Five Finger Running Shoes

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  • Arizona_JR
    Arizona_JR Posts: 275
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    QUESTION IF YOU ALREADY RUN IN VFF:

    What surfaces are you running on? treadmill, concrete, asphalt, grass, dirt trails, other???
  • mom23nuts
    mom23nuts Posts: 636 Member
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    I have not tried them but they seem a little out there for me. I did try running barefoot once on the chushy high school track and had blisters from it and this to me seems just like that. I need a shoe with support and then I'm good to go!
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    QUESTION IF YOU ALREADY RUN IN VFF:

    What surfaces are you running on? treadmill, concrete, asphalt, grass, dirt trails, other???
    Mostly asphalt. It actually feels to me to be the most comfortable running surface. I haven't used a treadmill in years and grass and dirt trails have a lot of painful stuff to step on. Concrete just feels hard.
  • fitniknik
    fitniknik Posts: 713 Member
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    I have them, I call them my avatar feet. They are amazing! Do not over do it when you first get them. Half hour a day max for a couple weeks or you will be very sorry!!

    I do love them though!
  • corsayre8
    corsayre8 Posts: 551 Member
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    QUESTION IF YOU ALREADY RUN IN VFF:

    What surfaces are you running on? treadmill, concrete, asphalt, grass, dirt trails, other???

    Second this question.

    I've hears good things about them, but I'm a trail runner. Live in the Cali foothills, aka Gold Country. Lots of granite, lots of rocks. Just seems like it could be awfully painful. And don't really have $100 to waste I they are not appropriate for the terrain I run on.
  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
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    I have trained and run 2 marathons(26.2) and 1 ultra marathon(31mi) in them. I'm not sure which ones some of the other people were talking about but the 2 different styles I have, have NO arch support or any other kind of support.

    They work for me. I like them.

    I used to get shin splints when my training picked up, but it didn't happen in the Vibrams.

    The ones I got were $85/$90/pair. Some people complain about the price, but many running shoes cost over $100 and they are done when the padding wears out. Since there is no padding, you wear these until fabric wears down. One pair I have has WAYYYY over the standard 300-500 miles and they are no where near being retired

    Like everyone says, take it easy in them to start. Even easier than you might think.

    I've run on concrete, asphalt, and trail... but mostly concrete.
  • kristidem
    kristidem Posts: 160 Member
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    My husband LOVES them. He's got like four sets now. He says he doesn't ever want to wear regular sneakers again. Minimal arch support he says - it's like walking or running barefoot, allowing your toes to grip.
  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
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    I also run on rocks in forest preserves. It can get annoying, but if you run on a bed of rocks, usually it doesn't seem that bad. If you run on one solitary rock, it hurts quite a bit. But, as with barefoot running, you learn to watch where you're putting your feet down. I rarely have more than an annoyance.
  • InfamousQ
    InfamousQ Posts: 266 Member
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    I have them. Been using them for about a year and I would never go back to running shoes again I love them to death and I don't have knee problems anymore these are good shoes if you have any pain with running I love them....
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    In response to the terrain question, I've run on about everything with them. Pavement is nice, its flat & generally easy to see rocks. Crushed limestone trails are awesome. Grass hides things that you can step on. Trails are alright, they teach you quick feet & to look where you step. Generally its easy to avoid small rocks & roots, but you'll hit one occasionally. Not that big a deal.
  • Arizona_JR
    Arizona_JR Posts: 275
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    I have them, I call them my avatar feet. They are amazing! Do not over do it when you first get them. Half hour a day max for a couple weeks or you will be very sorry!!

    I do love them though!

    I call them my "monkey feet". LOL
  • ResilientWoman
    ResilientWoman Posts: 440 Member
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    They are designed for a natural running style, basically barefoot, I have done research and they arent good for overweight people. You have to relearn how to run in them, the guy at the running store I got my new shoes said that you can injure yourself if you dont run in them right and if you want to use them or go with barefoot running to get those as a second pair and use them a couple day a week till you get comfortable running in them/

    Curious if you could post that research about them 'not being good for overweight people'. I started researching what would work best for me 18 months ago. HW: 352, CW: 255, GW: 180/<20% body fat. I could not find any studies concerning minimalist footwear and severely deconditioned/morbidly obese populations. I do know runners and Kettlebell lifters who love them. I got my first pair in January 2010, when I weighed 299 lbs.. I was really stepping out on a limb because the only people I knew who wore them were elite athletes.

    After only a few months in them my experience is that along with Kettlebell or other strength training done barefoot, my fallen arches have risen, my toes and foot muscles work as designed for the first time in my life, I have shed 44/97 lbs in only one year with them. The initial 53 lbs were shed over 4 1/2 years without them. So I ask you, does my data, although by no means a research paper, suggest that I do better as an overweight person with/out them.

    When what I do makes me stronger/healthier, I keep doing it. When I find better tools, I upgrade. For me, VFFs are smarter than more structured shoes.
  • Shaine
    Shaine Posts: 32
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    I love them! But they aren't for everyone.
  • ranjant
    ranjant Posts: 33
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    Just for new vibram users its important to slowly transition to them since you gonna be putting alot of stress in your feet muscles that you haven't been using, Achilles tendon and the calves muscle will get worked big time the first 4 weeks you can get really injured if you rushed through it and do big mileage. Time and patience, I love my vibram komodos and my ripped calves ^^
  • eedman
    eedman Posts: 7
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    I have them , i gt a few funny looks from people here cause not many Aussies wear them, however once you are used to them they are fantastic.
  • ranjant
    ranjant Posts: 33
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    Its nice to be out of the norm when I did my 5k with them, I couldn't believe I was the only one wearing them. One of the runners ask me if those weird looking shoes gives me an "edge" in running. I just told them its like running barefoot except it protects you from sharp objects and the hot asphalt
  • eedman
    eedman Posts: 7
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    also they are great for flying cause if your feet swell up it doesnt matter. :)
  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
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    Its nice to be out of the norm when I did my 5k with them, I couldn't believe I was the only one wearing them. One of the runners ask me if those weird looking shoes gives me an "edge" in running. I just told them its like running barefoot except it protects you from sharp objects and the hot asphalt

    It protects some from the asphalt, but there have been some days I could still feel the heat creeping up from the ground. However, those were some seriously hot days, so hot I wasn't out running too long.

    They're awesome though. I took a couple days rest and when I went out for a run yesterday in them, my feet felt like they were getting a much needed massage. LOL!
  • CassandraD82
    CassandraD82 Posts: 71 Member
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    I haven't got a pair but I've done quite a bit of research into barefoot running (and shoes designed to mimic the style + some cushioning) because I sell Ecco Bioms at work :)

    It's true that the human foot is design to absorb shock and run naturally, barefoot, on all types of surfaces. But the human foot *isn't* designed to run on hard flat surfaces like concrete.

    If you've gotten into adulthood and not had any foot pains that send you to a podiatrist you probably have fairly healthy feet with fairly healthy arches and can probably move into barefoot running and shoes like the Vibram Five Fingers.

    But, if you're like me, and you get arch pain, knee pain and bunions from walking in flats and sandals and then I wouldn't throw away your orthoics just yet. Yes the foot can adapt and run barefoot but not all foot adaptions are ... desirable :)

    BTW as for the statement that barefoot running isn't good for the overweight: I believe that's due more to the fact that carrying excess weight for many years (particularly during teenage years) can damage the foot and lead to fallen arches and tendons/ligaments in the foot that don't spring back. Of course there's still going to be the lucky ones with perfectly healthy happy feet, regardless of their weight, or their age.

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