Vibram FiveFingers
If you are a regular reader of Mark’s Daily Apple you are probably well aware of those funny looking Vibram FiveFingers by now. They’ve been mentioned in our barefoot running post, featured in a Top 10 Ultimate Fitness Gadgets post and showcased in Mark’s sprinting video. What can we say? We’re huge fans! The only thing FiveFingers hasn’t got is its own post. It is high time this performance footwear we love oh so much got the attention it well deserves, so here goes nothing.
How can these foot protecting oddities be described? I suppose if Toe Socks met Combat Boots, fell in love and had a shoe baby you would have Vibram FiveFingers.
Or maybe if Bunny Slippers wooed Climbing Shoes with her undying charm, and also somehow managed to birth unconventional hybrid foot-protection offspring you would end up with Vibram FiveFingers.
Flip flops and waters sock?
Ballet slippers and cross trainers?
You get the picture. They are the best of both worlds. They provide the physiological benefits of going barefoot with the advantage of having some level of armor against the elements. You don’t have to worry about stubbing your toe, or cutting your feet on glass or other sharp objects you are bound to come across in your travels. And you also don’t have to fret over the damage years of sneaker wearing would invariably do to your feet.
They take some getting use to, and Vibram warns you as much. Most people’s feet have been wrapped in leather, supported by padding, constrained by laces, and pampered since the day they were born. Since when was the double-stitched, steel-toed, double-buckled, laser, orthotic boot a prerequisite to human locomotion? (I just threw in the laser for fun. Though, if you know of a shoe with lasers please comment below. I am very interested.) Not long it turns out. Our feet developed without all this stuff, and they are better off without all this stuff save for minimal and basic defense.
You are bound to get some looks and see some heads turn if you walk around town in these. This probably isn’t of much interest to all of our trend-setting and trailblazing Mark’s Daily Apple readers. Besides, I am sure they are looks of envy rather than utter confusion or concern anyway.
Seriously, though. FiveFingers are light and malleable, yet durable. It’s as if Dr. Scholl went crazy and let his foot gels creep up around the heel and toes like a mutant foot-protecting demon. That’s it. FiveFingers are like a mutant demon that protects your feet. Yet also like your grandma, soft and protective.
Sorry. Back to serious. It should be clear at this point that Vibram FiveFingers are multifaceted, and a perfect gadget to help live the Primal lifestyle. If there is any criticism I can offer it is that they are a bit difficult to get the right size via post. They are adjustable and Vibram does offer pretty detailed guidelines on picking the right size, but best case scenario would entail you trying them on in-shop before purchasing. Also, if you have webbed feet these aren’t for you.
Do you have FiveFingers? How do you like ‘em? Hit us up with a comment!
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Posted By: Aaron
I tried them on in-store and was disappointed. I may be one of the rare beans who can’t wear Vibrams. Despite walking barefoot for years, my feet are flat, wide, with toes spaced close together.
Got the largest size the store had and no luck. My feet were cramping after 10 minutes of attempts.
YOu need to try the LS version of vibrams… They’re for wide feet… They have quick laces… May I suggest the Komodo sport LS… If u can buy them… I’m not sure if they’re out yet… But even still they sell the LS version in other vibrams as well… Not sure how the rest of the shoe will fit but that should take care of the width problem at least!! I hate to see anyone who wants to wear them, not be able to!! Cuz they’re awesome!!
just got a pair of vibram five fingers and as some people commented, wearing them made me want to move more because they felt good. however, they seem to make me use a ton more muscles in my feet. consequently, i get some muscle fatigue and pain the the muscles mostly on top of the foot and instep. what is a good way to space out the usage of the vibram fivefingers and what inserts are available for arch suppport
I was interested in these for a long time, but I have very wide feet (EEEE) and … due to not having a store around that sells them … never gave them a shot. That is until I found out a roomate had a pair of Treksports. In an odd coincidence they were the correct length according to Vibram’s website (11.5in = 45), so I asked him, tried them on, and they fit great!!
I just got my own pair of the new Komodosport LSs from online and they fit as well! Love them so far. The feeling is great, and hopefully they will help splay out my toes a bit (years of tight toe boxes have scrunched everything together and twisted my pinky toes).
All,
I really enjoy all the content in this website, so first and foremost I’d like to thank Mark for it. The argument that we shouldn’t be eating things that our body hasn’t evolved to deal with resonates with me. However, I’m a bit puzzled about how this reasoning applies to Vibram Fivefingers.
We live in a very modified environment, where streets are mostly asphalt. Our body, similarly to how it hasn’t evolved to digest certain foods, surely hasn’t evolved to deal with such an environment. In that case, wouldn’t it make sense to wear something that protects us from this harsh environment? In other words, when dealing with foods, we protect ourselves by not eating them, and opt for healthier choices. But when it comes to walking, by using the same argument, shouldn’t we encourage the act of adapting/protecting ourselves from the environment (e.g. shoes)?
The whole argument for Vibram Fivefingers (or going barefoot) makes sense when we talk about hiking, or running in a forest or other natural surface, like we used to do in the past. But what about highly-modified, asphalt surfaces?
Could anyone please clarify a bit? Or let me know if this issue has been discussed in the past.
Thanks.
I finally purchased a pair before my trip to Maui. I have worn shoes my whole life and am a “tender foot.” I love the VFF’s and can’t wait to wear this pair out so I can buy another pair. I purchased the Bikila LS and they fit great. I prefer the laced versions as I have fairly narrow feet around my arch. The lacing provides a better fir than the velcro strap versions.
Been wearing mine for two weeks now. I love them. I bought them as I’ve had PF for a while and though it’s not much better, I have gradually built up to walking 5 mile in them. However my very fashion conscious daughter won’t let me wear them out with her! But I don’t care it means I get to not have to go shopping with her!!!! Other people are freaked out by them, quite common. I’m trying to get my husband to start going barefoot running as he gets injured these days… Near 60 years old, can I get him out in flatties and some baggy shorts instead of lycra and heavy duty trainers….. I’ll let you know.
Okay, so the vibrams are great. What is another alternative that works for work when you need something a little more professional and dressy?
I work as a corporate photographer, photographing conferences, tradeshows and the like and often times semi formal cocktail parties after the event. I’m 27, have torn two ligaments in my foot and have achilles tendonitis on both feet. I’m young and in shape 5’4 105 lbs and don’t understand why my feet are hurting so much.
need a solution that helps me be able to stand on my feet for 14 hr days, carrying equipment, sqatting and lifting, etc without being in pure agony!
I spent $350 on shoes last week, tried out each pair for a full day at another long event and my feet are still reeling in pain 5 days later! I tried a born leather shoe, sperry black leather boat shoe, and something by aerosoles.
suggestions! please and thank you and you are all awesome!
This site has several different styles of barefoot-type dress shoes. I got a pair of the Men’s “Dharma” shoes and have been loving them when I must wear “traditional” dress shoes. They have a very similar feel to the Vibrams but without the toe pockets.
I bought Vibram Five Fingers about nine months ago, and in the past five or six months have used them exclusively for my three or so weekly runs of 3 miles each. I have been having knee problems, and found the only way I could continue running was adjust my stride and not be a heal striking any longer, but run either flat footed or on the balls of my feet. Vibram’s help me to run on my toes and balls of my feet, to take the stress off my knees. THAT SAID — in the past couple days I’ve developed severe pain at the base of my right big toe. I’m hobbling around all day today just walking into work. It’s a sharp pain, as I bend my foot when I take a step. Anybody else have this issue? And if so, how to combat?
So, my Sprints came in the mail yesterday. I know I have the right size… but I am feeling some pain in between a few of my toes. I’ve been wearing the shoes a few hours at a time and then taking them off. Will my feet adapt to the toe separation? Do I just need to keep wearing them?
I went and bought a pair of VFF the other day. I went running in them yesterday and it felt great!
Now that I have been Primal for a few weeks I have gotten stronger and the running was really enjoyable. Love them!
I’ve had vff’s for a few months now, and I wish I had the praise everyone else does. I only use them for running, and while I appreciate the merit behind promises of improved form, my pf shows no sign of healing. I will continue wearing them when I run with hopes that they will one day be comfortable, but they don’t feel very nice after only a few miles. They most I’ve run at one time in them was 8 miles, and the last two miles were uncomfortable. I don’t have perfect feet with nicely formed, straight, correct length, toes for a shoe that mimics a perfect foot. I can see where the VFF would be a good match for people who have feet that look like the shoe, but if your feet are imperfect, as are mine, you may want to consider a minimal shoe with a nice spacious toe-box instead.
Vibram is a weak company that can’t seem to figure out how to manage an inventory that includes products for the smaller sizes (38M, 39M…) Instead, we’re left with 3 models to choose from, and no choice of color. That said, I do like my KSO’s, it’s just that they’re getting worn, and even a year and a half after I bought them, the product choice is exactly the same as it was then, even though they’ve introduced 4 or 5 new styles. Weak Vibram… (and the female versions do not fit)
I have ahd these shoes for just under a year now. I’ll be honest and say that I wear them on and off(more off then on), I really love the concept of being able to walk virtually barefoot, but with protection. I forst heard about them when reading born to run (which I recommend)
As it turns out my pinky toes still KILL me when wearing them to this day. I’m not sure if they’re too tight OR working. My pinky are pretty f’d up from all the shoes I’ve tried to squeeze my feet into all these years lol.
Well I reluctantly just sent back my 3rd pair o VFF’s. I measured my foot according to their website, and my first pair of kso’s were too small, so I went up a size. Perfect fit other than my pinkie toe, which happens to be bigger than the toe next to it. I could wear them a while, then my baby toe would kill me! So I sent them back for the next larger size, and they are too big in all the other toes…I found the second pair amazingly comfortable except the little toe issue. And it wasn’t like an annoyance pain, it was a straight pressure pain. Would they finally stretch that last little bit? Or am I one of the un lucky ones
I absolutely am in love with the kso’s and would love to have a few different pairs for different activities.
so, I’ve read many of the comments but not all I’ve read a bit from beginning middle and most of the current ones. I’ve been wearing VFF for months now and have several pairs. I also have several pairs of “minimalist” footwear like my Stem/LEMings for work…my suggestion to get many answers for the questions I’ve seen about is check out a website called birthdayshoes.com it’s a all in one place that answers many questions and is incredibly informative and full of helpful people who have been “sans shoes” for quite awhile.
my two cents
I have been wearing VFF’s for several years now, and the only issue I have had was when I stopped running in them consistently. I ran a 15k race in them after not really using them for 6 months, and boy did my feet complain! I had a very minor case of plantar faciitis in my right foot, but it went away after 3 weeks or so.
What are the model of FiveFingers in the first picture? They look like a good trail boot sort of thing.
Based on the info here on MDA I bought my first pair of FiveFingers a couple of weeks and after seeing the information online about counterfeit products etc, thought I would buy direct from their website. Unfortunately being in England, you need to go through the Italian website.
Well I received them yesterday after chasing them on several occasions as to the whereabouts of them. Sadly they don’t fit and now I need to try and get them exchanged… which is an grumpy experience in itself.
Unfortunately I don’t think I will be a repeat customer of Vibrams unless they decide to actually have a retailer close to where I live. The service from the Italian office is very poor and I just don’t want to go through it again. Which is a shame as I believe that the benefits of these shoes are there. I suspect that it will be at least another two weeks before I get my replacement shoes, if I get them. The element of doubt they have given me when I requested to return the ones I have means I am not confident that they will honour the return.
At least I have learned a lesson to some degree.
I’ve bought my first Vibrams two days ago, love them! Although I’m hesitant to wear them for work though … maybe first start with wearing them in my free time and then buy a KSO Trek Soft later on to be worn more widely