As some background I was once a very high mile runner with a number of marathons under my belt. As I got older the miles started to cause more pain on my knees and shins and I couldn't just run through it like I used to. My doctor recommended I try these. I was a bit weary at first but after some exhaustive research I decided to take the plunge and I am glad I did. My knee and shin pains is gone. I have friends who have experienced the same relief of pain they had dealt with all their lives, knee, shin, and back pain.
Now this isn't some magic shoe, but what the shoe does is helps us, as humans, run they way we are supposed to. The way we had run for tens of thousands of years. Keep in mind that footware of all kinds are relatively recent. Long before trainers came about we were running, barefoot or in flimsy sandals and doing just fine. What these shoes do, and similar minimalist shoes like them from New Balance, Merrell and Reebox, is help the body run in a more natural manner. The heal strike that is so common today has come about as we added thicker and thicker cushioning to our shoes. When barefoot it is not natural to strike the ground with your entire weight on the heel of your foot. A good example of natural running is to go watch kids run barefoot, before they are taught the 'correct' way to run they run the natural way. Which is to land more gently on the forward part of your foot and role the foot front to back, instead of hammering your heel into the ground.
With that in mind wearing these shoes takes some time to retrain the foot so start building up slowly. I found that just having my toes separated felt very odd but after a few days of wearing them around the house I had gotten used to it. Now I am running some of the fastest laps of my life with this 'new' type of shoes and a 'new' type of running. There is a lot of good information available online about barefoot running, which you are essentially doing with these types of shoes. Youtube also has a wealth of information. These shoes have turned what used to be a painful experience back into the joy of running I had been missing. I've already recommended them to a number of my fellow runners with wonderful results.
I want to include a few words of caution though. The Five Finger shoes aren't for everyone, some people will have toes that are longer and will not be able to fit comfortably in the toe pockets. Not to worry though, Merrill and several other makers now offer similar shoes without the toe pockets for people who need them, or just find the toe pockets too strange. Also you don't have a large robust sole to offer protection so kicking a rock or the like during a run is a painful experience. I've also found that during longer runs socks like the Innijin socks help prevent heat build up and blisters.
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It took awhile to get used to putting on the shoes, and I've learned that wearing toed socks restricts the blood flow in my toes to the point of numbness, but bare foot these things are great. I use them lifting weights and without adding leg exercises my calves and ankles have grown from my toes being engaged in my stablity. Running is a whole new experience. And they take up so much less room in my luggage when I travel. Love 'em.
Best Deals on Bikila LS Shoe - Men's by Vibram Fivefingers
I have heard so much about the benefits of barefoot running but wasn't willing to run barefoot so I decided that the next best thing would be a shoe that gave me that barefoot feel. The VFF bikila did that. It fits real well, it looks cool (at least I think so), and it was like running barefoot. Like any other shoe, you first must get them to fit you. I did this by wearing them and running in them for short distances. After owning this pair for a little over a month and wearing them maybe every other day or so, I noticed that parts of the sole that runs up the toes were coming off. I began looking further at the sole and saw that it was being worn down pretty quickly. They looked as if I had had them for six months and wore them every day.
I really like my Bikila LS' but would not buy anymore Vibrams Five Finger shoes. They cost too much for too little of a shoe that wears out too quickly.
Also, this shoe is very slippery when wet and does not dry quickly.
Honest reviews on Bikila LS Shoe - Men's by Vibram Fivefingers
Quick background on myself: Raced Cross-Country and Track from 7th grade through High School, and then 2 more years of Cross-Country in Junior College. Have a Marathon (3:30ish) and a few Half's under my belt from back in the day as well. That was from 1976-1985. We raced in the famed Nike "Green Machine" racing flats that were nothing more than that great Nike waffle print sole, a very thin foot bed, wide toe-box, and slender sole under the arch and heel. Not much too them. Lightweight, and it was easy to tell who raced in them because the tread on the sides of the toe box left big red scrape marks on the inside of our calf muscles as your feet passed by with each stride. We'd finish a race and look like we'd been attacked by a cat.
Fast foreward; I'm now in my late 40's, sporting a running induced knee injury from 1997, that I re-injured in summer 2010, and then again in January 2011 to the point that I didn't think I'd be walking normal ever again, let alone "jogging" on it.
Well, let's just say 40-something is the new 20-something, and I don't give up easy. Still haven't been to see a Dr. for the knee. I was back jogging on it once a week, the week after the injury. Kept that up and by March was back downhill skiing (I'm a very aggressive skier with a long pair of Atomic Metron ME2's). Soon after, I started running for real a couple times a week, on a steep and rugged 4.5mi course up, down, and around the base of our local 1,100' "mountain."
Where do the Fivefingers come in? Well, on the trips up and down the mountain, I kept running into people wearing them...probable the black KSO's. I'd stop them and ask what they thought. Every person said the same thing, just like you read in all these reviews. Meanwhile in the back of my mind is the info in the book, "Born To Run" that talks about how our modern supportive shoes may be the cause for so many injuries. About this same time, my wife gets Plantar Fasciitis. I start thinking to myself, "I'm an expert runner, I've always worn the top of the line shoes, as has my wife, and here we are with knee and foot injuries."
I finally started looking at Fivefingers. I know, what took me so long right? I'm not one to jump on the latest craze, so there you have it.
I chose the Bikila LS because I wanted more of a running version, and I thought the solid fabric and lace up front would fit better, and not collect a bunch of fox tails and other weeds/seeds/grit etc. while running, like the mesh versions might. I also didn't want the white versions (I purchased the grey LS) because one trip to the mountain and they look like I've been farming in them. My wife purchased the Komodos.
A word of caution on sizing. You've really got to wear these around the store for a while and make sure they fit you. Knowing this, I still came home with a pair that was too small. After about an hour of test driving them around the house, I was literally sweating at the forehead, and having a little panic attack of closterphobia because of how weird they were on my toes. It felt like some sort of torture...I wish I was kidding! Exchanged them the following day, and a size up was a much better feel and fit.
--------Beginning of Test---------
Day 1, July 3rd, 4.5mi run:
I'll admit up front, I don't follow directions well. What's the warning that comes with these? Take it slow, and only do about 10% of what you've been doing in regular shoes. So what did I do? 3 days before buying them, I ran barefoot on the beach for 1 hour. I haven't run on a beach, let alone barefoot, in probably 25 years. Afterward, I was walking around like a fiddler crab! Purchased the correct size of Fivefingers, wore them home, and an hour or so later, up the mountain I went. This trail is like running stadium bleechers it's so steep. There's every manner of rock, pebble, boulder, unmaintained gravel road, gravel path, path of dirt through forest, hard packed clay soil that's had cows walking in it while it was wet, so it's now got hockey puck size divets in it, tree roots, uneven water rutted out, boulder hoping.....you name it. It's about an hour's worth of beat down......and that was my first test of the Bikila LS.
How'd they do? I like 'em alot. They were fun, they had good protection, and good (not great) grip. I bashed the front of my toes a couple times, did a partial toe-snag trip once, but didn't go down, and scraped the side of my foot along a granite boulder. No injuries at all, no bruising, and other than the pressure of knowing I'd done something, it wasn't any different than had I been in regular shoes. I did wind up with a couple of stone bruises on my heels, but considering what I ran in, I've got no problem with it and was fine the next day. Calves were sore, but not as sore as from my run on the beach 3 days earlier. Balls of my feet were just a little sore, but not bad.
Day 2, July 4th:
A day off.
Day 3, July 5th, 4.5mi run:
I ran a 4.5mi course up and down our other local 1,000' peak. It's all an unmaintained gravel/dirt road. Really steep, and just a ton of small rocks and pebbles, with large sharp rocks partially out of the ground, and plenty of uneven water erosion. The 35min run to the top was fun, but I have to admit, coming back down was not fun. The road is such that you can really go fast if you want, and the Bikilas are just too thin. Might be my lower leg and foot strength being an issue, but IMO, there was just no way to maintain a mid-foot strike, come down at speed, and still be in control. It really is the kind of terrain where some amount of heel strike stride is unavoidable, maybe even desirable, in order to give some braking action. Needless to say, I came down slow, doing a little dance in some areas, like I was running on broken glass. Made me think, "They need to develope these more, because in some rough stuff, they're just way too thin. A layer of kevlar or something would sure be nice."
Day 4, July 6th, 7mi run:
Time to try them on pavement w/ socks. 7 miles in an hour, which I know is not fast, but for me, and my knee, it's huge. I should not be able to run this many days in a row, let alone 7mi on pavement. In my traditional running shoes, I'm not sure I could go 3 or 4, seriously. Again, some calf soreness, but fine by the next morning, and the balls of my feet were sore. Other than that, really good. On this run, I tried them with a pair of the Injinji Coolmax toe socks. Not sure if I like the socks or not. I do, but I sort of don't like the forced spread they create, between my toes. I think I much prefer the fivefingers barefoot, but I'm learning that the socks can save me from hot spots and potential blisters.
Day 5, July 7th, 3.5mi run:
Ran 3.5mi in them on pavement, no socks. That went well, but I was definately feeling the fatigue in my lower legs and feet, from the 7 miles the day before.
Day 6, July 8th, 3.5mi walk:
Walked 3.5mi and I have to say, this was the worst time I've had in them. The balls of my feet were getting pretty sore, and then I started to notice a hot-spot along the side of my right big toe, against the outside of the shoe. When I got home and took the shoe off, I had a line imprinted in the side of my toe, down to about the knuckle area. What? Reached into the shoe and was surprized to find there is a bulky little seam the runs here where the insole's edge meets a sewed seam. Really stupid design. I hasn't bothered me when running, but man, today walking it was not good. No, I didn't get a blister, but hours later, that line area is still sore to the touch.
Day 7, July 9th, 4.5mi run:
Back to the mountain that I'd run up on Day 1. This time in the injinji socks, as I definately had a hot-spot along the side of my right big toe, and didn't want it to be come a blister. It was another good run, maybe a little faster than the run on Day 1, and the same speed as I'd normally run in the traditional running shoes. I noticed with the socks, my feet were able to slip rearward in the shoes, on some push-offs, where it was really steep. That was not a good feeling at all, and on the next few foot strikes, I wound up sort of skidding my foot forward to drive my toes back into the toe pockets as my feet would hit the ground. Yes, the laces were tight. Afterward my feet were really sore. Standing was finally very painfull to the point of real misery, and I wound up putting some normal socks on, and putting my feet in my traditional running shoes for a few hours. They'll probably be fine in the morning, but wow, did that get my attention! I think it's time to take a couple days off finally.
-------End of Test-------
So all told for the first 7 days of ownership, I've logged about 27.5mi.
I'm giving the shoes a 5, even with the seam problem, because I've been pushing them, and me in them, way outside the recommended break-in method. I think they'd be well suited for street use, or groomed trail, bike path sort of trail use, but I don't think they are the greatest for full-on cross-country running on really rough or steep terrain. It would be nice to see Vibram take these up a knotch and give them a more aggressive tread, a layer of something for more "point load" protection, keep the lace-up feature and the solid fabric, but use the fabric from the Komodo between the toes, and fix the seams inside the toe areas. I did feel these slipping in the soft/loose dirt, both on each "push-off" in the stride, and in doing stuff like cornering, so that's not confidence building. But, their tread is more for the street, so I'm not faulting them. IMO, the TrekSport tread pattern would be great on them.
Now, how are my knees? They're doing great. I honestly don't remember the last time I ran close to 28mi in a week. My knees are just barely feeling a little stiff, and maybe just a little twinge of pain now and then, but nothing like what I'd expect them to be like. I should be limping around barely able to bend my left knee at all. To me, it's pretty amazing.
Lastly, as I've read in other reviews, I now hate my thick soled traditional running shoes. It literally feels like I'm walking around on wooden wedges, and I can feel my knees being bent forward in a weird lean to compensate for my foot being angled on a ramp. The feeling is so bad, that we've purchased New Balance MT101gh's and New Balance Minimus. I think we are done with thick heeled shoes. The MT's and Minimus feel fantastic, and seem to be an excellent compliment to the Fivefingers.
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Update: 20 months later
Thought I'd offer an update after nearly 2 years with my FiveFingers.
Still like them and wear them often. The tops still look new after being washed, and I've had no problems with the laces. The bottoms are very worn and completely smooth in the heal and the toe/ball of foot area. They are slippery when wet, and were that way even when knew. Not bad on a rough surface, but smooth surfaces, and surfaces with a layer of fine grit/sand are pretty easy to slide on. I don't know that I'd say "dangerous" just more of a "remember what you're standing on" feeling. IMO, it's poor quality of construction in the sole material. My 13yr old daughter is on her 3rd pair, and she burns through the soles long before she outgrows them. Even the version with that new aggressive waffle tread....the soles just go away so fast, you'd think these were 12 dollar specials from a box store.
There is one spot between one of my big toes, and the adjacent toe, where the thing fabric has been cut open by how the edge of the sole rubs. That happened after just a few months. Poor craftsmanship/design, as it's not a wear area. The insoles developed a bunch of raised bumps after a few months. It's apparenlty the foam and/or glue coming apart. Can't feel them with my feet in them, but they can be seen and felt with my fingers. Again, poor quality of construction.
As for running, I had to stop running in them. The balls of my feet hurt all the time, and I was developing what felt like a kind of plantar fasciatis. My feet would not hurt much if I was sitting, or while sleeping, but that first few steps down on them was very painful. It took a couple months of not running in them, for that to go away. I was running on pavement only, and only about 2mi, twice a week, but fast, and even that was too much. Loved running in them, but the sore feet issue was starting to feel like real damage. I switched to he New Balance MT101's.
I still wear the Bikilas as regular shoes, and love them for that. I also where them at crossfit, and they are great there too.
I've tried a couple times to return to running in them, but even off-road, climbing the local peaks, they are a mixed bag. Love to run in them because of the feel of the trail, but man, I've snagged my little toes, stubbed my big toes, and had rocks punch into the heals and hurt so bad for days, that I've just had to say, "These are too thin for trail use." Even local hikes in them have become questionable, do to catching or stubbing toes. My wife actually snagged a little toe so bad in hers, that she broke it.
My running shoes of choice right now are the New Balance Minimus, and the MT101's. I like both, but the Minimus, to me, feel better, and run faster. Love them on the local peak, and trail running. It's track season right now, so my daughter and I are doing speed workouts; me wearing the Minimus' and she's in her FiveFingers. I'll still run on the track in the FF's too.
As far as future purchases go. I like them enough to continue buying them. I still think they are fantastic for building and maintaining a super strong foot, arch, and lower legs. I'll continue to buy them for myself, daughter, and wife, but we'll meter what we do in them.
I've taken my review opinion from 5 stars to 4 stars, because of build quality issues and how fast the soles wear smooth and become slippery.
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UPDATE: 25 months later.
I replaced them at 24mo because the bottoms were worn so smooth, they had developed too many holes in the sides of the toes that let grit in, and the yellow foot bed fabric had completely delaminated and balled up in the heel area. I saved them and still wear them as back-ups.
I purchased the exact same pair, the grey, plain-jane Bikila LS.
Just returned from a Rim-To-Rim backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon, where my daughter and I both wore our Fivefingers the entire trek. She's got a pair of Spirydons and my LS's were literally fresh out of the box, not worn at all. Approximately 28mi in 3 days, with packs on. My pack tips the scale at about 45lbs. No blisters, no hot spots, no issues with toes jamming into the front of hiking boots if not tied right, no ankle problems, no smoking hot feet, no 3 layers of socks (foot powder, woman's nylons, silk liner socks, smart wool outer socks) and best of all, no weight. It transformed the experience. This is our 6th trek down into the canyon, and our 3rd R2R, so we've got it pretty dialed in. Not wearing a tradition hiking shoe/boot was fantastic. We both wore the Injinji socks with them, to protect ourselves from grit/sand/rocks getting down into the tops of the shoes. That worked perfect.
The bad news, the yellow foot bed fabric has already started to delaminate in the heel area. Shame they can't get the build quality issues resolved.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Bikila LS Shoe - Men's by Vibram Fivefingers
I received my bikila ls today and put them on and they felt great. I own the classics and Kso's as well. the only thing i was dissapointed with was the quick lace system. I put the first on with no issues and the second one i put on and tightened the lace and the one side came out of the tab. i really dont feel like sending back so ill fix myself but not happy about this
