This review was written by member Mitchell Lewis.
Sure thing, I'd be happy to. They're KSOs.
FIT:
At first they feel really strange. You've got fabric between your toes, so this is understandable. After wearing them and training in them for 15 minutes, however, you don't notice you're wearing shoes anymore. They're form fitting, since they aren't measured like a normal shoe size (you submit how long your foot is in inches) and the strap wraps behind the heel/ over the arch of your foot.
FLEXIBILITY:
I've used them for 1" Wall Walks, 1" Cat Walks, Speed/Lazy/Kong Vaults, landings, wall runs, rolls... as David Belle said, "The best shoes are bare feet!" These are as close as it's going to get.
WEIGHT:
5.7oz each shoe. Really light.
GRIP:
The most important thing about grip with these is the use of your toes. When they're not trapped in a shoe tip form, you realize how much work they actually do for you. The bottom material is unremarkable, but it works. It's solid rubber with very little actual "tread," but they have small variances in the toes, heel, etc.
BREATHABILITY:
It's a mesh on top and a lightweight material, you'll almost be able to feel the wind through them.
CUSHIONING:
There's precious little padding on these. It exists, but the purpose of the Vibram KSO is to simulate bare feet without the pain accompanying gravel running, concrete running, etc etc. To that extent, it does a great job. I could run all day in these. Just make sure you have your landings and rolls perfected or you're going to feel it.
Durability
I'll get the bad news out first, but you need to promise to keep reading: As much as I loved these shoes, they survived a mere 10 days of 1.5h-2h training. That said, I'm inclined to say it was a freak accident caused by the mesh on top catching on a part of the keystone wall I was practicing wall runs on. They didn't get destroyed, but they got a small hole poked through the top. As we know, fabric frays and gets worse, so I sent them back and asked for a new pair (still waiting on the new ones. We'll see if they hold to the 30 day guarantee). All that said, they're advertised for being able to handle rock climbing, canyoneering, running, fitness training, and martial arts. I would hope TIME magazine wouldn't declare them one of the best inventions of 2007 if they commonly wore out that fast.
Price
I was very happy with the $85 spent before they died. I hope to be just as happy when the new pair (or my old pair? They send them back to you if they disagree and think you abused them).
GENERAL COMMENTS:
It's important to think about the benefits of barefoot training. It makes your ankles and foot muscles stronger since they aren't being babied anymore. This increases jumping power. If you can do Parkour barefoot, you can do Parkour in almost any kind of shoe. Since you're not going to have time to strap on your special shoes in an emergency, I would consider this an extremely useful ability.
The Bottom Line:
Assuming my problem with their durability was indeed a freak accident, I would highly recommend these "shoes." They force you to concentrate on your technique, especially with landings, since you can't count on something cushy. They protect, but they don't molly-coddle.
Pros:
Good grip
Forces you into technique perfection
Lightweight
Breathable
Ankle and foot muscle buildup
"WTF IS ON YOUR FEET?!" from bystanders
Cons:
Possible durability issue
Little padding
"WTF IS ON YOUR FEET?!" from bystanders
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