Just seen this link on Twitter - great to see Vibram FiveFingers coming to New Zealand finally! I've had a pair that I got in the States about 6 months ago, and swear by them! Although they look like monkey feet they have helped get rid of my shin splints (which I had for 8 months!) and ITB problems.

http://www.fivefingers.co.nz/Home.html

It will be interesting to see how they go in NZ - they sold out in the US and have a huge following!

run free!! like you are bear foot!! Just pay $200 for the shoes(5 fingers) first, to be able to do it! What a rip off!!!

The whole idea of going minimalist is to stick it to the shoe manufacturers that charges you $300 for a bunch of foam glued together that does nothing for you. Now vibram gives you nothing but a slab of minimalist rubber under your feet and still charges you $200. No wonder it sold out in the US.

Minimalist is great, but for me that means the shoe and the money that you pay for the shoe.

It is just rubber man!!!!!!!!!

leeu wrote:
The whole idea of going minimalist is to stick it to the shoe manufacturers that charges you $300 for a bunch of foam glued together that does nothing for you.

Hey, that $300 of foam glued together does a whole lot more than nothing... it is the main cause of most running injuries

"After years of being underused in shoes, your feet and lower legs will be working hard. The Plantar fascia, calf and achilles are the main areas getting the extra workout while wearing your new FiveFingers.
The double effects of a lower heal position and increased loading through the calf mean that your body will need to adjust.
You must be the judge of how fast a transition is comfortable and safe for your body. With this in mind, as a general guide we suggest the following..."

I would have thought a footwear company would have learned how to spell 'heel'... interesting though, just reading about it made me think about how cramped my feet are in shoes

stiffeeslicker wrote:"After years of being underused in shoes, your feet and lower legs will be working hard. The Plantar fascia, calf and achilles are the main areas getting the extra workout while wearing your new FiveFingers.
The double effects of a lower heal position and increased loading through the calf mean that your body will need to adjust.
You must be the judge of how fast a transition is comfortable and safe for your body. With this in mind, as a general guide we suggest the following..."

I would have thought a footwear company would have learned how to spell 'heel'... interesting though, just reading about it made me think about how cramped my feet are in shoes

Do some research into barefoot running, or read "Born to run" for a good run down on how running shoes encourage heel strike rather than midfoot strike (which is how you naturally run barefoot) and the problems and injuries that people encounter from running in running shoes. Sounds like the Fivefingers were designed for people on yachts who like the feel and grip of being barefoot... then the whole "barefoot running" thing started and people realised that the fivefingers were good for letting the foot move how it was designed to while running, while still providing some protection to the foot.

a couple of links if you are interested in reading more
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 134241.htm

the guy from that article's website at Harvard
http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/

The NZ medical journal accept that running and walking barefoot may be beneficial in children... but they have a bunch of warnings to go along with it... http://nzma.org.nz/journal/121-1272/3024/

the skeptics
http://www.runningbarefootisbad.com/

Apart from looking silly why does the Monkeyfeet need separate toes? While I like the idea the aesthetics would put me off ever trying a pair.

stiffeeslicker wrote:... interesting though, just reading about it made me think about how cramped my feet are in shoes

try some Keens some time. nice and wide for the feet, and no 'toes' out.

i reckon those fivefingers look kinda interesting. love to give some a try, but like NickK says, the aesthetic...

Hey at least you wouldn't step barefoot into dogshit or broken beer bottles....

So who is rolling these shoes on the streets?

After a few months of thrashing my first pair of Nike Free I am considering some vibrams but I just can't get past the toe thing. Convince me... or not.

yeh, I have some frees as well, but have not taken the plunge to the hobbit feets...

Too much money for rubber gloves for my feet?? To be honest I still spend more time on my bike than on foot in the outdoors and so have not been able to justify getting a pair.

I find it harder to get out on the bike with no trails nearby, dog, kids, husband, work (in order of importance) so have been hitting the pavement as much as time allows. Have done a couple of half marathons in the past but suffered with knee and itb pain so kind of gave it away for a while. I can churn out the k's in the Nike Free now with no pain issues but want something a bit more snug fitting and maybe with less spread in the soles - and no laces.

Trail wrote:yeh, I have some frees as well, but have not taken the plunge to the hobbit feets...

Too much money for rubber gloves for my feet?? To be honest I still spend more time on my bike than on foot in the outdoors and so have not been able to justify getting a pair.

I wonder how they'd be on some flat pedals.

Them there fivefinger things might be good for Kim with all her hipflexor/ knee nervey issues.

nagem wrote:So who is rolling these shoes on the streets?

After a few months of thrashing my first pair of Nike Free I am considering some vibrams but I just can't get past the toe thing. Convince me... or not.

Check out the New Balance Minimus. Now available in NZ and no monkey toes. I got mine for running but find myself wearing them mostly as my everyday shoes

The inov-8 running shoes do a pretty cool range of minimal and functional shoes - hi qual, unlike nike. especially Czech out the talon or baregrip range - they're seriously cool shoes and encourage the barefoot running style.

The few I've spoken here rave about them. check 'em out

And they're on wiggle