Tags: review

Altra Adam Review - A KSO-Like Shoe Sans Toes?

Feb 3, 2012 | 5 comments »

Altra Running is a new zero-drop running manufacturer based out of Utah. It was born out of necessity: the founders, themselves long-time runners and owners of a running shoe store, had been chopping off the heels of running shoes effective… more »

Merrell Barefoot Edge Glove Review

Feb 1, 2012 | 8 comments »

The Merrell Barefoot Edge Glove is a new shoe from Merrell for 2012 that is built on the road glove sole (made by Vibram) and geared towards casual or perhaps even business casual wear.

Feel grounded and enjoy life in our edge glove barefoot shoe Its minimal cushioning and Vibram® sole give you just enough underfoot protection, while letting your feet land flat to feel the earth beneath your feet – stimulating the senses, strengthening… more »

Spyridon LS vs. KSO Trek Vibram FiveFingers

Jan 31, 2012 | 7 comments »

What better way to compare Vibram's two trail running toe shoe offerings - the original KSO Trek (right) vs. the new Spyridon LS FiveFingers - than to wear one on either foot and go for a muddy trail run?

A comparative review of the new FiveFingers Spyridon LS trail running shoe versus the original KSO Trek FiveFingers from Vibram. more »

SeeYa Vibram FiveFingers Review

Jan 25, 2012 | 27 comments »

A review of the Spring 2012 Vibram FiveFingers SeeYa, the ultralight toe shoes for road running.

No longer are we limited to “one type fits most situations” but now there are VFFs to suit your specific activity. It’s clear that the SeeYas are design for pavement running and racing and while they excel at this task, I don’t think I’d wear them for much else. more »

Bedrock Earthquake Sandals and Merino Ninja Socks Review

Jan 18, 2012 | 5 comments »

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… more »

Altra Lone Peak Review

Jan 13, 2012 | 12 comments »

“Blending cushioned protection with the benefits of barefoot freedom, Altra footwear is designed to reduce injury and promote proper technique for the most natural run. Every shoe features Zero Drop™ and a foot-shaped, gender-specific design so everyone can find the right fit and run better and healthier.”

Stem Footwear Survival Origins Quick Review

Jan 12, 2012 | 15 comments »

Stem is getting a good bit of press here on BirthdayShoes and while I've pointed out a few nits above in this review, my overall take on these shoes is glowingly positive: if you're looking for a casual mono-toed barefoot/minimalist shoe, the Stems are worth serious consideration. more »

K-Swiss Blade Foot Running Shoe Review

Jan 11, 2012 | 2 comments »

Introducing a new zero-drop shoe from K-Swiss coming in 2012 - the K-Swiss Blade Foot!

As the minimal/barefoot movement gains momentum and traction it seems every shoe maker is jumping at the chance to get in on it. K-Swiss has now thrown their hat into the ring... er, well, they are about to. The Blade Foot won't be out until early 2012,… more »

Merrell Barefoot Road Glove Review

Jan 9, 2012 | 13 comments »

It's 2012 and Merrell is on round two of their Barefoot line. We've previously reviewed their flagship minimalist shoe, the Merrell Barefoot Trail Glove, and since shoe design tends to be iterative, this review is going to be doing some comparisons to the Trail Glove. Also, I'm going to leverage a few barefoot blogging, running friends' reviews to highlight different perspectives on the Road Glove as a running shoe — so this review is going to be broken up into my assessment of the Merrell Barefoot Road Glove based on it's new design and barefoot feel/function; then I'm going to dive into some perspectives on it from around the web. more »

Review Women's Spyridon LS Vibram FiveFingers

Jan 5, 2012 | 17 comments »

The Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS is a new Vibram FiveFingers model specifically built for trail running. It’s named after Spyridon Louis, the Greek shepherd who won the first modern-day marathon in the 1896 Athens Olympics. The course was run on dir… more »

Review: Stem Footwear Origins-A Comfortable, Casual Shoe

Jan 3, 2012 | 15 comments »

(IMG9580) Overview You may remember these shoes from an initial review on a preproduction model from startup company Stem Footwear back in the summer. We’re going to take a closer look at what has been in the works since then, how the Origins have… more »

Book Review: Run Barefoot Run Healthy

Dec 28, 2011 | Leave a comment »

Run Barefoot Run Healthy: Less Pain More Gain for Runners over 30 by Ashish Mukharji is a compilation of hundreds of answers to the questions most often asked on the topic of barefoot running. Ashish makes a strong case for shedding footwear altogether… more »

Oetzi3300 Troop Boot Review

Dec 7, 2011 | 17 comments »

It is winter time. For some of us that means it is time to bust out the winter boots and slosh our way through the winter months. I recently picked up the Oetzi3300 Troop Boot a winter weather friendly minimalist boot. I thought I would share with you… more »

Fila Skele-Toes 2.0 Review

Nov 23, 2011 | 15 comments »

It looks like minimalist footwear and toe shoes are starting to become rather mainstream. The fact that major footwear brads are starting to develop minimalist and toe shoes of their own design is proof that the mainstream public is starting to accept… more »

Luna Sandals LeadCat Review [Huaraches]

Nov 21, 2011 | 14 comments »

Luna Sandals LeadCat If you've read Born to Run (if not, please do so!), then you certainly remember one of the more colorful personalities in the book, Barefoot Ted. Barefoot Ted (BFT) has his own huarache sandal company called Luna Sandals drawing… more »

New Balance 10 Minimus Multi-Sport Mini-Review

Nov 17, 2011 | 14 comments »

Above is the New Balance 10 or Minimus Multi-Sport, a water-resistant/waterproof-ish version of the Minimus Trail.

An entirely different approach to all-season outdoor athletics, the New Balance Minimus Multi-Sport MO10 takes the proven versatile durability of a Vibram® outsole and combines it with a fitted, minimalist upper that's comfortable with or without socks. Navigate the trails through the winter months with this water- and odor-resistant Minimus edition. more »

Vibram FiveFingers Jaya LR Review

Nov 14, 2011 | 22 comments »

The women's only Jaya LR FiveFingers from Vibram are geared towards lower impact fitness like yoga, some plyometrics, or Pilates.

I have to say I wasn’t sold on the Jaya LR at first. Why spend the money on a pair of VFFs that can’t do everything that your KomodoSports can do? After giving them a shot, I can see why I'd buy them. The Jaya LR is an awesome secondary pair to have… more »

True Linkswear Minimalist Golf Shoes Review

Aug 19, 2011 | 9 comments »

Photos of the TRUE Linkswear golf shoes, barefoot-minded footwear for golfers who want to "feel the course" through their feet.

Overview The TRUE tour is a zero drop golf shoe with a very thin 2.5 mm sole and good ground feel even with 4 mm lugs and stability bars. The foam insert, some toe spring, and a stiff leather toe cap detract a little from a “barefoot” experience, but… more »

Bormio Vibram FiveFingers Review

Aug 9, 2011 | 64 comments »

The FiveFingers Bormio is the first ankle high toe shoe boots from Vibram. The Bormio is dressed in full kangaroo leather for business (?) or casual wear. They feature double zippers on either side of the ankle and are fully lined for a bit of added warmth. They come in either black or brown and have the Vibram Trek rubber sole.

Toe Shoes Boots? For Fall 2011 Vibram has introduced an ankle high boot to the FiveFingers line for casual wear. The men's toe boots are made of all kangaroo leather that has double zippers on either side of the ankle and features the Vibram Trek sole. Review, photos, more ... more »

Inov-8 Road-x 155 Review

Aug 4, 2011 | 6 comments »

strong>These shoes are the real deal. They feel light as a feather, they provide just enough protection from the abuse my feet would suffer if I CrossFitted barefoot, and they breath well enough even in the 90 degree heat/humidity where I work in Pasadena more »

Women's KomodoSport LS FiveFingers Review

Jul 24, 2011 | 13 comments »

Leah Sakellarides holds up a pair of the Fall 2011 women's Vibram FiveFingers KomodoSport LS toe shoes.

My experience with VFF:It was about three years ago when I purchased my first pair of VFFs. It wasn’t love at first step (or sight) with my Sprints, but the more I wore them, the more I fell in love. After conditioning my legs and body to run in them… more »

Trek LS Vibram FiveFingers Review

Jul 21, 2011 | 80 comments »

The Fall 2011 Vibram FiveFingers Trek LS, all-leather Vibram toe shoes for everyday wear (though you could certainly do an impromptu sprint, dead lift, or tree climb in them if need presents itself!).

For Fall 2011 comes the all leather Vibram FiveFingers Trek LS, a five toed shoe for men that pushes footwear trends to new levels of insanity: toe shoes for everyday wear? Wearing FiveFingers in a business casual setting? Five toed shoes as fashion-forward footwear? Toe shoes for the modern man? more »

Huaraches - Review of the Original Minimalist/Barefoot Sandals

Jul 12, 2011 | 18 comments »

This photo was taken after my first run in my first pair of huaraches made from an Invisible Shoe kit.

Vibram FiveFingers opened my eyes to minimalist shoe running and ever since, I've been on a quest to find the best balance of lightweight protection and comfort without sacrificing flexibility and ground feel. After VFFs… more »