Vibram Five Fingers

afries0907

Just wanting some opinions of people who may have these. I'm considering buying a pair.

beastlye

They're fantastic!

AggieCass09

LOVE mine. i had runner's knee and it has almost all cleared up since switching shoes. i only wear them for runs shorter than 6 miles :-0

concordancia

I 85% love them.

Well, I love them for wearing around. However, if I walk or hike for miles and miles, I end up with blisters on the front of the balls of my feet, right where the toes start. I have a lot of friends who unreservedly love them and I have never met anyone else who had this problem. My feet really are shaped weird, including long toes, so that might have something to do with it.

No seriously, my toes are longer than my partner's toes, even though he is a full shoe size bigger (yes, already allowing for the differences between men and women).

arewethereyet

go to one of those running shoe stores that lets you walk in the parking lot. I tried them out and kinda liked them. had to decide between them and a good pair of running shoes, the running shoes won out.

They are awesome for balancing and stuff like ellip. I am seeing them on the trainers now at the gym

aaronbyard

I prefer to run barefoot, but I like my VFF Classics for situations where I'd like to be barefoot but am required to wear shoes. Granted, I haven't tried on the Bikilas yet, but I'm hoping that those will be more comfortable for running. The pavement is starting to get pretty hot here.

bunnysone

got a pair - love them - buying my next pair at FILEX tomorrow! (fitness expo in sydney)

They will feel wierd at first, you need to start wearing them gradually for only 10 - 15 minutes at a time until you start getting used to them.

They will force your feet more naturally than the other shoes you can get, help with ankle, knee and hip weaknesses.

I dont run in mine, I have friends who have injured themselves on hard surfaces, but they are supposed to be brilliant for running on grass or sand. Also for rockclimbing (and indoor climbing) on boats and in the gym.

They are also machine washable and dry very quickly, easy to pack to take overseas (I lived in them when we visited Dubai!)

arewethereyet

I love how the averts pop up for them with the heading. :huh:

remembertheharddrive

Take it very slow if your plan is to run in them and you currently run with a heel-striking gait. Make sure you don't over do it or rush your legs to adapt - since you'll end up injured. I'd recommend reading the book "Natural Running" by Danny Abshire, before hitting the pavement in them. It really emphasizes how form is everything and safety comes first - that your entire biomechanics change when you swap out of traditional shoes. Make sure your feet are strong enough. A lot of runners (clearly not myself given my current injury) will try to adapt by wearing them day-in, day-out before going out for a trial run. Overly cushioned and structured, raised heels shoes tend to leave our feet weak, so this helps them adapt to being "barefoot".

I do love them for lifting and general non-running activities as well. Without all the extra structure, it helps build stabilizing muscles in your legs and core as you find a natural balance. Comfort-wise, I'd wear them 24/7 if I could and not look ridiculous or inappropriate (business attire?). When running, I felt lighting and more efficient in my stride.

cng1117

How would a person be able to run barefoot? I'm not a runner (obviously) and just thinking of running in barefeet makes my toes curl.... Not trying to be stiff about it, it's just that I'm thinking about all the times i've ran out to my car barefoot to roll up the windows during a sudden storm and the memory was painful lol....

afries0907

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