Review: Vibram Five Fingers Classic • Hacker News Board

Re: Review: Vibram Five Fingers Classic

#31

Post by aantix » Tue, Aug 11, 2009, 1:05 AM UTC

sh1mmer wrote: post #10

After I'd seen a bunch of people with these who wholly recommended them I kept meaning to buy some. Last week I did. One thing I think is interesting, is that Vibram seem to be getting a lot of grass-roots evangelism but the company itself has done a terrible job of encouraging that. Someone I know who's had Vibram's for way over least a year (to my knowledge) asked them repeatedly if he could sell them somehow, sinc…

I like the idea..

Just thinking to myself, it'd be interesting if Vibram included X number of preprinted "affiliate" cards in the box of each pair of shoes you bought from them. The set of cards would contain a custom url (e.g. xyz123.vibram.com) and the wearer of the shoe could carry these cards with them and pass them out whenever someone asked about the shoes.

The preprinted business cards would give each customer an easy way to get up and running referring other potential customers.

Re: Review: Vibram Five Fingers Classic

#32

Post by endlessvoid94 » Tue, Aug 11, 2009, 1:26 AM UTC

I have a pair of the KSOs.

I haven't run in them, but I've hiked significant distances in them. First time was in the smokey mountains in Tennessee, along a portion of the appalachian trail. I brought along a pair of hiking boots in case my feet got sore. They didn't.

The sheer amount of texture you feel is incredible. I wear them constantly now. It's tough to describe without experiencing it, but the shoes give you an awareness of your environment that can't be felt any other way. It's not enormous, but its enough for me to pay for the shoes.

i guess they got me. i love them.

Re: Review: Vibram Five Fingers Classic

#33

Post by Derrek » Tue, Aug 11, 2009, 1:52 AM UTC

I'll do 5-mile runs through the city (on sidewalks, streets, grass, whatever) without injury. Sure, it took me a while to get to this distance, but running in these is a true pleasure.

I also do my gym workouts in them too.

Re: Review: Vibram Five Fingers Classic

#34

Post by Eliezer » Tue, Aug 11, 2009, 2:03 AM UTC

gregwebs wrote: post #13

icey wrote: post #2

Proponents of these shoes love to make the argument that we were made to run without shoes... but they never seem to mention that we weren't made to run on asphalt and pavement either.

The same logic (shoes don't cushion you, they weaken you) that applies to other surfaces applies to pavement. If you accept that there is no shoe that will make your running healthier on grass, then there is no shoe that will do it for pavement. The only argument would be that we should not run at all on pavement.

> If you accept that there is no shoe that will make your running healthier on grass, then there is no shoe that will do it for pavement

...total non-sequitur.

Re: Review: Vibram Five Fingers Classic

#35

Post by kfranken » Tue, Aug 11, 2009, 2:15 AM UTC

Periodic wrote: post #21

These shoes were the ones that informed me that I am disabled. I never considered my mutation to be a deformity because it really didn't impact me until now. It is only after seeing these shoes a while back that I wasn't able to do something I wanted to do thanks to my malformation. My second and third toe are fused together at the skin and vascular level. They have independent bone structure and ligaments, but they…

I have the same thing with my toes. It's genetic -- my father and grandmother both have fused 2nd and 3rd toes.

I've been told that it's not uncommon in Ireland.

Re: Review: Vibram Five Fingers Classic

#36

Post by csytan » Tue, Aug 11, 2009, 3:19 AM UTC

crass wrote: post #7

I completely adore these shoes, which allowed me to take my barefoot running off of the rubber track and onto any surface I desired. Fantastic sensitivity, forced my running technique into shape, and they disturbed anyone who saw them. Unfortunately, they also provide little to no toe protection, so when I smacked my 2nd toe against a wooden ridge, the nifty independent-toe design happily allowed that one toe to hype…

I agree that these shoes are fantastic for running. The one thing that annoys me about them though, are the independent toes. Sure, they feel a bit more "free" than normal shoes, but on the other hand, they make the shoe tougher to put on, require expensive toe socks, and make it easier to stub toes.

Re: Review: Vibram Five Fingers Classic

#37

Post by callahad » Tue, Aug 11, 2009, 3:27 AM UTC

Periodic wrote: post #21

These shoes were the ones that informed me that I am disabled. I never considered my mutation to be a deformity because it really didn't impact me until now. It is only after seeing these shoes a while back that I wasn't able to do something I wanted to do thanks to my malformation. My second and third toe are fused together at the skin and vascular level. They have independent bone structure and ligaments, but they…

I'm planning on picking up a pair and just slitting open the material to make room for my webbed toes. I figure it'll be fine so long as I stay away from gravel.

Re: Review: Vibram Five Fingers Classic

#38

Post by khafra » Tue, Aug 11, 2009, 3:27 AM UTC

csytan wrote: post #36

crass wrote: post #7

I completely adore these shoes, which allowed me to take my barefoot running off of the rubber track and onto any surface I desired. Fantastic sensitivity, forced my running technique into shape, and they disturbed anyone who saw them. Unfortunately, they also provide little to no toe protection, so when I smacked my 2nd toe against a wooden ridge, the nifty independent-toe design happily allowed that one toe to hype…

I agree that these shoes are fantastic for running. The one thing that annoys me about them though, are the independent toes. Sure, they feel a bit more "free" than normal shoes, but on the other hand, they make the shoe tougher to put on, require expensive toe socks, and make it easier to stub toes.

I wear mine without socks; the chafing you'd get with normal shoes that way is completely absent if the Vibrams are correctly fitted, and they have a somewhat-effective antibacterial coating.

Re: Review: Vibram Five Fingers Classic

#39

Post by diN0bot » Tue, Aug 11, 2009, 5:04 AM UTC

i made my own "barefoot" shoes by sawing off the heels of old runners, cutting out all the material above the soles, and then drilling three holes in the soles: one between my big and second toes, and one each next to my ankle. this left me with a shoe very much like the Tarahumara tire shoes, although i lace it (with the runner's shoe laces) a bit different.

you can also make tire shoes yourself quite easily.

you don't need $80 shoes for awesome sandals.

that said, i have 5-finger shoes as a bday gift. they are excellent boat shoes. pretty good in rivers, but as stated before, rock bruising is very real. maybe that's something that has to be developed over time like any muscle.

Re: Review: Vibram Five Fingers Classic

#40

Post by diN0bot » Tue, Aug 11, 2009, 5:09 AM UTC

asmithmd1 wrote: post #23

crass wrote: post #7

I completely adore these shoes, which allowed me to take my barefoot running off of the rubber track and onto any surface I desired. Fantastic sensitivity, forced my running technique into shape, and they disturbed anyone who saw them. Unfortunately, they also provide little to no toe protection, so when I smacked my 2nd toe against a wooden ridge, the nifty independent-toe design happily allowed that one toe to hype…

Blisters, knee and ankle pain, and now surgery inducing injuries. I think I will stick with my over-padded, waffle sole Nikes I guess I am lucky and never have had running injuries, but why are people giving these things such good reviews?

> why such good reviews?

because they're fun. they're not a holy grail, certainly not one with instant gratification. they are pretty good when used as one part of a larger effort towards joyful outside time. the next step is seeing how easy it is to make neat footwear yourself, both recycled or from leather. then it's such a good feeling. shot and dang. plus, maybe you could make padded sneakers with low heels that you used to walk ball-first. just to try.