Terra Plana Vivobarefoot Neo

Awhile ago, I mentioned my search for a pair of water-resistant if not water proof minimalist shoes, which led me to the Vivobarefoot Neo. Initially, I was looking at the Evo design because of how nice it looked and the number of good reviews it received. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a Plana Terra store locally, but they were out of Evo sizes for me. Instead, the attendant recommended the new Neo.

From comparisons online, the local store offers competitive prices which makes it much more sensible to shop from the store despite some lack of sizes and designs. The upside is potential discounts during sales, and the opportunity to do a thorough fitting for sensitive things such as shoes! The Neos are cheaper than the Evos too, so I bit the bullet. After putting it through much use, here's my thoughts on it.

Design

The Neos are a pair of pretty shoes! There are 4 colour choices, each with its own tone and accents. While I eventually settled for the black/yellow pair, my initial pair was the white/red/grey one. It was such a lovely pair of shoes that grew on me, and I was almost tempted to get the same design when I exchanged the shoes for a larger size. In fact, I loved it so much that I photographed the white/red/grey pair instead of my black/yellow ones.

However, given that this were going to be my wet weather shoes, it didn't make sense to get whites that would might well turn brown the moment I splash into a puddle. I'm not a great fan of cleaning, and I was advised not to machine wash the Neos due to the mesh, using a toothbrush instead. In the end, practicality trumped fashionability on this one, and I convinced myself to stick to the black ones for easier maintenance.

The shoes are very aesthetically designed, featuring a mesh upper with suede at the sides, giving it a classy look. The selective use of accents also help to make the shoes pop and look eye-catching. From any angle, these look like an upmarket pair of running shoes. They are also very versatile and look good for a casual evening out. I've drawn compliments from a number of people who've seen me in my Neos.

The Neo has an antibacterial, removable insole, which I promptly removed after a couple of walks as I preferred more ground feel.

Fit
I had some initial difficulties getting the right fit for the Neo. While I fit snugly into a pair of size 40s at the shop with the size 41s feeling too large, the size 40s soon became too tight when moving around, the reason being the way the foot lengthens and splays during movement. I did notice the potential problem in the shop, but it felt like the slight bit of space I had was enough to accommodate once I got used to the shoes.

Unfortunately, that didn't happen. There was ample room for my big toe, but not my little toe, which soon developed a blister from the constant rubbing. I suspect this is partially due to the toe box being insufficiently wide, something I've seen several other comments mentioned, although it also depends on your foot width.

Luckily, the staff were happy to help me with an exchange to the size 41s, one of the great things of local purchases. While the 41s felt a little too roomy at first, I soon grew accustomed to them. There's still a tad too much space between the tip of the shoe and my toes, but at least now the shoes are wide enough to accommodate the width of my foot. It doesn't affect my running at all, although I did had some initial difficulties doing agility work with it, the shifting making it difficult to brake and shift directions suddenly.

Using a lace system, the shoes offer a great and snug fit once properly tightened. I like my lace shoes slightly loose for easy slip on and off, and the Neos work great in this respect. Most times I can put on and pull of the shoes very quickly, while it still remains sufficiently snug for running about. It also fits great with or without socks.

Barefoot Feel
The Neo offers a great barefoot feel once you remove the insole, although it's still different from being able to wiggle your toes freely a la the Vibrams. The sole is 4mm thick, and feels like the TrekSport when it comes to ground transmission. The insole provides additional cushion for those who feel they need it, but as a trade off removes quite a bit of ground feel.

The shoes are still quite flexible though, I can easily bend it toe to heel, and it offers little resistance to movement when worn. While I'm not sure what the shoes weigh in at, they are also very light, just slightly heavier than my Vibram KSOs.

As expected of minimalist shoes, there is no heel and arch support, while the heel is zero-drop.

Usage
The shoes are marketed as a pair of cross-trainers and should suit a wide variety of activities, although the mesh upper would make me hesitate bringing these on trail runs. Given their aesthetics, these are also a great pair of going-out shoes. They are my default when I need to meet new clients or parents, and in more formal situations where finger shoes might not be appropriate.

Besides my Classics, these are my next most worn pair of shoes for my walkabouts. While I did buy them for their water resistance, I was still a little hesitant because of the mesh uppers. However, they worked better than expected in wet environments, and I've managed to keep my feet dry even in light rain. This probably has something to do with the hydrophobic mesh upper stated as one of the features. Despite the water resistance, it still remains fairly breathable and my feet are not soaked in sweat after a day's walk.

The shoes are quite comfortable to wear with the cushioned insole, although footbed without the insole is slightly rougher with minimal cushioning. It's not a big issue though, and the texture helps to provide a little grip to reduce shifting when worn without socks and insole. The mesh uppers feel decent against the skin, though nowhere near as comfortable as the softer Vibram uppers. There was some initial chafing just below my right big toe, but that has since disappeared. That said, compared to your average running shoes, these are great for their comfort and lightness.

They also feature an interesting outsole design, with hexagonal patterns that supposedly offer more flex and better grip. It is also puncture resistant. Looking at the sole, I expected the small hex protrusion in the middle of the larger hex to wear pretty quickly, but so far only the ones on the V has faded, the rest are still there. Grip is excellent, and I've been able to move on wet terrain with minimal slippage.

Overall, the Vivobarefoot Neo are a great pair of minimalist shoes and an awesome alternative for those who can't get used to the Vibram look, are unable to fit in a pair, or not willing to fork out the local prices for it. It is also a great pair of casual shoes, making it a worthwhile bang for your buck.

Born to Run

Just finished reading the book 'Born to Run' by Christopher McDougall. Inspirational stuff I must say. Now I'm even more motivated than ever to work on a consistent running regime. The book has me even fantasizing about potentially running marathons and ultra-marathons. After all, we were born to run!

First came across the title of this book while doing further online research on Vibrams and barefoot running in general. For some reason, I had too much free time on a Thursday and decided it was time to indulge in a little intellectualism, going on my seasonal book binge.

Although most of the books I picked up were business related, this was the only book on running and man was it hard to find! I went first to Popular to try my luck since they were the nearest, followed by the Borders in Wheelock, before finally getting it at Takashimaya Kinokuniya. Talk about the wrong choice of bookstore memberships. That's the one that I let expired, when I'm still holding on to Times and Borders.

Complains aside, the book was awesome. It was the first on my to read list, telling the tale of how the author, despite being told by his podiatrist that he should abandon running due to his injuries and how he was simply 'not built for running', decided to look for a different answer, finally finding them in the Tamahumara tribe and a group of elite ultramarathoners.

While the book did touch on certain aspects of barefoot running, I felt the bigger focus was simply on the celebration of running and the sheer joy of rediscovering what it's like to be able to run light and free again. It really made me feel that even I could achieve great feats of running if I simply tried and corrected some of the misconceptions I've been told.

Especially inspirational for me was Caballo's idea of just thinking about running 'easy, light, smooth and fast'. Running should be just that simple. I also loved all the anecdotes about people who started running simply because they enjoyed it, and somehow blossomed into incredible endurance runners. If they could do it, why not me? Since I can't run fast, maybe I can run long!

Of course, the kicker was the idea of persistence hunting, of how humans in the past were able to run deers to exhaustion after 6-8 hour long chases. That's like ultra-marathon lengths! If a whole tribe of people could do it, I better damn well be able to do a comparatively simpler marathon.

At the base of it there's still the idea that modern running injuries and the description of running as a 'high impact sport' are due to modern shoes. As long as you're able to change your gait and revert to what was once natural, it hardly matters whether you're running barefoot, in Vibrams, or other minimalist shoes.

There's still so much more I'm not able to put down in words. The book itself is real motivational material. I'd encourage every runner and non-runner to pick it up and try out some of the ideas. Just don't be too close-minded with it!

Vibram TrekSport

Initially, I was considering a pair of TrekSport or KSO Trek for trail running on my rare visits back to Penang. However, in terms of value, it didn't seem like an intelligent investment to drop a hefty sum of cash for something I'd only use a few times. Regardless, I didn't have much of a choice when I was forced to take it after having to swap my defective pair of KSOs in, since they didn't have sizes for other shoes.

Anyway, so here I am with a pair of TrekSports, sharing my thoughts on it.

Design
The TrekSport comes in a nice variety of colours, with 4 for the men, and 4 for the ladies, although they share two common colours. While I would have loved to the get champagne/red or the red/black, the local store only had a pure black variant of the TrekSport. From the official Vibram website, that colour is no longer available, and is a black/charcoal variant instead.

In terms of looks, the TrekSport is quite similar to the the KSOs although there are some improvements in features. The strap now has two small strips of reflectors and one more small one behind. These seem to be mostly decorative, going by their size and position. Another notable feature that has a cosmetic effect is the TPU toe reinforcement to help reduce wear and tear at the toe area, giving it a slightly reflective black shade.

This model features a thicker 4mm outsole and has an EVA midsole for plating protection, as well as the standard Aegis anti-microbial treatment.

Fit
The TrekSport is a newer model that comes after the KSO, and follows the same size chart. As such, I went with the same size 40 on my KSOs. Since I got to try this out at the store, they fit pretty well. There's still the nagging issue of my horrible little toe, but it's almost unnoticeable once I start running in these. I've also worn my Injinji toe socks in these, and it still fits snug without becoming constricting.

Similar to the KSOs, putting it on can be a little difficult at first due to the snug upper, but once it's on it stays on. The tightening system is also similar, with a dual function velcro strap that loops around the heel to tighten both the lateral side and the heel area.

One new adjustment over the KSOs is the wider and cushier heel tab, which results in a more comfortable fit when the back of the shoe presses against the Achilles tendon. The TrekSports are also fairly stretchy and forgiving in the sizing, so I suppose they will fit better over time.

Barefoot Feel
Given how the TrekSport is slightly thicker and the way the outsole is designed, the ground feel for it is much reduced compared to the KSOs or Classics. I suppose this is a necessary trade-off for more foot protection since this is supposed to be a trail running shoe. I can still feel the ground much better compared to other shoes, but once I slap on a pair of socks, it's pretty muted.

The flexibility of the shoes go down a bit too because of the slightly stiffer mid-sole. There's still a lot of flex though, so it shouldn't really affect running activity. It weighs in a little heavier at about 180grams on each side.

All else is as expected from minimalist shoes, with no heel and arch support, and a zero drop.

Usage
These shoes are designed primarily for trekking, hence the namesake, although it can obviously be used for running and travelling as well. It's supposed to be rugged and tough and all that jazz.

However, I have my concerns with this pair of shoes. Since I don't go trail running much, my primary running surface is on asphalt, which I believe it's much harder wearing on the sole than trails. Trails may be uneven, rough, and peppered with the occasional rock, but at least the overall surface is still going to be softer than concrete pavement or road asphalt. That said, I haven't ran trails in these, so I could be wrong.

Regardless, the sole of the TrekSport is much different from the KSO and Classic. Instead of the razor sipping, they've gone with textured surfaces and grooves, giving it a much more aggressive grip. However, the last time I saw protrusions and spikes made of rubber at the bottom of my footwear, they flattened out in two weeks. As such, I have my doubts, and I'm keeping these in the back burner for when I finally find time to go trail running.

In the meantime though, it has held up decently for the few runs I've used it for, as well as a game of badminton. The sole grips well on a variety of surfaces, despite my initial concern that it might slip on the smoother surface of a multi purpose hall.

The upper is similar to the KSO, and is very breathable but not at all water resistant. I enjoy wearing these without socks like my KSOs, but socks are a necessary evil to me for longer runs so I don't stink up my shoes too quickly.

Overall, the TrekSport is feels rugged and offers great foot protection, but it comes at a cost of heavier and thicker shoes, reducing some amounts of ground feedback. This will probably not become my main running shoes, but it's a good backup to have on those trail running occasions.

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.

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.