Nearly Barefootin' in These Non-Shoes

**Gannon** · May-22-10, 04:33 PM

I stumbled upon Vibram's Five Fingers shoes while researching this year's marathon splurge, and after about ten days experimenting with them have to come here to evangelize a bit.

Seems I've been waiting for these shoes all my life.

www.vibramfivefingers.com

They are the best thing since the Fig Leaf...barely the least one can wear without breaking the law!

If training goes well with them, I will finish the Grandma's Marathon in Duluth next month in 'em...and SO FAR, these damn things have supercharged my training schedule...nice because I was so far behind!

I can feel my ankles, knees, hips, and back re-aligning to their original motion, which has actually made my yoga practice greatly improve. There is ample medical evidence that barefooting helps cure a multitude of problems induced by footwear designed by devotees of the Marquis de Sade!

I have also NEVER had any single article of clothing or shoes garner more attention from nearly everyone I meet...and last night was classic.

Turned the corner from Washington Boulevard onto Clifford, where a fellow was walking toward me with the usual inner-city scowl on his face. I nodded and said hello...with my usual breaking of 'protocol'...but twenty feet past me he calls out, "HEY!"

Ready for anything, I stopped and turned around. We closed the distance between us with a few steps and he said, "Tell me about those shoes!"

I had to laugh, we had a fun chat...then I got down to Motor City Wine's tasting a bit late...only to have a very lovely twenty-something start chatting me up over 'em. [[after last Sunday's octogenarian b-day party for a buddy's father where his niece couldn't stop from squealing when she saw 'em on my feet!)

[[If THAT was in the sales literature, I might've bought a few more pair. LOL)

But, suffice to say, I believe Vibram is on the edge of a VERY huge trend with these shoes, and I've already requested they develop an inner-city version with a layer of Kevlar to guard against intrusive Detroit Diamonds.

I've been riding bike tires lined with a Kevlar band for years without a single flat.

Cheers...check these things out...you won't be disappointed.

**3WC** · May-22-10, 07:54 PM

Thanks for the tip on the shoes. I'm sure they don't have them in my size but I'm going to look into buying a pair.

Vibram soles have been the soles of choice for hiking boots for many years. They're on boots made in several countries. I have 3 pair of Vibram soled hikers including a pair of 20 year old off trail hiking boots with probably 500 miles on them and they'll last many more years.

**Gannon** · May-22-10, 08:57 PM

They fit up to a fifteen...although they use European sizing, and the conversion chart is on their website.

It says to get your foot sized anyways, since so many people have had to buy odd shoes due to their foot shape...with these that is not an issue, they are more like gloves.

Just went to Meijer, and had yet another conversation about my shoes. The gentleman behind me in line said, "Where'd you find those shoes?"

Without a blink...I said I think they found me.

Cheers!

Retroit · May-22-10, 08:59 PM

They also help when counting above ten.

**East Detroit** · May-23-10, 09:19 AM

I can see how they might help on uneven ground such as in hiking where it would be nice to shape your foot around the elements... but why would it matter on a concrete sidewalk?

LodgeDodger · May-23-10, 12:39 PM

I'll take a pass--I hated those multi-colored toe socks of the seventies. Drove me nuts.

**Gannon** · May-23-10, 01:48 PM

ED,

I'm learning a lot about how badly I've been walking all these years in shoes.

I basically always wanted to be barefoot, this is my first chance at really living it.

But concrete and cement don't give...I'm learning to adjust my gait to accommodate.

LD,

This is function, not mere form or fashion.

They've put a great deal of work into creating a back-to-nature foot covering, based upon a European fellow's research.

The barefoot movement got a spark from an article on NPR recently, I've heard. I need to go through their archives now to hear it.

I dig the feeling like mud between my toes, and being sure-footed on any surface...literally. These have the same siping as boat shoes, those zig-zag cuts.

I'm telling all my sailing friends that they need 'em, too!

I just went for a short walk, helping a new neighbor friend roll his wheelchair in the heat...and only noticed when I got home that I'd gone four blocks barefoot. It is natural and normal again...not naked and naughty!

Cheers

**Gannon** · May-23-10, 01:52 PM

I WILL say they are a great drunk test, though.

You won't get 'em on with a decent buzz.

LodgeDodger · May-23-10, 02:04 PM

I guess I'll still pass...I like to wiggle my toes within the toebox. Besides, I never liked barefootin' it [[unless I'm gardening). I like the Asics Gel Kayano shoes.

I did pick up a couple pair of the cutest Carlos Santana summer shoes this weekend...

**Sstashmoo** · May-23-10, 04:17 PM

Vibram makes the best soles for work boots, had many pair with them. They are really swinging off on a tangent with this venture. Those look extremely uncomfortable. Hot weather? forget it. Would be nice for fly fishing and wading.

**Whitehouse** · May-23-10, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by LodgeDodger

I'll take a pass--I hated those multi-colored toe socks of the seventies. Drove me nuts.

Come on. Anything is better than Crocs!

LodgeDodger · May-23-10, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by Whitehouse

Come on. Anything is better than Crocs!

I can happily say I've never owned a pair of Crocs.

**agirlintheD** · May-23-10, 09:15 PM

Saw a group of people [[4 women, 4 men) all wearing these at a bar during my recent visit to St. Augustine, FL. It was quite the look [[even funnier after a couple cocktails)!

**Gannon** · May-24-10, 03:31 PM

I've gotten some looks and comments too, one pair of fellows outside a bar in Ypsilanti last Sunday nearly couldn't contain themselves!

Learned a bit of a lesson last night, unfortunately in the middle a l-o-n-g run...I will need to buy a few pair of their toe-socks for my marathon training. I'm sure I'll have a blister on my big toe from last night, it was very humbling to be stumbling home in the dark.

But overall still, these shoes are a life and health change for me...no doubt about it.

Cheers

**maxx** · May-24-10, 08:06 PM

Are they ventilated? They look like they'd make your feet hot.

**East Detroit** · May-25-10, 06:18 AM

They are intriguing.

Where are they made?

**Gannon** · May-25-10, 09:31 AM

Maxx,

The uppers are fabric, and designed to wick away moisture like running shoes.

I've been wearing 'em for weeks now without a need for washing yet, but they are supposed to be MACHINE washable! We'll see on that, but so far their claims have all been met.

Someone yesterday thought they heard about a two-year warranty on 'em, but I'll have to look that up. I DO know they introduced them two years AGO, but only made the big launch nationwide recently.

I also heard someone WON a marathon recently wearing them...so I've got to catch up on my homework!

ED,

They are made the same place it seems all consumer goods are now done...China. Fit and finish of TWO out of three pair that've been through my hands has been perfect, I hope their overall numbers are better than that.

The soles are Vibram [[indeed, these are the first product made and marketed directly from them)...which should have the same wear characteristics of any hiking or work boots soled similarly. They have grip to spare, hence my recommendation for boating...and I ran around a basketball court for a minute after People's Yoga last week. You can stop on a dime and even make change.

Cheers, turns out there was no blistering from my experience the other night...but I'm still buying a few pair of toe socks for running long distances.

**Gannon** · May-25-10, 02:11 PM

Finally looked it up...there is a meager NINETY DAYS warranty on these shoes.

Shame on Vibram for that...I'll be watching closely how these wear now. If I don't get at least two seasons out of them, especially since I'm buying multiple pairs specifically to give the others time off for good behavior, I'm going to be a bit upset. Average price for these is eighty bucks per pair!

They DO have a generous on-line thirty-day return [[for any reason) and trade-up [[for sizing) policy, if the purchased shoes do not show signs of wear and tear. From the scuffs I got in just one day with the pair I had to take all the way back to Northville's Running Fit...that means only wearing them indoors for a few days before leaving home with them on.

Given how natural they feel, that will be difficult for most to remember.

Overall, I remain a fan...