Review of Vibram Five Finger KSO

I couldn't help it!  I found the Vibram Five Finger KSO (Keep Stuff Out) on sale and my curiosity got the best of me.  Yesterday, I wore them for a quick trip to the mall.  Let me tell you - driving in them is totally weird!  It really feels like you are driving with no shoes.  Not to mention what they look like.  I kept joking around that I had Gorilla feet, or that I was a Bigfoot.  My immediate thought was "How cool are these!".  They really felt great walking around.  I could certainly tell I wasn't in Shoe-Kansas anymore though.  This was definitely a new experience.

Today, I wore them for an easy mile run just to see how they felt while running.  I have to be honest and say that I actually have some concerns.  When I was in high school, I would run barefoot during some practices, in the grass, just to change things up a bit and use different muscles.  However, on the road is pretty different.  Perhaps it just takes some getting used to in order to not notice. When you run, it's as if 2.5 times your body weight is coming down on your joints.  This is why heavier people usually start walking and ease into running as they lose weight.  With my Nike Pegasus', I feel great.  Great support, great cushion - just a great experience.  With my Vibrams, I really feel the impact.  Especially on the downhills! I didn't really feel a lack of support, which I find really interesting, but the impact sensation was so noticeable.  I ran off into the grass a couple of times and that was very enjoyable.  Concrete and asphalt however, are not very forgiving.

I will keep running in them and give them an honest evaluation over the next few weeks. For heavier runners, I think I would recommend staying with well cushioned shoes.  These seem (at first try) to be much better suited to experienced runners that are more on the thin side.

I'll keep you posted!