Walking in Vibram Five Fingers

[gayet]

I too would love to try them - lighter than the TEVA sandals but its the getting the right size thats a problem. I will find a way around it - eventually.

[Liamy77]

Once your used to em they are UNBELIEVABLY comfy - it really is like bare foot but without the sharp bits... They are in no way the same as boots for protection think barefoot
The normal ksos i find a bit slippery in the wet but the treks are great. they do take getting used to and when buying them get a tight fit on your feet but not tight on the tips of your toes - the material will stretch a bit with age but the sole wont. I got lucky and paid under $60 average on my 4 pairs (2 kso treks and 1 flow 1 kso) They are not as quick as say crocs to put on but way better once on - this might deter some folks if they tend to slip their shoes on and off in camp - but once on and used to they you forget you are wearing anything the first pair of treks i had are already cactus and i'd love to have a go at re-doing the uppers as the soles are no-where near worn out yet and the uppers' durability is the main problem with these "shoes" ( apart from fashion as mentioned but hey things change LOL . I also use a sock with them in winter which works well as they are not warm compared to boots and explorer socks, but walking your circulation is better to your feet in my monkey-feet so they are warm enough for most days (i am a bit soft btw)
I found the size can be adjusted pretty well by tightening the strap as it bends the sole around your foot to take out the slack.... Awesome in hot weather !!!! - really good (my first pair did most of the bibbulmun track in WA). yeah er well thats it for me for now then Liam

[blacksheep]

but we must agree they do look silly. right?

[ollster]

but we must agree they do look silly. right?

Would make for some interesting footprints.

[Liamy77]

Distracts folks from my head?!

[Overlandman]

I knew a guy named Luke from Adelaide who did the Overland Track in his five fingers, I had my reservations about him getting through, but he made it, they were coming apart at the seams by the time he reached Lake St Clair.
All of the photos taken had a five finger in them, he was trying to get Sponsorship from Vibram.

I wondered how they would go with the old wire & nails sticking out from the broken cord wood on the track.
Also the jack jumper ants.

There was also a guy from down south (Hobart) that did the track in bare feet, wore a bluey & had a canvas pack.
He showed me the soles of his feet, they looked tougher than a Vibram boot sole.

I tried a pair of five fingers on, but couldnt get my toes apart!
Regards
Overlandman

[sthughes]

Wore mine into Bivouac Bay on Thursday. Went okay but yeah the leaches loved my ankles and I stubbed a toe 3 times, otherwise not bad. Ankle protection from bugs and bangs is probably the biggest short coming, plus of course longevity.

[north-north-west]

Snakes & spiky scrub & mud = gaiters. You can wear gaiters with any sort of footwear. I've even seen someone wearing them barefoot.

[corvus]

Snakes & spiky scrub & mud = gaiters. You can wear gaiters with any sort of footwear. I've even seen someone wearing them barefoot.

Takes all sorts EH!!

[Liamy77]

Snakes & spiky scrub & mud = gaiters. You can wear gaiters with any sort of footwear. I've even seen someone wearing them barefoot.

Takes all sorts EH!!

I guess we know what corvus wants for Christmas?!

[corvus]

Snakes & spiky scrub & mud = gaiters. You can wear gaiters with any sort of footwear. I've even seen someone wearing them barefoot.

Takes all sorts EH!!

I guess we know what corvus wants for Christmas?!

Very presumptuous of you young Liamy77 if I had wanted "monkey feet" I would have gone shoe less.
corvus

[mikethepike]

I'll post this to remind people that Pete has just returned from an Eastern Arthurs traverse in them, hence the report. There's also one of him climbing Feder in the trip report.

Eastern Arthurs 012.jpg

Personally I was quite impressed by them. At the start they looked too lightweight and I did wonder what they would be like on rocky ground, but they do have a harder sole than you think. And we couldn't go the dry boots argument as by day 1 everyone had wet feet/boots, the vibrams just dried quicker..
I also think that wearing these for longer trip is something you need to slowly work into.
I'd love to try them on a summit walk like Cradle Mt though.

Hell Nick, if you could get that photo on the front cover of Wild magazine, I think you could start a whole new trend in bushwalking footware and get yourself or Peter or both of you a lifetime supply of free tootsie shoes. You certainly make it all look like a whole lot of fun.

Years ago I thought I might have started a new trend in foot apparel when I climbed Ben Nevis wearing a pair of Cornish Pasties or at least that was what I called them - them being a very lightweight squooshy pair of casual shoes that looked every bit like CPs though they fell down badly on taste. Hitchhiking a few weeks later I met the guy who owned the factory that made these things and so I told him of my adventures in them thinking I might score a new pair if not an actual advertising contact. No such luck but I think that with the right approach, you could do a lot better.

[Liamy77]

Maybe we should have a 5finger walk arranged as a promo to get some freebees?? - i'll be in on it for sure....

[Miyata610]

I've ordered a pair of lace up synthetics, can't remember the model. As soon as they arrive I'll be up the Arm River Track with my booby pack.

[Nuts]

Stockings? how much wine will those boobies hold?

[Miyata610]

Fishnet lol. I reckon a cask in each booby. And a couple of cabbages on my back.

[Nuts]

ha ha, thats what they need, front cabbage holders lol

[Liamy77]

ha ha, thats what they need, front cabbage holders lol

but most of the bushwalkers I know won't need that - they spent all their "cabbage" on hiking gear already

[Nuts]

I wonder why they dont make a lighter one, would seem to be partly defeating the purpose?
Innov8 gaiters might work with these things (if there was somewhere for the front loop, velcro maybe?) I have a set with runners and they make runners 'boot like' with much more nimbility..

[Overlandman]

Something that may attract the five finger fans
Swiss Protection Socks from Swiss Barefoot put a whole new spin on the barefoot movement. These are essentially big, burly socks that are designed to be worn not inside shoes, but instead of them. The manufacturer claims that the socks are hefty enough to protect your feet from the pain and dangers of walking completely barefoot.

http://www.gizmag.com/furry-sock-shoes/21397/

Regards Overlandman

[Peter C]

Check out Moxie Gear gaiters if you looking for something different, very much like the Inov-8 ones but locally owned, they support alot of local athletes etc. Excellent to deal with. http://moxiegear.com.au/

Obviously not as durable as canvas, but lighter, cooler, and definatly more comfortable.

Edit: also the socks look interesting, kevlar socks...wow.

[alliecat]

Another option for gaiters is www.dirtygirlgaiters.com. Pretty popular with trail runners I believe. I've been meaning to try them out but haven't got around to it yet. You can use them with the Five FIngers by making a small loop of cord, putting it around your big toe, and clipping the from bit of the gaiter to it (the hook that normally clips to the laces). There's a video somewhere on the dirty girl site that shows what I mean.

Cheers,
Alliecat

[Miyata610]

I just got back from an overnighter using a pair of Bikila LS Fivefingers.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

It really is like walking barefoot. I had no real problems, except catching a twig between my toes on a couple of occasions. No toe stubbing. Sharper stones can be a little uncomfortable. The way I walked definetly changed, I am sure I had less impact using them, not because they are lighter weight, but because of the way I walked.

I was carrying a reasonable load, I weighed it before leaving at 29.8Kg and then added my iPhone, so that makes it pretty close to 30kg. The weight didn't seem to be a problem for them. I did have some rubbing on my heels that started to bother me just before getting to my destination but this was just due to mud grinding away my feet. I had been through a few spots of mud more than ankle deep. Next time I'll stop and rinse.

I was using a new pack for the first time, an Aarn Load Limo with Balance Pockets. A good match for the monkey feet if you really want to stand out (i.e. look silly).

After getting back yesterday I did find that my calf muscles locked up a bit, it was actually quite painful to walk for a while at home, seems ok now. I think I may have overdone it for a first outing in them.

I'm off to WOJ next week for a six day trek... they'll be coming along.

p.s. I did use them with my regular gaiters, since they have laces I just hooked on as usual.

[Macca81]

[quote="Miyata610"
After getting back yesterday I did find that my calf muscles locked up a bit, it was actually quite painful to walk for a while at home, seems ok now. I think I may have overdone it for a first outing in them.[/quote]
Go barefoot as much as possible in the next week, it will get your legs used to it. Particularly if you plan on doing any more full days during you WoJ walk...

[Wolfix]

For all those concerned about ankle scraping in the VFFs, check this out: http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/Five-Fingers-Bormio-Mens.htm

[Peter C]

I would be very interested to hear your thoughts after the WOJ walk Miyata. Thats alot more weight than I have ever carried in them, not that i really expect the principles to change too much. Be interesting to hear of what you thought of that particular model also.

[sthughes]

Just walked out of Junction Camp with these and an about 18kg pack. Lots of mud, rocky gravelly stuff and some board walks and the works.

They were fine in the mud, but on hard slippery mud had less grip than my SL's and I damn near did the splits once leaping from button grass across deep bog onto hard slippery mud! Stubbed toes about 6 times in 3 hours on the large rocks/gravel. Some of the rocks were painful underfoot and I had to be constantly scanning to make sure of what I trod on. Put a hole in the top of one of them, no idea when or how.

Feel great, light, comfy and having so little inertia makes me faster and more agile, but you have to be to avoid treading on things. I won't replace the SL's with these, but on some tracks they are a definite option that I will use.

[Miyata610]

I would be very interested to hear your thoughts after the WOJ walk Miyata. Thats alot more weight than I have ever carried in them, not that i really expect the principles to change too much. Be interesting to hear of what you thought of that particular model also.

Hi Peter, Just got back... wore them every second day, i.e. day 2, day 4, day 6. I love them. I found that when I was wearing them I never felt that any terrain I was covering was a problem, but when I wasn't wearing them I sometimes felt glad that I wasn't. I think in reality ALL the terrain would have been ok, it's just that we convince ourselves that they aren't up to it.

I did carry some very heavy loads on this trip.... again no probs.

My fellow guide was wearing a B3 mountaineering boot for the entire trip... one hell of a contrast. LOL .....

fivefingers versus B3 boots

Anyway..... They are wearing out pretty fast... I'll take them to the Western Arthurs next week and I think that might be it. We'll see.

Oh, and here is a silly photo of me at the end of the walk....

me in 5 fingers

Btw, I have a pair of the leather trek ones on order.

[Nuts]

Ha ha, even the leeches thought they looked too silly

[Miyata610]

Ha ha, even the leeches thought they looked too silly

Yesterday was one of the worst leech days Ive had in a looong time.... I decided to discard my gaiters today and had much less problem.

Are you saying I look silly? Don't you think the booby pack helps counter balance the monkey feet?