How high/wide are KSOs?

[danarmak]

Hi all!

I have a pair of Classics and I love them. Now I want to buy black KSOs for that highly-formal-shoes-with-cute-little-toes look :-)

But I have to order from abroad (can't try them on first), so I have one worry. My feet are kind of high risers. I mean the top of flattish part of the foot begins to rise a bit closer to the toes, and more steeply, than for most people. It's not that big a difference from average but it always made it very hard for me to fit shoes. Any model that's wide and high enough is two or three cm too long. (One more advantage of VFF Classics for me is the open top.)

So I wonder, how stretchy is the KSO fabric on the non-mesh part (below the strap)? How large a foot would fit in with the strap completely relaxed? (I have Classics size 41.)

Thanks!

Daniel

[JerryD]

I have two pairs of VFFs. Classics in M44 and KSOs in M42.  I will say that my major complaint with the KSOs is that the elastic around the foot opening is a bit too snug.  I keep the strap on the loose-side, just so that it does not make the shoes even tighter. I would think that since you have high feet, that could be an issue. 

I also think that I am in between sizes for both the Classics and KSOs.  If half sizes were possible, I would have gone down for the Classics and up for the KSOs, but I sized them the best I could. 

Are you able to order from a place that will do exchanges?

[danarmak]

I could order from somewhere that does exchanges, yes, but I'd have to pay at least twice, probably three times for international shipping (here and back and here again) and that will come to about the price of the VFFs themselves.

I wonder if there's a good way of measuring foot height/width/circumference that would give me an idea about shoes without wearing them? After all, measuring length led me to choose the size of my Classics correctly. Measuring height doesn't seem as simple, though.

I'll try asking Vibram for precise height/slope measurements, if they have them on hand, and compare them to the NB running shoes I have.

[justin]

Maybe try and take a side profile photo and just compare it to this?

http://birthdayshoes.com/index.php/review-of-vibram-five-fingers-kso-keep-stuff-out

Those are my feet -- KSO fabric is fine for me.  It's snug, but stretchy.

[koffeekev]

I also have a reasonably high arch/top and have no discomfort with KSO's size 44 and 45

[danarmak]

Justin, it's hard for me to compare my foot to your photo. I don't know the angle of your photo, and the KSOs are a different size...

Perhaps it should be done like this:
1. Measure distance on KSOs size 40 and 41 from tip of toes, along the top, to the rear edge of the strap.
2. Measure shoe circumference in that spot.
3. Try to match this to my foot. Hope.

I mailed Vibram, we'll see what they say...

[allawayr]

I may not be contributing much, but for me, I just followed the sizing chart and was fine!

[Jambo]

I'm in the same boat, I have a very high instep. Obviously I'm fine in classics, but I'd really like a pair of KSO's.

I have to order my VFF's off the net too, not ideal but I found at least for the classics so far the Vibram sizing chart was spot on. Good thing seeing as I'm a 47 in the classics!

[LinuxRacr]

Taken from a post I made on another site:

Summer of 2007 the wife and I were looking up more the BOA-Laced shoes, since we both have North Face variants, when we ran across something really neat:  Vibram Five-Finger Shoes!

We were like WTF?  Then we did more research, and noticed how practical these are, and we thought about getting some.  Anyone have these?  I've had mine for a little over a year, and had put them away due to them feeling a little small.



Summer of 2008, I pull these shoes out of the closet to break them in for walking, due to all the research I've been doing that says that walking in regular shoes is not so good for the body.  They still feel a little small (toes hurt), so I go to e-mail Vibram about when they would make a bigger size, and it looks like they updated their sizing chart:



I notice that in 2007's chart, the size I bought (M47) was for a 12 inch foot.  Looking at the newer chart, M47 for the model of shoe I bought (Classic) is for 11 3/4th inches!  Due to the fact that my Nikes had finally worn after 2 years of use, I needed some new shoes, so I bought the KSO model in a size M47 from a local outdoors outfitter called Backwoods over in Fort Worth, Texas .  When I put them on, I immediately felt the difference that made these so much better than the Classic model.  The toes were looser!  They fit perfect, and I wear a US sized 14-15 in regular shoes!