Latest Vibram Five Fingers Reviews 8/02/09

By Justin on Aug 2, 2009 | In resources, reviews, classics, kso, sprints | 1 feedback »

And the past week's latest Vibram Five Fingers reviews are:

VFF KSOs: First Impressions at the Road to Comrades [KSO]:
Yesterday morning I headed out for a 3K walk in my KSOs. That meant another struggle to get into the things, but I found I was getting better with practice. (There are minimal instructions on the box the KSOs come in about how to put them on. But, to tell the truth, the process is more of an Insertion than a Putting On. Maybe someone should write a manual ...)

The walk was good. I really missed the feeling of road, sidewalk, grass, etc. on the soles of my feet. But the payoff was that I could walk more easily than I had on my recent barefoot walks. Just that little bit of protection at the bottom of my feet meant that I could adopt a more natural stride and gait. That, in turn, meant, I wasn’t punishing my feet the way I had been previously. Less pain, more comfort, resulting in more pleasure. (To say that I’m essentially a pleasure -oriented animal is something of an understatement.) Got a couple of odd looks from the few other folks I met along the way, but they normally see me barefoot, so for them it was probably just another “Here’s the old guy being weird again” moment.
Review of Vibram Five Fingers Shoes at Clinton Lake Ultra [KSO]:
I've had my Vibram Five Fingers shoes for 3 weeks now and have walked on both roads and trails quite a bit...and done a few short trail runs too. My quick summary review: They are great!
Barefoot Running in the Vibram FiveFingers at Christopher Cooper's blog [Classics]:
I found them to be a mind opening experience on any surface that is softer than asphalt. It really was amazing to feel all the intricacies of the ground - the small twigs under your feet, the variations in the level of the dirt below, the tiny bumps here and there, the grass softly cushioning your foot-fall. It was a different experience than I had imagined. Now, I don't typically run barefoot, had I done that on a normal basis, perhaps my first experience with the FiveFingers would not have been so enlightening. Beyond the surreal feel of the earth below your feet, I also found there to be a significant increase in my ability to grip the ground and properly predict how my foot may need to be positioned, my weight balanced, and even how my next push-off should go. I certainly am not a 'professional runner', but I genuinely did notice these new aspects of each step when using my new freak-feet.
Vibram Five Fingers SPRINT Review at Smiling Skepticism [Sprint]:
They’re sturdier than they appear. I do a lot of walking and after each outing I’ve checked the soles for signs of wear and tear. Each time I been pleasantly surprised. Even on the couple occasions I stepped on a sharp rock - an experience you will be profoundly aware of- I didn’t notice any cuts or marks on the sole.
Review: Vibram Five Fingers Shoes at All Climbing [KSO]
I have high arches myself (my footprint in the sand is two unconnected imprints) and have not had a single problem. Two days after my track workout (complete with sprinting) my arches were killing me. And then a strange realization – was this the first time in my life I’d ever felt the need to stretch my arches? It was. The next day I felt fine – and my feet were stronger than ever before.