More than 95% of knee problems runners experience are caused by landing on their heels. Running shoes are generally made with so much padding at the heel that it is hard not to heel strike, but it’s not natural. Your calves provide the best suspension for your body. And while it takes a bit to get used to it, running on the balls of your feet is much safer and way more efficient. But be warned, your calves will hurt the first few times you run properly.
I do all kinds of activities in these shoes. Bouldering is quite an experience. What’s weird, and very cool, is how your toes grip the rock. It makes a huge difference. In fact, using your toes to help grip adds a new element to tree climbing.
My favorite activity in my FiveFinger shoes is trail running. And yes, you must watch your step! But that’s what I love about it. If you are a runner you understand what it feels like to get into the "zone". It's an amazing feeling. It’s that point at which your movements become easier, almost effortless. It’s a kind of mystical state people in great condition can reach. But with Vibrams, you have to stay focused on where your feet go. It’s not the same as being able to just sort of leave you body and daydream while you run. It keeps you in the moment. You’re still in the zone, but it’s different. I like it.
When I get stressed out and don’t feel like exercising, I find a gravel road and go for a walk. The Vibram FiveFinger shoes make it feel like an acupressure point foot massage. It always calms me down. It feels amazing.
Common questions include, “Do you stub your toes?” and “Is there any padding?” and “Do they grip?” and “Are they hard to put on?” Well, yes, occasionally I do stub my toes. You really need to whack something pretty hard for it to hurt. I am talented (clumsy) enough to pull this off from time to time, but it’s rare. Yes, there is a little bit of padding in some of their models, but not much. It would kind of defeat the purpose. They grip very well, especially since you can use your toes to help. They are a little tricky to put on at first, but now that I am used to them I can put them on almost as quickly as sandals, which is to say it’s much easier than putting on a pair of conventional shoes and lacing them up.
Another common question is whether or not they will fit someone with odd feet. I have wide feet, and my left pinky toe is way too big. Somehow, they fit. And they fit and feel better than any of my other shoes.
Sometimes people are surprised that I would wear something made with leather. I take issue with an animal being killed and then parts of that animal being wasted more
so than I take issue with the killing of animals in the first place. I like the way most of the Native American tribes truly appreciated animals and used everything they could. I was disheartened to learn that the cows we eat and the cows we use to make leather are completely different animals. So I was pleased to learn that the kangaroo leather Vibrams uses for their shoes is a byproduct of the kangaroo meat industry in Australia. I am personally okay with this. I know, this means I am not a vegan but I never much cared for labels anyway.
I work out in them, run in them, and do everything but ride my bicycle in them. My only complaint is that when I bought my Vibrams FiveFingers KSOs there was a tiny hole in them above my big toe, a manufacturer’s defect. I wasn’t about to leave empty handed, since these were the last pair and I’d checked on the internet (via my girlfriend’s iPhone) to find they were on backorder everywhere. So I bought my pair despite their minor defect, but the hole has grown in size. That said, I’ve worn these shoes almost exclusively for about a year, and there is no other significant sign of wear and tear.
Vibram Five Fingers KSO Trek Review
Issue 6 | July/August 2010
