Flee is an amazingly talented artist and illustrator who writes and draws at her blog drawntorun.com. Also, Flee is a marathon runner who switched to Vibram Five Fingers Bikilas over the last year. Read about her transition after the jump.My name i…
Tag: Vibram Five Fingers Bikila [Barefoot] Running Shoe
The Vibram Five Fingers Bikila (released April 2010) is the first toe shoe designed specifically for running (Jump to posts on the Bikila below!). Like other Vibram Five Fingers models, the Bikila has five separated toe compartments that allow the foot to splay on contact with the ground.
The Five Fingers Bikila has no arch support and a minimal amount of cushioning or padding — it is slightly thicker than the Classic and Sprint which have zero insole, and the KSO, which has a 2mm insole: the Bikila has a 3mm insole. In the minimalist running shoe world, the Bikila is the “barefoot” running shoe to beat and if you’re looking for a pair of VFFs to run in, the Bikila is worth serious consideration.
Model specifics
Here are the technical specifications of the Vibram Five Fingers Bikila straight from Vibram:
Built on an entirely new platform, the Bikila features a Dri-Lex® covered 3mm polyurethane insole (thickest under the ball) and a 4mm anatomical pod outsole design that offers more plating protection, and distributes forefoot impact without compromising important ground feedback essential to a proper forefoot strike running form. A more athletic padded collar and topline, a single hook and loop closure, 3M reflective surfaces, and tear resistant TPU toe protection finish off this breakthrough design.
The standout features of the Bikila include:
The heel cup, which makes your heel feel less bound and takes pressure off your Achilles tendon.
The interior is lined and has fewer blister-causing seams (As compared specifically to the KSO).
The Bikila has a more shoe-like look with a larger opening at the top and overall more “nice” looking materials including reflective material and a solid feeling strap material.
Sizing and fit
If you’ve never sized your foot for wearing Vibram Five Fingers, here is the Vibram sizing chart (image). The Bikila seems to fit somewhere between the same size of KSO and Classic. So a 43 Bikila would feel slightly larger than a 43 Classic and slightly smaller than a 43 KSO. Generally, it is better to size up if you’re in between sizes — you don’t want your toes bending out of lack of room! Also, the Bikila can fit more snugly over the top of your foot compared to open-topped models like the Classic or Sprint, so if you have particularly high arches or “high feet” the Bikila may not fit properly.
Read (and see!) more about the Five Fingers Bikila via these reviews:
The Vibram Five Fingers Bikila Initial Review
Women’s Vibram Five Fingers Bikila review
Why I Chose $99 Red Bikilas over a $1,000,000 Red Ferrari to Solve my Mid Life Crisis.
Vibram Five Fingers Smackdown, Classics vs. Bikilas
Okay, I want some Bikilas. How much are they? Where can I get them?
The Bikila retails for right about $100 and can typically be purchased with free shipping from most online retailers. Find the Vibram Five Fingers Bikila in stock via the Store or subscribe by email to inventory alerts.
Looking for something else? Try one of these other Vibram Five Fingers models:
Of course, there are other barefoot shoes worth checking out!
More Vibram Five Fingers Bikila posts below —
Patrick and Sarah recently honeymooned in Iceland. While there, they ran the Reykjavik Marathon in their Vibram Five Fingers. Here is what Patrick shared with us about their trip:Thought I’d pass a note along to say how great the Five Fingers we…
Pictured above in their Bikilas and KSOs, Andy and Kaitlyn visited the The Garden of the Gods on their recent trip to Colorado. Andy gives us the details below:Hey! My name is Andy and recently my girlfriend Kaitlyn and I went to Colorado to visi…
Steve took along his Vibram Five Fingers Classics, Sprints and Bikilas on a recent trip to Greece. That’s about 2 pounds. Not bad for three pairs of shoes. After the jump, read what Steve had to say about his travels, see some more great pics and learn t…
Jeremy, sent us this cool pic of him skydiving in his Bikilas which he mostly uses for running. Here is what he had to say:The jump was fun. I’ve done it a couple times in the past. I’ve been running in Five Fingers for about a year now. Ori…
Joe, a Vibram Five Fingers fan, sent us his story of choosing barefoot running in Bikilas over orthotics. Although, we don’t recommend going against a doctor’s advice, the recent popularity of barefoot running has produced many differing opinions on what…
Ryan runs in Vibram Five Fingers and says they, “simply made running fun again.” He sent us a recap of his recent participation in “the nation’s biggest 15K road race.”Race RecapThis past weekend I took part in the nation’s biggest 15K road race…
Why Trek Sports?Being the new kid (geriatric new kid, that is!) on the Birthday Shoes block, I only own two pair of Vibram Five Fingers, the Classics and Bikilas. My Classics don’t get a lot of wear except as an occasional flip flop alternative (Just…
Guest Post by LindseyAdding Bikilas to the CollectionThe Bikila has already gotten a fair amount of attention from Birthday Shoes, but when asked to give a woman’s perspective on this new model, I was happy to oblige. I am by no means an experience…
JJ’s dad was skeptical that her Vibram Five Fingers Bikilas could handle two days of hiking through the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Did JJ’s dad become a barefoot believer? Read about JJ’s adventure to see how it turned out!I wanted to share some exci…