Vibram FiveFingers KSO Multisport Shoes - Men's

Comments about Vibram FiveFingers KSO Multisport Shoes - Men's:

At this point I have four pair of fivefingers, and eagerly waiting for the KSO Trek to become available in my size (38). The standard KSO is, for me, the most comfortable shoe I have ever owned. Cool, breathable upper, and with the all-important heel and instep straps for water-play (not all models have these)... it lets my toes spread and move freely, and the nerves of my feet feel ALIVE. The sensations you will feel when wearing these shoes are indescribable. Walking on grass has the same sensuous feel that walking barefoot on it does. Coolness and warmth, smooth and rough, wet and dry... the sensations are all there somehow, despite the protection of the vibram rubber soles. I don't know how they did it, but I am soooooo hooked on these shoes!

Comments about Vibram FiveFingers KSO Multisport Shoes - Men's:

I have had the Vibram KSO's for a couple months now for running. I have used other minimalist shoes for running over the past couple years, but these are truly barefoot running.

It took a few weeks to get over the calf soreness. I didn't realize how atrophied my lower had become from years of running with too much support. My arches are higher and stronger now. And my calves and ankles feel so much better. Also, my knees love it because of the lack of pounding that I used to have with heeled shoes.

The shoes have held up remarkably - built very well. I have put a couple hundred miles on them and they look the same as they did in the box.

I am up to 5 or 6 miles / day currently and plan on running a half marathon this year in these. I will try to get a hold of the FLOW so I can run in the snow here in the winter.

I will never go back to heels again.

Comments about Vibram FiveFingers KSO Multisport Shoes - Men's:

The best footwear ever to grace my feet. I just got these a couple days ago and absolutely love them. I took them to the gym for the first time yesterday and my calves are extremely sore from just a short warm-up run. I consider this a good thing.From the reviews and research I have done with the 'natural walking" style, I expected my calves to be quite sore after wearing these. I look forward to getting over this stage.They fit like a glove. The sizing is hit or miss...guess I was lucky. [...]. I would highly suggest the KSO model due to the full coverage of the foot, keeping out rocks and debris while hiking. Can't wait to hit the trails with these things. If you are into being one with nature and to actually be a part of what you walk on, as apposed to simply seeing what you're walking on, these are the shoes for you.My only gripe is I'm not allowed to wear them to work. Can't have it all!

Comments about Vibram FiveFingers KSO Multisport Shoes - Men's:

First of all, great idea!
Ok, so unless you have a lot of experience with toe socks, these might take a few minutes to learn how to put them on, but once you get used to it, they slip right on!

Once you get them on, (make sure they fit PERFECTLY before buying them) they are a great addition to bare feet for gripping onto rocks in streams, boat decks, fishing on rocks and any other watersport you might partake in. I tried mine out around town a few times, but my feet need more conditioning to being shoe-less. I started to get foot pains from the lack of "support." I would think of these contraptions as more of a protector of bare feet from sharp or rough objects rather than a real shoe.

The Vibram sole is great! They grip to almost everything they come in contact with. The quality of rubber is also amazing. Even though the soles of these "shoes" are thin, they last well over what I would have expected. I have had these shoes for almost 2 years and they are still going strong. I use them whenever I go kayaking or hiking around streams. I love them for stream fishing because of how well they grip on slimy rocks.

The only con about this particular model is the mesh upper section. When I wear mine at the beach, or on sandy river beds, sand and grit get trapped in between the mesh and my foot and chafe my feet! Its really hard to get it out and can leave my feet raw after a few hours of leaving them on. I think when these wear out I will try the model without any straps or mesh.

Comments about Vibram FiveFingers KSO Multisport Shoes - Men's:

I've been an avid barefoot hiker for several years. While they aren't quite the same feeling as barefoot they are as close as I've come while keeping my feet protected.

First week I owned them I stepped on a broken beer bottle while walking around town. It made an impression both to feel the glass break under my foot and later check my shoes and find there was barely a mark on them.

Comments about Vibram FiveFingers KSO Multisport Shoes - Men's:

These are great. For the past 4 years I have struggled with ITB and planter fascia problems resulting from running. These, in concert with a foam roller, have completely alleviated my problem.

The first time running in these my calves were sore for almost two weeks (a long time for me, im 24y/o and extremely active). After the soreness subsided it was about 2 more weeks of use before i really saw the beauty of these shoes. Your calves, you feet, all the tendons in the sides of your legs, all the muscles in the front of your shin, they all become so much stronger and well balanced and pretty soon I was running pain free again.

These shoes may appear flimsy, however they are not. I run both trails and asphalt in these, i wear them hiking and i use them as my camp shoes when i am backpacking (this is probably my favorite use for the 5-fingers!). At the end of a long day of hiking what is the first thing you want to do? TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF! These allow your feet to breath and stretch without getting stuck by pine needles and rocks and other prickly things.

Overall a fantastic product. I wear an 8.5 shoe size and got the M40 and they are perfect. I wear them with injinji toe socks which keep the funk down and keep my feet warm when it is cold. Once a week i chuck them in the wash with my clothes and they come out looking new.

LOVE EM!

Comments about Vibram FiveFingers KSO Multisport Shoes - Men's:

I can't imagine footwear getting any better. I love these and don't want to wear anything else. I have had the Classic and KSO for 3 months and wear them whenever I can. With the KSOs especially, it feels like they are molded to my feet.

I have done two day hikes in the KSOs, 4 miles and 8 miles. I do not want to hike in anything else, ever again. It is amazing to me how soft the trail really is. It is fantastic being able to FEEL the forest as you walk through it, even if it is the trail for the most part. My feet felt better after 8 miles in the KSOs then they ever did after 8 miles in my well worn boots (as a point of reference, the trails are in east Tennessee).

The Classics that fit me are a size larger than the KSOs that fit me. The sole of the Classic is thinner than the KSO; I mainly wear the Classics around the house.

Comments about Vibram FiveFingers KSO Multisport Shoes - Men's:

I bought my first pair of FiveFingers 3 days ago. I opted for a pair of the KSOs. [...] Other, much smaller retailers in San Francisco carry the full line in their stores. Get with it!I've been wearing my KSOs everyday since I bought them. Many people speak to how much fun, how comfortable, and how much more alive their FiveFingers make them feel. While I definitely agree with all this, let me speak to something I haven't read yet here.Fivefingers make your feet stronger -- stronger than you ever thought possible. I'm only on day 4, and I've already seen huge gains in foot strength. When thinking of strength, my feet have never really been something I've thought of. That's changing. Ever seen people at the gym working their calves? I won't have to do that ever again. FiveFingers footwear forces you to walk toe-to-heal, instead of the typical heal-to-toe, the calves are getting an amazing workout with every step.Strength improvements aside, new studies are popping up everywhere demonstrating the joint problems conventional shoes cause. My advice: Look up the studies yourself. Want the short answer? Short answer is that walking heel to toe increases impact, and conventional shoes encourage this poor body mechanics by padding the shoe. Shoe padding masks the impact by softening the blow to the feet. However, the impact is still felt by your joints. FiveFingers are nothing short of a revolution in footwear. Ironic though, isn't it that this revolutionary approach is a technological regression.

Comments about Vibram FiveFingers KSO Multisport Shoes - Men's:

I bought these shoes about 6 months ago. I walk around barefoot in my house and in the yard so it seemed a perfect fit. This review pertains only to using these shoes for running as that's all I use them for. For a run under 3 miles these shoes are perfectly fine. I noticed my running style changing a little bit almost immediately and yes they do take a little getting used to but they were pretty comfy. after you get around 3 miles or more I suggest buying the Injinji socks to avoid blisters because if you're anything like me I guarantee you'll get blisters from all the rubbing these shoes cause. Once I get up to around a 12 mile run the pain really starts to be too much. Not pain in my heel or my arch but in the balls of my feet and toes. because these shoes force you to put more emphasis on that part of your feet it gets quite painful on longer runs. Alot of 5 fingers lovers say that humans were not meant to wear modern running shoes but the problem I have with that statement is that humans weren't really meant to run on man made streets and sidewalks either. Doing that barefoot is just too painful. Another issue I have is that I got my first hole the other day(in the seem) and when you get holes in these shoes you immediately get a hole in your socks as well because your feet are now on the ground. I feel like Vibram should extend the rubber sole a little further up the toes so that when you do get a hole at least your socks won't also be ruined. On the plus side these shoes are extremely light and super easy to pack since you can just squish'em in anywhere if you're taking them on a trip. And as I said for really short distances they're great. Once you consider the price of the shoes and socks I don't think they're really worth it. Maybe you try'em and love'em but for me I will be going back to a more traditional running shoe. Hope this was helpful.

Comments about Vibram FiveFingers KSO Multisport Shoes - Men's:

I just wrote a lengthy review and the page reloaded and I lost it, so this is a summary of what I wrote before.

I ordered 2 pairs from REI, I highly recommend this as the pair I thought would be the one to fit, didn't. My main concern was wearing them in the cold (Michigan). I have been wearing them up to an hour in 30F weather, and I have been fine; near 40F I had no discomfort at all. The KSOs also look more 'normal', and can be worn with jeans, etc. and not look too funky. These things are amazing, everything you walk on feels so cool.

I do have a problem with them though... I hate wearing regular shoes now...