Vibram Classic

Alright, I didn't run over the weekend because of the nagging pain in my right foot. Not about to take chances with any injuries, so I shall make it up by talking about the Classics. At least I'm still keeping my mind on running, haha!

I've been wearing them for walking around and running, so might as well pen down some of my thoughts. It's seen the most use so far among my Vibrams, simply because I walk around so much and probably clock more distance walking than running.

Design
The Classic are the first iteration of the FiveFingers, presumably that's why it's called Classic. However, colour options are sadly limited though, with 3 for the men, and 4 for the ladies. I went for the Walnut because black was too boring, while I'm not really a fan of green. If I ever get another pair though, I might swing for a Mauve or 'Stormy Sea' from the ladies.

The main reason why I went for the Classics was because I wanted something for a daily walkabout and casual wear. The Classics are easy enough to slip on and off quickly like slippers, and the walnut colour lends a cosy, casual feel to it. Perfect complement to my laid-back look!

Again, like most Vibrams, this is machine washable and comes with the Aegis anti-microbial treatment on the insole. I've dumped this into the wash a number of times now in a laundry bag, and it's held up well so far. I was initially afraid the sole might peel off because it's just glued on, but it's been fine.

Fit 
The Classics apparently run one size smaller than the KSOs from the sizing chart, so I ordered a size 41 online this time. From some research I've done post-purchase though, it seems Vibrams in general are not very consistently produced, with sizes varying slightly across colours and designs. As it turns out, my Classics are a little tighter than my KSO size 40s.

This does present a dilemma for me, which at present I'm not certain whether it's going to lead to potential problems. My right little toe is about half a cm longer than my left little toe, which means it gets a little scrunched up in the toe pocket even in the KSOs. I get used to it after awhile and stretch out the material a bit. But for the Classics, it doesn't stretch out enough and always feels a little tight on the little toe, giving the overall foot a slightly cramped feeling. Not sure if this is what caused the injury in the first place, since the pain is only acute in Classics.

The tightness is only on the right foot though, the left foot fits perfectly. It's extremely easy to put on, and remains snug on my foot. The tightening system uses and elastic cord that runs around the edge of the upper to the back of the heel. I don't need to tighten the elastic cord and it stays on fine, even when running. The only thing that irritated me at first was the heel tab, as it kept poking at my Achilles tendon. Nowadays I don't really notice it anymore though. Either I got used to it or there's been a change in my walking gait.

Barefoot Feel
Of all my Vibrams so far, the KSO, Treksport and Classic, the Classics give me the best barefoot feel as I can really feel the ground with this. I take delight in purposely stepping over textured surfaces just to feel the ground through the Classics. The website doesn't state the thickness of the soles for the Classics, but I've a feeling it's slightly thinner than the KSO.

However, the insole also feels a little more compact and hard, like the sole of a shoe that's been worn in for a long time. The other shoes feel softer and more comfortable in this respect. That said, it doens't seem to affect the flexibility at all, as the shoes can be bent or flexed in anyway you can imagine. It literally is a foot glove! It's lighter than the KSO too, at 150grams on each side.

The shoes have no heel and arch support, and are zero drop, as expected from minimalist shoes.

Usage
The 'official' uses for the Classics are fitness, travelling, yoga/pilates and after sports, although quite a number of people run and climb in them too. I use it for daily walkabouts and the occasional run. The small size will also see it becoming a backup shoe for me on longer runs and when travelling.

This pair of shoes has the most battered look among my lot despite less than a month of use because it's been through at least two downpours. I don't typically carry an umbrella, and had to walk for 15 minutes in the rain one time, with only my bag covering my head. Needless to say, the Classics were thoroughly soaked. Unfortunately, the Classics do not exactly dry fast, and I was left with soggy feet the rest of the day, even though I took it off for about 90 minutes at one point hoping it would dry out a bit.

On the upside though, it didn't display any sole problems unlike my KSOs. Everything is still intact and it has yet to fall apart.

The interesting razor-sipped sole also has a pretty good grip. So far, I've only experienced minor slips on certain smooth surfaces when I try hard to test its grip. Even in the rain, I was very surefooted and felt that I could run comfortably if I needed to.

My favourite thing about the Classics is the ease of wearing, and how much more breathable it is compared to the KSO. It's almost like a slipper except that my toes are covered. Since the rest of the instep is exposed, my foot hardly feels warm and stuffy.

Overall, this would be my favourite pair of Vibrams, if not for the as of now minor cramping in the right little toe. I'd love to try out different colours at some point and hopefully find a pair that fits better.

Toe Socks!

Shortly after getting my KSOs, I started hunting for toe socks.

I'm not exactly a barefoot purist, swinging much more to the practical and functional side of things. So wearing socks to reduce the infamous stink in my KSOs seemed a better idea than going for a thin as possible foot padding.

Despite having seen them around in some distant memory before, I couldn't for the life recall where they were sold. After searching around unsuccessfully, I decided to reach for my best friend eBay.

A quick search found me some Injinji micro crew socks with free international shipping, so I bit. The socks took a better part of two weeks to arrive.

If you've never worn toe socks before, these can be a little difficult to slide on at first. Even with practice, the process is still a little slow. Unfortunately, these are the only type of socks Vibrams will take.

The main difference between these and regular socks besides the obvious toe pockets is the extra material between each toe. Since there's essentially two layers between each toe, it feels like they are being spread a little wider.

The upside to that though, is the lack of the sticky feeling between your toes during perspiration, since the socks will pick up moisture between the toes, leaving a nice dry feeling. Guess it'll also help to reduce incidences of athlete's foot between the toes too.

The socks are thin enough that I can still squeeze my toes into my Vibrams without losing blood, although it does make them feel someone bloated and tight. The feeling fades away after awhile of walking around in them though.

Of course, they also fit into normal shoes. So now I have yet another item to add to my collection if curios!

Post Classics Stress Syndrome

Erk. After the run with the Classics, my right foot is starting to hurt a bit. The Classics feel somewhat harder than the KSOs or Treksports. Either that or they might feel thinner and give my feet more impact from the concrete. Regardless, it's not good.

Today, it got so bad that walking with the Classics became nearly impossible. I couldn't walk properly on the right foot because it hurt every time I shifted my weight to the forefoot. I had to compensate by keeping my weight on the blade of the entire foot instead, until I made it home to change into my Tevas. Instantly, the pain was relieved.

Strangely, when I walk around barefoot I have no problem with the pain either. So it must be something about the Classics that's giving me the pain. Could it be because of that cramped right little toe? I did a comparison the other day and discovered that my right little toe is a good half-cm longer than my left little toe. Made me really conscious about how all the Vibrams fit on my foot after that. With the Classics, they are the tightest fit, and it might be the aggravating factor for the foot pain.

Time to revert to my Tevas for the time being.

Update: I was reading up online about injuries from wearing Vibrams, and apparently one common injury is metatarsal stress fracture. Eek. Hopefully that's not what I have, but I'm definitely gonna take it easy. 

3rd Run

Alright, I'm still here! Just finished the 3rd run, although I took a shorter 20 minute run as I had a long day and didn't sleep well the night before. Didn't want to overstrain myself since I still have an early day tomorrow.

Short lap around the neighbourhood, this time in my Vibram Classics. I've found over the course of the week that they don't come loose that easily and thought I'd give them a try with a run. Turns out they stay on pretty well on runs too! Come to think of it, don't really need the KSOs anymore if these one can hold its on. But what to do, I'm a shopaholic and I couldn't help getting a new pair with funky colours.

Anyway, despite feeling tired and drained initially, I felt super energetic when I finished the run. Almost tempted to extend the run, but decided against it in case it was just an adrenaline high. Wouldn't want to crash later and suffer exhaustion the next day.

That said, I've always been a little addicted to adrenaline as a quick pick me up. Training when I've got a stuffy nose or just feeling overall down makes me feel good after, as the adrenaline somehow resets my system and gets me up and running again. On extended periods when I don't get to train for days, I end up all miserable and my sinuses kick into overdrive.

Weird huh.

Vibram KSO

Alright, time to talk shoes! The first pair of minimalist shoes I bought for running was the Vibram KSOs, simply because it was so unusual! Once I started wearing it around though, I wanted more and soon ordered a pair of Classics for daily wear as well. The KSO's strap system and covered upper was too cumbersome when I needed to take off and put them off quick, so I was hoping the Classics would fill the gap.

In the meantime, I wore the KSOs for a week long trip back to Malaysia, hoping to see how it'd perform off road when climbing the Penang Hill. Unfortunately, I didn't get to go to the hill this trip, but I did get a lot of attention from relatives and family friends whenever they saw me sporting it. I also managed to put in a fair bit of time walking about in it and overall getting used to the Vibram feel.

The KSOs stand for Keep Stuff Out, and are produced by a brand Vibram Five Fingers. Vibram actually started out as a maker of shoe soles, but somehow decided to add the Five Fingers to their product line as well. They have a whole bunch of these toe shoes, in different models and colours to suit your needs. However,  Let's take a more in-depth look at the KSOs!

Design
The KSOs come in a wide variety of unique colours, 5 for the men, and 4 more different colours for the ladies. You could probably reach across the gender divide for colour options if you're able to fit the sizes, and there are also additional colours if you manage to get some of the older models. Being a gaudy person, I went for the red/black remix. The red on the upper is a tad too bright compared to the red on the strap, and I would have preferred the upper in a slightly darker shade that matched it.

Beyond the colour, the overall shoe design is also pretty unique if you've never seen toe shoes before. The 5 toe pockets are distinctively different and I've had a lot of people admiring my shoes in public. At least I'd like to think they are, since a few friends have also commented on how ugly they look. I think they're just jealous that I dare to wear them.

Jokes aside, the shoe features a thin 2mm insole, and a 3.5mm non-marking outsole, making it really thin. The insole also features their Aegis anti-microbial treatment to reduce funk, and the shoe is machine-washable.

Fit
If you've never tried a pair of Vibrams, I strongly suggest going to a physical store to wiggle around in it before making any online purchases. I'm really bad with shoe sizes myself, and can never remember what size I'm in, so fitting is even more important for me.

After trying on the KSOs, I fit their size 40 best, with the size 41 having toe pockets that are too long for my toes to snuggle into. This probably means that even one size off would be a bad fit, so you really need to get the right size. If you plan to get more than one model of Vibrams, be sure to check the size chart each time, as different models may have different sizing! For example, 40 on the KSOs are 41 on the Classics.

The covered upper can make it a little difficult to slide on due to the snugness, but once put on, it stays on and doesn't shift, especially with the velcro strap to secure it. The velcro is attached to a strap that loops around the heel, so tightening it not only secures the lateral side of the shoes like in most normal shoes, but also tightens the heel area to make it more secure. It took awhile to get used to sliding the right toes into the right pockets, but after awhile I got the hang of it and could wear them with one hand.

Another important reason to try out the shoes first is to see whether the Vibram cut is for you. Unfortunately, the Vibram is a mass market product, and has to cater to the majority of shoe wearers. So if you have a foot that's a little different from the masses, e.g. one foot is one size bigger than the other, slightly longer toes, Morton's toes, etc, it might or might not work for you. The only way to find out is to wiggle around in them. The KSOs are supposedly the most forgiving of the bunch, but don't take anyone's word for it. Try the other models too and see what works best.

Barefoot Feel

First off, I must say that the feel and freedom of the Vibrams are unlike any other footwear. The ability to flex and wiggle the toes freely, while still having the sole attached to the foot is an awesome feeling indeed. You'll know what I mean when you get the front of your sandals trapped on something because it drooped a little lower than your toes. With shoes, the toe box is seldom big enough for much wiggle room in the first place.

Moreover, the rubber sole is very flexible, and you can easily bend the whole shoe in half, so there's very little restriction when flexing the foot. This, coupled with its light weight of 160 grams on each side, means you barely feel it there at all! 

The shoes offer no heel and arch support whatsoever, as expected from minimalist shoes, and the sole thickness is more or less even throughout so there's no sense of elevation at the heel area.

Given how thin the the sole is, supposedly a total of 5.5mm including insole and outsole, the ground transmission on these are superb. I can really feel every pebble and debris on the ground, as well as texture such as carpet and asphalt. At the same time, they offer protection against small sharp objects like shards of glass, though it might not protect against larger objects like a sharp rock. Just keep your eyes open instead thrashing around like a gorilla.

Usage
The shoes are stated as suitable for a wide range of activities, including fitness, running, water sports, yoga/pilates, travelling, trekking, and after sports. I can definitely see these used for rock climbing and bouldering activities thanks to the increased feel and the ability to grip with toes. They work decently well for a game of badminton too!

My only concern initially was the durability of the shoes. The soft mesh upper will definitely be susceptible to rips and tears on rough terrain. Despite some users saying that they've used it for 2 years, I was skeptical given how thin the uppers and the sole was. It didn't look like it'll last long before the sole wore out. Also, the sole seemed to be glued to the upper, another concern as I've had a number of running shoes with their soles peeling off when it was glued on without stitching.

The only way I'll know for sure is to clock as many kilometres I can in them to see how long it takes to wear the sole out. But the thing I do like about the sole is the way they cut the grooves at the bottom. Unlike conventional shoes, the Vibrams have wavy lines 'sliced' into the rubber that's more visible when you bend the sole. I'm not sure how deep they've sliced it, but it seems like an ingenious solution to the usual shoes with their textured grips that eventually wear flat over time. Perhaps this contributes to the sole lasting longer than what it might seem at first. The rubber sole also extends up to the front of the toe and back to the heel, giving extra grip for activities beyond running. 

One thing I like about the Vibrams is how breathable it is compared to normal shoes. Being so thin and ventilated, it doesn't get stuffy and uncomfortable compared to normal shoes. The feeling of the soft upper material on the skin is great, and there's no real need for socks except to keep the stink out of the shoes. The soft upper and flexible sole also makes it extremely comfortable compared to the stiffness of some cross-trainers. The flip side though, is that these shoes are extremely susceptible to wet weather and terrain, since they are not one bit water resistant.

The sole did peel slightly away from the upper on one side of my KSOs after a week or so of light use though, and I was deeply disappointed, especially after forking out an arm and a leg for local pricing. Fortunately, after an email to the local distributor, I was told that it was unusual and my set would be replaced. The bad news however, was that KSOs in my size were out of stock, so I had to settle for a pair of KSO Treksports, not exactly what I had in mind, since my planned running terrain was asphalt.

Eventually, I ordered another pair of KSOs online for asphalt running, as it seems like the sole might be more suitable, and because I prefer the thinner sole anyway.

Overall, I really enjoy the KSOs in terms of looks and comfort, as well as running functionality. I'd recommend these to anyone if they can stomach the local price tag, or have the means to get it directly from the States.

Second Run

Ok, so I managed to force myself out on my weekly run again. Good to see I'm still with the programme, haha. Went for a slightly longer run this time, clocking in around 38 minutes or so. I'm still exploring the neighbourhood, so I'm just picking random routes and turning in and out of small roads to get a feel for the area. Using an online distance calculator, it's only been about 4.5km, which means I'm running really slowly!

Shoes of choice this time was the Treksports, as I returned my defective KSOs in between, and had no other Vibrams to use. While I wasn't exactly keen on wearing down the Treksports sole on asphalt, it was a lesser evil compared to my now comparatively bulkier and clumsier cross-trainers.

After last week's run, I had some sores in the calves and couldn't skip properly, but this week it seems like the aches will be more on the glutes instead. Haven't been paying much attention to my form, but seems alright for most part, the right ITB only coming in to irritate a little. Time to up the distance!

Day 1

This is it. My first day on my new running regime and my first run of the year. I've just came back from my first evening run in my Vibram KSOs. Talk about the number of firsts in one day.

It's been awhile, but the last time I ran I could do 30 minutes, so I decided to keep to it even in the Vibrams. I supposed that since I'm barefoot whenever I can, my feet should be sufficiently strong to handle it.

Well, I was partially right. The 30 minute run was bearable, and I loved how light I felt in the Vibrams. However, walking around for a few days in them are still different from running in them.

For the first 5 minutes, I could hear the pounding of my feet on the pavement, which I found rather odd since I should be landing lighter and absorbing the impact on my natural suspension system.

Gradually, I tried softening the sound and impact with my calves, so it became much quieter after that, at the expense of my calf muscles. I suspect that's something to do with my gait, incorrectly adjusted for the Vibrams.

There's also a light pain on my right knee, which I felt the last time I ran a few months back. I suspect it's my IT band, though this time round the pain is lighter and only on one side instead of both. Hopefully this will improve in subsequent runs.