About a week ago, I got a package in the mail from Vibram, in Concord, MA. For the record, it's pronounced with a short "i", not "vibe-rum" as I had always thought. The mail guy handed me the box and said "looks like shoes." Whether or not he was right has been up for discussion for the better part of the last 7 days.
Anyway, what I got was a pair of FiveFingers Sprint (the taupe/putty color scheme, which I deemed relatively inconspicuous, all things considered).
I have now worn them for four full days, including some light hiking, walking around town, a short trail jog, and climbing/stemming up some trees. A good fit is crucial for this type of footwear; fortunately, Vibram's sizing instructions are pretty clear and specific. Initially, I had tightened the back straps quite a bit, which resulted in a lot of pressure between my toes. I eventually adjusted them with my toes flexed as far as they would go, and that gave a nice fit. It's a one-time adjustment, anyway. Vibram gets some points for stitching all the velcro straps in several separate sections, which allowed me to trim them to the correct length after finding the proper fit. Wearing the Sprint commando feels fine but I'm a big fan of Injinji CoolMax toe socks, which fit perfectly.
As you can probably tell, I'm very happy with the Sprint's performance so far. Wearing them really feels like walking barefoot in terms of flexibility and freedom, and I can feel a bunch of unfamiliar little muscles in my feet being used for walking and support. At the end of the day, there is no noticeable pain, just a pleasant soreness, like after a long hike. My right knee, which lacks most of its meniscal cartilage, hasn't noticed any difference in impact force, and it would be the first to complain.
I have definitely started to dig my heels less when I walk. Running also seems to happen totally differently from my normal form: my feet hit evenly on ball and heel, and my toes work a lot harder during the push-off. It feels springier, but my feet get tired pretty quickly. I suspect that's just because they've never done it before; we'll see. Of course, I've been wearing my Sanuk Drifters a lot over the past year, and those are also very close to walking barefoot, so I wasn't entirely unprepared for the FF Sprint.
When it comes to balance (I walked on some rails and tree branches), wearing the Sprint makes a world of difference, mostly because my feet work a lot more like the monkey hands from which they allegedly evolved, and get amazing traction, comparable to climbing rubber.
Last, but definitely not least, one of my favorite features is the care label: "Machine wash warm, air dry".
Oooh. I've been looking at those for about a month! Glad to hear that they're good. Maybe I'll find myself a pair :)
Posted by: Kristin at May 6, 2009 07:36 PMThe "new" wind)) is a wish: don't give to forget: how were our ancestors walking ?))) Yes))) When one toe was parted that a footwear likes on a hoof )))It was more fun)))
Posted by: Lace at May 7, 2009 07:16 PMGood afternoon. The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widespread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible.
I am from Nicaragua and also am speaking English, tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "Months are unknown at either radial or failed state income, an fantastical rest in catholicism, the gant chart."
THX :p, Ofira.
Posted by: Ofira at September 8, 2009 01:17 AM