When I first started distance running my coaches told me that I over-pronated. They said that I was prone to injury because of it. My IT band would get tight. My knees might start hurting. My arches would swell up and ache. All of that might happen because of natural dysfunctions in my running form. Apparently I wasn’t the only one prone to those injuries though. According to my coaches and pretty much every distance runner around me, those injuries were just a natural part of running and everyone had to deal with it.
So I was advised to get the best running shoes and find something “with support.” From the beginning I’ve run with motion control shoes with massive arch support, a 2 inch heel, and a pair of Super Feet insoles to “prevent over-pronation.” Then I went out and ran. And ever since I started running marathons I’ve consistently been hurt despite buying the gear that they recommended I buy.
If this sounds familiar then don’t be shocked. There’s a good chance that 90% of you reading this are in the same boat as I was.
Fortunately, one day I stumbled across some literature on barefoot running and it’s advantages. I read about how the foot is naturally designed for running without the assistance of a shoe and of the successful barefoot runners around the world both past and present who ditched shoes and were healthier runners for it. Since coming across that literature I’ve learned more about barefoot running and have decided to test out barefoot running products.
Introducing the Vibram Five Finger Barefoot Running “Shoe”
It’s thin, lightweight, offers little to no arch and heel support, and only sports a then rubber sole meant to prevent cuts and abrasion wounds and a breathable mesh top to keep out dirt and rocks. In this video I review the Vibram Five Finger running shoe and point out it’s strengths and areas of improvement. Enjoy!
But to recap the main talking points in the above video I’ve listed the strengths of the Vibram Five Fingers, and the weakness or areas of improvement that the product can make.
Strengths of the Vibram Five Finger Shoes
- Lightweight – the shoes are 5.7 ounces each so they offer little weight resistance, meaning a quicker cadence and less energy cost associated with moving a heavy shoe.
- Breathable – the mesh upper top effectively wicks away sweat keeping your feet dry and preventing blisters.
- Flexible yet sturdy sole – the rubber sole is only a few millimeters thick – making it very flexible – yet it’s incredibly strong and resistant to wear and tear.
- Inexpensive – you can buy the Vibram Five Fingers for approximately $80 and they can last you several months.
- Traction – despite not having massive grooves on the sole like most shoes the Vibrams offer an impressive amount of traction because they allow you to engage your toes as a braking mechanism. The rest of the foot is also free to move and “grip” the ground more effectively than in typical running shoes which separate the foot from the running surface by 1-2 inches of rubber.
How the Vibram Five Fingers can be Improved
- Keeping stuff out – the KSO’s (Keep Stuff Out) line is a big improvement on the original Vibram’s that did not have a mesh upper. However, Vibram might want to experiment with elongating the mesh upper so that it travels up the base of the ankle more since I found that dirt and rocks sometimes entered the shoe from the top and not through the mesh itself.
- Velcro clasp – I think a wider velcro clasp would be more comfortable and offer a tighter fit. The current clasp is only about half of an inch wide so it can be somewhat uncomfortable when clasped tightly. A thicker clasp would distribute the tightness across more of the foot, making it a bit more comfortable and also locking in a greater area of the ankle, keeping the fit nice and snug.
- Toe protection – the rubber lip at the tip of the toes is a savior when running on tough terrain. However the rubber can be aggravating to the tips of the toes, especially the pinky toes. The current cut of the rubber leads the sole to end abruptly, leaving a somewhat sharp and pointy edge. Vibram should “round off” the rubber so that it transitions more smoothly at the tips of the toes. The current cut leaves a protrusion of rubber that can sometimes rub against an adjoining toe.
Where to go for More Information on the Vibram Five Fingers
- If you want to buy the shoes then check out the official Vibram website here.
- Or if you want more information check out this blog dedicated to the Vibrams.
Have you tried running in the Vibram Five Fingers? Have you tried running completely barefoot? Share your experiences to help other runners who are considering giving barefoot running a shot.
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Solid review, here is mine:
http://www.runcolo.com/Product-Reviews/Vibram-Five-Fingers.html
I do all of my running in the Classics, never had a problem or a need where I thought I would want the KSOs.
I actually haven’t tried the Classics out yet. I want to try those and the Sprints to see what the difference is. I did however do some running at Lake Tahoe and had to wade through some water. The mesh upper on the KSO’s remained moist for a long time, keeping my feet comfortable despite the heat that day. No blisters either!
Thanks for your feedback!
great review. I found that the toe was my main concern as well. the only “foot” injury I seem to get from the VFF’s, albeit mild is light blistering on the toe which goes away quite fast after the run. The nike free’s aren’t too bad either. this review talks a bit about how they compare with vibrams.
RunColo, don’t you think the kso’s fit a bit better? also during my run in them I did get a small piece of leaf and a rock in the shoes.. what time of environment do you run at? Here’s another comparison of the KSO’s and Sprints:
http://barefootrunningshoes.org/2009/10/23/vibram-five-fingers-ksos-vs-sprint/
I’d rethink these If I were you! I have run for about a year and a half now with sneakers and had no issues. I bought the Vibrams with the hope to increase my times and gain better form. Well in one month I did get faster and improved my time and pace, however I broke my foot from a stress fracture! These damned things offer no shock absorption and thus caused a stress fracture. Now I’m screwed. I can’t run for 6 to 8 weeks. I’m miserable, Thanks Vibram! Thanks for nothing but pain.
Now I’m fielding questions from every runner that I meet asking WTF was I thinking running with these. I don’t even have an answer…. friggin’ shoes.
We’ve seen many different success and failure stories with the Vibrams. It seems like most runners who get injured in them do so because they charge the barefoot approach much too quickly. You bring up a very valid concern though. In the end each running should listen to their body for advice on what to do with respect to running shoes.
hey tom, did you give your feet time to get acclimated to your new footwear? i found i used a complete different set of muscles and tendons and started out slow .5 miles at a time for a few weeks and transitioned up to 5 miles slowly. also am running on the balls of my feet instead of heel striking.
Hey Andy,
Thanks for the analysis of the Vibram 5 Fingers, these are by far the coolest running shoe I have ever used. I was questionable about these shoes when I first saw them but after reading your review and watching the video, I felt safe to take the $75 investment. When I was in Zombie Runner in Palo Alto, I asked their sales folks about how many of the Vibram 5’s they sell when compared with traditional running shoes, they said 20 to 1, no I know why. These shoes have allowed me to run off the asphalt or trail in areas that I have never been before, as a result I am having more fun than ever!
Thanks!~