Vibram Five Fingers Shoes

Vibram Five Fingers shoes are the latest and greatest in healthy and natural footwear. Their revolutionary design mimics a bare foot by incorporating the contours of the foot, arch, and padding into the trademark of the shoe - the separate toe spaces. Vibram claims that their Five Fingers line of shoes is more healthy for the feet and the overall bone structure of the body because their shoes emulate natural bare feet and thus stimulate and strengthen the foot muscles. Wearing Vibram Five Fingers shoes is an essential part of improving foot and leg strength, agility, balance, and the neurological sensory receptors. In many cases, Five Fingers wearers also claim a reduction in back pain as a result of long term usage of the shoes.

The Vibram Five Fingers shoes are able to offer such good health benefits and anatomical support because of the special materials used, special design, and the quality assured assembly process. The most notable feature about the unique shoe are the five separate toe spaces. These spaces, along with the rubbery and felxible sole of the shoe, provide the "backbone" of the health benefits of the shoes. They strengthen and stretch the muscles of the foot which influences the improvement of balance and agility. The rubbery sole also allows the foot to move naturally and freely by following its natural anatomical contour. The various lines and "razor-siped" soles let the wearer maintain maximum stability without the threat of slippage. The mesh and spandex-material upper let the foot breathe freely while wicking away moisture and also adhering to the contour of the upper foot. Instead of laces the shoes are fastened and held on with a pull tab allowing the shoes to be as tight and snug as possible, yet still comfortable.

Vibram first came out with their Five Fingers line of shoes in 2007, and won accolades and awards for their unique and purposeful invention. Since then, the Five Fingers product line has grown into a variety of different styles and colors. All Vibram Five Fingers shoes are machine washable for added simplicity and cleaning convenience.

FiveFingers Classic. The Five Fingers classic is the original Vibram Five Fingers shoes concept. It has all of the features of the flexible rubber sole with an open area on the top of the foot which allows for a faster drying shoe when wet.

FiveFingers KSO. The KSO style is one of the newer styles and is seen in black in the picture to the right. The KSO has a closed upper which is designed to keep things such as sand, gravel, and other elements out. The strap across the top keeps the shoe snug and tight, and the special razor-siped sole lets the wearer grip the surface without any fear of slipping.

FiveFingers Sprint. The Sprint is simply the Classic style with a strap for a more snug and custom fit.

FiveFingers Flow. The Flow is a modified version of the FiveFingers KSO. The Flow has a thicker and more rugged upper to protect against colder temperatures and resist penetration from water.

Hiking/Climbing. The super-snug and custom fit and perfect contour of the shoe to the foot with the grip-ability of the specially designed sole allow the wearer to grip and climb rocks and focus more on climbing than worrying about slipping. The flexible sole also allows the foot to be more felxible, which means that the climber can climb and accomplish more complex faces and positions.

Running/Exercise. For a basic way to keep the legs and feet more healthy and agile, walking or running in Vibram FiveFingers will do the trick. Soreness may be experienced in the initial few days, but once the muscles are strenghtened and built, walking and running in the FiveFingers shoes will be a breeze.

Kayaking/Fishing/Outdoors.  The tougher and thicker material found in the FiveFingers Flow style are perfect for those who are kayakers, canoers, avid fishers, or general outdoorsmen.  The thick upper of the shoe protects against the heavier elements and outdoor hazards while also providing a layer of protection from the colder temperature of the water or ground during the cooler months.

Yoga/Pilates/Martial Arts/Indoor. FiveFingers shoes have the grip and flexibility needed to accomplish the more difficult positions and moves of yoga, pilates, and martial arts. If none of these activities are personally interesting, consider adding the Vibram FiveFingers shoes to your collection as a pair of comfortable and healthy slippers.

Unique brands like Vibram and their line of Five Fingers shoes often catch the eye of different celebrities and well known personalities. Usually a well known person finds out about the brand, adopts it as a favorite, and as a result the public finds out about it. Here are just a few fairly famous people who have adopted the Vibram Five Fingers shoe line and have given the shoes substantial publicity.

Tim Ferriss. Tim Ferriss is a successful entrepreneur and author, and is known for being a world traveler with an active lifestyle and love for exercise. He has undertaken many different exercise and outdoor activities, and has recently blogged and made a video about his unique Vibram FiveFingers shoes.

Mark Ecko.  Mark Ecko is the designer behind the super-successful premium fashion line Ecko.  He posted a short blurb on his blog about the FiveFinger shoes and how cool they are, but that he would probably not choose to wear them in public.