Sly Bald Guys Forum
Confidence and Success => Fitness/Diet => Topic started by: -Doug- on March 21, 2011, 09:17:05 AM
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I am wondering if any of you on here have tried/use the Vibram Five Finger shoes? I am due to replace my running shoes and these caught my interest. If anyone has used them please let me know what your thoughts are on them.
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/Five-Fingers-KSO-Mens.htm (http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/Five-Fingers-KSO-Mens.htm)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_L2V9iihXVHE/TYdrUIXd5lI/AAAAAAAAAb0/r8xFpECe79c/s800/KSO.PNG)
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Not yet, but they do look very compelling to me. I think I'm going to order a pair, I'd wear them for hiking.
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They are supposed to make your running/walking more natural and closer to running/walking barefoot.
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My order is out, let's hope it doesn't take long before I can test them. :)
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My order is out, let's hope it doesn't take long before I can test them. :)
Cool! I plan on ordering mine on Saturday. Let me know what you think of them.
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Sure. And thank you for the idea.
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I ordered mine yesterday. I'll let you know what I think of them.
Who will get them first? :*))
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Well I got mine this afternoon ;D and tested them on a short trip. I chose the Trek Sport model BTW.
Putting them on took some time, but they fit very well. They are much lighter than the shoes I usually wear for hiking. I also wore toe socks which I ordered with the shoes.
Especially between the toes the feeling was quite odd at first. After a while I got used to it.
As you can see on the map (http://www.sports-tracker.com/#/workout/TheNoggin/54spjtoc4enoqoi5), the trip was mainly through woods and grasslands, plus short sections of asphalt and cobblestones.
On the fields I stepped into some mud and puddles, but my feet felt wet only for a few moments.
When I came home after 2 hours I already felt comfortable with the shoes. They were pretty dirty (Pic (https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1VC52Y7igh0Tvv7-Sss0Jw?feat=directlink)), so I washed them in the sink.
All in all I think these shoes are making the walking experience better than usual as they promise. They're a little pricey but to me they are worth it. O0
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A friend of mine swears by those shoes. He was describing the theory behind them and I got really interested, and I went out and tried out a set. Unfortunately for me, they don't fit the curve of my toes at all. The big toes fit fine, but the final 2 don't go into the slots.
One thing I was told is that you should not run much in them at first. Since normal shoes basically act like a cast, do too much of the work of supporting and cushioning the feet, and then your feet undergo atrophy. So if you immediately switch to those shoes your feet won't be able to handle intense actions like running for very long.
One of the things I learned is that standard shoes cause a person to run by landing on their heels and that causes a shock straight up the body right through the knees. He said that standard shoes designed for running actually encourage running injuries! These Vibrams encourage your body to run by landing with the middle of the foot and that causes your foot and calf muscle to absorb a lot of the shock.
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Well I got mine this afternoon ;D and tested them on a short trip. I chose the Trek Sport model BTW.
Putting them on took some time, but they fit very well. They are much lighter than the shoes I usually wear for hiking. I also wore toe socks which I ordered with the shoes.
Especially between the toes the feeling was quite odd at first. After a while I got used to it.
As you can see on the map (http://www.sports-tracker.com/#/workout/TheNoggin/54spjtoc4enoqoi5), the trip was mainly through woods and grasslands, plus short sections of asphalt and cobblestones.
On the fields I stepped into some mud and puddles, but my feet felt wet only for a few moments.
When I came home after 2 hours I already felt comfortable with the shoes. They were pretty dirty (Pic (https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1VC52Y7igh0Tvv7-Sss0Jw?feat=directlink)), so I washed them in the sink.
All in all I think these shoes are making the walking experience better than usual as they promise. They're a little pricey but to me they are worth it. O0
Wow! That was fast. I'm glad to hear that you like them. I ordered the regular KSOs.
One thing I was told is that you should not run much in them at first. Since normal shoes basically act like a cast, do too much of the work of supporting and cushioning the feet, and then your feet undergo atrophy. So if you immediately switch to those shoes your feet won't be able to handle intense actions like running for very long.
I've read that about them. I plan to ease in to running in them. I've even read that they help train your body to help you run on you fore/midfoot even when you put regular running shoes back on.
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One of the things I learned is that standard shoes cause a person to run by landing on their heels and that causes a shock straight up the body right through the knees. He said that standard shoes designed for running actually encourage running injuries! These Vibrams encourage your body to run by landing with the middle of the foot and that causes your foot and calf muscle to absorb a lot of the shock.
My shoes usually wear off at the outer side of the heels first. When walking on solid grounds I noticed the Vibrams don't adsorb as much as regular trekking shoes. You do have to walk differently. However, the ability to feel the grounds your walking on is incredible, even on cobblestones. We don't have any mountains here though.
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One of the things I learned is that standard shoes cause a person to run by landing on their heels and that causes a shock straight up the body right through the knees. He said that standard shoes designed for running actually encourage running injuries! These Vibrams encourage your body to run by landing with the middle of the foot and that causes your foot and calf muscle to absorb a lot of the shock.
My shoes usually wear off at the outer side of the heels first. When walking on solid grounds I noticed the Vibrams don't adsorb as much as regular trekking shoes. You do have to walk differently. However, the ability to feel the grounds your walking on is incredible, even on cobblestones. We don't have any mountains here though.
You might want to research the Pose Method® or Pose running. There are videos on YouTube as well. Since incorporating this running technique into my training, I have been injury free. And beating my PRs consistently.
The Vibrams, though their instant feedback, will help you perfect this perfect style of running very quickly.
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You might want to research the Pose Method® or Pose running. There are videos on YouTube as well. Since incorporating this running technique into my training, I have been injury free. And beating my PRs consistently.
The Vibrams, though their instant feedback, will help you perfect this perfect style of running very quickly.
Thanks for the tip.....I came across some of those videos while researching these shoes. I'm glad to hear that the method helps with injuries. I've been fairly injury free with my running but every now and then one of my knees will act up.
I've started to try the Pose method in my current shoes with some success. I really think the Vibrams will help perfect the technique. I can't wait to try them.
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(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_L2V9iihXVHE/TY4nyORZa2I/AAAAAAAAAcM/d8jWnvzUl6s/s640/IMG_6996.JPG)
I got mine yesterday! A few days ahead of the projected delivery date. O0 They are great.
Noggin - how are yours on their fit? I have maybe .75-1 cm of space in each toe. From what I've read that is a good fit but I wanted to see how well yours fit.
I took them for a test run last night and they really do make you work different muscles. I can't wait to get to the point where I can do most of my runs in them.
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I have the KSO's and wear them everywhere like normal shoes. You learn to walk with the forefoot hitting the ground first rather then the heel. My background is more anti-shoe than most I guess as i have always preferred being barefoot and went through college barefoot half the time every day. I plan to buy more of these. They didnt work during the winter though so had to wear boots etc. I am planning to start running again and I will use these and also plan to just run barefoot now that the weather is warmer. But these are being wore more and more here in Chicago. I see guys wearing them at the gym and out in stores etc. I take a kettlebell workout class and the instructor wears them or is barefoot. For a kettlebell class we stand on padded rubber mats and you really have to learn to use your feet muscles and toes to balance and grip the mat when working with the bells hence they tell you to be barefoot or in Vibrams for this class.
Generally I think we are all brainwashed to believe we must have shoes on that are like cement casts to "protect" us from the world when all that does is ruin your foot muscles and cause them to atrophy. These are an advance toward a more sane approach to shoes. It is strange to get used to placing toes in separate slots but I have found Vibrams mold to your foot after a while and slipping them on does get easier so dont be discouraged. It is sort of like walking around in just socks all day and who wouldnt like that comfort ?
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... I have maybe .75-1 cm of space in each toe. From what I've read that is a good fit but I wanted to see how well yours fit.
It's about the same except for the big toes which almost touch the front of their pouches.
I'm planning to wear them for a whole day (including at the office) next week and see how this goes.
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I've owned a pair for about a month and really like them. I think what Rusty said in a an earlier post is true, running shoes typically act like a cast and I definately always landed heal first. The first week or so my feet were a little sore but I could tell I was landing more mid-foot and engaging my toes alot more. Knee pain has decreased to nothing. The only downside--now I can't stand wearing dress shoes all day.
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How are you guys making out with these? I'm considering a pair though I'm not sure I'll get past feeling silly in them.
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This week I finally managed to wear them at work on 2 days. Got quite a few questions about them from my colleagues. Compared to the sneakers I usually wear they were much more comfortable, my feet didn't get hot/sweaty. Almost like walking around on socks.
Tried them on a short bicycle trip today, but the soles are too soft for this.
Sailor, it's like when you go sly. You think everyone's looking, but not for long. Try them.
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They've been great for me. I did have to stop using them for a litte while though. I am training for a 10k at the end of this month and I just could adjust to them adequately in such a short amount of time. Once the run is done I plan to work on running in the full time.
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I wear my KSO's everywhere now. I see guys at the gym in them and women. ALso people outside running in them.
If you like your feet free and able to use foot muscles and feel more of what you are walking on you will love them. I see more and more people out and about in them now that winter is over. If you like being barefoot you will love these. Be sure to get the right size. Mine are 1 size too big judging by the little toe of each foot coming out of its section if I wear them too loose.
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I've been walking around in "water shoes" since the weather got passably warm a month or so ago for the reason given for the existence of these shoes. I have been curious for a while about them and the fact that they are made by Vibram spoke volumes in terms of what could be expected, quality-wise. Yesterday I was looking at the Vibram Five Fingers website and found a local dealer that happens to be my favorite outdoor goods retailer so I called them and, VOILA! They had the exact pair I was looking for (all black KSO) in my size in stock.
For me it is a labor to put them on. Not so bad on the left foot but I have had a couple of injuries to the right foot, like uncorrected broken toes, which make it complicated to put one on the right. But after wrangling my toes into the toes of the shoes and walking around a bit I think that these things are magical.
If you can imagine having crooked and bent toes that are suddenly straightened and set free by a mere pair of shoes then you know what I'm talking about. It was like having a normal right foot if even for the time that the shoes are on. And they do feel strange on my feet but not in a bad way. I walk around in them and my feet feel like normal feet. Now I have had these injuries for around 40 years so I have no fantasies about the shoes correcting my toes but they sure do feel nice while they're on. I haven't tried jogging in them yet because the salesman cautioned giving my feet sufficient time to acclimate but it is definitely doable at some point.
My opinion of Vibram Five Finger KSOs: O0 O0
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sounds like they're getting a bunch of good press, these vibrams. anyone able to speak to sizing them? I'm always nervous ordering shoes online, but trying them on here isn't overly easy (one or two retailers and they're always out of stock). Thoughts?
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I used the measuring guideline on the site and the ones I ordered fit well. They should be a fairly snug fit.
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sounds like they're getting a bunch of good press, these vibrams. anyone able to speak to sizing them? I'm always nervous ordering shoes online, but trying them on here isn't overly easy (one or two retailers and they're always out of stock). Thoughts?
Put a ruler (12"-18" stick-type) on the floor with the 0" end against the wall. Place your foot on top of the ruler with your heel against the wall. Make sure that the ruler stays against the wall, too. Then just see where the end of your toes comes on the ruler. They have a sizing chart on the Vibram website and the inches and fractions thereof will be translated into Euro sizes. My foot (Size 14 or 15 US depending on the shoe) measures at 11 7/8" which translates to a size 47.
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How are you guys making out with these? I'm considering a pair though I'm not sure I'll get past feeling silly in them.
You know how a lot of sly guys encourage newbies by mentioning how little others really care about our heads? It's true, but I think that logic is even more pronounced when it comes to shoes. Unless your foot is some sort of unexpected color that catches the eye, most people won't even notice. If they do notice they'll speak up because these are such odd shoes people want to know what they are. If I were you I'd get a basic dark or beige version and not some version with wild colors.
This reminds me of a scene in The Shawshank Redemption that was geared around the fact that people don't notice what another's shoe looks like.
The only people who are going to care are the hyper-superficial who expect people to wear the exact style of the moment, and I for one couldn't care less about pleasing those types.
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sounds like they're getting a bunch of good press, these vibrams. anyone able to speak to sizing them? I'm always nervous ordering shoes online, but trying them on here isn't overly easy (one or two retailers and they're always out of stock). Thoughts?
DO NOT BUY A PAIR ONLINE UNLESS YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT A SPECIFIC SIZE FITS OR AREN'T CONCERNED ABOUT THE RETURN PROCESS.
I tried these a year or two ago and the size that fit my foot did not fit my little toes. It sucks because I really want to give these shoes a real trial, but my little toes just didn't reach in. This thread is making me want to go out and try them again even though I already know they won't fit.
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thanks rusty. i'll work on finding a pair to try on.
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This is a case of "I wish I'd found this forum earlier".
I have five finger vibrams and wear either those or my Birkenstocks EVERY DAY!!! (Birk's more in the AZ summers).
My best friend and pastor (John) clued me into them. He is a marathon runner and they were designed for running first and foremost.
RULE NUMBER UNO - ONE- FIRST!!!!!
DO NOT PUT THEM ON ONE DAY AND RUN A MARATHON THE NEXT DAY!!!!! you WILL break your foot.
For years you have been running wrong and the vibrams teach you to run right. Check out the barefoot runner (google him) or others, my friend/pastor John got them and started wearing them. After one MONTH he ran 3 miles in them. after ONE YEAR he ran his first half marathon. after 18 months he ran his first full. IF YOU RUSH you will regret it.
I hope (REALLY HOPE) that this info does not come too late for anyone here.
As you know, I have M.S. and can barely walk much less run, I wear them for comfort but above all, they keep my muscles tone and body from deteriorating. They also don't allow me to "shuffle" and drag my feet.
Do I suggest them? I think EVERYONE should wear them. 80% of the time I'm in my wheelchair, but when I am able to use my walker, I LOVE wearing my five-fingers. (https://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1105.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh360%2FAzDaven%2FIMG_0783.jpg&hash=0ce694b074bc1d9b0a75c55be8d643a3297065c7)
(https://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1105.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh360%2FAzDaven%2FIMG_0777.jpg&hash=0c7a26b3628395701901ca5424de5544ef4a44fc)