Electron Hut: Kyle Bedell’s Blog

These impressions are a bit off-beat: they’re about feet. More specifically, they’re about a special shoe from Vibram (based right here in MA!) called the FiveFingers Classic. Part of a new breed of barefoot shoes, the Fivefingers Classic is all about minimizing what’s on your feet while still providing protection from pointy/hot/painful surfaces. I picked up a pair of these recently because, let’s face it, waterproof Merrell hiking boots are not summertime footwear. Plus, all of the extra cushioning and support that regular shoes provide tends to weaken the muscles in your feet and ankles over time.

Actually putting the Fivefingers on is a bit funky; the toes (as you can probably tell) are separated. If your toes are really close together like mine are, you have to get used to spreading them out a bit when you put the shoes on. Once you get the shoes on, there’s a small strap in the back you can use to adjust the fit a bit. If you’ve picked a good fit for your foot size, you shouldn’t need much of an adjustment.

So how do they feel? Surprisingly like…walking barefoot! The bottom is thick enough to protect you from sharp rocks and hot asphalt, but still thin enough for you to feel the surface you’re walking on. Not to quote from the marketing literature here, but I do feel a bit more connected to the surface I’m walking on. With my hiking boots, there’s a half-inch of thick rubber and socks sitting between the bottoms of my feet and the environment. With the Fivefingers, I can feel the grass and the texture of the road. It’s certainly a different experience. I’m going to go for some longer (~3 mile) walks this upcoming weekend to see how they hold up under pressure. Vibram claims that they’re well suited for just about everything except seafaring and mountain climbing (for which there are other models).

If you miss the feeling of not wearing shoes, or would just like to get away from overbearing, padded shoes, give these a try!