I like the casual feel with no straps or ties. I measured at a 41 size but already have a pair of KSO Tech in that size and they are a little tight on some toes. So, I gave the 42 a try. Perfect!!! I have now purchased 3 more ( 2 red and another gray) to be sure I have what I like, when they quit making this style. I've used them to workout and to run errands. Good all around type of shoe. Especially since I can no longer wear shoes with heals. They make me feel like I'm in elevator shoes. I only have five fingers and Merrell barefoot shoes now.
Got these from Pipeline24 thru Amazon. Great, speedy, free, delivery.
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I'm a large-ish guy with really wide feet, and finding decent walking shoes has been a struggle. A few years of weekly 8+ mile walks has given me ample opportunity to try out different shoes in search of the best for walking long distances on hard surfaces, and these shoes are surprisingly my favorite. For reference, I've put about 100 city/concrete miles on them and about 50 hiking/rocky miles in the last few months.
In the past, I had found that having an overly-wide toe box helped prevent a lot of the blisters I was getting from my "normal-width" shoes, mostly on the balls of my feet, sometimes the heels. I've gone through multiple New Balance and Nikes (in sizes as wide as they come), as well as these extremely wide $5 Velcro shoes from Walmart with Superfeet Green Premium Insoles shunted in. I've tried cutting out the tongues of my shoes and lacing only the top half of the eyelets to relieve pressure around my toes as they swell during a long trek. I even put about 100 city miles on cheap $3 drug store sandals one summer. All of them had their issues, some minor like the occasional rub spot, some more serious causing hip, leg, and back pain or leaving me with terribly abraded feet after a 6 mile outing. All either got walked in 'til they disintegrated or got thrown away quickly.
When my last pair of walking shoes started turning my pinky toes into fat little blisters, I struck out to find my next walkers. I tried on about a dozen traditional-style running shoes, minimal running shoes, walking shoes and sandals before trying on any "finger" style shoes, but ended up putting these on and loving them. They literally fit like a glove, they let your toes spread wide apart, and they don't have a lot else going on to get in your way. Walking down the concrete hallway at REI, it felt as if I'd built up a solid callus on the bottom of my feet and set out for a barefoot walk. In comparison, I tried on 3 other more expensive FiveFinger Vibrams, and found the tread to be too obtrusive for walking on hard, flat ground. I could feel every raised nub they placed on the sole, presumably for extra traction. The EL-X have an almost uniform, flat tread on the bottom, providing a uniform feel for the ground across the foot.
So I bought them and started walking in them. My calves stopped crying the night after that first walk, and afterwards, learning to walk in them came almost automatically. I didn't have to think about good walking form, so much as observe it happen. It turns out you can't heel-strike your way down the sidewalk very far before your gait changes on its own and you start to strike the ground much more lightly, closer to the ball of your foot, to catch and cushion your landing at every step instead of jamming your foot into the ground as one normally does. One night after a mile in these shoes, I found myself patting along the sidewalk with great posture, taking much faster, smaller steps than is normal for me. And walking felt more effortless. I had to ask my wife if I was walking slower than usual because I really couldn't judge (it turns out I walk faster than I used to now). Learning to walk with them has been an interesting experience, to say the least.
I also decided to try them out hiking, and they did amazingly well. I had great traction the whole time, and as you can feel the rocks you step on, I was careful by default and had no issues smashing my toes or stumbling (as I often do in my hiking boots). Scrambling up a steep hill covered in pebbles was no problem. I even ran a few of them.
Fast forward to today: I still think these finger shoes look silly, but I've never had a better walking shoe, as far as overall physical health / lack of injury is concerned. Learning to walk in them may take you some time, and building up the foot and leg muscles may take a few weeks, but I absolutely think it's worth it if you're anything like me.
"Normal" shoes, and even my great Keen hiking boots which have served me well, are pretty much done for me. I hope Vibram never goes out of business or changes their "recipe" too much, because they have a customer for life.
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Make sure you cross-reference your shoe size with multiple sources before you buy. I bought the wrong size at first and had to exchange. As you see I have still given five stars, because even though I had to exchange for the right size. Everything was handled quickly and easily. After getting my Vibram shoes I have quickly found them to be the most comfortable I own. I recommend them to anyone.
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I purchased these shoes mainly for wearing while boating. The soles are thin but seems durable and made of material that I can't feel any pain from tiny stones etc.. While a little snug and a bit of an experience to get your toes to cooperate past the seperation anxiety once you wear them for awhile you kinda forget you have any shoes on at all. The slip performance on the boat is very good so far and the fabric dries really quick so I don't have to worry about spending the day on the boat in damp shoes. The only drawback is that they are made in China, for those of us that care about this.
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Received my order earlier this week, purchased them for my husband, he loves them, this is his third pair that we've purchased in the past six months. He loves to walk bare feet and he says the feeling is almost the same, actually a little more comfortable. Will definitely recommend them, size true to size chart.
