It was some time in August that I decided I would try a drastic change in my footwear. My hiking shoes (LL Bean Trail Runners) were starting to fall apart through no fault of their own. I wasn’t completely sure what I wanted, but I knew I wanted something light and unobtrusive. After much research and deliberation I finally decided I would try some Vibram Five Fingers. I tried to convince myself otherwise, since they’re definitely odd-looking, but in the end they made the most sense. I went with the VFF KSO Treksports.
My first real test with them would be climbing Mt Katahdin and then Mt Mansfield in one weekend. I realized this was an ambitious test, so I went running in them for the two weeks I owned the VFFs leading up to the hikes. I was still nervous on day one so I packed my trail runners. Looking back, it was miserable having the extra weight and bulk in my bag, but at that point I was still unsure about climbing a mountain in such minimal footwear.
Needless to say, it went well, and I did not pack the trail runners for day 2. I should note that I did get some injinji socks for these hikes. I prefer hiking without the socks, but after a few miles I seem to get blisters on the backs of my feet without them. The socks also proved to be very useful on the frigid and windy Mansfield summit. They were very comfortable, and I don’t think I was any more sore than I would have been in any other shoes. It was definitely strange to have so many people stare at my feet as I’m hiking though.
I’ve done a few other minor hikes, and runs with the VFFs, but I had another major test lined up for them. I decided I was going to Hawai’i and would only bring the VFFs and some flip flops.
The flip flops were adequate for most activities in Hawai’i, but the VFFs were great for the many hikes I decided to do. They held up well and protected me from the old broken-up sharp lava-rock.
And also made it easier to get a little extra height to take a picture of a waterfall. :-)
But the more major test was climbing Mauna Kea. It’s a 5 mile hike from the visitors center to the summit, with about a 4,600 climb in elevation. I survived the hike with only some minor pain in the arches of my feet from stepping on some sharp rocks. I do have to be more careful with my footing in these shoes, but it’s not like it’s a bad idea to watch where I step anyway.
The next major adventure in the VFFs was hiking out to where the lava is flowing into the ocean. Depending on where the lava is currently flowing it can be a short hike or a few miles. It ended up being about 2.5 miles when I went, over sharp, and crumbling lava-rock late at night. I ended up standing about 20 to 30 feet away from actively flowing lava. The lava was between me and the ocean, which means, that below my feet the lava was actually flowing through the lava tubes. The ground got EXTREMELY hot after standing there for about an hour, and at that point I couldn’t really take it anymore. Everyone else in the tour was also complaining that their feet were getting hot, so I’m not sure how much worse it may have been for me. But this was probably the only time I really wished I had had a bit more material between my feet and the ground.
One of the days I went kayaking and snorkeling. Since I was also doing some hiking I decided to only wear the VFFs. Once again, I loved wearing them, although they developed the dreaded VFF stink after being soaked in water for so long. Thankfully it was nothing a little drying out and Febreze couldn’t fix. :-)
I have only had my Vibrams for a few months now, but they have exceeded all expectations. They are extremely comfortable, and if they didn’t look so bizarre I’d love to wear them for every day use. I only really have two minor complaints so far. First is the blisters I get on the back of my feet, this seems to be a problem with the KSOs (keep stuff out). I’m not sure what could be done, but they usually get a little uncomfortable there after abour 4 or 5 miles. My second complaint is that the Vibram rubber started separating slightly from the fabric in a few spots after the initial hiking weekend. It hasn’t really gotten worse since, and it’s not major, but still concerning. Otherwise, I love them!
My goal is to summit the highest point in all 50 states, and with the exception of McKinley I think I’ll be able to climb the rest in my Vibram FiveFingers. They’ve been great so far, and I’d love to get some of the other pairs to wear for less arduous activities.
07/02/2011 Update:
I thought I should update this post after using my VFFs for about a year. I have done more hikes, climbs, runs, etc in them, and they have finally shown some serious wear.
Last weekend I ran in the Warrior Dash New England, which is a 3 mile mud run/obstacle course. It took less than half a mile before the fabric on the inside of my big toe ripped, and my toe kept popping out for most of the race.
I stitched up the toe, and then covered the fabric and stitches with Shoe Goo. It seems like it’s going to hold up fairly well, but the fabric between all the toes seems to be getting thin. I will probably have to buy a new pair soon. :-(
