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?
What is the world coming to? Has Vibram gone mad?
**ALERT August 18, 2011** The Fivefingers Trek LS is now Available for Purchase!
Before I dive in, here is the typically perfunctory, official word on the Trek LS from Vibram’s Fall 2011 catalog:
By popular demand, Vibram introduces it’s first casual/comfort shoe for men with a distressed kangaroo leather upper and a casual tie lacing system. The Trek LS features the popular 4mm, lightly cleated, Trek outsole and a 4mm EVA midsole for additional comfort.
Illuminating, no? Allow me to elaborate on this description. I’ve been testing the Trek LS FiveFingers now for a few months and what follows are my thoughts — as well as a slew of photos — all after the jump!
Design
Vibram FiveFingers Trek LS combine a retro-styled sneaker upper cut like the widely popular Vibram FiveFingers Speed — but in all “distressed” kangaroo leather — with the trailworthy and well-treaded Vibram “Trek” five toed rubber sole (The same one you’ll find with the KSO Trek or Trek Sport Vibrams. Here are some close-up photos:
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As you can see, there are two color options with the Trek LS Vibrams: all black or all brown. And by “all,” I clearly mean everything on these toe shoes is either brown or black. While there are slight variations in the leather (for example, the wavy leather piece on either side of the Trek LS seems to have a slightly different “grade” or texture of leather), by and large these toe shoes are essentially mono-toned. The only notable variation in color for either the brown or black Trek LS is in the camouflaged soles. You’ll note that the brown Trek LS has a slightly translucent camouflaged look to it. The black and grey camouflaged sole on the all black Trek LS VFFs is completely opaque by comparison.
Leathery Feel and Function
Trek LS Vibrams are made with an all kangaroo leather in the upper. The kangaroo leather is “distressed,” which I’m assuming has nothing to do with the state of the kangaroos from whence the leather came (Note: kangaroos are apparently killed for their meat in Australia, not unlike cattle here in the United States). The kangaroo leather runs throughout the shoe, including in the sole of the Trek LS. The only spot where the leather doesn’t seem to be is in the forefoot area of the footbed. As pictures are worth a thousand words, feast your eyes on these:
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Above, leftmost, you can see how the kangaroo leather wraps each toe pocket. The Trek LS model release (and the upcoming FiveFingers Bormio toe shoe boot) will mark the first time Vibram has put out an outdoor-worthy, all leather FiveFingers model where the toe pockets have leather sidewalls. Leather in the sidewalls seems to do a better job insulating the toes from any drafts. It also seems to do a better job keeping out water. Though I’ve yet to go puddle jumping in the Trek LS shoes, I have worn them in somewhat wet conditions and haven’t noticed any water getting inside. I’d hesitate to call the Trek LS waterproof, but it likely will keep your feet drier on wet ground longer than any prior model of FiveFingers.
The other consequence of leather sidewalls seems to be that the toe pockets have more structure to them. Where this is most noticeable is in the “negative” space between each toe. Wheras prior FiveFingers use fabric around the toe pocket sidewalls and the fabric is always very flexible and stretchy, leather has a good bit more structure. What this means is that when I wear the Trek LS, I tended to notice the leather “tween the toes” pushing on the spaces between my toes more often. It’s not annoying really, just noticeable, and a difference to other VFFs that seems worth noting. The “structure” of the toe pockets can make your toes feel like they have individual “wiggle room” within each pocket — this is particularly notable in being able to move your toes sideways (as opposed to up and down). It all makes for just a slightly different feel than you’re likely accustomed to if you’re a FiveFingers connoisseur.
Other than that, if you’ve ever worn all leather shoes without socks, you probably have a good sense of what leather on bare skin feels like. It’s a nice sensation, but it’s not the same as the feel of a fabric, which tends to be more soft. Perhaps for this reason, I found that I’m on the fence as to whether or not I prefer to wear the Trek LS barefoot or with a pair of Injinji Microliner toe socks. The super thin, new Injinji toe socks are (in my opinion) much better than prior Injinjis as they feel less “there,” so if you prefer a more cotton-like feel on your foot over leather, they’re a good option with the Trek LS.
I can hear you wondering whether or not wearing all leather shoes with bare feet causes problems with sweaty feet or stinky shoes: in my testing, which has included many, many full days of wearing the Trek LS sans socks (probably 95% of the time without socks) and a handful of days with socks, I’ve yet to notice any smell developing and I can’t recall my feet ever feeling icky with moisture or sweat. I’ve found kangaroo leather breathes quite well. The Trek LS upper is not airy like the Speed’s mesh, but it’s not going to cook your foot either.
I’m not sure why Vibram didn’t carry the leather in the footbed all the way through the forefoot into the toe pockets. The material at this point is some fabric that reminds me of wool in texture. It’s not anything remarkable and I usually forget there’s any difference at all in the footbed materials.
Aesthetics — how do they look?
The Trek LS FiveFingers are being marketed to the casually-minded barefoot enthusiast. This leaves us wondering the obvious: can toe shoes be fashionable? If so, in what context? What kinds of clothes can be worn with them to compliment their aesthetic? Shorts? Jeans? Khaki pants?
I’ve been wearing the Trek LS in the following ways:
- Casually with bootcut jeans. As photoed above and below, I’m wearing the Trek LS with bootcut Gap jeans that I’ve manually cut on the sides. I do this extra “snip” on a lot of my casual jeans because I feel it helps them lay down better over most of my footwear, which is as you might expect almost 100% minimalist. As minimalist shoes by definition usually lack any real heel lift, my typical 32″ inseam is just a bit too long (and a 30″ too short), so the extra cut in the sidewalls sorta “fixes” the jeans so they don’t bunch up above my ankles. I like the look and get good feedback on it.
Not pictured above, but I like the brown Trek LS Vibrams paired with darker colored blue jeans best. Overall, I think the Trek LS toe shoes look rugged (thanks to the mottled leather) and are striking worn with jeans that have some character to them.
- Casually or dressier casual with regular jeans. I’ve got some “nice” jeans that aren’t cut up. They’re still bootcut and are also a dark wash (anyone out there wearing VFFs with “skinny” jeans?). Matched to the brown Trek LS and a golf shirt or casual button down and you’ve got an interesting get-up for a good FiveFingers “jeans” Friday at work.
- Business (?) casual? While I have worn the Trek LS paired with khaki pants on numerous occasions, I work for a certain tech company that has a co-founder who wears Vibrams, so “dressing up” in business casual attire — khakis and a button down with a pair of Trek LS FiveFingers — well, I’m pushing the envelope a little, but it’s not exactly going to raise the brows of upper management. In other words, whether or not toe shoes suddenly are workplace acceptable because they are all leather is necessarily something you have to judge for yourself.
Here’s me doing my best business casual in the Trek LS FiveFingers. Note: focal black and white so as to reduce glare from my bald head.
Note that I’ve not been wearing the Trek LS FiveFingers with shorts. That’s because I don’t really care for their look against my bare legs (see the photo above). I bet some folks could pull this off entirely and maybe I should give it a real try, but so far I’ve shied away from wearing them much with shorts. 
I don’t mention wearing the black Trek LS FiveFingers much. The truth is that I have a hard time pairing an all black leather VFF with a pair of jeans or pants. The black Trek LS just scream Mr. Deeds to me, but more than that, I just don’t wear too many black leather shoes ‐ just never been my thing.
Which brings me to my main aesthetic problem with the Trek LS line: the monotoned leather. I wish these shoes had a bit more variation in the leather pieces. Since the Trek LS borrows on the FiveFingers Speed stitching pattern, I’m not sure why Vibram didn’t also try to use a different shade of brown leather at key spots on the Trek LS to give the shoes a more dynamic, fashionable look. It’s less of a problem with the brown Trek LS, but the all black Trek LS just looks a bit boring to my eye.
All in all, the Trek LS are going to attract attention. Unlike the somewhat similar laced up Speed FiveFingers, the Trek LS are considerably less incognito and tend to attract a good deal of attention. The double-take is your new way to make friends.
Overall Function and Concluding Thoughts
Like it’s five toed brothers and sisters, the Vibram FiveFingers Trek LS is thin-soled enough to allow the foot to move and function quite naturally, not unlike how it would function fully naked. That said, the Vibram Trek sole’s “lightly cleated” 4mm rubber sole plus the 4mm EVA midsole combine to mute some ground feel and reduce overall sole flexibility — as compared to more minimally soled Vibram FiveFingers (Quickly, Classics/Sprints are the most minimally soled with only the 4mm basic Vibram rubber sole, affording them the greatest flexibility and ground feel; KSOs fall in line next with the same rubber sole plus a 2mm midsole; then there are the Bikila soled Vibrams and the Trek soled VFFs, with the latter being the thickest soled Vibrams of them all).
The Trek LS has no arch support and is a zero-drop, non-heeled shoe. In my testing, this has meant that my natural biomechanics are minimally altered when wearing the Trek LS. Walking miles in the Trek LS hasn’t been cause for any concern.
Why Vibram elected to slap their thickest sole/midsole on a casual offering, I don’t know other than to guess that perhaps they hope the extra sole will lend some seasonal versatility to the Trek LS model — after all, every millimeter “counts” when it comes to insulating your feet against the cold in winter months.
I would love a similar model to the Trek LS with a sole more like the KSO though!
Running. I did not run in the Trek LS (other than ad hoc running after my two year old or taking an impromptu “jog” due to being late for this or that). I’ve no doubt they could be run in like all Vibram FiveFingers. I’d not hesitate to climb a tree if I had to in these, nor run some sprints or do some heavy squats in these either.
So should you get a pair of Trek LS? Are they for you?
The Trek LS FiveFingers toe shoes are for manly men who want to push fashion forward five toes at a time. Seriously though, what it all boils down to with the Trek LS is this: do you want a pair of all leather, casual toe shoes for everyday wear? If the answer is “yes,” then the Trek LS is for you. Personally, I like what Vibram is trying to do here and have to confess that the Trek LS just looks pretty dang rugged — beefy. They remind me a bit of a solid baseball glove. They’re well made and feel like they could take a beating. Matched to the right pair of jeans, they are very eye-catching — striking, even. One thought I’ve been kicking around is to change out the laces to something non-brown (or non-black) to give them a little extra “something” from a color standpoint. I think that might really make them look great, but wanted to review them “as is.”
Pricing and availability
The Trek LS FiveFingers became available for sale on August 18, 2011. You can pick up a pair for $140 with free shipping from CitySports.
So what do you think? Trek LS for you? Let’s hear it … and finally, more photos!
Photo Gallery
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93 replies on “Trek LS Vibram FiveFingers Review”
Those look great! Do you know if they are going to be available in a smaller foot sizes to include men who usually have to wear women sizes?
Most important here is the fact that they can – at least temporarily – keep out water/slush instead of soaking it up within seconds through the toes… From a functional point of view one major leap forward in VFF history! I hate to think what they will cost in Europe, though.
Nice review Justin, thank you!
I love them since I saw a small pic from a fair last year. I agree browns look much better than blacks. They are my next vff for sure.
Justin, Is sizing on par with other trek-soled models? I mean, do they size bigger than KSO? If so this is good news for me as I will be able to wear a 47.
Thats the next pair of shoes i going to buy =) perfect winter shoes here in Sweden
I like fivefingers a lot, but this style is certainly not for me. Thumbs down.
I wish they tailor the jaya or jaya lr for men.
Nice, these will replace my KSO Trek which I wear casually.
Finally, a suitable VFFs model for rainy days, and suitable to spread some waterproofing wax for leather if required. No more damped socks, and no more softened, wrinkled skin.
Couldn’t you test their waterproof capacity in the bathtub as I did with my Flow Treks?
That’s….. IT! Finally, it’s like the folks at Vibram have been reading my mind. Wild color combinations have their place but I’m happy they’re coming out with a very traditional looking leather model. The only downside to them is that I prefer the thinner, Classic sole, and would not want the 4mm EVA midsole at all.
I really like these, although I am a litte sad to see the potential price tag. I am optimistic that they will suffice as a winter weather shoe option. I like the look of the brown leather with jeans. I am curious about the sizing though. I have yet to try a Trek sole. I had to upsize considerably in my Speeds, M42 compared to M40 in KSO. Curious if the Trek LS will be the same.
Mens only? Poopy on that. I would definitely wear these.
These look awesome!!!! – The brown is the way to go by the pics! It also looks like the leather is different from those in the KSO TREKs – is it a different way of treating the leather I’m guessing?
I’d love a comparison on materials/feel from this and the KSO TREK. Is the leather used here any thicker than that in the KSO TREK?
I’m thinking that these will be in my future – look very cool – wondering how they would look with shorts on … ?
don’t forget the ladies!!! we want these too!
Sorry, them babies are butt ugly. I just don’t think they have a place in casual or business casual wear. I’m all for bucking the curve, but not this way. Would much prefer something else (hell my Vans are almost zero dropped) if I was going for a casual look. And 140 bucks? Seriously?
The look on your siamese’s face is priceless! He seems very impressed with your shoes.
I’m looking forward to these. I wear my black KSO Treks to the office every day and the only glaring oddity (aside from the toes) is the giant velcro strap. A shoe with traditional laces will fit in even better with business casual attire.
I agree completely about the sole. I want a pair of kangaroo-leather shoes with the classic sole. I don’t need the thickness or cleating to walk around the office.
So I’m curious – how many other unreleased VFFs do you have? Anxious to read more reviews about what is coming out in the coming months! 🙂
Interesting. Wish they would be released with a faux leather though.
The reason they use Kangaroo leather has been discussed before – it is an incredible material – nothing synthetic can really match its durability, sweat resistance, etc. – it is quite literally a second skin and makes a great of footwear – love their TREKs and have a pair of MOCs on the way.
Those tan ones look sweet!
Wow, the brown looks good for day to day wear and the black look almost good enough to wear to work. Not sure how the brass would feel about me showing up to work for my shift at the PD wearing VFF, but I do wear my KSOs to off duty jobs. If any officers out there know of a minimalist/zero drop boot that would work I’d interested to know.
Good review. Great site!
Fred
Wow, how can I get signed up to try a pair of unreleased VFF’s and give a review on them??
Hmmm…… they look nice and rugged, but somehow I doubt they would be accepted in most offices as “business casual.” They look just as goofy as all of the VFF’s. I wish they made these for us ladies though! (and that the price point was lower!)
I really really wish they’d release a leather upper with a classic/KSO sole, preferably that are slip-on. I used to wear my brown Treks to the office everyday, but I killed the tread walking to work everyday in a couple months, thereby making them useless for weekend hiking/running. Plus, the velcro wore holes in my the cuffs of my work slacks! I’ve since switched to Terra Plana Vivo Barefoot Dharmas for office duty. 90% as good as the VFF’s in terms of feel, and saved my Treks for hiking.
Are they suede out or suede in?
Holy cow (or kangaroo in that case), they look fantastic! They look a little warmer than the normal treks which is good when you live in Germany… Can’t wait to get them here.
I’m definitely digging these a LOT.
I’m especially surprised at how much I like the black ones-
when these were first revealed,
I had no interest in the black ones whatsoever.
Seeing them here, I’m a lot more interested,
but I think I’m going to stick with my original plans
of these in brown, the Bormio in black.
I don’t care about the Deeds comparison,
I think they look sharp,
and seeing how great these look in black,
I can’t wait to see the black Bormio. 😀
*Great* review on a highly anticipated model.
Thanks a ton, Justin!
Oh, and I *completely* agree with Mustafa-
if they can make Treks for women,
why can’t they make Jayas for men? 🙁
They don’t even look innately feminine-
I would *absolutely* get the black and white ones if they came in my size 🙁
Justin — Great photos — both quantity and quality.
Is the seam at the top of the toes the same as on the KSO Treks? I ask because I’ve had trouble with the fairly significant seam hitting the toenail, causing black toenails on sustained steep downhills. I’ve learned to wear a size larger when I’m doing steep mountain trails. The larger size avoids toenail damage but has a lot of space behind my heel. A few weeks ago I forgot and wore the smaller pair — 4000 feet of steep descent was really hard on one toe.
Okay…AND WHAT ABOUT FOR THE LADIES?? Is there a reason that there is not going to be either a style in this leather (similar to the men’s or perhaps with a strap instead of laces) for us ladies? I’ve been a Vibram wearer for over a year and have 13 pairs.Wear them daily to work and everything else. Again, any idea whether or not a fall/winter all leather Vibram will be available for us? I already have the KSO Trek in black and brown and wear them fall/winter. Personally, would love the men’s style for ladies with laces as well…
I’d be interested in taking some SLIGHTLY darker brown leather dye and carefully touching up the accent stripe on the sides and the half moon right before the toes in front of the laces to see how it adds to the design.
Here’s how they’d look with a little dye, you’ll probably have to copy and paste the links to make them work.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/Sindervhit/MensVibramTrekLSMod1.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/Sindervhit/MensVibramTrekLSMod2.jpg
A shame they are not actually all black, this would have been a perfect time to drop the obnoxious vibram logo off the top.
Nevermind, I will still be getting them. I certainly won’t be wearing them with bootcuts though. Strictly full on ninja in black skinny jeans.
They look really wrong. People nickname VFFs gorilla feet and now they really do since it’s got animal skin on it.
i have worn my brown KSO treks to work every day for the last 8 months, and bought them in particular because i feel they’re appropriate for everyday wear (i run in my bikilas [LS]). if anything, these lace-ups are *more* casual, since on my KSO trek the velcro closure mostly hide under my pantleg, but i like the idea of a little better rain/water protection.
I’m already wearing my black Treks with crew black Injinji socks as business casual in a mega-corporate transcontinental conglomerate manufacturing headquarters. The most I get are (frequent) questions like “what are they?” and “that’s weird”. So far I’m the only one on campus to break “status quo”, but hey – someone’s gotta push the limits!
If these do end up providing decent water protection (maybe adding Scotchguard or mink oil) they might end up being off-season off-road trekkers. Otherwise I don’t see the significant benefit over the Trek.
Definitely interested in these. I will probably use these as everyday/trail shoes so I don’t mind the thicker sole. If they were for just everyday wear I would rather them have a thin sole. If they were water proof they would be perfect.
We are very proud to sell these shoes on our online store. We try our best to be as helpful as possible and send out your shoes fast. We sell lots of other items too and we are constantly acquiring more products, all in which we think will bring you one more step closer to a healthier lifestyle. everfree co uk
The webpage states the leather is “crazy horse” not kangaroo…
For the women who are wanting these from what it looks like from the vibram website they are going to have them in 38s and 39s. Which I think would fit the average woman’s foot.
just a curious question from a color blind guy about what color was the pair in the picture for the cover of this review b/c they look like they are darker than the brown ones on the vibram website but don’t appear to be black either. Thanks for any help.
@Chris They are the brown ones, but it could be the light and his look like they could possibly be wet, but I know where you’re coming from. They do seem darker. 🙂
i’m TOTALLY buying these for my homecoming/prom/church shoes
“I would love a similar model to the Trek LS with a sole more like the KSO though!”
We should start a petition
According to Kayak Shed’s pre-order page, sizes only range from 40 to 47…
Any word on the official release date?
I just asked my supervisor and he gave the thumbs up for wearing these on casual Fridays.
(corporate world being what it is, of course)
WHY are they not available in the woman sizes? !!!!!!!!!!
Why not a woman’s pair? I would deff. Wear them!!
How does one become an official tester for Vibram Fivefingers? I want to be a tester.
I LOVE these !!! need to make WOMENS SIZES!!! we want them too !! am curious how these will hold up in snow….I wear my KSO’s to work everyday !!! and the one thing I have trouble with is I wish the sole was a smidge thicker (cause I stand/walk on cement all day hauling 40 pound bags of dog food lol and the ball of my feet get sore by end of day) these might be just the ticket with the thicker 4mm sole…
Just picked up a brown pair yesterday and having never before owning a pair of fives I’m having a little trouble getting my smallest 2 toes in. As for the looks I love them, though my brother calls me Jimbo Baggins, and my sons think they make me look like a gorilla!
How is the sizing of these? I ask because in the trek I have a 45 that turned out to be a bit bit, while the treksport in 45 is a bit small and the Bikila LS in a 45 is perfect. i am thinking I should go for a 44 like the trek. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
In the Vibram website is said that the uppers are made of Crazy Horse Leather. I guess then that they aren’t made of kangaroo leather. It’s a pity now that I was already convinced that the kangaroo leather had very good properties thanks to the complex network of intertwined collagen fibers at any depth.
Does any one know the origin of this Crazy Horse Leather? Horse? Is that leather very resistant?
OK, Crazy Horse Leather must be some sort of treatment to get distressed leather, or perhaps the brand of the leather supplier. According to the info in Vibram FiveFingers’ catalogue for Spring 2012 both Trek LS and Bormio uppers are made of distressed kangaroo leather.
I’ve just received my order for these and have spent half the day wearing the brown pair and the other half the black pair. The big toes of both members of both pairs feel really tight (width, not length). I’m hoping that the leather stretches.
Has anyone else had this problem? I have four other styles which I regularly wear without any significant issue, including the very similar KSO Treks (owned two pairs for nearly two years). However I also have two pairs of Trek Flows which I haven’t been able to wear because of the same issue with overly tight big toes.
Yes I have had that problem with two other 5f. I just got a new pair of Speeds and the cutting and sewing for width as in space not in length is way too tight! Compared to the other Speeds that I have. I can see a clear differences in the amount of material.
I just sent my brown pair back to Citysports for another pair. The second toe on the left shoe was like 1/4″ shorter than the same toe on the right shoe (I measured). The right shoe fit perfectly while the left was murdering that toe. Even given that manufacturing gaffe, these VFFs might be my favorite so far. They look really good with jeans and overall are more passable as regular shoes than my single-velcro-strap normal Treks.
A strange thing though, I compared my pair to my other VFFs and to the Trek LS pairs in this review and overall the toes on mine seem shorter – not in the way that makes the shoe smaller or shorter – just that the toes are shorter, the base of them starts much further out that where my toes do. Mine are larger than Justin’s, so I thought it weird.
I compared my Treks to the new LS’s, and the toe lengths are the same. I wonder if because there is more material between the toes (and initially the leather is less pliable) giving the impression? Not sure, but I’ll be glad when mine break in – I’m so glad there’s no Velcro to eat at the hem on my jeans!
Hi MTBooks, I noticed the same thing, mine have shorter toes as well, and sizewise, I find them shorter than treks, specially the big toe. QC keeps being a mess!
I’m still not sure wether I want to have these in black or the Bormio’s in black to wear to work.
However as with the bormio’s, I cannot seem to find an official place where I can order these which ships to the Netherlands…
Any thoughts?
The toes on my tan trek ls’s are also shorter than my other fives. There a size 42 which in the treks fit a bit snug but the ls’s have room. The toes look alot shorter compared to Justin’s. What size is his?
3 weeks later – I LOVE THESE SHOES!!!
I’m using these strictly for work in my stuffy office / cubicle city. Lots of strange looks, but I say they’re just jealous. I log many walking miles a day in them (with Injinji crew socks) and don’t have a single issue.
I worry that the laces won’t hold up too long, and wonder what color I’ll replace them with. Hmm, the 80’s are in, maybe florescent green?
Excellent review! Many thanks. After a few months of soggy running my KSOs around the Seattle area last year, I was ready for something a bit more watertight. Even a certain tech company’s search engine didn’t provide much helpful information regarding the puddleworthiness (puddlesworth?) of the various VFF models. Your discussion of the toe pocket construction is exactly what I had been looking for.
I love how this model’s laces evoke Rene Magritte’s “The Red Model”. I’ve asked Vibram whether we may look forward to some merchandising tie-in with next year’s Hobbit film. No answer so far.
I’m amazed at how male-centric Vibram is. I’ve never known a brand of shoes that was so attractive in their male versions and so universally ugly in their female version. Mostly, though, I’m saddened by how often the men’s versions come out and I have to wait for so long for a women’s version. My feet are big enough for the men’s, but the slightly more narrow women’s are so much more comfortable, and black and brown will look good for either gender (please no ugly pink and green for us gals!).
When can we expect the women’s version????
I agree whole heartily with the last comment! I’m also equally disappointed in the unequal male-centric focus and the stereotyping of male and female colors. V5F should get with it this is 2011! All my girlfriend complain that the colors for the female are well in their words” gross” and want the colors that are available to the men. V5F should make the same products AVAILABLE TO THE WOMAN! As they do for the men, that means same stile, same colors, same design and of course sizing for woman. Fair is fair! Mr.Flynn
I’ll read the whole review, however, my disgust for Vibram returned when I read “for men”. What’s a girl gotta do????
I just got a pair of these yesterday. I ordered the 41s, because that is what I have in the Bikila LS. Love the build quality and design, but these are VERY tight. This was mentioned in an earlier post, but has anyone else found them to be too tight? Has anyone worn them long enough that can say they stretch after a couple weeks? I love the shoes, but I am almost regretting my purchase.
I picked up a pair of these in brown at REI over the weekend and I LOVE them. They look great, and are very comfortable. I wear them with a SmartWool toe sock and they feel just wonderful. A friend of mine described them as “cat’s paws”, and I think that description fits perfectly. I wear a 41 in the classics that I have had since fivefingers first came out, and I bought these in a 41 as well so that I could wear them with socks. They fit snugly, but not over-tight. I have wide feet and usually can’t find shoes that fit well, but these fit great with the lacing system. I also tried on the Bormios, or I should say I tried to try them on. They were too narrow even when I sized up to a 42, and I couldn’t get my feet in. The Trek LS’s are still a little difficult to get into, but that is improving as they break in. I just can’t say enough good about these shoes. They have made it possible for me to go “barefoot” wherever I go, church, wherever.
Anyone know if these fit a bit snug in general? Several comments have mentioned short toes or getting the same size as Classics. I can’t find these in stores and would have to order them online. I only have a pair of smartwool classics M42 and they were snug but have broken in great. I have a wide woman’s foot but the heel on some KSO Treks were really baggy in M42. This post doesn’t have much mention or detail of how they fit!
Come oooon!!! Make some for us women too!!
Ordered a pair of these from theshoemart.com and after a week of breaking in, with the wet weather helping the leather conform, they are pretty great. A bit less traction on smooth wet surfaces than my classics, and some issues with a seam in the shoe that runs right under the ball of my foot (poor design, or manufacturing error?). Overall mostly happy, though way way too expensive as it seems they have not refined the production process (there was plastic sheeting hanging out of many of the seams, and the second toe on one has a small hole right next to the sole, and the dreaded seam under my foot!
My wife wants a pair ! What’s taking them so long to make them for the woman.
I love wearing VFFs with skinny jeans. That’s the key to getting all of the women 😉
The Trek LS is THE BEST 5 fingers model to date if your plan is to run on trails, grass, or any other activity where you are putting big stresses on the shoe…like running downhill around a corner….with a soaking wet shoe. Two reasons this shoe is better than all previous models. #1 – the shoe lace is not for style of the trek LS…the shoelace is to cinch that shoe snug against your foot for high stress activities. This shoe barely moves on your foot even when soaking wet and running downhill around a corner on a trail. Reason #2- I have blown through the big toe sidewall of the 4 pairs of five F’s I have owned. The fabric between the toes cant handle the stress and the abraision from the sole of the 2nd toe wears a hole right through. The all-leather between the toes should fix this problem once and for all.
i’m french and i really want to know the price for the new collection.
we don’t have a really good shop in paris to buy it and i found mine in OZ.
can you give me some help?
thanks
QT
If they ever stop making the LS Trek, I will fall to the ground weeping! Seriously. I need to get another pair or 2 to tuck away, just in case! I’ve worn mine since my early October birthday and as we train each other, my Treks and I, they just get easier and easier to put on and so comfortable it’s like putting an extra set of feet on over my own that protect and enhance my life! I am a diabetic martial artist, short, middle aged, round, numb feet and the occasional bout of vertigo. My Treks keep me connected with the earth, which steadies me, stabilizes me,gives me an early warning of when I might be in trouble, and the sensitivity so that I can make the toe microadjustments so I can catch myself before there’s a problem. Oh, and did I mention that I can walk on all but the most egregious gravel in them? Is it possible to rate MORE than 5 stars? In honor of the love I have for them, I bought them brown sparkle laces. Life is good 🙂
Nana they are discontinuing the TrekLS and the Bormio you should pick them up while you still can.
Hubby and I both have these- I wear them to work all the time now that the weather has gotten cooler. They’re much better in wet weather than any of my other Vibrams. I’m a teacher on my feet all day and five fingers are all that I wear! Since they’re discontinuing these, I hope they come out with something equally awesome next season.
I received a pair of KSO’s for christmas 2011 and fell in love. Went online to buy a 2nd pair and found these Trek LS’s on clearance at REI for $94. I bought a pair of brown and ordered the black online. I work in a business environment and these more businesslike additions to the Trek line are just what I needed. I now have my KSO for Tae Kwon Do and the Trek LS for everyday wear. I am officially in Trek heaven!!!
I got a black Vibram Speed over the weekend and i loved it! Hence, i bought 2 pairs more – a pink Classic and a black KSO Treksport! i’m now wearing my pink one to work and would be wearing the Treksport when we go trekking next month 🙂
So after reading this review I purchased the Trek LS to replace my every day shoe as well as my now torn after a thousand miles, KSO.Let me start off by saying the Trek LS are NOT meant for running in. I wish Vibram would have specified this, on my first run the skin was removed from just about all toes, the friction from between my toes was horrible, causing many blisters. Considering these are 140$ shoes, I’d assume they were multipurpose. They are also beginning to lose their tact between leather and sole. I am VERY disappointed in these “shoes” and would return them if I could.
Rating: 6/10, not worth 140$ and looking goofy.
i wear my trek ls with skinny’s(I have the all black pair). i used to wear my komodo sports with skinny’s (skinny’s is all i wear) and i think it makes a fashion opening to wear any vff’s with skinny’s
I am looking for a pair of these for women, or similar to it. I have a pair of Speeds, but I would like a pair of “waterproof” fivefingers. Any word if there are any coming out for women?
Thanks for the reviews, they’re great!
@Krysta the smallest size in these are a M42. They do not make them in women’s sizes. They also discontinued this style recently so you can only find what is already in stock and on the market. They will not be making any more.
Greetings from Spain.
I just got my Trek LS in brown color. I have not intensively used them yet, but I have some first impressions about them.
They fit perfectly to me and are comfortable. They don’t feel as if I were walking barefoot, although they feel great and definitively they feel different to any other shoe I have had.
I also feel as if they were forcing my feet to step differently –even different as when I walk barefoot.
The brown color is marketed as “tan” and the pictures provided at the VFF site feature a light brown color. However, the real color looks a bit darker than the one of the Trek LSs featured on this review, and definitively much darker than the one featured in the site.
I usually have some trouble when lodging my left little toe into it’s pocket but I manage to get it right after two or three tries.
One negative point: maybe I still have to get the soles more used, but the first time I went for a walk it was raining. Beware of wet concrete or tarmac surfaces, because they render the Trek LS soles slippery.
Finally, I’d like to mention I’m a bit disappointed with the european customer care service. When I put my order, I did not get a tracking code to follow the progression of my package. I sent several e-mails across them but I got no response until 1 week later, when I already had gotten the package delivered to me.
Hi from the biggest city of Germany!
I saw a picture of the black ones, I loved them immediately, and I got them (though the price here is high).
I have used them for about 8 weeks now, not every, but many days, in my office (with lots of collegues and customers) and privately, most of the times with blue jeans. It took the others 1.5 weeks to notice! But after some nice comments they were accepted. In the streets some people look, but noone really reacts. There are so many weirdos here … they don´t care for another one. 😉
I usually wear them with socks, but thus the shoes feel like the second skin, very tight. Perhaps a size higher would do.
Without socks, it works well, but weather did not allow this yet. And – different to KSOs – your toes feel all the seams, which is a bit annoying (KSOs do not have anything that annoys the feet).
In cold weather you get cold feet, while in warm weather it quickly is too warm. So they are perfect for normal days.
What else? Nothing! I don´t want to miss them and look forward to the next VIBRAM idea.
I just did a quick check with the Missus and there was no “Veto”. In fact, she liked them straight away!
Vibram Fivefingers have a way of growing on a person. The Missus was very sceptical when I bought my first pair over two years ago. Now we are on our way to the south of France for our summer holiday with her in a pair of Fresca’s :-).
I’ve had mine about four months now, and they quickly became my favorites. Very comfortable, they breathe well, and do not develop a terrible aroma like my others. Unfortunately, the soles seem to be wearing quickly, and the rubber seems to be separating from the leather around the big toes. Even so, I love them.
Hi David.
I can confirm the same problem with my TREK LSs. Other than that, I agree 100% with you.
I been wearing these for a few months now and I like the fit and comfort of them. More so then the all fabric VFF’s. The breath fairly well. I’ve only noticed some damp sweat marks in the heel area when I remove them. They fit like a glove.
I use these Everyday, enjoy them very much. Cons, 4 weeks of daily walking the leather on the inside of 4 toes is split or worn through, second after 2 months the soul has wore through. Everything else is enduring so far @ 8 months of daily concrete walking. I have resorted to using Gorilla tape on the souls several times a week to extend shoe life. I have also replaced the original laces, no biggy. The leather in these shoes feels wonderful even in direct sun light and heat.
@JyYungen – your comment is exactly why I am reading this page again. I have owned my brown Trek LS for about 10 months now, usually wearing them 5+ times a week (I’m a computer engineer and get away wearing them without any trouble). I had the exact same problem as you with the soles – within the first few months it totally disintegrated, bits of it stuck to my socks at the end of every day. The rest of the interior has held up great.
The leather on the inside of the arch of my left foot cracked a little about a week ago and had gotten a bit bigger over the next 2 days. Also, the leather has pulled away from the sole in a few places – a problem I have had with most of my other eight pairs. The Vibram rubber bottoms have held up perfectly – like every other shoe/sandal/boot I’ve bought.
Unfortunately, like with many things these days, they do not so much wear out as they do fall apart. The leather pulling away from the bottom rubber is a big problem, especially in wet weather.
I never walk with them in wet weather if I can help it, and bring a change of shoes to work if it looks like its going to rain. They have been thoroughly wet fewer than 10 times.
This is definitely my favorite pair, and I’ll be buying another pair this week on payday. But I am very disappointed that my Vibrams keep falling apart rather than wearing out.
The two huge issues: the inner sole disintegrates and the leather pulls away from the outer rubber sole.
Other than that, they are great in cold and warm weather alike with a pair of socks, are great for wearing to work, and super-comfortable like all the rest.
I have really really high arches, will these be bad for me
I have a pair of these in a 41M and I can’t wear them because of my long second toe and I sized down. Looking to sell them, worn a handful of times but still great – super light superficial wear. asking 100$ make an offer! I need money for emergency medical bills so I can continue school in the fall.
Since the last comment is now a few months old, I just want to add, that the Trek LS are now “On Sale”.
At least on the european market. As far as I know, they will be discontinued.
So the price dropped from 189€ to 149€.
The one reason I needed, to finally grab a pair of these awesome pieces 🙂