Yay barefoot running!
 

I went running with my wife the other day (she's much more athletic than I am, although I'm trying to catch up!), and had TERRIBLE foot pain from my running shoes about a half mile in. It was so unbearable that, even though it was rough asphalt and gravel, I decided to run the rest of the of the 2 miles barefoot.

To my delightful surprise, I loved it! Running barefoot is great! It made me think about how I set my foot down, totally changing my stride.

Since then, I've done a lot of research, and found out that running barefoot takes 4% less energy than running with shoes, and many people have correlated running barefoot with greatly decreased running-related injuries. People run marathons barefoot, they run trails barefoot, they run barefoot in the Olympics...now that I'm looking, it seems like barefoot running is everywhere!

Because I'm not totally willing to open myself up to broken glass, tetanus, and pointy rocks and twigs, I'm going to be buying some Vibram Five Fingers Sprints.

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/upl...html/large.jpg

They have been reviewed to be 90% of the feeling of running barefoot, and most of the benefits.

Anyone have any experience running barefoot, or with FiveFingers, that they'd like to share? Once I start running with them I'll keep you posted on my experiences!

The single most pleasurable experiences I've ever had while running have all been barefoot. Running barefoot in the grass is fantastic. In college, we used to do barefoot strides (80m building up to max effort at 40m then backing down) after hard workouts. And I have a loop in the Chicago suburbs through a forest preserve that bumps up to the old Lucent campus in Naperville that has soccer fields and baseball diamonds. It's about a half mile on a side, and I used to run barefoot there in the middle of a long run.

Sometimes I miss being in real shape.

Dude, those shoes rock. I would love to hear how they feel (and how much they cost!). I've always been a bit scared to run barefoot for an extended period of time, but come to think of it, running barefoot in the grass at home was one of my favorite summer activities. But if it's gravel or concrete... I don't know about that. I get pretty sensitive feet on gravel.

But you have fun!! :thumbsup:

I'm intrigued, I really am... but here's my question for y'all:
I have an unhappy knee (patella tracks badly) and frequent (tho not every day) sciatica. What do you think about using these in the city? I.e., cement sidewalk walking, every day? No natural substances to be found. Will they help or hurt?

Jess, I think that these will hurt, especially the sciatica. For me, the impact was what triggered my bout with it. I can't imagine your knee being much happier with MORE impact since these aren't shoes so much as foot protectors. The human body just wasn't designed to run on hard surfaces.

Just like the great Bruce Denton said, "You spend years running, turning muscle into steel. But you pound around Asphalt American long enough, a piece of grissle goes 'pop' and suddenly you're a pedestrian."

I'm not saying that I have the answer to this, but running/walking barefoot is, for me, much lower impact than wearing shoes. Your body compensates for the lack of shock absorbtion and you naturally change your stride to one with much much lowered impact.

An interesting link to read about walking barefoot: http://anthropik.com/2007/06/learning-to-walk/

The IT guy at my work has a pair in my size he is bringing in today or Thursday, so I should be able to report back on the feel soon. As far as price, the Sprint (model pictured above) is $80, and there are places you can get it with free shipping. For just walking around, you can get a Classic model (without the straps) for $70.

Manufacturer's website: http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/

I don't believe in wearing shoes, but unfortunately society makes me wear them (and oddly, I have a shoe fetish...is that weird or what?). I usually go barefoot/in sandals from April-October.

I like to run barefoot on grass and sand, as long as there is some give/shock absorption from the surface. Running barefoot on cement really doesn't help my knees--but then neither does running with shoes on cement in my case.

I would also like to hear how these shoes work out for you. They almost look like ninja shoes.

I'm wearing a pair of classics right now...they feel really comfortable, it's like i dipped my foot in liquid rubber! I can feel the cracks in the tile, i can feel the texture of the carpet...there's no artificial padding whatsoever, the shoes just kind of melt into your foot.

I'm definitely getting a pair (my wife is, too!), and a couple pairs of Injinji performance toe socks to go with them, just for moisture management in the 120° summers.

http://www.injinji.com/tetratsok/performance.htm

I'll keep you guys posted!

I see a chiropractor about that sciatica - or take yoga - or learn some good stretches - but a chiro can fix the actual problem while the other stuff keep it in check. And use a knee strap for that knoee problem. They are amazing when that patella starts giving you trouble. Just grab one at the drug store, Target, etc. It's so simple but so amazing!

Anyone using the MBT (Masai Barefoot Technology) shoes? Ugly, expensive (about $250), but they sound really cool.

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/6...286934prw6.jpg

According to their press,

Considering your significant knowledge of running, I'd think that as long as you could set aside a little time to train, you could totally get into real shape.

Edit: did some googling, and the issue of heel striking came up. This type of shoe would train you to stop that quickly.

Yep, sure does. Compare to something like a Nike Shox shoe, whose core design philosophy centers around encouraging it! Yikes!

Exactly. I wear cross trainers when I exercise and run (as I use a treadmill at the gym), and I've found that my shoes aren't all that functional. They just keep my toes from showing, and they pad my movement in ways I don't really need it padded. It reminds me of using machines vs. free weights. When you use free weights, you use stabilizer muscles that would go wanting otherwise. Likewise, when your heel is heavily padded and your toes are smooshed into one big toe, you're not using your whole foot, calf, or maybe even leg. It seems counter productive, especially when I pay $120 for a pair of shoes and the VFFs are like $80. My only real question would be, do they come in a size 12.5?

You should measure your feet...they come in a 12, and with this style shoe, since it is stretchy and meant to be skin tight, that might be close enough.

Update: Just ran 3 miles barefoot (with my wife), and feel great! I found a place online that has the Sprint's for $65, with free shipping if you buy two pairs (which I will, we both want a pair!).

http://www.northernlightstrading.com...=6&id=W115!755

I'll post another update once I get them. I'm also thinking about ordering the POSE method dvd from posetech.com, a site devoted to low-padding and barefoot running techniques.

Well there might be many leading shoe manufacturers and some of them are also destined to absorb all the stress and strains that can be involved while running but I can say this for sure that there is nothing more beneficiary and at the same time pleasurable as most of you have agreed too when it comes to running or walking barefoot. I heard this a lot of time my grandfather saying this, that it helps to walk/run barefooted, now with time I have learned the same.

VFFs great but what about the heel cup?
 

Got me some VFFs today. Sprints. Very exciting!

PROBLEM: I was between a size 43 and 44. Went with the 44 when the 43 seemed to bunch in the front at the toes. Normal shoes? A little big is okay. These things? Not so much. I want them to fit perfectly everywhere.

QUESTION: Do your VFFs have a considerable amount (10mm) of empty space in the heel cup? The toes and ball fit perfectly, the instep strap is comfy, but the heel cup is too long on my foot to the point where the heel cinch straps double over each other. I didn't notice any of the people on the VFF page with that kinda looseness and none of 'em had doubled-over heel cinch straps. The other minor issue is that the fabric portion seems to be rather tight despite the extra heel room, something that confuses the heel cup issue. I want the heel cup to fit, but the fabric can't dig into my skin.

Looks like this: HERE

God, picky-picky. I know.

I was told this extra room in the heel is acceptable. The salesperson was actually wearing them and had this issue with her feet in the VFFs, too.

Been walking around the apartment with them on... started obsessing.

I'm thinking about taking them back and trying a size smaller or returning them completely. I'm a real friggin' shoe nazi (my feet are my primary vehicle) and I can't stand to have things be "baggy", especially not for what equates to $80 rubber socks. Having proper room and snugness in both the heel and toe is really important for long distance running.

God, I'm frustrated by my monkey feet. I wanna trade 'em out for the model they use to design shoes.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

I think the primary difference is length, so try the 43's. I can't imagine the toes being much smaller, and yes, I'd rather have these be tight than loose. I just ordered mine, and the ones I was trying on were Classics with no heel strap, so unfortunately can't help with fit questions.

Do yours fit like this?


HEEL CUP NO-NO

Here I was coming back to this forum to revive my old barefoot running thread and ask if anybody had used these VFFs, and here you are! I'm thinking of ordering some so that I can incorporate a barefoot run into my weekly training routine after my first half marathon next week, to see if I notice a big difference. (No sense changing things before my first race, though.) The only thing I can't seem to figure out is my size. What the hell kind of sizing is that? Isn't it an American company? Am I an idiot and just missing the page where they give you sizing guidelines?

There is a size conversion chart...look for the link. And no, not American, AFAIK.


Edit: Screenshot!

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5.../sizechart.jpg

Yep, I'm a dope. Don't know how I missed that the first time, but I guess I expected that sort of thing to be in the FAQ.

I'm a dope. I bought them and took them back because they weren't perfect.

I demand perfection in footwear.

Are you at least going to try the smaller size again first?

Yeah, I did a good job at finding out that neither 43 or 44 fits my pterodactyl paws. I have some badass heel spurs (shitty non-human-foot army boots x4 years) and my toes are long, so I kinda need a 43.5. This is something they don't offer yet. I refuse to get the "Classic" model because it has no security straps and the "Surge" bootie model is made of neoprene which would cause all sorts of mad sweating, yo. I am forced to wait for the half sizes.

I WANT THESE MORE THAN TEH DOING OF TEH SEX! Annoying, but I'll wait.

I am patient boy. I remember this one time I laid under a ghillie suit in a puddle for two hours in 96 degree Fort Bragg rainstorm. Let me tell you about crotch rot... YIKES.

Focus... FOCUS. Uh, the VFF?

Really... I'd like a better tension mechanism. Velcro is okay for some things, but not combat uniforms (COUGH-ACUs-COUGH) or footwear. The stupid way out. C'mon, people-in-design! I think when I find the right VFF size I'm going to modify the Velcro straps using parachute cord and barrel locks or something. I refuse to settle for Velour Crochet on my rubber socks!

(rambles on, wants these things to fit ultra-bad-he-can-taste-it)

oh man I cant believe I've missed this thread untill now...

I've been living barefoot as much as possible for the past year, its awesome.

I do run barefoot, I've had some trouble adapting to the ball-heal-ball pattern, but its getting better.

as for someone above saying the human body wasnt made to run on hard manmade surfaces, are you saying that any of the surfaces in a city are any harder then granite stone, or a hard pounded dirt trail? I've been running on cement and asphalt, and dirt paths off and on without trouble, just have to make sure your landing on the ball of your foot first and have your knees bent enough. If your landing ball heal ball and have your knees bent slightly the impact is absorbed by the arch and the flex of your knees as your body is designed. When you land heal first usually your knees are locked, or close to it. this transfers the impact through the cartilidge in your joints and up your legs to your back and all the way to your head.

http://www.runningbarefoot.org/ is a really awesome resource, talks about form and everything else related to this topic.

I've been thinking about making a pair of Huaraches like this guy sells kits for
http://barefootted.com/shop/

My wife is Native American, and it occured to us (after we both ordered Five Fingers) that running barefoot isn't too far seperated from running in moccasins--a simple leather foot wrap with no sole. We're gonna try both.

lemme know how they work out. I've made the kits from Tandy leather for when I go into a restraunt or wherever that I have to wear shoes...

but they're too loose to stay on well when running...

I just ordered one of those leather kits to try out. It seemed a lot cheaper and more utilitarian than gambling on those Five Fingers' fitting me perfectly. I like sandals with that Spartan look anyway, so chances are (unless I totally fuck up the construction) that I'll wear them a lot even if it's not for running.

JStrider - I wonder if you can tie them a different way somehow to get them to stay on better? Or maybe just pulling them tighter and letting the tops and sides of your feet chafe for a while until they grow tougher skin where they rub? I may be having your same problem in a couple of weeks when I get mine, so I'm just trying to stay ahead of the game with some ideas for fixes. :)

I just ordered a kit also... hopefully it'll get here fast.

I would imagine there are multiple ways to tie them... as long as it keeps the sole against your foot pretty well I would imagine there is no wrong way.

which ones did you order? I went with the elephant bark and braided hemp... figured it was the cheapest and cheap is good for trying them out.

Well, I ordered the leather 4mm vibram because this is like a tester to see if I need those five fingers and I want to be able to wear them to work if they don't cut it for running. Black leather makes that okay. It wasn't the cheapest, but still a lot cheaper than $80 for the VFFs. Vibram is vibram, you know?

Apparently they shipped today and so did my running skirts, which I ordered days ago. I like this Barefoot Ted - he runs a quick operation. :)

Barefoot Running
 

Ok, so I was running in the Omaha Marathon on Sunday, when I got passed by <a href="www.barefootrunning.org">Barefoot Rick.</a>

I started reading up about this, and I think I want to try running barefoot. So yesterday, I went out, took my shoes off, and started walking around the parade ground on base. This didn't seem too bad, and I decided to try a little trot. 1.5 miles later, I was still jogging on the pavement, and passing people that were in shoes. Ok, so it's going to take a really long time to ramp up to where I can do a whole marathon that way, but it took me a long time before I could do it in shoes, too. And here, I have this wonderful opportunity to record my progress, my experiences with this style of running, and the hard-learned lessons that come about from my self-inflicted painful journey.

Tuesday was my first attempt at BR. The websites that I've read have said to take it easy at first, that it takes time to build the callouses that you need. So, I went out intending to just walk a few miles on pavement, to toughen my feet up a bit. When I got out there, however, I decided to see what it felt like to jog. I found that it completely changed the way that I run. No longer was I heel-striking, dragging my toe, or taking really long strides. Also, I watched the ground in front of me like a hawk. I ran 1.5 miles, and then stopped. At this point, I noticed one of my toes was bleeding. Not too bad, but I called it a day. Note to self-find out if I'm using my toes properly when I run.

Total BR miles to date: 1.5

I started an interesting thread about it a while ago, you should check it out! (maybe we can get a mod to merge them?)

If you want to be a little more cross country, and protect your feet from small cuts and abrasions, pick up some Vibram FiveFingers.

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=120466

Note: This update actually pertains to 26 Sept. I'm just really slow in posting it.

One of the guys at work gave me a really cool nickname. Shoeless Joe Morris. I think it may stick. Anyway, my toes don't hurt as much today, what should I do about that? I know! Going running again.

Another 1.5 miles, and a few more lessons learned.

First, try not to step into wet mud. Ok, it seems like wet mud would be nice and cool and refreshing, but it actually sucked. Toes were a bit bloody, then mud got in! It also took about 20 steps to get the mud off, so that it didn't feel like I was constantly running on something foreign.

Second, stay out of the grass, especially underneath trees. Grass in the middle of, say, a soccer field is probably all-right. But grass underneath trees, that tends to hide nasty things like pine cones, roots, and little rocks. At least on the pavement, you can see where these things are.

Post-run sensations: the toe damage is there, but it's more of a pleasant reminder of my new hobby. What is really odd is the muscle tightness around the ankles. My achilles is stretching out a bit, and some muscles to the sides of my ankles are a little tight. Also, the ball of my foot, and the heel, are feeling a little bruised. It's not painful, but it's a shock to someone that is used to "gelling". This too, shall pass.

Note: The following is about 27 Sept. The system automerged the two posts

Last night, after class, I decided to get my running in before going home. I drove to the UNO track, and took my shoes off. Tonight, I only ran 1 mile. The track was actually a mix of concrete and some type of rubbery material. It felt really jarring to go from the rubbery stuff to the paved portion. Also, one of the ends was coated in pine needles. No cones, and very few rocks, though. Tonight, I did a little thinking. I think that I decided that I'm going to mix barefoot and shod running, at least at first. I was running 10+ miles at a time before I took my shoes off, and now I'm only running 1 to 1.5. That'll also give my toes an extra day between to heal a little, before I rip the skin off of them again. And, I can keep my distance training going, so that I don't really have to build that up again. I envision getting to the point where I can run all of my runs barefooted, and not bleed when I do it. We'll see.

Total BR miles to date: 4

Ahh I know this defeats the purpose of barefoot running but I was wondering if anyone's tried the Nike Frees or other shoes designed to simulate barefoot running?

I saw a funny analysis of the Nike free, if anyone is interested. It's <a href="http://completerunning.com/running-blog-mark/index.php/archives/2005/11/23/oprah-winfrey-nike-free/#more-807">here</a>. Anyway, I think I'd like to get the fivefingers, but I'll probably wait until winter draws nearer. I don't think I'm quite ready for barefoot running in the snow.

Thanks for that Mojo - I was kind of skeptical.

I'm currently running with some sweet-lookin' leather Adidas shoes - they are good for cross-training but feel like foot armor. Seeing the fivefingers almost made me cream my panties - if anyone gets them, can you post your experience here?

I've got 'em. So does my wife. They're great to run in, as long as you can handle barefoot running itself. The strain on your joints and muscles between barefoot and five fingers is exactly the same.

Edit--Here's the wifes feet Vibram clad:

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...tor/vibram.jpg

Thanks - nice pic!!!

Do you find the strap necessary?

Also.. what's the effect of pounding asphalt "barefoot" - is it harder on the joints or does the muscular shift compensate?

Gimmie pictures of the side view of the heel cup.

from what I can tell so far, it's better for your joints, after your muscles adjust to the new style. shoes don't allow your foot muscles to react to the run, you just force all of the impact up to the knees. after just 4 miles of barefoot, I can already feel tightness in my ankles and calves.

I ran another mile barefooted today. This was a loop in my neighborhood. There was just one point that I got worried, where I saw some glass on the sidewalk. I made it through ok, though. The only part that really hurt was the muscles around my ankle, and the middle toe on my left foot. I'm really thinking about getting those VFF shoes, so that I can run further. I want to get to where I can do the whole marathon barefooted, but that's likely to take me a year at this pace! I haven't even gone 2 miles at once yet!

Total BR miles to date: 5

I went hiking/trailrunning in my VFF's today, went about 5 miles. They were great...the only oddity was that I didn't have as much heat resistance as I was used to, and if we were taking a break, I had to stand in the shade.

We went out to the San Tan State park, home of Boob Mountain.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...lemountain.jpg

Crompsin, here's some side shots.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...ector/heel.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...ector/side.jpg

As you can see, the heel cup isn't totally flush. I could possibly go down a size, but because my heel doesn't touch the cup now, it doesn't bother me.

The flexibility of these shoes is amazing. Here's me picking up a rock with them.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...ector/rock.jpg

It was a great day for trail running.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...or/running.jpg

NICE! Yeah, huh... mine kinda fit like that. I wasn't happy with it. Maybe I should reevaluate?

Thank you so much for the specific pics, bro. You're the man with the feet!

I'm SO envious. You look like you're having a great time with your toe-shoes.

My feet feel well stretched, more than anything. This is the first major offroad excursion they've been on in the VFF's, and they're still not used to articulating the way that they were required.

The Injinji socks were amazing, I don't think I could have done it without them. Very tiny little bits of sand and pebbles somehow managed to find their way into the shoes, but the Injinji's kept them from roughing up my feet. It was so weird...I didn't realize how precise the fit on them was until I got to the end of the trail, thankful for a chance to pour out 'all that sand and rocks that got in'...which amounted to about an 8th of a teaspoon for both shoes.

Oh, the Injini socks are recommended by numerous users online for just that reason... until you get rock hard foot flesh.

Well I ran 2 miles barefoot tonight on the treadmill. It was awesome. I could feel the difference it makes in all the muscles below the knees. I'm going to have a sizable blister on my right big toe, however.

I was wondering if anyone has tried out the Nike Free series? They don't have toes like the VFFs, but they are supposedly very flexible and lightweight and made to simulate barefoot running. I'm intrigued.

This was covered.

Ah... thanks. Not sure how I missed that.

After reading that, and seeing a few reviews on other sites, I am no longer interested in them. Apparently, aside from the fundamental design flaws, they fall apart relatively quickly.

I'm currently trying to find a pair of Puma H. Streets, but that is proving difficult b/c they are discontinued.

I ran another two miles on Tuesday. I wrote to another barefoot runner, to get a little advice. He said to take off the bandaids from my toes as soon as I can, because I need to learn how to lift my toes when I run. So, I checked to make sure that my toes had mostly healed, and then took off the bandaids to run. I hadn't thought that I should lift my toes when running, because they give you a lot of balance. I tried a few times, to keep them off the ground, and I don't think that's what he meant. So, I started to think about it for a bit. Having run around this track barefooted 10-12 times, I felt pretty comfortable taking some of my concentration away from the ground in front of me, and went into a sort of trance, where I attempted to lessen my body weight as much as I could, to kind of float above the ground. It may have been only in my mind, but I think I accomplished a lighter tread for a brief period of time. It seemed like I should have been landing harder, because I was lifting more with each step (and therefore going higher in the air), but it was a bit softer. When I came to the point of the track that I have to watch very closely for pine cones, pebbles, and bird poo, my steps landed a lot harder. And, as for the toes, I think I'm supposed to let them hit the ground for balance, but lift them before pushing off with that foot. Sort of spring off the ground, instead of pushing. At any rate, I did need a new bandaid on one toe of each foot after I was done. Also, the pads of my feet are starting to feel bruised. I decided to take a day off on Wed.

Thursday: I decided to try out the indoor track at the gym at UNO. It's very similar to a basketball court, but I don't think it's as springy. I'll have to check out the difference some time. Anyway, I don't think I like that track. First of all, it's way too short. Each lap is 1/10th of a mile, and the short ends are the length of one basketball court. I had thought it wouldn't be as rough on my feet as the outdoor track, and that I could get more overall distance (still trying to work the muscle groups), but turning actually hurts a bit more than running on concrete. I only did a mile in there, and then went outside for another mile. Tonight, I got a new sensation. The tops of my feet are feeling bruised. Weird, huh? The mile on the outdoor track didn't tear up my feet at all! No new blisters, no scratches, nothing! I noticed that I stepped on more pebbles and various sharp tree parts during my cool-down walk around the track - walking in the same lane that I had run in!

BR Miles to date: 12

I still have a few blisters on my right foot from the couple miles I ran last week, but yesterday I got my pair of Puma H. Streets that I ordered off ebay. They are awesome... they weigh nothing and they're almost shaped like a pair of low heels, although obviously without the actual heel part. As you might expect, this encourages you to land on the balls of your feet rather than your heel. I feel like I could run forever in them, although last night I only had time for 2.5 miles.

I can already tell that my calves and ankles are stronger. I have been trying to "spring" off the ground as much as possible, similar to what mojodragon mentioned above. It does feel like you're almost floating on the ground rather than pounding the ground with each step.

Hey dirty,

With the Pumas do you get any knee/hip pain? I'm still running in trainers but I've been trying to roll more on the touch and uptake rather than flat pounding - I think it's been helping but I can't wait to switch over to something more natural.

Anyone want to weigh in on running flats like the H Streets vs Five Fingers?

My hip muscles were really sore after the first time I ran barefoot, but I was purely barefoot then and I think it was due to the fact that you don't use those muscles as much during "normal" running.

The Pumas basically have zero padding in the soles. They obviously have more than the Tandy leather kits mentioned above, but for an actual shoe, they are as minimalist as you can get. I haven't tried the VFFs, so I can't do a proper comparison, but I am more than happy with the Pumas.

I went running over the weekend, in Kansas (2 miles), and on Tuesday during lunch (4 miles). I've noticed that my feet are hurting more, above each arch (on top, not the bottoms). They feel bruised and sore inside my feet - it's hard to explain, but I think I may have given myself stress fractures from overuse. I'm taking a little while off, to try to heal. I've noticed also that I'm supinating my right foot when I walk, and I can't seem to stop. I did that when I was healing from a rolled ankle, too. Anyone ever do anything like that?

looks like that stop at 12...I'd probably need a 13.5

Just thought I'd give this thread a bump....

Just recently found out about the VFF's, and am absolutely loving them. I am spending entire weekends in these shoes and am now up to 5 mile runs with them every other day. (I want to go barefoot, but all I have around here is dirt/gravel roads and my feet aren't up to that. Yet. I'm working on it.) Anyway, I'm finding that this simple change in clothing has had significant benefits in how my feet feel. Even that nagging knee thing I used to get about 3 miles into a run is gone. Shin splints? Nope. Sore feet? Only that good "I just worked out" feeling.

Wondering if anyone else has anything to report on this front?

I'll re-bump as I just purchased my first pair of VFF's a few weeks ago.

I was originally skeptical of the minimalist running movement. Everyone I talked to seemed to scoff and brush it off as a "hippie fad" that would soon pass. After a few weeks of wearing my VFF's, I can easily say I've never enjoyed running more than I do now.

I decided to buy the KSO's because I like the idea of "keeping stuff out" of my shoes and they seem to have the simplest strap system. Excellent choice so far; these are the style I would recommend if you want the VFF that will do it all. I wish I had waited a bit longer for the Bikilas, but who knows how long until those are widely available.

Anyway, as previously stated, you definitely need to ease into wearing these things for running. I spend most of my leisure time barefoot already, but that wasn't nearly enough to prepare my muscles for barefoot running. Expect some sore calves at first!

I did TONS of research leading up to my VFF transition and now I don't think I can ever look back. I'd recommend Vibram Five Fingers News, Reviews, and Fan Forums - Birthday Shoes as a starting point. They have a lot of great articles and reviews to get anyone interested in barefoot/minimalist running.

I'm open to suggestions and techniques from anyone else who's made the transition, looking forward to hearing them. Happy barefooting!