I bought these specifically for trail running and they're good but not the best VFF option out there. I really like the sole, but I'm not a fan of the upper. I think they should ditch the laces and make a version of these that just have the straps. I've tried a few other VFF models for trail running and these are good but not the best. Here's a head to head comparison of both the soles and uppers of Spyridons vs. other models.
Soles:
The Spyridon sole has a very rough tred that makes it ideal for running in mud and loose dirt, provides a lot of traction.
Spyridon LS vs Komodosport: The Komodosport have a lightweight sole but offer very little traction in mud. I bought the Spyridon specifically for its treds and it really delivers in that department. They get excellent traction on a variety of surfaces. The spyridon also has much better rock protection. Winner: Spyridon.
Spyridon LS vs Treksport: These are really similar in terms of the amount of traction they afford, but the Spyridon sole is a lot more flexible than the Treksport. The Spyridon seems to do a slightly better job of rock protection, but again it's still pretty close. Winner: Spyridon.
Uppers:
The Spyridon upper only comes in the "LS" variety, meaning that it has laces instead of straps. I really wish there was a strappy option. The laces are short enough that you don't get much room to adjust them, and just below the laces there's a leather band that prevents the shoe from stretching properly if you have a wide forefoot.
Another drawback to the laces is that there's nothing stabilizing your heel. If you make the compromise I do of buying shoes that are the right width but a little bit too long, expect your feet to slide back and forth a little bit. Hello blisters.
The material composing the upper is also very thick and stays wet longer than I would care for.
Spyridon LS vs Komodosport: The Komodosport are still without a doubt the best upper on any pair of VFFs I've tried. They fit snugly and the dual straps are a killer. A shoe with the Spyridon sole and the Komodosport upper would be the ultimate trail running shoe. Winner: Komodosport.
Spyridon LS vs Komodosport LS: They're pretty similar from what i remember. I took my Komodosport LS back after one run, and traded them in for the regular Komodosport, because the upper sucked so bad. I share that same sentiment for the Spyridon LS. It's a tie.
Spyridon LS vs Treksport: The Treksport upper is light and breathable, dries quickly, but it lacks the dual straps of the Komodosport. Still miles better than the Spyridon.
So I'm going to say again, the Spyridon sole with a Komodosport upper would be the perfect trail running shoe. Get on that, Vibram.
Until then I'm sticking with the Komodosport except for rare circumstances where the Spyridon sole is necessary.
The first time I bought the Treksport, from seller Brick Oven. It was clearly used (shame on them) and one size too small, so I returned it.
This time I settled on this Spyridon. Got it from seller Alldaysporting. I chose the right size this time (by the way, you may want to buy a bit bigger than what vibram's website suggests) and the shoe came brand new. All I can say is I'm in love! I knew I would be. Being an island boy I grew up running bare-foot all over the damn place.
But then school and work and next thing you know, I'm only barefoot at home. I run for exercise and well for running sake. I'm not a marathoner but still, I like running and hiking.
So far, it's very comfortable. and I love the feel when I run. It does take getting used to. I kept feeling like I was stepping in lower ground, if that makes sense. It's just a weird feeling, because your mind knows you're wearing shoes and automatically adjusts your walking to compensate for an elevated heel. But the heel isn't there in this case.
That being said, it didn't take long to get used to it. And those that complain about it being difficult to put on, I don't know what to say, everyone's foot is different, but I've found my own technique that's very simple and I get it on in no time. So no complaints there.
A word on sizing. According to vibram's website, based on my measurements, I'm supposed to need a 43, however the last time I heeded the warnings and bought one size bigger. That turned out to be just a touch too tight for my liking, so I ended up getting a size 45. Which happens to be my slipper size (flip flops for you yanks). So yeah two sizes bigger than what they recommend worked for me. like I said, every foot is different so just be warned...
I won't go into details about the other brand of "barefoot" shoes i gave away, however my beloved KSO's were tossed in with the lot. :( the infamous VFF "Footstank" had finally overcome all my efforts to keep them order-free (believe me I tried everything!!) and, despite gobs of shoe-goo sole patches; had sadly lost the "Traction-Action" battle. As in even accidentally spilt doggie and kitty kibble was becoming a real pain in my feet!! Fare-thee well VFF KSO's :(
The morning I traded over to my brand new VFF Spyridon LS's...I was sold!! And no it wasn't the amazing sales-person's product pitch, as amazing as it was.
My dog Denim and I went for a very nice brisk mile long jog/walk (down, around and through) our local waterfront Esplanade...Which i think is Spanish for "A very long, flat stretch of boring pavement, minimal gravel, spartan watering holes and angrily distressed, human-mocking birds!!" My VFF Spyridon LS's stood fast against all that modern flat urban sidewalks (and some well groomed grasslands) could throw at me. I even (GASP) wandered off the pavement into some (Coughs) rougher terrain. The VFF's held up quite well under the torture of feral pinecones, small dead fallen branches, a smattering of barkdust and loose gravel!!
The only real problem is that the toe-pockets were a bit tight. The mesh-window on the bottom the soles were scratched by who-know-what and bits of tiny grass spears were poking in and around the "Fast-laces". All in all I gave a four out of five for these five-finger marvels of modern barefoot tech. Denim gave them five stars...but he's a 16month old beagle and is easily amused :-)
The shoes are truly glove-like in that you forget you are wearing them. I thought these would feel weird but I was wrong. It takes some trial and error to guide your toes into position, but after that you are set to go. I wear mine with the black and white Injinji toesocks and the fit and feel couldn't be better.
I wore these around the gym during the break-in session, getting my leg muscles accostomed to the new strains. Afterwords I took them on my first outside run, and I was wowed. You don't have to re-invent the way you run, however, you do become aware very quickly of how much force your toes add to the running equation. I could grip down onto the running surface and push forward much more easily than with my standard running shoes.
The real worry for me was the impact of the surface against the soles of my feet. I would see rocks and branches and avoid them so as to not injure myself.....until I stepped on a rock that I didn't see. I felt it, I could tell it was there, but the heavy rubber soles and kevlar insert protected my feet and noting was hurt by the encounter. You feel everything you are running over, but none of it is able to harm your soles and that just increased my love for these shoes.
My next test was on an unpaved gravel road. Again, not a single slip or injury. I worry about rolling my ankle on those types of roads, but with these shoes you feel what is below you and your foot muscles react as they are naturally designed to. The rubber soles grip down on everything and make your footing sure and solid.
The best part for me overall, the weight. For everything built in these shoes are literally featherweight. It's the form fitting comfort and weight that really make them unnoticable on your feet. I love them, and I highly reccomend them to anyone interested in getting into five finger shoes.
Soles:
The Spyridon sole has a very rough tred that makes it ideal for running in mud and loose dirt, provides a lot of traction.
Spyridon LS vs Komodosport: The Komodosport have a lightweight sole but offer very little traction in mud. I bought the Spyridon specifically for its treds and it really delivers in that department. They get excellent traction on a variety of surfaces. The spyridon also has much better rock protection. Winner: Spyridon.
Spyridon LS vs Treksport: These are really similar in terms of the amount of traction they afford, but the Spyridon sole is a lot more flexible than the Treksport. The Spyridon seems to do a slightly better job of rock protection, but again it's still pretty close. Winner: Spyridon.
Uppers:
The Spyridon upper only comes in the "LS" variety, meaning that it has laces instead of straps. I really wish there was a strappy option. The laces are short enough that you don't get much room to adjust them, and just below the laces there's a leather band that prevents the shoe from stretching properly if you have a wide forefoot.
Another drawback to the laces is that there's nothing stabilizing your heel. If you make the compromise I do of buying shoes that are the right width but a little bit too long, expect your feet to slide back and forth a little bit. Hello blisters.
The material composing the upper is also very thick and stays wet longer than I would care for.
Spyridon LS vs Komodosport: The Komodosport are still without a doubt the best upper on any pair of VFFs I've tried. They fit snugly and the dual straps are a killer. A shoe with the Spyridon sole and the Komodosport upper would be the ultimate trail running shoe. Winner: Komodosport.
Spyridon LS vs Komodosport LS: They're pretty similar from what i remember. I took my Komodosport LS back after one run, and traded them in for the regular Komodosport, because the upper sucked so bad. I share that same sentiment for the Spyridon LS. It's a tie.
Spyridon LS vs Treksport: The Treksport upper is light and breathable, dries quickly, but it lacks the dual straps of the Komodosport. Still miles better than the Spyridon.
So I'm going to say again, the Spyridon sole with a Komodosport upper would be the perfect trail running shoe. Get on that, Vibram.
Until then I'm sticking with the Komodosport except for rare circumstances where the Spyridon sole is necessary.
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This my second attempt in buying this shoe.The first time I bought the Treksport, from seller Brick Oven. It was clearly used (shame on them) and one size too small, so I returned it.
This time I settled on this Spyridon. Got it from seller Alldaysporting. I chose the right size this time (by the way, you may want to buy a bit bigger than what vibram's website suggests) and the shoe came brand new. All I can say is I'm in love! I knew I would be. Being an island boy I grew up running bare-foot all over the damn place.
But then school and work and next thing you know, I'm only barefoot at home. I run for exercise and well for running sake. I'm not a marathoner but still, I like running and hiking.
So far, it's very comfortable. and I love the feel when I run. It does take getting used to. I kept feeling like I was stepping in lower ground, if that makes sense. It's just a weird feeling, because your mind knows you're wearing shoes and automatically adjusts your walking to compensate for an elevated heel. But the heel isn't there in this case.
That being said, it didn't take long to get used to it. And those that complain about it being difficult to put on, I don't know what to say, everyone's foot is different, but I've found my own technique that's very simple and I get it on in no time. So no complaints there.
A word on sizing. According to vibram's website, based on my measurements, I'm supposed to need a 43, however the last time I heeded the warnings and bought one size bigger. That turned out to be just a touch too tight for my liking, so I ended up getting a size 45. Which happens to be my slipper size (flip flops for you yanks). So yeah two sizes bigger than what they recommend worked for me. like I said, every foot is different so just be warned...
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I had been using the Vibram Five Finger Bikala LS's for over a year and a half, and while I liked them, they really were uncomfortable to run on the road for a long time, or if I landed on a rock. I decided to try these and am glad that I did. The extra tread on the bottom may not seem like much, but it really does help dampen the landings, making running a little more enjoyable. At first, these were really tight and difficult to put on, but they have now worn in and are about as easy as the Bikalas. In the month I have had them, I have put close to 55 miles on them with no problems. Don't get me wrong, hitting a bigger rock the wrong way will definitely be noticeable, but not near as bad as I was experiencing. The sizing on these is about the same as the Bikalas as well. If you are on the fence, I would say go for it. I am happy that I did.Honest reviews on Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS Running Shoe - Men's
the first thing i must say is that as a fan of my VFF KSO's...I was surprised to find the VFF Spyridon LS Hiker/Runner to be more flexible and lightweight than first anticipated. being a barefoot runner/hiker and dog walker, I managed to stockpile an amazing 8 pairs of so called "barefoot" toe-shoes. Since buying these, my collection is now down to only 3 pairs!! The other 5 pairs were gently given a nice home at Goodwill. which if you live in Oregon, could be a real find!!I won't go into details about the other brand of "barefoot" shoes i gave away, however my beloved KSO's were tossed in with the lot. :( the infamous VFF "Footstank" had finally overcome all my efforts to keep them order-free (believe me I tried everything!!) and, despite gobs of shoe-goo sole patches; had sadly lost the "Traction-Action" battle. As in even accidentally spilt doggie and kitty kibble was becoming a real pain in my feet!! Fare-thee well VFF KSO's :(
The morning I traded over to my brand new VFF Spyridon LS's...I was sold!! And no it wasn't the amazing sales-person's product pitch, as amazing as it was.
My dog Denim and I went for a very nice brisk mile long jog/walk (down, around and through) our local waterfront Esplanade...Which i think is Spanish for "A very long, flat stretch of boring pavement, minimal gravel, spartan watering holes and angrily distressed, human-mocking birds!!" My VFF Spyridon LS's stood fast against all that modern flat urban sidewalks (and some well groomed grasslands) could throw at me. I even (GASP) wandered off the pavement into some (Coughs) rougher terrain. The VFF's held up quite well under the torture of feral pinecones, small dead fallen branches, a smattering of barkdust and loose gravel!!
The only real problem is that the toe-pockets were a bit tight. The mesh-window on the bottom the soles were scratched by who-know-what and bits of tiny grass spears were poking in and around the "Fast-laces". All in all I gave a four out of five for these five-finger marvels of modern barefoot tech. Denim gave them five stars...but he's a 16month old beagle and is easily amused :-)
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS Running Shoe - Men's
I don't know why I only see these listed in European sizes, but whatever the case I got to try these on at a local merchant and I was hooked from the start.The shoes are truly glove-like in that you forget you are wearing them. I thought these would feel weird but I was wrong. It takes some trial and error to guide your toes into position, but after that you are set to go. I wear mine with the black and white Injinji toesocks and the fit and feel couldn't be better.
I wore these around the gym during the break-in session, getting my leg muscles accostomed to the new strains. Afterwords I took them on my first outside run, and I was wowed. You don't have to re-invent the way you run, however, you do become aware very quickly of how much force your toes add to the running equation. I could grip down onto the running surface and push forward much more easily than with my standard running shoes.
The real worry for me was the impact of the surface against the soles of my feet. I would see rocks and branches and avoid them so as to not injure myself.....until I stepped on a rock that I didn't see. I felt it, I could tell it was there, but the heavy rubber soles and kevlar insert protected my feet and noting was hurt by the encounter. You feel everything you are running over, but none of it is able to harm your soles and that just increased my love for these shoes.
My next test was on an unpaved gravel road. Again, not a single slip or injury. I worry about rolling my ankle on those types of roads, but with these shoes you feel what is below you and your foot muscles react as they are naturally designed to. The rubber soles grip down on everything and make your footing sure and solid.
The best part for me overall, the weight. For everything built in these shoes are literally featherweight. It's the form fitting comfort and weight that really make them unnoticable on your feet. I love them, and I highly reccomend them to anyone interested in getting into five finger shoes.
