feel it in your feet if you stay in one place for long. My only complaint would be on rough trails with small sharp rocks. After 5 miles or so you can feel it in your feet. Some times feet would hurt bad enough that you limp all the way home and for the next day. But its cause of no padding on the sole. Just for that i would see if i can get the model with the 4mm sole. The ones i have now are the 2mm sole. The other good/bad thing is that after you wear them for a while you find out that you need wider shoes. your toes tend to spread into a natural position. Im also totaly flat footed and wearing the FF my feet dont hurt at all. If you are not used to them you would feel some burn in your calfs. If you do wear them and plan to carry heavy loads make sure the trails are not rough with lots of sharp rocks. That extra weight would realy put the hurt on feet as you would feel every sharp rock dig in deep. With sandy or trail with no rocks I can walk for ever in them.
 
lmalterna said:
Anyone heard of someone with Plantar Fascitis wearing them? I have trouble with my right foot and while I love minimal style shoes, not sure I can get by with these. I do wear Tevas and Mountain Treks but after 5-6 miles, that right heal is complaining.
Thanks,
Bill
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Yeah, me. I suppose I'm recovered. I can't walk farther than 1 1/2miles/day in them Five Fingers. My feet love 'em. Put them on and get used to them, and you're a barefoot kid again. Except the stickers and broken glass can't make holes in your feet.

I took a pair of KSO fivefingers on the JMT to use as "camp slippers". They were lightweight and great. I wore them when I stopped to fish. It's amazing how well you can friction climb with them on in the High Sierras, on slabs.

The literature talks about it, and it's true, that you have a lot of sensory input available from your feet. Fivefingers are thin enough to let this input get thru(just not the punctures). Once you strengthen up your feet and legs to barefoot walking and get used to FiveFingers, you'll be amazed at how deadening normal shoes and boots are-- how completely they rob you of this sensory input. It's like walking "blind" to put your conventional shoes back on. You'll see what I mean, if you wear a pair for a while.

I put my ankle high stiff boots back on, and had no feel or input from the ground, I felt like I was "blind" in some sense, to what was happening under my feet. It really opens your eyes, and gives you perspective.

And "Yes", walking through fields of grass and wildflowers is a genuinely surprising sensuous experience. After a while, you'll look down and see you have stripped off wildflowers between your toes. Resist the urge to sing Kumbayah.
 
if they ever come in a custom or even semi-custom design I'd love to at least give them a try, alas my toes are straight across until I get to my little toe- no "typical" angling at all

after reading Born to Run (very informative read on long distance running and the Tarahumara Indians) I've become much more aware of natural running, five fingers (and their clones) would be a great way to capture that (if you happened to have "typical" feet :))
 
I have a pare somewhere? I got suckered into them by a sales kid he told me that they would hold up to the hiking in do I took them on a 9 mile hike in a canyon is southern utah they felt great. Took a little getting used to it broke both pinky toes but was able to walk that off. The biggest problem was there durability I ripped the sole half way off with 4 miles left. ill stick to chacos
 
I've got a pair of KSO's that I really enjoy. I wear them when I can, and especially while running, which usually ends up being 3-5 miles on asphalt.
 
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