First, A little about me:
Male, 6'4" (76 inches) (??? cm), 210 pounds (??? kg), wear a size 13 US shoe (Adidas 47 cm) (Nike 47.5 cm), and flat-footed (no arch)...
I bought these shoes on 2013/03/14, and have worn them on all 3 days. My experience overall has been much more positive than Nick's, but still not perfect! I got these Signas in a size 46, and they fit me perfectly (outside of a pain issue once an hour on the top of my left foot). I originally went into REI in with the expectation of picking up a size 47 since most of my athletic shoes are around 47.5 cm. Their online inventory checker said that my local store had them in stock, but they were not on the shoe wall. An associate didn't even know that they had them until looking around in the back (that's how new they were). The foot chart/measurement guide, as measured from the heel to the tip of the longest toe, had me measured somewhere around 45 centimeters actually. I tried on the 47s, but there was too much length between my toes and the tips of the shoes. The 46s fit fine, so I ran with those. Had I bought the 47s online, I would have had to return them...
Introductions aside, I'll now give my angle on some of Nick's problems:
1) Personally, I purchased these VFF Signa shoes as a pure water only shoe for aqua jogging/pool running. I don't have any expectations of excellent performance on land or in alternating wet/dry environments. I recently had a knee surgery (torn patellar tendon), and aquatic exercises will help speed up my 1 year recovery. I need shoes for running and lateral movements inside the pool, so the ultra-low profile of the VFFs will help get back my side stepping strength and quickness.
2) It can, but should not, take minutes to put FiveFingers on. Because we in 1st world countries have been wearing cushioned shoes our whole lives; we have weaker muscles, tendons & padding throughout our feet. Because of our pampered feet, it is not recommended doing lengthy or strenuous exercises in VFFs until you build up your strength! I've seen posts online from people that were impatient and got stress fractures or partially foot ligaments (plantar fasciitis). Therefore, if it takes minutes to put on your shoes, you have still weak toes and/or bad technique. Today, on my 3rd time putting these on, I employed 2 techniques (walking my toes into the shoe & spreading my toes into their respective slots). I put both shoes on in under 1 minute 30 seconds total.
3) The width of the shoe is a medium to a narrow (to promote a tight fit I presume since there are no laces). Anybody with wide feet or bunions, like my father, should look into a model with laces or a tying system. The use of vertical height may help alleviate some people's width issues.
4) The clearish straps on the bottom of the shoe (between the forefoot and heel rubber pods) are not meant to continually drag against rough surfaces like concrete! When using these VFFs mostly in water, this will not be an issue, and the lack of rubber in the middle of the foot helps with added flexibility while swimming! With my flat feet, these clear stretchy straps will fray within a couple months of city walking, but, that is not what these shoes are made for. There are other models better suited with full length rubber soles for that.
5) The side strap doesn't seem to get in the way for me when putting on the shoe, but fit is different for everybody. Personally, with my fit, I can't even tell if the strap works! I could do without it, but I do like the aesthetic look of it. Don't like the look of the top pull tag either, but it is very necessary.
6) I got these Signas mainly for their perforated/holey sole as well. The holes will allow for better water flow and while submerged, and quick drying when exiting the pool. Other models with more heel or insole padding worried me in regards to the shoe retaining too much liquid and getting water-logged.
7) These are my first pair of VFFs, so I can't talk about the long term durability of the rubber used for the sole, but in terms of thickness (from what I've seen on their website & felt in the store) these soles are thinner than other shoes. Signas have a 2mm sole, most other VFFs have a 3mm sole, and some trail running ones have a 4mm sole. For lateral movement and gripping the bottom of a pool floor, I enjoy the thin rubbery grip. Keep in mind that rubber thickness doesn't always directly correlate to long-term wear & tear.
8) There is no rubber bumper on the tips of the toes! For those worried about constantly stubbing their toes, a different water shoe with raised rubber would be better. I never anticipated it being an issue for me, so I didn't mind the rubber only being on the bottom.
9) Everyone that I've seen that teaches classes in water (especially in a pool) said that it is better to have protection on your foot than going barefoot. I read online about a person that walked into a local lake (without wearing their VFFs for fear of water logging) and cut their foot. I will be solely in a pool, and bought these Signas in part to guard against the rough surface of the pool floor! Even if these shoes aren't the answer, don't barefoot it if you can.
10) Visitor Nick has a supreme tightness and pain around the pinky knuckle/little toe on one or both of his feet in these VFF Signas. Since every person is different, I did not receive this issue at all! My one problem (that may occur on my other foot in the future) is the pressure on the top of the shoe on the top of my foot! As it turns out, my left foot is bigger than my right foot (its very slightly longer). Also, due to the leg cast and inability to walk for an entire month, I lost up to 80% if the muscle mass in my right leg, and maybe 30% of the muscle mass in my right foot! With these 2 issues combined, it means that for me, my left foot is longer AND taller (due to muscles on top of my foot) than my right foot! The pain from pressure of the stretchy neoprene only occurs once an hour for a few minutes, then my body possibly gets used to it for a little while. To alleviate this, I have pushed/inched my foot back to the heel of my left shoe, and that seems to make the pain go away. Once I build the muscle back in my right foot however, I may have this same issue a year from now :-/
11) The Vibram logo on the inner part of the outsole's heel is clean for Nick, but is dirty for me. This is because of differences of how he supinates (ankles move outward when he runs) and I pronate (ankle moves inward when we walk). Because his foot rolls outward, he puts more wear on the outside of his shoes. Because I am neutral & severely flat-footed, or possibly even rolling inward as well, I put more wear on the inside of my shoes! This is, like I said, different for every individual, and not a major design flaw in the shoe, but a flaw in our postures, stance and strides.
12) Excellent point that the fact that there is no "segmented" rubber in the midfoot region of the outsole can be changed! I like that there is no stiff rubber in the middle, which is good for flexibility when swimming, but there could be dots of durable rubber along the clear stabilizing straps to preserve the wear of the area and keep the midfoot off of the ground for people with flat-normal arched feet! The rubber could be dotted and strategically spread out to keep the shoes flexibility, while strengthening the midfoot from long-term abrasion. Excellent free tip from Nick, you are welcome Vibrams...
Novel, finished. If there is anything I left out that may be of concern, please let me know! I love the barefoot feel of this brand of shoes, and I only notice that I am wearing shoes when I curl my foot inward against the flexion of the rubber sole. Might even buy a second pair soon, or one for the g/f and Dad...
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these are vary comfy and came ahead of schedule i would recommend this product for anyone who wants good water shoesBest Deals on Vibram FiveFingers Men's Signa Water Shoes
I absolutely loved these shoes! As a barefoot and minimalist runner I wanted a pair of vibrams that could be taken into the water. This pair drained perfectly and completely, didn't hold air after submerging and I was surprised at how little sand got inside. When we arrived back home I threw them in the wash and air dried them. They're ready for my next adventure!Be warned, however. These fit VERY snuggly!
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