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Just got my first pair of Vibram FiveFingers KSO's!


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Nice. A word of caution, work up to long distances or hours worn. Your feet need time to adjust to having to stand without the arch support [yeah, more like building weaknesses] that are in modern shoes...

I tend to wear mine whenever I can get away with it. They're great for working out, driving, and all around usage. Just be prepared for some weird comments :)

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Yeah, it's really weird the first time. I'm on my second pair, the first one I got was too big [bad advice from the salesperson], but the pair I have now fits like a second skin. They are absolutely perfect for everything, though I'm not to a point where I would want to run in them [well, for that matter I'm not ready to run period].

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I have always hated running, which is one of the primary reasons I wanted them since I always ended up hurting myself running in normal shoes and ball-of-foot first striking never worked for me in regular shoes either. Definitely going to use them as much as I can for daily shoes in addition to working out etc.

What model do you use?

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Let me know how your calves feel a day or two after your first run :). Definitely start off slow, like a 5-10 minute run. I started off with a 10 minute run and was out for a week. But they're great shoes in the long run!

Will do. Though considering how much I detested running before getting these, 5 minutes will probably be more than enough for quite awhile until I either get used to them and/or change my attitude about running.
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Your challenge being to become something other then an ogre or bulk up to being one? :P

I will definitely let you know how it works out for me.

The latter. Well, I'm an ogre, just a big out-of-shape one right now. I just figured that I might as well own who I am and get into shape. It's kind of hard to fight those pesky rangers if I'm constantly out of breath :D [they keep on coming over to the 'team coco' board and posting random messages about how they are so awesome].

You're more than welcome to join in the fun, as I see you're part of the ranger clan this time around. Though I agree, team classes aren't really perfect for the real world. In another life, I would have been one badass assassin...

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I'm getting some KSO's soon. I'm just a few bucks short (curse being a teenager without reliable income!!!!) but when I get it I'm getting some asap. I already walk around barefoot as much as possible, so I don't think the break in period will be as great as with some.

That will probably help but I liked to go barefoot as much as possible but found it is more then that. The two biggest things being the split toes and the fact that you have to get used to the entire shoe being so very form fitting, like a second skin to get used to. Though I think you will like them. I feel your pain about the income, I am a University student with a "small" income.

Niicceee. How much do they cost? If it's not extraordinarily expensive, I might pick up a pair next time I have some money

Mine were exactly $91 and some change after taxes.

You're more than welcome to join in the fun, as I see you're part of the ranger clan this time around. Though I agree, team classes aren't really perfect for the real world.

Will do. Interesting to see the Warrior approach here.
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Holy moly, they're more like $200+ around here. I hate living in Australia, sometimes.

Half Dragon, Half Elf, Level 0.5 Assassin - I flame people when cranky, but I'm seriously kickass.STR 4 | DEX 2.5 | STA 3.25 | CON 5 | WIS 8.75 | CHA 4 | Challenges: 1  2 3 4 5 | myFitnessPal | Spreadsheet | fitbitChallenge 6, Back to the assassin's rootsBlog: float knowledge return wisdom;

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Holy moly, they're more like $200+ around here. I hate living in Australia, sometimes.

Tell me about it! I bought some Vibrams when I was recently in the States. Now I'm back in Melbourne and want some more but they're over twice the price. I also just started ice skating/hockey and also for that everything here costs three to five times what it would in USA.

You can find people who will ship from USA though. I've had some success with eBay so it might be worth a try.

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I got my KSO's a few days ago - after many long months of searching them out. (Very hard to come by here in the great white north). LOVE THEM.

Regarding climbing in them - I don't think they'd perform as well as you'd think. Owning both a pair of climbing shoes and KSOs here's my thoughts.

a) my KSO sole is a fairly soft rubber - a couple sessions at the rock gym would probably shred them to bits. Climbing shoes are made of a very dense, tacky rubber. They're designed to take alot of the punishment rough surfaces and holds would throw at them.

B) the split toes would actually make footholds harder to grip. Climbing shoes are designed to squish your toes together into a point - almost like a hoof. This allows you to utilize the strength of your entire foot to grasp a tiny little foothold.

Your mileage may vary, but after comparing the two - i don't believe the fivefingers would fair well for climbing. :/

Jason

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Thanks sandman for chiming in. I am not surprised about the faults of the KSO's when looking at rock climbing sadly as everything you said makes absolute sense. Although considering how big the natural movement/primal fitness movements are, it makes me wonder what their response would be to needing to climb a mountain/wall of rock and what they would use.

That is the definitely the smart approach JaysFreaky

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Thanks sandman for chiming in. I am not surprised about the faults of the KSO's when looking at rock climbing sadly as everything you said makes absolute sense. Although considering how big the natural movement/primal fitness movements are, it makes me wonder what their response would be to needing to climb a mountain/wall of rock and what they would use.

That is the definitely the smart approach JaysFreaky

One would think something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goXRAzrgubI

If you want to get technical, if you're not used to barefoot running then barefoot climbing is suicidal. The muscles you'd need to hold onto the rock would be severely undertrained. The human toes are meant to spread out and grip, more like a mountain goat hoof than a pig - the goat has a soft, spongy hoofbed that flexes around the wall compared to the stiff two-toed point of a piggie toe. The KSO's are one of the thinnest soles you can get in Vibrams (along with the classic and the Sprint)... maybe one of the heavier pair would work better once you were used to actually gripping like a monkey instead of climbing like a goat. =) I've got climbing shoes as well for boudlering - deathly afraid of falling from height and I'm trying to get over it - and I hate my climbing shoes. I understand the theory but there's no way our feet would have naturally developed into that position with an upright walking stance. Just goes to show how much we can adapt as a species, don't it? =)

That being said, I haven't gotten my vibrams yet because everyone was OUT OF STOCK for Christmas.... *sobs* and I'm still on the hunt. So this is all in my head and not through my feet. Yet. *beams*

. ~*~ Some things make ripples... I prefer to make waves. ~*~ .

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Thanks for the link. That is a great video and definitely agree with you about the details and the amount of time and the work necessary to get to that point. Frankly more then I have, so no problem with climbing shoes. Though would have liked to see actual closeups on his feet. Sorry to hear about the lack of supply, my salesman had to dig to find the ones that fit me.

Also that is a really nice kettlebell lift you have going on in your pic.

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