Vibrams?

Julee

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#1
I've been looking at them a lot lately, I'm hoping they may be able to help with my hip issues a little bit. Which model(s) do you have, what do you use them for, and how do you like them?

I'd be using them for both hiking and walking (pavement, indoors, outside, dirt roads, etc). Can they get wet? I love wading in water, but obviously I'd take them off if it'd mess them up. :)
 

skittledoo

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#2
I love mine. I'm still getting used to them whenever I have time to wear them. I haven't worn mine outside much yet though. Mostly walk around the house in them, go up and down stairs and wear them on the treadmill.

There are lots of people here that have LOTS of experience with them so someone will chime in soon I'm sure.
 
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#3
Love mine enough I have several pair. I have the Komodo LS's and a couple of others, but the Komodo LS's are my favourite.

Mine get drenched regularly in the spring, summer and fall as I use them kayaking. I also basically live in them for those seasons, hence why I have two pair of these. This includes longer hikes over rough terrain.

So far, they've taken a good year of beatings and show no signs of letting up.

The only thing I'll caution you on is don't do a full day in them to start....you'll have sore legs the next day. Start slow - even walking - and build up from there.
 

AllieMackie

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#4
The only thing I'll caution you on is don't do a full day in them to start....you'll have sore legs the next day. Start slow - even walking - and build up from there.
^ Very much so. Give your feet time to get accustomed to them - your feet and legs will be using muscles, tendons and such that they aren't used to using so forcibly, so treat it like a rehabilitation regime at first!

I have two pairs of KSOs and two pairs of Bikilas (one LS, one regular). The KSOs are my daily shoes. I have two pairs because one pair is just about ready to be tossed after three years of wear, and the other pair was on sale. The Bikilas are great for everyday as well, but I also use them specifically for running and hiking.

I would love a pair of Lontras providing they fit well, and I'm also eyeing the Seeyas.
 

Saeleofu

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#5
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my KSOs! I've been a fan of VFFs since the first pair I got over a year and a half ago.

I do not like Bikilas. I have not tried anything other than KSOs and Bikilas. The thinner/less textured the sole the better for me. They definitely help my balance and my feeling "connected" and even help with sensory processing (probably because they're snug/deep pressure).

I wear mine in water all the time. They're not waterproof (though I think they're working on one), but they dry quickly. They're machine washable, and in a pinch you can toss them in the dryer on low heat. Flows are made specifically for water, and I think they had some new models recently, too. I power-washed the otter pool in them, and that was some nasty, slippery stuff, and they were BY FAR the best shoe for the job.

I never had a problem with wearing them all day from the get go, but I have always been barefoot as much as possible, so it wasn't that much of a transition. I DO tend to overdo it when I start running and break myself because I do too much too soon, though. I'm trying to go slow this time, but it's hard to go slow when it feels good :)

I do not run in pavement in them, at least not yet. That limits how much/where I can run, because there aren't many unpaved roads near me. But they're fine on the treadmill, so that works. Walking on pavement should be fine.
 

FG167

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#6
I run on pavement, trail run, hike, wade in rivers, and run agility and flyball in mine. I have the Bikilas. I bought flows, and KSOs and neither fit comfortably so I only have Bikilas and LOVE them!
 

Shai

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#7
I have KSOs I like for the summer but in the winter my feet freeze.

I mostly wear New Balance Minimas, which are made with a thin Vibram sole, because (1) I can wear normal socks with them, (2) I can get by with wearing the black ones at work most days (VFFs would not fly and I keep a pair of nice black dress shoes in case I have an important meeting pop up), and (3) I don't end up having conversations about my shoes with random people.

They seem to have really helped my knees and shins. Apparently I have good feet for them, which helps.
 

stardogs

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#8
I have several pairs: TrekSport, KSO, two KomodoSports, and a KomodoSport LS pair.

The KomodoSports and KomodoSport LS pairs are my everyday shoe unless it's rainy or below 40* out. I wear them all over, run on pavement, and hike (10+ miles at times) in them with no issues.

My TrekSports were my first pair and are a bit small, so they are now just backup for my others. The KSOs are too thin for me to really like wearing on concrete, so I use them as my primary watersports shoes and indoors on matting usually.

I'm hoping to get a pair of the water resistant, fleece lined Lontras at some point so that I have a pair of VFFs for all seasons. ;)
 

AdrianneIsabel

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#9
My only complaint is I don't have cold weather ones. I wore through my first pair but I hear you can send them in for refurbishing? I looooove them.
 

Saeleofu

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#10
My only complaint is I don't have cold weather ones. I wore through my first pair but I hear you can send them in for refurbishing? I looooove them.
I wore through my first pair, too. I never heard of refurbishing, but that would be awesome! I just used Shoe Goo to temporarily fix them (fill in the holes in the sole) until I could afford another pair. It actually worked really well.
 

SizzleDog

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#11
Uhhhhh.....



*whistles innocently*

I might like VFFs just a little, teensy bit. ;)

KSO
I usually wear these in the summer. They're versatile, so I can easily wear them out hiking or out to the store. They do get a bit toasty on extremely hot pavement though.

Komodosport
These are the ultimate all-purpose VFF, and the style I recommend to everyone as their first pair. I wear them everywhere. The soles are a tad bit thicker than KSO soles, so they don't get hot in the summertime and mask the feel of sharp gravel much better.

Treksports
I wear these on short hikes, and occasionally to work when I happen to be wearing black pants. To be honest, the thick lugs on the toes of Treksports sometimes give me sore spots, so I wear these as infrequently as possible. I do like them when I have to spend an entire day on dirt for an agility trial though - they get excellent traction.

Trek
These are leather, and the only reason I bought them was because they are leather. This means I can wear them to work. These are probably the least comfortable, least attractive pair of VFFs I own. I don't like them, but they're a necessary evil. It doesn't help that they have Treksport soles, blech. These are discontinued - so if you want a pair, be prepared to do a lot of online hunting.

Spyridons
These are my dedicated running VFFs. The sole is quite aggressive and feels different than any other VFF sole I've tried. I do like them though. :)

Speeds
Speeds are my favorite "fun" all-rounders. I don't think I'd wear Speeds out on a hike, but that's only because I have other models better suited to getting dirty and nasty. These are based on the Bikila platform so they do have a tiny amount of arch support, but they're flexible and thin so you do get a decent amount of ground feel. I like wearing these when I want to wear fun shoes but not instantly get noticed for wearing "weird" shoes.

Bikila
I don't like them. The velcro is different on these, so the pressure points are different and I just don't like them.

Lontra
Currently my only water-resistant pair of VFFs. They're built on the Treksport platform (darn it!) but they do seem to fit well. If I wear socks with them, my toes go numb. I really don't like them, but they serve their purpose of me not having to switch to normal shoes in the winter.
 

AllieMackie

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#12
Sizzle, curiousity, have you tried the Bikila LS as opposed to the Classic Bikila? I got a pair of classic Bikilas cheap from stardogs, and while I do like them, they don't fit near as well and as comfortably as my Bikila LS.

(Not trying to hijack your thread Julee! We're a dedicated bunch, hahaha)
 

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