Vibram KSO Toe Shoes: The Review

Have you seen these? If you haven't you're probably thinking I've Photoshopped the most ridiculous thing I could think of for someone to wear on their feet.  I promise you, I haven't and if you like outdoor activities, you'll want to read on.  These are some of Vibram's "Toe-Shoes," specifically the KSO style, and they happen to be the very same shoes that I have only taken off to sleep since I bought them this past Saturday morning.  Vibram toe-shoes first came on the scene in Georgia sometime in the last year and a half and were really only seen to be worn by the major outdoor enthusiast and hard-core runners for the majority of the time until the past several months.  Slowly as less and less people have become appalled by the sight of them, and Vibram has increased the colors and styles they offer, the toe-shoes have gained quite a market share with younger consumers specifically with those that are physically active.  They look completely different from anything on the market, and they are absolutely by far the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn.


Why Vibram's?  Anyone who has known me long enough knows that I was a soccer junkie growing up.  I played rather constantly from the time I was four years of age until I was nearly twenty, and that many miles really has added up on my knees, lower back, and has summed into a chronic case of shin splints as well.  I've tried all kinds of different brands: Nike Shox, Sketcher's Mid-range running shoes, Saucony's, even some Pro-level New Balance road shoes, and none of these could address the stress on my knees and shins splints in ways that ever made it comfortable for me to build back up into the miles I used to run.
Vibram's are different. Understatement I know.  Not only do they look different, but they make your feet and legs preform like they are naturally supposed to when running.  "Regular" running shoes allow for a heel-toe sequence when the foot makes contact with the ground.  Shoe companies have been making them that way for years because they can pad the soles in a way that makes them feel comfortable to the foot without addressing the stresses it puts on the rest of the body.  Think about running down a hill with regular cross-trainer running shoes on.  Your heel hits, then your toes slap the ground before you pick your foot back up again.  That's the very motion I remember doing in cross-country in high school when my shin splints developed.  That stress over a long period of time can cause chaos and misaligned stuff all over the body.
Once you try running in a pair of Vibram's, you'll quickly find out that you'll immediately bruise your heel if you try running the way you're used to.  Instead Vibram's require you to run on the balls of your feet, using your calf and foot muscles as shock absorbers and give the runner a more natural stride over time as those muscles strengthen.

First Impressions: Like I said, I have only taken these shoes off to sleep since I first put them on and bought them in the store.  They are that comfortable.  They were hard to get on at first, especially having to fit my toes into the little sockets on the shoe, but after a day of wearing them the shoe formed to my foot a bit and they have been progressively easier to put on since.  The material is a breathable, quick-drying, anti-microbial fabric that keeps your foot feeling great and not stinking all day long.  They're machine washable too, in case they get dirty from wearing them all the time, just don't dry them in the drier cause they'll shrink and melt.  The inner and outer soles provide just enough protection and padding so that you're not actually running with your bare feet, but you can still really feel rocks and debris on the road if you happen to step on some.


The Big Test; the first run: After walking on all kinds of surfaces for nearly 3 full days I felt like I had gotten used to the shoes enough to try running in them and I was impressed once again.  I had been advised by a friend who owns some and the guy that sold me them at the store to take it easy for my first run, so I did.  I ran approximately a third of a mile on grass for the extra cushion as my muscles and feet are still getting used to not having as much padding as my other shoes.  Let me tell you I've never felt that free running in a pair of shoes in my life.  The KSO's are so light and allow you to be so agile that it barely feels like you're wearing shoes at all.  After the long distance run, I tried some hundred meter sprints.  Even though I know I'm not as fast as I was back in my prime soccer days, I felt a huge difference in foot speed compared to the rest of my more bulky regular shoes.  The added benefit of the Vibram's teaching my body to run on my toes also helped increase my acceleration off the start and made me feel like I was in better balance while sprinting.

Conclusion: Overall, I have been extremely impressed by the comfort and performance of these shoes even after only using them for a few days.  My feet feel a little bruised from walking on pavement most of the time, but other than that I have none of the normal feelings of shin splint pain from running this afternoon.  These shoes are great and I highly recommend them for anyone looking strengthen their legs to be a better running athlete.
Rating: 3 out of 3 ioi's 

Find out more at Vibram.com
And this video on Youtube