Classic Vibram Five Fingers — the Definitive Guide to the Original Barefoot Shoe

By Justin Owings on Apr 5, 2010 | In Barefoot Shoes | 12 comments »

A pile of the open-topped Classic Vibram Five Fingers, the original "barefoot shoe" from Vibram and the most minimal, outdoor-use VFF available.

The Classic at a glance —

The Classic is the original Vibram Five Fingers model.
The Classic retails for $75 making it the most inexpensive style for men and women.
Easiest to put on and most minimal outdoor-use VFF due to open-top.
Used most for casual/everyday wear, running, and travel.

About Classic Vibram Five Fingers

Straight from Vibram: Classic Five Fingers feature a "Non-marking Vibram TC1 performance rubber soles protect your feet and provide a sure grip over a variety of terrain. A thin, abrasion-resistant stretch polyamide fabric fits low on the foot—for comfort and quick drying."

The "razor-siped" rubber sole on the Classic is the standard, original VFF sole (same as with the KSO, Flow, and Sprint models). Razor siping is just little jagged cuts that expand when the Vibram rubber sole is bent or flexed. This can increase surface grip on many surfaces. That said, the standard VFF sole can be slippery in muddy conditions due to the lack of cleating (See the KSO Trek if you want a cleated sole).

The Classic upper only rises to the beginning of the instep making the Classic open-aired and the most minimalist, outdoor-use model in the Vibram line-up.

Like the Sprint, the Classic has no EVA in the midsole meaning the only thing between your foot and the ground is the 3.5 mm rubber sole and a thin bit of yellow sole fabric.

The Classics' fit is secured by an elastic bungee cord that runs the rim of the shoe and cinches behind the heel. If you don't plan on using the bungee cord, it can be permanently removed (though doing so will void warranty and return-ability).

Pros:

Classics are the easiest Vibrams to put on and with practice can be put on with no hands.
Being open on top allows the foot to air out.
Lacking a strap over the top of the foot (as with the Sprint) reduces the feeling that you're wearing a shoe, at all, resulting in many wearers remarking that they often forget they have them on (This often assumes they are worn at their loosest setting via the cinched strap).
All of the above make the Classic the "flip flop" of the Vibram line-up.

Cons:

Bungee cord strapping method can dig into instep when tightened
The tab at the Achilles tendon has been noted to dig into and or rub the heel (causing blisters) for some wearers
Lacking a top strap, the Classics can't be used in running water and are more likely to come off in the most active applications.

Note on aesthetics (Directed at men):

The aesthetic of the Classics is a topic of some debate amongst men. The low coverage on the top of the foot can make them look "off" when wearing most pants as the hem of the pants won't cover all of the foot (something more fashionably normal for women). On the other hand, the Classic design is arguably more normal looking matched with shorts as compared to the KSO, which can look like a sock when worn with shorts. Either way, it's worthy of note that the way the wearer perceives his feet (from above) is not the way third parties see your feet.

Regardless, arguing the aesthetics of five-toed footwear is almost a moot point as most third parties usually only take note of the fact that you are wearing five-toed footwear! "Own the look" of whatever VFFs you wear and you'll do fine.

Performance:

Classic Vibram Five Fingers can be used in many, but not all applications. They are used for running and weight lifting (CrossFit, P90X, Sprints, races). They can also be used easily for instant-on back-up shoes when running fully barefoot and needing a bit more protection. Classics shine most when worn "loose" for everyday, casual wear, but many buy them as their first pair of Vibrams and then move on to top-strapped models (like the KSO, Sprint, Flow, or KSO Trek). See below for links to Classic Five Fingers user story submissions which show the types of things individuals are doing in their Classics.

Classic Colors:

Men's Classics are available in the following color combinations:

Brown and walnut Classic Vibram Five Fingers

Grey, orange, and black Classic Vibram Five Fingers

Women's Classics are available in the following color combinations:

The Chili Chili Vibram Five Fingers Classics

The Lilac White Vibram Five Fingers Classics

The Mauve Grey Classic Vibram Five Fingers

The Stormy Seas Silver Classic Vibram Five Fingers

Detailed Classic Vibram Five Fingers photos:

Sizing:

Check out the definitive guide to sizing Vibram Five Fingers. Having perused that document and figured out your size, there are certain noteworthy considerations for Classic Vibram Five Fingers:

Your size in Classics may not correspond to your size in other VFF models, particularly any closed-top models like the KSO, Flow (these all theoretically size the same). If you know your size in one of the closed-top models, your Classic size is theoretically one size up. This is only a rule of thumb, however, and your mileage may vary.
You should not need to size up to wear five-toed socks with the Classic.

Cleaning and care:

Machine-washable but air dry. Advanced stench may require white vinegar soaks or oxyclean treatment!

Mods and other considerations:

Remove the bungee cord strap on your Classics if you like to live dangerously and only wear your Classics for casual, everyday applications (and don't mind voiding your return/warranty).
Keep the hems of your pants from dragging behind your heels using an S-biner.
Got webbed toes? Turn your Five Fingers into Four (or three or whatever) Fingers

Select reviews:

Vibram Five Fingers Classics review via JustinOwings.com [BirthdayShoes founder]
The Classic, Everyday Greatness of Classic Five Fingers at BirthdayShoes [Everyday, Casual wear review]
Natural walking and Classic Five Fingers at Hozaku [Walking/running centric review]

For more Classic reviews, check the comprehensive Five Fingers reviews list here.

Pro-tip — Get the Classics if you want the most affordable, most barefoot-while-outdoors-friendly Vibram Five Fingers — the flip flop of the VFF line-up.

Where to buy

If you're shopping for Classic Five Fingers online, check out the major online retailers over at the BirthdayShoes Vibram virtual Store! Otherwise, find a local retailer via Vibram's store locater.

Classic Vibram Five Fingers User Experiences and Photos

Below are listed Classic Vibram Five Fingers user stories, photos, and reviews. Each link leads to a separate post written by a Classics user about their experiences with the Classic model. Stories cover many of the things VFFers are doing in their Classic Vibram Five Fingers. Click around and see what you could be doing in the entry-level, open-aired barefoot alternative Classic VFF!

About the Author — I founded BirthdayShoes.com in April 2009 on realizing just how much I enjoyed having "free feet" - I mostly wanted to use them for weights, sprints, and plyometrics (I'm not much of a runner!). I'm a Googler by day and minimalist footwear aficionado by night; you can find me 'round Atlanta. If you want to catch up with what I'm doing outside of the site here, follow me on twitter @bdayshoes or @justinno or check out my personal site JustinOwings.com.
Justin Owings+ has written 754 articles and 302 comments.

Tags: classic