Vibram FiveFingers KSO Review
The Vibram FiveFingers KSO is a very light pair of versatile shoes that can be used for walking, running, hiking and almost any other indoor and outdoor activity you can think of. The KSO (Keep Stuff Out) is similar to the original Classic but with a cloth and mesh upper to help ‘keep stuff out’ while they’re in use. We are definitely in the middle of the barefoot running revolution and Vibram is leading the pack with their lineup of minimalist shoes.
Born to Run
It’s safe to assume that barefoot running became the most popular around the same time that Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run hit the New York Times Best Seller list. The book revolves around the Tarahumara, an Indian tribe that runs in extraordinary conditions and amazingly fast wearing handmade shoes from tire rubber (huraches)! McDougall also gives a very interesting history of how humans evolved (millions of years) to run very efficiently, barefoot. It was a more natural and efficient way to use your feet. Your legs and feet are excellent shock absorbers on their own. When your foot hits the ground, the arch in your foot flattens out and springs back up to the arch-like shape as you take your next step. The padding in traditional running shoes is supposed to provide essential support that your body needs. Your heel strikes the ground, rolls forward to the front part of your foot and the cushion in the shoes help absorb some of that impact, but your legs absorb a lot too. Barefoot running research has shown that as running shoe companies began to provide more and more support in their shoes, runners were getting injured at an even higher rate. Barefoot runners claimed that running shoes were actually holding us back from running the way our ancestors evolved to run efficiently. And this is where Vibram FiveFingers steps in.
Vibram FiveFingers KSO: Features
Everybody has seen a pair of Vibram FiveFingers by now. You’ll find at least one runner wearing a pair at a race or someone working out or participating in some everyday activity. The Vibram FiveFingers definitely do stand out!
The Vibram FiveFingers KSO is like a very stripped down version of traditional running shoes. At the bottom, you’ll find a very thin rubber sole about 3.5 mm thick. It’s very flexible and gives you the closest feeling of being barefoot, without actually being barefoot. The benefit of that is that you will protect your feet from tiny rocks, sticks and other elements that may harm your feet if you were to actually be barefoot. If you bend the bottom of the shoe, you’ll see the outsole is razor-siped for enhanced flexibility, this is similar to what you’ll see in car tires, which should provide more traction and grip when you’re active in both wet and rough terrains.
The thing that definitely stands out most with the Vibram FiveFingers KSO and any other VFF model is the individual toe pockets. The FiveFingers are like durable gloves for your feet. One thing that bothers me during some long runs is getting blisters from my toes rubbing against each other. When you step on a rock with the tip of your shoe, the entire shoe box will bend back. But when you do with the Vibram FiveFingers, the individual toe will bend back. The material just below each toe at the sole is thinner which allows more flexibility and promotes a more efficient toe-strike.
Vibram describes the KSO upper: “a thin, abrasion-resistant stretch polyamide and breathable mesh upper that wraps your entire forefoot to ‘Keep Stuff Out’” One thing you definitely don’t want to happen is having something fly into your shoes mid run. In addition, the upper is secured with a velcro strap for a very snug fit.
Using the FiveFingers
The Vibram FiveFingers KSO will take some time to get used to, it’s definitely not recommended to be used for extended periods of time, at first. Of course, you can build up to wearing it longer and farther. You will even be able to run a full marathon in them! Putting them on will be a struggle at first, you need to make sure you line up your toes to each pocket. If you’re running in the Vibram FiveFingers, you may notice that your form is just a little bit different and that can be because you are pushing off closer to your forefoot. With this change in running technique, you will be working out different muscles in your legs and feet that you don’t usually utilize when normally running. You WILL be sore! It’s just something to endure at first, but your body will adjust and eventually be able to use for extended periods of time. Over time, you should feel stronger in more than one area in your body: ankles, calves, tendons and muscles, even your knee or back (if you had issues before).
The Vibram FiveFingers KSO are supposed to provide a more natural stride when running. In addition to working out other muscles in your body, you can help prevent knee and back injuries that you may have been having with other running shoes. People say they have an overall improved balance, more agility and a score of other benefits. Although it’s not something that will happen overnight, once you get over that initial learning curve, you should start to see some of the benefits of barefoot running.
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