Vibram FiveFingers

Anyone own a pair? What are they like?

I just won a pair in a competition, never met a sole with a pair yet!

A guy I used to work with had a pair, he was on his feet all day he said they were the comfiest pair of shoes he's had.  He said it can take a while to get used to having all your toes separated at once.  I've only heard good things about them

Nice one Ruby, congratulations . All I know about them is that those who use them love them.

I'm actually looking forward to the arrival of mine now  Might end up looking like I'm out of planet of the Apes circa 1968 though haha

I have them and love them. My boyfriend bought a cheaper pair of vibrams and they ripped and gave him blisters, so I'd recommend not skimping and going for a more expenisve pair because mine are brilliant. I think everyone should get a pair

I'm not sure I could get used to having my toes separated in them - I tried toe socks a couple of years ago and they felt horrible!

When you say cheaper pair do you mean fakes or a cheaper style?

I've got them and they're fantastic really really comfy, I've no doubt you will love them just as much!

Was there a noticeable difference when you run in them?

Yes, I could feel my posture change and the way my foot hit the floor altered.

Yes I agree with CescaMc, It took me a while to get used to the way my foot hit the floor but you realise how badly you run in normal trainers.  100% better so much comfier and they are surprisingly supportive.

I think I need to try them out - I think I have the worst gait, brought on buy wearing the wrong sort of running shoes.

To be honest, after reading up about barefoot shoes it does seem that trainers are a bit of a con. I've always aimed for a midfoot strike but trainers seem to force you land on your heels.

Definitely looking forward to my vibrams arriving :) Thanks for the replies.

Don't be tricked by the latest trick into thinking its not a trick because the last trick was a trick.

It's the same people tricking you.

Massively cushioned trainers might allow you to heel strike, but from first hand experience of switching gait, they don't force you into it. Once you've got the technique figured out, doesn't really seem to make any difference at all what you've got on your feet. Figuring out the technique takes a bit of doing, but with a barefoot shoe you'll know very quickly when your heel hits first, it bloomin' hurts!

I do find it annoying that with more cushioning put in the price of shoes went up, and with the cushioning taken out the price has stayed up. Curse their 'clever' marketing!

Despite sounding a bit negative here, I still think the Vibrams are going to be a good thing, sure I'd have nailed the technique much quicker if I'd kicked off my shoes and gone for it!

Well all companies are going to come up with a ply for you to buy them obviously.

Of course how else would they sell their stock?  Writing in this forum reminded me how good my Vibrams were, I even went home and ran around in them again.  I am liking these motivational forums!  Do let us know how you get on with them rubypout, I'm hoping you share our enthusiasm!

If they need a ploy, if it really is a case of how else would they sell their stock - then doesn't that automatically mean that the product is in some way flawed?

It may seem like I'm off at a tangent here, but Ifor Williams Trailers dominate the UK market. They call themselves "Britain's leading trailer manufacturer" and they are, there is no getting away from that, it is not just a name it is a fact. Their product sells. It sells well. They are a rotten lot to deal with, there is no clever marketing, no ploy, in fact they are widely criticised for the way they treat their customers. But they still sell. The same customers who criticise, when they do eventually replace their trailer, where do they go? They go back to Ifor Williams. Why?

Because Ifor Williams Trailers are quite simply the best trailers out there. They are very well designed and very well put together by an under-appreciated workforce. They are strong trailers, they are durable, they ride better behind the car / landrover / whatever it is than anyone else's trailers do, and they last a whole lot longer, years longer! They are so good that after owning one and using it for 10 years, my step-dad managed to sell his old one at a profit! That is what you call holding value!

Would it not be a better world for all of us if every company did it the Ifor Williams way? Forget marketing, quite simply make the best product that there is. If they did that, whatever they were making, it would sell, guaranteed. 

If they need a ploy, if it really is a case of how else would they sell their stock - then doesn't that automatically mean that the product is in some way flawed?

No, it doesn't make a product automatically flawed at all. If a new product enters the market to compete with existing well known / much loved brands, how will they become a leading seller without drawing attention away from existing products?

A brand new product or an updated product will need to advertise to gain attention. If all products did it the "Williams way" and just made the best product they could, there is a very good chance they could just die a death very quickly. Old brands have the benefit of years on the market. 

I'd say Dyson hoovers were the best on the market. Say somebody made a vacuum cleaner far better than Dyson, how on earth would I ever know it is better if the new product never advertised and made claims about it's capability? 

Haha! exactly Rubypout!  I think your comment Rob is not valid in the slightest.  Sure it might be spread by word of mouth to a small group of people but there is a massive advantage to marketing your brand correctly.  I couldn't disagree more, no new products would ever be picked up to sell masses internationally or even locally if it wasn't for advertising.

Of course you think my comment is not valid, I am expressing an opinion which is different to yours. Sticking to the subject of this thread though - we are talking about Vibram 5 fingers aren't we? How widely advertised are they? Yet we all know about them! Almost every decent walking boot you ever see has a Vibram sole stuck to the bottom of it. Why? Because they are the best product. Where do you ever see an advert for Vibram soles?

I just prefer real class to fur coat and no knickers, that's all.