vibram five fingers news, reviews, and fan forums

Last week was the Winter Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City, Utah. This is an annual event (there's a Summer one, too) where outdoor retailers show off upcoming products, drumming up sales for said products in the coming months. "OR" typically lines up with the leaking of upcoming new models of FiveFingers and sure enough, we've got some new toe shoes in store for Fall 2012!

There's a prevalent theme in the Fall 2012 Vibram FiveFingers line-up: water-resistance! Who hasn't had the unpleasant experience of soaked-through Vibrams? How long have we been waiting for some toe shoes that could stand-up to water? Vibram has heard the call and answered! Bring on the FiveFingers Lontra (and Lontra LS), Speed LR, and Speed XC!

Read the rest of this post »

If it's past 10AM EST or 7AM PST where you are, word to the savvy shopper: flash sale site LeftLane Sports has just opened up a new VIVO BAREFOOT flash sale! NOTE: If you're not a member of LeftLane Sports, you need to join first AND IF YOU USE MY INVITE TO JOIN, you get $10 credit towards your first purchase of $50 or more!**

Here are some of the deals: VIVO BAREFOOT Neo Trails for $65 (that's half off the MSRP of $130) or get the regular Neo with "hydro-phobic" mesh for $50. The crazy-looking but crazy-functional Ultras can be had for $45. There are also Evos and Evo IIs on sale or if you're a lady, you can grab the casual Jazz or Lucy at more than 50% off. Not too shabby. Probably the hottest deal (to me) are these dark suede Oaks for $60 (or $50 if you get the $10 credit by using the invite):

I picked up the same style (Oaks) in the light suede the last time around and love them. Note these are slightly different than the VIVO BAREFOOT Oaks I reviewed two years ago. I actually like these better ... they're subtly different and more comfortable.

Becoming a member of Left Lane is as simple as providing basic info (name/email). There are no strings attached (no fees to join) — membership simply means you will get emailed future flash sales announcements. You can quit the email list at any time.

Here is my invite to get $10 credit. Here is the sale. For reference, LeftLane has previously had VIVO BAREFOOTs on sale and is similar in concept (though slightly different in execution) to outdoor flash sale site The Clymb.

Again, here is my invite (Use to get $10 credit on an order >$50). Here is the sale.

Good luck!

I was fortunate enough to meet the guys from Altra at the 2011 CrossFit Games. They were very friendly, very staunch advocates of a wide toe-box and zero heel drop. All of their shoes, they explained, are built on variations on those two themes. The one shoe that jumped right out from the pack was the Altra Adam. At that point The Adam was very new, and the only pair they had handy was a size eight display pair, if I remember right. Upon handling the display model I could tell that besides the roomy toe-box, and zero heel that this shoe was also very lightweight and flexible, and more like what I was looking for than any other shoe they carried. Whatever size it was, it was definitely too small for my size twelve feet, so I didn’t get to try them on. Fast forward to now, and I have a pair of twelves in front of me!

After the jump I'll share my initial thoughts (and photos!) on these ultra minimalist shoes!

Read the rest of this post »

I reviewed the original Bedrock Sandals back in December and found them to be a solid option for a basic huarache sandal suitable for both casual wear and running. I'm pleased to report that based upon feedback, Nick and Dan have tweaked the design to address an issue I experienced with the original model — a new heel strap design greatly simplifies fitting. The original sandals are now called the Classics, and the revised sandals are called the Earthquake Sandals. Along with the new sandals, they are also introducing their Bedrock Merino Ninja Socks made with Merino wool.

Full review after the jump!

Read the rest of this post »

Overview

Today I'll be reviewing the Altra Lone Peak, a new trail running shoe from Altra Running, a company built from the ground up on manufacturing zero-drop running shoes. Let's start with Altra's description of the Lone Peak:

Inspired by the Lone Peak, one of the rockiest, toughest mountains on the Wasatch Range, The [Altra] Lone Peak™ was designed to conquer the Wasatch 100. While the foot-shaped design allows athletes to stay relaxed and comfortable for hours, this do-everything mountain shoe promotes happy feet, increases ankle stabilization and improves form with the Zero Drop™ platform. The Lone Peak™ features an innovative, sandwiched StoneGuard™ system that deflects rocks into the midsole for a smoother, more stable ride.

The first thing most people notice about any of the shoes in the Altra line is the foot shaped design. This feature alone sets the Altra shoe line apart from most of their peers. The distinctive toe box follows the shape of the foot and allows plenty of room for your toes to splay naturally. The next comment I typically get is “How old are those shoes?” It’s not that the shoes themselves are old it’s that the design itself seems to be a throwback to the early days of trail shoes. Anybody remember the original Adidas Response Trail?

The Altra Lone Peak skirts the boundary of the minimalist running shoe category. The Lone Peak is definitely minimal because of its zero heel-to-toe drop and anatomically correct shape (custom for women and men) resulting in a nice wide toe box for proper toe splay. However at 9.9oz it’s not the sveltest but it’s hardly a beast. Also the embedded rock plate and midsole substantially reduce proprioception and ground feel.

So are these reasonable tradeoffs for certain trail running situations? I believe so and I’ll tell you why below!

Read the rest of this post »