When I met Steve, I still had pre-surgery flipper feet and he was very much in his track star era. He was training to run marathons and was all about the barefoot running movement, rocking five finger Vibrams everywhere he went & making me swear to read his new favorite book, Born to Run. It was after reading this book that it became pretty apparent that my issues was the fact, I was indeed not born to run, but I still found the stories of the amazing women of the Copper Canyons who ran hundreds of miles filled me with wonder.

Five Finger Vibrams are supposed to give the wearer a feeling of almost not wearing any shoes at all while also adding a little bit of protection, traction and support. Invented by Italian man Robert Fliri in 1999, they were adopted by Vibram, who were renowned for their climbing shoes and slip resistant soles. The five fingers were marketed mainly towards climbers and for boating where the toes added the advantage of a little extra bit of grab and as well as being marketed towards people seeking the sensation of barefoot running.

After my foot surgeries my physical therapist advised me to make sure I did indeed walk around barefoot to help rebuild some of the muscles in my feet so I decided to give Steve’s Vibrams a try.

They are definitely shoes that will work out your foot muscles, when I wore them simply for strolling around it was like getting a small PT work out for sure, but they really shone when Steve and I spent some time exploring some trails on the Quartz Mountains.

Scampering up the side of a mountain had never been so easy. Not a single bit of slip or slide, I imagined myself as some strange silly monkey jumping from rock to rock, nimbly avoiding places that might hide a sleeping snake.

Meanwhile, in some thick, sturdy boots that he was testing out, Steve, stumbled and lumbered after me. To their credit, the steel toes of the boots did a great job at protecting his toes from al the rocks he stubbed them on, but there was a definite difference in the ease at which we were fining the trail and for once I was the leader.

In terms of functionality, they do what they are supposed to do, grip stuff really well & allow a lot of breathability. I highly recommend them for adventures that are going to involve activities like climbing or boating.

Unlike Steve, I do not recommend them for literally everything for everyone. I have seen this man attend a wedding as a groomsman and worn his five fingers. While I do think Vibrams are definitely a vibe…. its a very special vibe. I personally find it difficult to style them without putting a lot of effort into the look, but I will not say that its impossible not to put together some fresh fit with some five fingers.

I am also sure they definitely might be suitable for some runners but for me, the lack of support over time makes five fingers a difficult wear over long periods of time for me personally & the tops don’t offer very much in the way of protection from anything falling on them, or getting stepped on so I don’t advise them for city exploration, or long treks. One thing I do enjoy about them however if most pairs are fairly small and lightweight so they are pretty easy to throw into a bag as an extra shoe for times just in case I do end up in a situation where I need a little extra grip!

I must confess as well, I love them for things like corner store runs and quick trips out of the house. Some of the lightweight pairs with velcro are almost as easy to put on as a pair of sandals & without the embarrassing noise accompaniment of FLOP FLOP FLOP announcing your arrival against the sidewalk of traditional flip flops.

The pairs in the photos that Steve and I are wearing are v-treks I believe. Lately I’ve been thinking about picking up a pair for summer or the next time I decide to head back to Vietnam. I’m still deciding but I will let you all know if I decide on a style! What do you guys think? Have you tried them out?