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VIBRAM FIVEFINGERS –
Your Tool To Feel The Earth
[Review]
Your Tool To Feel The Earth
[Review]
The current standing in the world of footwear on a conceptual level gives little to no choice for most individuals, searching for a better and potentially healthier gait, be it on the trail or in a gym. If one would compare earlier ages of humanity to today's society, pointed and closed-toe shoes are a norm nowadays, and, as a consequence, this restriction in the toe box contributed to differing in their severity foot-related deformations, such as a common hallux valgus.
Any footwear, especially modern sneakers, and outdoor boots cause greater dorsiflexion at foot-ground contact and many other small, but adding up, problems and restrictions for one's movement.
Our team, happy as we are wearing our sneakers and boots every day, wanted to see the other potential side of the industry and try to dabble with minimalist footwear – a type of footwear promising to free our toes and allow the user to feel their surroundings as if one was not wearing any shoes at all. Commonly this type of footwear is associated with a non-existent midsole, a very wide toe box, and a thin outsole. One of the main players, and probably the most well-known for being a training tool for athletes, and more recently their crazy ascent in the world of fashion, is Vibram's FiveFingers line of minimalist footwear and their "Move Freely" idea.
Our team, happy as we are wearing our sneakers and boots every day, wanted to see the other potential side of the industry and try to dabble with minimalist footwear – a type of footwear promising to free our toes and allow the user to feel their surroundings as if one was not wearing any shoes at all. Commonly this type of footwear is associated with a non-existent midsole, a very wide toe box, and a thin outsole. One of the main players, and probably the most well-known for being a training tool for athletes, and more recently their crazy ascent in the world of fashion, is Vibram's FiveFingers line of minimalist footwear and their "Move Freely" idea.
VIBRAM FIVEFINGERS –
Your Tool To Feel The Earth
[Review]
Your Tool To Feel The Earth
[Review]
The current standing in the world of footwear on a conceptual level gives little to no choice for most individuals, searching for a better and potentially healthier gait, be it on the trail or in a gym. If one would compare earlier ages of humanity to today's society, pointed and closed-toe shoes are a norm nowadays, and, as a consequence, this restriction in the toe box contributed to differing in their severity foot-related deformations, such as a common hallux valgus.
Any footwear, especially modern sneakers, and outdoor boots cause greater dorsiflexion at foot-ground contact and many other small, but adding up, problems and restrictions for one's movement.
Our team, happy as we are wearing our sneakers and boots every day, wanted to see the other potential side of the industry and try to dabble with minimalist footwear – a type of footwear promising to free our toes and allow the user to feel their surroundings as if one was not wearing any shoes at all. Commonly this type of footwear is associated with a non-existent midsole, a very wide toe box, and a thin outsole. One of the main players, and probably the most well-known for being a training tool for athletes, and more recently their crazy ascent in the world of fashion, is Vibram's FiveFingers line of minimalist footwear and their "Move Freely" idea.
Our team, happy as we are wearing our sneakers and boots every day, wanted to see the other potential side of the industry and try to dabble with minimalist footwear – a type of footwear promising to free our toes and allow the user to feel their surroundings as if one was not wearing any shoes at all. Commonly this type of footwear is associated with a non-existent midsole, a very wide toe box, and a thin outsole. One of the main players, and probably the most well-known for being a training tool for athletes, and more recently their crazy ascent in the world of fashion, is Vibram's FiveFingers line of minimalist footwear and their "Move Freely" idea.
Usually seen in the outdoor or gym environment, they have been gaining huge popularity with collaborations from the likes of Balenciaga, Suicoke, and Takahiro Miyashita, to name a few. Their promise is to give your toes the freedom they deserve and to facilitate a deeper connection between your body and the natural environment through the minimalist Vibram outsole.
Thus, we picked different classical variations of this functional and, undoubtedly, striking-looking footwear and tested them for a period of two months.
Today we would like to share our feelings and findings with you.
Today we would like to share our feelings and findings with you.
Alex [Producer, runner].
The first feeling of walking in FiveFingers was strange: it was as if you were literally walking around the city barefoot, and people around can't understand what is on your feet. It's worth saying that Vibram strongly recommends a gradual transition to barefoot shoes depending on the muscle strength of your feet and general fitness level, so as to slowly adapt to these long-forgotten habits of movement.
The first long walk around the city in an everyday mode left a lot of thoughts. My test subject for this experiment was the KSO Vintage and KSO ECO – both are versatile FiveFingers suitable for everyday wear, gym training, or trail adventures. First, you get a unique feel of any surface, be it asphalt, paving stones, concrete, sand, soil, roots, and everything that lies in between. While many of us have probably had the experience of walking barefoot, it is extremely unusual to experience such a sensation in an urban environment going down the subway or into a cafe. Each surface for me now has its own level of hardness, grip, and danger (due to small sharp parts and debris). So it was surprising how your attention switched to new metrics of movement, while before you did not even notice the transitions and the difference between these surfaces.
The first long walk around the city in an everyday mode left a lot of thoughts. My test subject for this experiment was the KSO Vintage and KSO ECO – both are versatile FiveFingers suitable for everyday wear, gym training, or trail adventures. First, you get a unique feel of any surface, be it asphalt, paving stones, concrete, sand, soil, roots, and everything that lies in between. While many of us have probably had the experience of walking barefoot, it is extremely unusual to experience such a sensation in an urban environment going down the subway or into a cafe. Each surface for me now has its own level of hardness, grip, and danger (due to small sharp parts and debris). So it was surprising how your attention switched to new metrics of movement, while before you did not even notice the transitions and the difference between these surfaces.
The second discovery for me was, of course, the inner sensations of how the body reacts to new conditions. My experience of physical activity in this period of time ranges from running and cycling to hiking, urban commuting, and dance practices. It seemed that I had some understanding of the structure of my body and the reaction to the different workings of the muscle groups.
However, the devil is in the details. The sharp activation of the foot stabilizer muscles, which used to be in sleep mode, didn't wait long to wake up. Likewise, the toes and their tenacity were turned on to hold the weight of the body for balance when walking.
Another interesting discovery for me was the complete adaptation to modern sole technologies from different manufacturers, which changes the walking style of an average person. It became clear to be stepping on concrete, asphalt and paving stones when every step rings in the spine and I had to try to put the foot in different ways to include natural cushioning of my own muscles.
The last, but not least, surprise was that from now on it becomes known to you that each surface has its own temperature. And you can choose colder or warmer parts of it.
However, the devil is in the details. The sharp activation of the foot stabilizer muscles, which used to be in sleep mode, didn't wait long to wake up. Likewise, the toes and their tenacity were turned on to hold the weight of the body for balance when walking.
Another interesting discovery for me was the complete adaptation to modern sole technologies from different manufacturers, which changes the walking style of an average person. It became clear to be stepping on concrete, asphalt and paving stones when every step rings in the spine and I had to try to put the foot in different ways to include natural cushioning of my own muscles.
The last, but not least, surprise was that from now on it becomes known to you that each surface has its own temperature. And you can choose colder or warmer parts of it.
I think that this unique experience should be available to everyone: all body and movement researchers, as well as ordinary users, should go through it.
It can definitely be a cool tool for athletes who use their legs as the main muscle group or as a replacement/alternative to exercises that includes stabilizer muscles and additional work to the core muscles.
It can definitely be a cool tool for athletes who use their legs as the main muscle group or as a replacement/alternative to exercises that includes stabilizer muscles and additional work to the core muscles.
Most likely, such shoes are more suitable for the warm season and the transition to them should definitely be smooth, with special attention to your own feelings. However, as an alternative to modern shoe technologies and a return to our original movement habits and feel of the places we're in, literally "feeling the Earth" is definitely a fantastic experience worth checking out. And of course, these weird toes look extraordinary!
Xenia [Dance artist, movement researcher].
For testing I got a pair of Vibram's V-Soul that are made mainly for training indoors, but I couldn't resist the temptation to use them outside since I really liked the fit and the barefoot feeling. The moment I put them on I completely forgot that I'm actually wearing quite an unusual kind of footwear. To me they also don't look weird like I know they do for some people. Maybe it's because I work a lot with foot mobility and my eyes are used to seeing feet in their natural shape.
Having read several articles on how to make a smooth transition to barefoot shoes and what to expect on the way I was ready to face some challenges. Surprisingly, after my first full day of walking, there was no discomfort, no pain, just a deep sensation of liveliness in my feet and legs. You can get something like that from massage or from training if you work with your body in a more therapeutic way.
Feet and especially toes usually don't have enough space to function properly even if they want to – the majority of shoes are constructed too tight or too stiff. So it was remarkable to discover that my toes literally feel encouraged to move in my pair. I like that movement is very defined and liberated: I can clearly see which part of my foot is more active than the other, and how it changes over time.
Having read several articles on how to make a smooth transition to barefoot shoes and what to expect on the way I was ready to face some challenges. Surprisingly, after my first full day of walking, there was no discomfort, no pain, just a deep sensation of liveliness in my feet and legs. You can get something like that from massage or from training if you work with your body in a more therapeutic way.
Feet and especially toes usually don't have enough space to function properly even if they want to – the majority of shoes are constructed too tight or too stiff. So it was remarkable to discover that my toes literally feel encouraged to move in my pair. I like that movement is very defined and liberated: I can clearly see which part of my foot is more active than the other, and how it changes over time.
To observe this natural desire of the body to move when it's not constrained is truly amazing, especially when it comes to feet – most of the time we don't think of them at all, hardly remembering their existence.
After a while, I noticed that my feet got cold less often, and if there was some tension or tiredness after a busy day, I could easily release it with an MFR ball or a light massage. My whole body felt centered and balanced, and in a good way, I was much more connected to the city as well. Usually this kind of connection I experience only when I spend time in nature because there are lots of barefoot activities involved.
It was quite sudden to feel the energy rise from just ordinary city walks.
V-Souls were great for the hot summer we had, and also for the very warm and tender beginning of autumn. I definitely would like to have this model made for casual wear with more suitable materials for this purpose. Looks like it was a perfect option for me to start exploring barefoot shoes with this pair as my first.
Freedom is inspiring in many ways to me, and this experience also became a huge motivation to give my feet even more care than I already do, go deeper in healthy movement research and teaching, keep up with my own practice, and be consistent.
After a while, I noticed that my feet got cold less often, and if there was some tension or tiredness after a busy day, I could easily release it with an MFR ball or a light massage. My whole body felt centered and balanced, and in a good way, I was much more connected to the city as well. Usually this kind of connection I experience only when I spend time in nature because there are lots of barefoot activities involved.
It was quite sudden to feel the energy rise from just ordinary city walks.
V-Souls were great for the hot summer we had, and also for the very warm and tender beginning of autumn. I definitely would like to have this model made for casual wear with more suitable materials for this purpose. Looks like it was a perfect option for me to start exploring barefoot shoes with this pair as my first.
Freedom is inspiring in many ways to me, and this experience also became a huge motivation to give my feet even more care than I already do, go deeper in healthy movement research and teaching, keep up with my own practice, and be consistent.
Having been working a lot with people of different generations, jobs, and fitness levels, I wholeheartedly believe that good quality of movement should not be reserved only for ones who identify as professional athletes, dancers, actors, etc., but it should be considered as a basic element of healthy life.
However, when it comes to professionals, taking care of feet is also extremely important if there are any plans to perform safely, to maintain mobility and health for as long as possible. It's so satisfying that lately this topic is getting more and more coverage and I'm grateful to be a part of this process.
Ivan [Photographer, riverbed connoisseur].
I was a bit more focused in my use case for the FiveFingers silhouette. My choice fell on the V-Aquas. On my hikes and during some photo sessions outdoors I love to explore bodies of water. For most rivers and lakes I come across for the first time I prefer to not jump head first into and have my sandals on. There is a more freeing sensation of not worrying if you are about to step on a rusty nail, hiding in the silt. Regular sandals are okay for that task, but they get heavier with water and have a tendency to get stuck, as has happened with me on a number of occasions.
Having tested the model in the city and outdoors, I decided on keeping them in my backpack on all of my outings. Their compact nature and light weight allow me to slip them into many more bags of mine, not having to pick between bulky sandals and something else to fill in the space with. It's a very useful tool to relieve the soreness of my feet after a long hike during a stop or to go into the water, for what they are designed for.
Having tested the model in the city and outdoors, I decided on keeping them in my backpack on all of my outings. Their compact nature and light weight allow me to slip them into many more bags of mine, not having to pick between bulky sandals and something else to fill in the space with. It's a very useful tool to relieve the soreness of my feet after a long hike during a stop or to go into the water, for what they are designed for.
City use for me was less of a pleasing experience, perhaps due to how thin and light the material is: on one of my walks going to a supermarket my feet got very very cold stepping on tiles exposed to an AC.
You instantly feel the temperature of any surface you step on, which can be a strength for some and a problem for others.
I can not say I was able to incorporate them into my daily life, as my colleagues did, but in my approach, I chose FiveFingers to be a tool for a specialized purpose, in which they beat the competition out of the water (pun intended).
V-Aquas are one of the lightest offerings from Vibram, having drainage holes and a super light outer material for quick drying. The internal anti-slippage silicone in combination with a strap tightening system keeps them super snug on my feet, and the possibility of traversing reefs and rocky beaches, or going into the unknown on a new lake or river really elevates the experience, giving me my peace of mind and connecting me to the moment.
You instantly feel the temperature of any surface you step on, which can be a strength for some and a problem for others.
I can not say I was able to incorporate them into my daily life, as my colleagues did, but in my approach, I chose FiveFingers to be a tool for a specialized purpose, in which they beat the competition out of the water (pun intended).
V-Aquas are one of the lightest offerings from Vibram, having drainage holes and a super light outer material for quick drying. The internal anti-slippage silicone in combination with a strap tightening system keeps them super snug on my feet, and the possibility of traversing reefs and rocky beaches, or going into the unknown on a new lake or river really elevates the experience, giving me my peace of mind and connecting me to the moment.
Footwear began to be worn around 40 millennia ago, according to some findings. This number is based on the observed reduction in the length of human toes around this period, which suggests a reduction in human reliance on and loading of the lesser toes during their movement.
Footwear has definitely changed over the course of our history from simple sandals and leather socks to complex pieces of fashion and function. With the race for aesthetics, the potential long-term impact on the functionality of your feet has been overlooked.
Vibram's FiveFingers provides one of the options for freeing your feet and giving them their performance and abilities back.
Footwear has definitely changed over the course of our history from simple sandals and leather socks to complex pieces of fashion and function. With the race for aesthetics, the potential long-term impact on the functionality of your feet has been overlooked.
Vibram's FiveFingers provides one of the options for freeing your feet and giving them their performance and abilities back.
Reducing the impact force on the vertical movement and distributing the pressure more evenly across the whole foot area is thought to prolong the health of joints and muscles. More control of movement via the use of your toes for balance and foot positioning also creates a sensation unachievable in standard footwear. Elevated abilities to feel the underlying surfaces add even more to the long list of forgotten sensations.
With the right mindset and approach, Vibram's FiveFingers footwear doesn't only make people turn their heads on the streets, but elevates and deepens your connection with the earth underneath you and, consequently, your connection with yourself. And just look at them toes!
With the right mindset and approach, Vibram's FiveFingers footwear doesn't only make people turn their heads on the streets, but elevates and deepens your connection with the earth underneath you and, consequently, your connection with yourself. And just look at them toes!
To know more about VIBRAM and related materials - check our other articles via the links below.
Produced by TECHUNTER Media.
Words: Ivan Dzhatiev [TECHUNTER, author/researcher].
Reviewed by: Alex, Xenia, Ivan.
Ph, edit: Ivan Dzhatiev [THM].
Producer, layout, edit: Alex Zabelin [THM].
Words: Ivan Dzhatiev [TECHUNTER, author/researcher].
Reviewed by: Alex, Xenia, Ivan.
Ph, edit: Ivan Dzhatiev [THM].
Producer, layout, edit: Alex Zabelin [THM].
