Has anyone tried Vibram Five Fingers?

[Eric]

I've recently become increasingly interested in these as I see more and more of them during running races:

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/

Has anybody tried them? I'm curious to know the thoughts of anyone who has experience with them.

[Robert]

Yes, they are "interesting" but only for softer surfaces. I find them more of a gimmick, personally. Not impressed.

[Eric]

Hmm. Care to expand on that? I'm not keen on dropping $80 just to give them a spin, so I'm trying to solicit honest opinions. Which model do you have? Seems like the thicknesses and whatnot vary quite a bit.

I'm in a bit of a lull running-wise right now, so if I was to transition to something like these (where it takes a bit of patience to train your body to use them), now would be the time.

[Robert]

Those things aren't very solid, so they don't have a lot of cushioning or support. Not a good idea to run very far on the road with them. They are comfortable and probably good for lighter hikes and such, but for serious running, err... no. They also have a tendency to break down very quickly, from what I have read (http://gearjunkie.com/gear-review-vibram-usa-fivefingers).

[Eric]

Hrm. I was under the impression that the step changed in these, to where you run more on the balls of your feet. A friend who has them says that this requires significantly more calf strength, so it takes time to adapt to them.

Sounds like you had a different experience altogether.

[omegadot]

I see a lot of guys use them for PT. I've never run in them myself, but I've seen them used for road running. Shoes are and extremely personal thing, though. If you are thinking of trying out new running shoes, you should always consult a professional anyway.