Five Finger Running Shoes

Arizona_JR

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

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

I love them! But they aren't for everyone.

ranjant

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

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

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

also they are great for flying cause if your feet swell up it doesnt matter.

bunchesonothing

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

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.