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Vibram FiveFingers Jaya LR Review

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…

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 for activities like low impact weight training, yoga, exercising at home, or even walking around a campsite. Perfect for when you don’t need something so robust. Read the full review after the jump!

Looks and Design

The Jaya LR upper is composed of leather strips and synthetic fabric; there are no straps on the Jaya LR.
The Jaya LR upper is composed of leather strips and synthetic fabric; there are no straps on the Jaya LR.
Since they don’t have any straps or laces, they definitely look like slippers to me. There’s a leather stripe pattern that runs from each of the toes all the way to the back of the heel. It’s not as noticeable on my all black pair as much as it is on some of the the lighter colors that they come in. This may add just a little bit of extra protection to the top of the foot, but I think it’s mostly just for looks. My black and yellow pair remind me of a bumblebee with the yellow spotted design on the bottom of the outsole. Buzz. Buzz.

Materials and Construction

The Jaya LR (and sister Jaya) feature an outsole composed of EVA foam and Vibram rubber pods located at the toes, forefoot, and heel.
The Jaya LR (and sister Jaya) feature an outsole composed of EVA foam and Vibram rubber pods located at the toes, forefoot, and heel.
Upper — Stretch polyamide with leather overlays and slight perforation at the back of the heel for ventilation. It’s simple, stretchy, and hugs my foot perfectly. Sole — It’s a 5.5mm EVA outsole that is more flexible and not as rigid as some other models like the FiveFingers KomodoSport (or LS). It has a distinct pattern made up of simple contact points. One on the heel, five oval ones on the forefoot, and one small oval one on each toe. Each one is made up of a series of small holes ranging from 1 to 2mm in diameter. The simplistic design is nice since you don’t need all the added protection for low-impact activities. The thinner outsole allows for greater flexibility, more ground feel, and it even lightens the overall weight. Footbed — It’s made of a soft antimicrobial microfiber. You can throw the entire shoe in the washing machine to clean it and let it air dry. Weight — These are one of the lightest models of VFFs available. My women’s size 38 weighs 3.4oz. each (6.8oz. pair). Good to know for packing light.

Fit

My 38 fits true to size. Since they’re slip on, they have a more relaxed fit than the adjustable VFFs. There seems to be a little more room in the back of the heel area so they could be prone to slipping right off if they don’t fit right. They don’t have an extra layer of soft perforated fabric on the inside like the KomodoSports do, but even without it they’re very comfortable. The upper polyamide is stretchy and forms well to the top of my foot. Also, I haven’t felt any hot spots and my toes have plenty of room to move around.

Feel and Performance

Due to the simplicity of the design, I didn’t think the Jaya LR would perform as well as it does. I wouldn’t go running in them or anything (I need something adjustable), but I’ve worn them for all kinds of low-impact activities like going on short walks, light weight lifting at home, yoga, and throwing them on to get the mail. This is essentially what they were made for. When I first put them on, I could immediately tell that these have a lot more flexibility than a robust VFF like the KomodoSports. My foot and toes can flex a lot more since the outsole isn’t as thick and rigid (check out the photo where I folded them in half). The KomodoSports feel more rigid throughout the entire length of the foot whereas the Jaya LR allows for a little more range of motion. I can move my toes completely which is a nice change. I’ve been throwing them on for my less intense indoor workouts and quick two mile walks and they’ve exceeded my expectations every time. I thought they would slide right off the back of my heel, but they haven’t at all. I’ve been doing all kinds of exercises like squats, kettle bell swings, push ups, sit ups, and even jumping rope in them. I’m surprised at how great the traction is even though they don’t have a wild tread pattern. They grip really well on asphalt and I can walk the dirt trails just fine. I also feel a little more connected to the ground like I do in the Sprints. What surprised me the most was that they actually have awesome traction on carpet too! I’m able to do yoga right on my floor without having my feet slip … it’s perfect. If you’re using a yoga mat, you get twice the amount of grip as you do with just your bare feet. That could be a good or a bad thing since the mat may tend to get really bunched up! The only place I slid a little is on hardwood flooring … but it wasn’t even much at all.

Summary

The Jaya LR is perfect if you’re looking for a comfortable VFF with a more relaxed fit. Think of it as a slipper with great traction. They’re great for when you want something simple that you can throw on for walking the dog, light workouts at home, yoga, stretching, or to just change into at camp after a hike. It would also be good for those who want to strengthen their feet or slowly transition over to VFFs. I’m not one to hit the grocery store in them, but hey, you could definitely do that, too. Pros —
  • Great for low-impact activities
  • Easy to put on
  • Comfortable
  • Greater range of motion in the toes
  • Breathable
  • Great traction and connection to the ground
  • Come in lots of different color combos
Cons —
  • They may be prone to falling off the back of your heel if they don’t fit properly

By Leah

I live in southern California and write a [url=http://velokova.com]creative lifestyle blog about adventure, travel, and photography[/url]. I interview inspiring women and feature travel tips such as how to pack a backpack. I can’t live without avocados, standup paddling, mountain biking, and cameras.

26 replies on “Vibram FiveFingers Jaya LR Review”

Excellent write up. This actually just got me very interested in the style. I want my g/f to start going to Yoga with me and she is very self conscious about her feet, I think these would work fantastically.

I’ve ordered a pair but haven’t received them yet. When you say “true to size,” does that mean you wear a 37 in your komodos? I ordered a 41 and usually wear a 40 in KSO, Bikila and Treksports.

The black on black is so hot! I LOVE my Jaya’s, especially the sleek look of the LR! (I own almond/copper LR and black/silver regular)

Why won’t you wear them out/to the grocery store? They look GREAT on you.

Awesome review, great job!

I have these and absolutely love them! I do a lot of indoor exercising, and they are perfect for that, or just go through on to go the mall or grocery store. I was skeptical at first, I never owned a pair of Vibrams before, but I would recommend these to everyone!

I originally bought these last spring for walk around shoes. Then one weekend I forgot my bikilas for a dog agility trial and wore these instead, the bikilas have been collecting dust ever since. We generally run on dirt, but also on artificial turf occasionally and they have excelled. I have never had a problem with them coming off and I have AA heels. I love the extra flexibility and they handle the quick changes of directions needed while competing. I’ve bought a second pair.

They Jaya LR are one of my favourite VFFs. They’re incredibly comfortable and lightweight. This is definitely a fair review – they can’t be used for everything, but they excel in comfort, flexibility (in relation to my komodosports), and fit (this model fits my feet better than my komodosports or sprints), plus I really like the style of the LR.

Thanks for the review!

i dont know if im the only guy who owned a jaya lr (and pretty soon a yellow jaya! haha), and a white/silver one at that 🙂
great review, leah! pretty much sums up what i think too. this pair just sits in my car and i put them on when i go to malls, watch a movie, or lounge in a coffeeshop. its a great aftersport thing to wear (i wouldnt want to really sweat in them) and it feels a lot breezier than the good ol classics.
vibram did a really good thing with the streaming leather strips on the top and it gives a really nice flair to what is already an eye-catching footwear. that being said, im still coveting for a regular jaya, particularly for its retro-ey big stripe thing at the sides, and that cushy ankle pillow at the rear. however, jaya lr still comes out on top!

great review! I have the white/grey Jaya LR and they are so comfortable. I had the in my drop-bag to put on after the Marine Corps Marathon. It was like getting a massage on my feet while I walked around after the marathon!

Thanks for reading, everyone! It looks like Vibram may need to start making a men’s version of the Jaya LR since these are so popular!

@PB Junkie I wear a 38 in most VFF styles including the Komodos.

@Stefanie Thanks! So I broke down and wore them to the store the other day.. The grocery store floor is cold!

@Beth That’s great! Nice to hear they help nicely with quick change of direction.

@Lorinc Del Motte They could have a tendency to wear a little faster than a VFF with a robust sole but it all depends on how you wear them. They were built for more casual wear and the EVA/rubber combo is perfect for light fitness activities.. you get lots of flexibility as well as great traction.

@mm The color I have is all black

I’d buy them in 40 and go climb in them (works in M40 Mocs) if they weren’t that expensive. 100 € for shoes that could fall apart quite easily because I’d use them for something they’re not designed for … not so good.

But hell, that would be nice for a few days.

Leah: I can’t find your colour anywhere. Where did you get them from?

I think i own around 10 pairs of vibrams now and hands down these jayas are my absolute favorites. i own them in every color! sizing is pretty much right on with the rest of my styles. the only time i consider one size larger is when i wear the socks, and with these i dont. 😉 vibram fan for life here.

Jayas are my first venture into VFFs. The 2011 model (the red, blue and white) were pretty inexpensive at the local base PX (military base dept store). I waffled between the 39 and 40 for over a half hour. I’m a size 8 shoe. I bought the 40 and then as soon as I walked down the street in them I realized they were too big, but too late to return them. no biggie.. I wear them around the house- b/c they are too big, they are easy to slip on quickly. I ordered some socks to wear with them if I felt like it. I went to REI and bought the black jaya’s in a 39 and they are perfect. I am using them for casual wear- out and about with my kids, shopping, etc. They are super comfortable! They feel like slipping on isotoner slippers with toes. I am worried that they might wear about in the soles, but I don’t plan to run in them or do excessive outside activity in them besides walking around.

ARE THE COLRS SUPPOSED TO RUN?!?!?? I bought a pair of these before they were totally out. About a month and a half ago. I stepped in the shower with them on (oops!). Once I realized this, I set them in the path of the droplets cause they needed to be washed anyway. Well….. I noticed an odd tinge to the water welling up inside them…. The water was a disgusting almost black color. I didn’t think they were THAT dirty! Well I dumped them out…. And the water kept turning BLUE after that!!!!! I would put them in the water stream and teal dye would gush out! I’m so scared I bought a fake! I ordered them from theshoemart.com which has a total satisfaction guarantee policy so I didn’t worry. Now i’m worried. Will this running of the colors go away after the first wash?????? Has it happened to anyone else??

This article was exactly what I was looking for when deciding on what Vibram shoes to pick. Thanks so much for the information and personal opinion. When I receive my shoes I will have to write about them on my website and I will link them to your site for all the great advice. If you want to check out my website it is
http://www.domesticingenuity.com

thanks for the write up, I just ordered my first pair of vibrams and was overwhelmed with the number of styles offered. Your write up helped me determine the Jayas were right for me.

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