I just got this amazing comment from Kalin on another post, and it spurred me to address in both comment and a new post. Basically, he loves the feel of his new Vibram Fivefingers, but his friend says they’re for “douchebags” and that girls will think he’s a loser.
This poses the 3rd largest problem with VFFs that I’ve encountered thus far (since August 2009).
- 1st issue was smell and cleaning care.
- 2nd issue was walking outside in wet weather.
- And now, we’re faced with the ultimate question: style.
For those of you dedicated to the cause, willing to wear our toe sock-looking VFFs day in and day out, how do you factor in your appearance?
Style Versus Substance
Do you just not care what people think? Really? Is it a sacrifice you’re willing to make for the greater good of health and comfort? What if girls stop taking you seriously? I mean, footwear is a REALLY BIG DEAL to some women. It says something about a man. 20 years ago, a man wore one of two pairs of shoes every day. They frequently wore down and looked ratty long before he upgraded to a new pair.
Not so today. Men’s shoes are selling faster than ever. Call it the metrosexual influence. Call it progress. Whatever you call it, the truth is that we men are judged by our shoes. Your shoe style says something about your personality and priorities. Are you uber fashionable? Are you too practical? Are you bland? Are you one of those guys who only bathes a couple times a week and wears the same shirt and jeans as often as possible before washing?
Women are evaluating you every day, based on what you wear.
Kalin’s Dilemma
I just got a pair of classics. Very comfy and love the sensation. thats the upshot
the down shot?
My buddy says they could feel like pussy on your feet but he wouldn’t be caught dead with those at in public like work or school. My buddy knows girls and they love his shoes and his smell. Most of my girls friends say shoes are a biggie with them when looking at men. So my thoughts are such; does anyone have a opinion on this? Would you rather get the benefits of the footwear or look socially correct, because as much as I hate the idea of fitting in with social boundaries I can see where being a single man on the EAST COAST i would look like a hippie douchebag even though Im not. Also my buddy has meet 3 ppl with these and all 3 were huge douchebags.
I don’t see a point in owning these if your not going to wear them all the time. It makes no sense to me to wear these just playing in the outdoors i feel that wearing them 24/7 instead of shoes is where you reap the real benefits.
Anyone agree disagree?
Well? Don’t leave him hangin’! What do YOU think?
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Hmmmm….hahaha I am married and my wife loves me regardless of the shoes. She is the only girl that I really need to impressed and I have already done that pre-VFF. Sorry for you single guys who are trying to impress ladies but can't because of the shoes. If a girl is more worried about the shoes you are wearing than who you really are, you don't need to hang with her. Some people are just so shallow.
I do wear mine 24/7. There is a hour on sunday when I am in the pulpit that I don't wear then so that people aren't staring at my feet the whole time in amazement of what I am wearing. Otherwise I wear there everywhere. And I have had people say they are cool looking and not ugly or “douchbags.” Not all people who wear VFF are douchbags. I know many awesome people who are good down-to-earth folk who wear VFF.
Second, the douchbags are the one's who will judge a person for the shoes or cloths they wear. Such a thing is school antics. Be yourself and find people who like you for who you are.
HAHA and for the record I bathe every morning and sometimes evening. If I have done nothing all day (be active) then I will wear the same clothes again.
That's awesome. Thanks for the feedback, Andrew. There's one other guy in my
church who wears VFFs, and I heard that one time when he was invited to
speak for a few minutes on stage, he was asked to wear different shoes. I
personally don't see what the big deal is. Everything is new and different
until it isn't.
Well said Andrew!! I'm not a guy so I can't speak from that perspective but I completely agree with what you say. If you judge someone by their SHOES, you're not worth being with. I don't understand why people think they are ugly, etc. They just look like your feet!
Ah! Admin I feel so special, lol. I was spurred to write about this when i showed up at my buddys house for a dinner date later on in the evening. Now just to be fair to my friend he loves the idea of the shoe. But he is a social person to the max! He has a man version of a crush on shoes. He SWEARS by his shoes and his “smell”. But i digress, he cannot bring himself to wear the shoes in public, just for hiking, bouldering and such. So he bluntly lays it on me that these are too weird to wear in public.
Now I can care less about what people think of me, when I was small all I wore was zubas. If you dont know what those are google it. Now I can understand where my friend comes from I really can. In the back of my head im thinking “SO WHAT!” And from a earlier posting Daniel the poet said something around finding a girl who will not judge from my “shoes”. My thoughts exactly!
Just looking for alittle love for the VFF i guess, ive decided to keep them. I only went with the black ones because REI is out for the year and their return policy is the BEST! Last ones in stock in my size too.
Thanks for all the love, Kalin
Thats what I though when he said that. I though those ppl are most likely douchbags before getting those shoes. I believe he didnt want to be associated with those ppl. He has also told me that he wished he could not care like me.
LOVE THESE SHOES
Case in point right there Cindy, YEA!
I have been wearing the Fives exclusively for over 4 years, and I have found them to be a continuous source of contact with strangers of which at least 50% are women. I guess the secret is you have to be confident in how and why you wear them. I am a trainer and pose running coach. I believe they are the best running footwear in the world and I am training for my first trail ultra in the Fives.
If you act like wearing FiveFingers not only feels but is cool, that is how it will seem to others watching you. As Al Green said to the then young Bill Withers, “just do what you do and do it good”. Max
Zubas?!?! Wow, now THAT'S a confession. :)
I've found that the grey VFF Sprints have been better received in public than my black Classics. I probably would have gotten the best reception from the grey KSOs, but each time I've tried them on, the sizes weren't quite right.
I wear black toed socks with my Classics to make them look more like shoes than slippers.
When I was still in scouts, I had some pretty crazy lookin zubas. I agree with the black slippers thing, but i would take REI's warranty over Vibrams anyday.
Kalin,
Allow me address a few of your concerns. 1. Your buddy is a douche bag so quit taking his advice. And your girl” friends” are shallow. 2. Go buy the KSO's they look less like ballerina slippers. 3. You don't have to wear your fivefingers all the time. Treat them like running shoes, you wouldn't wear them to the bar or on a date or to a court hearing. 4. Every where I go everyone (including hot chicks) ask me about my fivefingers and the reaction is always good. 5. I'm from the east coast and i take offense to your statement about being a hippie douche bag.
Howdy FiveFingerOfficionados!
I can't believe there's a thread going on about some random comment I made! I'm flattered really. You guys seem like a good group.
So, let me just start by saying that I'm not out to really attack anything in particular, not a shoe, not a lifestyle, and no group of people. I really like the KSO. This whole conversation was just a tidbit of a tangent about simply trying to help my buddy with any possible observations that might aid in his pursuit of love and lust. Let's be honest here, if you're trying to make headway with attractive young women in central Connecticut, and you're already in a streak of shutouts to boot, you might want to make sure you've batten down all the hatches before you cast off. I'm trying to say this as constructively as possible while still making my point, but after all, like Donald said, I must be a douchebag.
I'd like to reply specifically to Donald actually:
1.a. You could be right. b. I've known Kalin, and most of the girls he's made any progress with, I can assure you the variety covers the spectrum, but you are correct in the aspect that most people are indeed shallow. 2. Couldn't have said it any better myself. 3. I used an eerily similar sentence when I was explaining that same point during the very conversation that spurred Kalin to originally post his comment. 4. It's good to hear that. 5. Again, I couldn't have said it any better myself.
In summation, I support the shoes and the lifestyle. I participate in enough sport and outdoor activity that I would be wearing these 50% of the time anyway, despite having to wear hard bottom shoes and other uncomfortable and ridiculous business attire for my 8-5 job. On the other end of the spectrum if I wore these to my second job at the ski shop I could probably move enough units to earn a free pair, and get a few phone numbers to boot. I'm only half kidding there.
Thanks for hearing my view. Take care.
Rich
I've had similar experience, Max. I get the most comments at movie theaters and restaurants. Though I usually eat lunch four times a week at Whole Foods, almost no one ever says anything there. Go figure. They're used to the fruits and the nuts. :)
My experience is that people who really like my VFFs take the time to tell me. Those who think they look stupid tend to stare out of the corner of their eye and not say a word (think manly construction worker types). They're trying not to be rude by not drawing attention to their staring.
I think I disagree, Cindy. When a woman is looking at a man, and determining whether he is suitable long-term relationship material, a relevant question is: “Would he be comfortable in the social circles I frequent?” Say you just happen to be involved in a career where formal dining is required on a semi-regular basis. Could this man fill the role of date / husband in those circles?
I'm in Web Marketing. When I go with our sales person to pitch a prospect, I usually wear my VFFs. Many types of clients love them. But when, for example, we pitched a local banking institution last week, I wore “normal” shoes. Why? Because I'm comfortable enough with who I am to move in and out of different social circles. I can be more formal, and I can be uber casual.
But I do think that there's a segment of the VFF nation who only wear VFF type shoes and fit more into the unbathed, quasi-hippy adventurer. These types might NOT conform to dress codes no matter how much it means to the girl.
Rich, I withdraw my prior statement about you been a douche bag, in fact, you seem rather intelligent. I'm sure we agree that our friend needs to worry less about seducing women and more about the benefits that come with this innovative product. Have a nice day.
I've been wearing black VFF KSOs to work almost every day for about 4 months. I commute to and from New York City, including riding the subway, so hundreds if not thousands of people see me and my favorite shoes every day.
I am constantly answering questions about them.
Now I am a happily married man, but I can't help but notice that the overwhelming percent of people that say they like my shoes are women. All ages. If I were younger and single I'd still wear them proudly. I don't think they'd be a repellent at all.
Appreciated.
Well, I'm hoping there's a happy medium. I'd like to see him happy with somebody, even if it means wearing regular shoes from time to time.
Ok it seems the discussion is pretty dead so ill be adding this only for people who find their way to this thread.
Ive had my classics for a week and today was the first day i went to school with them on. My first class the cutest girl in the room thought they were really cool and said I physically looked really comfortable. I walked her to her car talking to about the shoes. Also 3 other girls loved the shoes and 2 guys in my class though they were pretty crazy.
On a unrelated topic, my school is all concrete and im very concerned with this constant pounding but im trying real hard to switch to a front landing strike rather than a heel strike.
I also saw a kid with the tera plana Aqua shoe. He loved them but for 155$ im not that rich…yet!
Glad your experience has been so positive. I wear mine to work, and some people consider them cool, others think I'm unprofessional and foolish. So be it.
If you'll wear them consistently for a month, your feet will adjust. My feet were sore the first month as all the stabilizer muscles that I hadn't been using suddenly had to strengthen and grow. But after that, it became no big deal. I walk across parking lots and malls no problem.
just a update i ended up returning the shoes but not for the reasons this post presents. The reasons were are follows:
1)Sweaty feet from just sitting in class. While wearing these i noticed my toes got pretty locked into the front part of the toe cups and the lack of oxygen made them really sweaty and tight. Not as comfy as I hoped. I also found myself constantly pulling the toe cups out to give my toes some air to breath.
2) The concrete jungle. Walking on anything except concrete is an amazing feel. I love these shoes in anything but concrete. Since im on concrete 95% of my time this was starting to annoy me. I changed my gait and it helped for the most part, but your feet just do not like walking on hard surfaces all day. Or at least my feet loath it.
Very good experiment I think. I would love to get a pair once I get a better job and use them just for non concrete things.
What a interesting thread this turned out to be, thanks to everyone who gave their two cents and thanks to danielthepoet for giving me a forum on the subject.
Kalin
Mostly I returned them because at this point in time I cannot afford to delegate these shoes to leisure activities.
i believe so, but only if you order through earthdikes.com
OMG, Kalin is so gay sometimes. LOL!
Favorite line: “My buddy knows girls and they love his shoes and his smell.”
thats pretty funny
never heard of them till now, but i wouldnt mind having a pair for certain things like hiking, kayaking, and things like that. With that said i dont think i would/could ever were them “out” nor would i pay $100 for them
How does he afford these things? Isn't he unemployed and in school, LOL!
Dude, I love my fivefingers! I agree though, you have to be careful where you wear them lol
haha, yeah i busted his balls a little bit. I'll call him….mini-me hahah
you should definitely wear those puppies to the next meet!
I just might. They're pretty comfy to drive in actually.
never thought of that.
My last 3 pairs of shoes have had Vibram soles, but they were Merrells. Love 'em.
As for the whole split toe thing… not so sure about that. They irk me in a way very similar to the way that Uggs and Crocs do.
I was kinda pissed that they came out with the separate toe pads on the new ones right after I got mine [which where a PITA to find in the first place, in my size], because I really wanted to be able to climb in them, but I can't bend my toes enough in the ones I've got. I have the black KSOs – ninja feet!
the fact that they're a style and have no real purpose?
So, do these come with a half off coupon for birkenstocks and a pair of socks made from the wool of an organic alpaca that lived in the hindu mountains raised on kashi and the underground music scene?
i can imagine unemployed college students wearing these while driving their vw golf
I am one with a shattered heel, 17 hour operation…
military boots well into hundreds of miles…
those goofy sandals look interesting..
I cannot find a cost, even rummaging through links.
I would still never wear them in public…nor mention even owning them.
the kid who started this crap is an unemployed college student who drives an outback.
Depending on the style I think they're about $70-100
I love my five fingers. I have black KSOs. I wear them every chance I get – the traction is INSANE when climbing pretty much anything. Also, I wear them in the gym because they stop my knees from hurting way better than any expensive cross trainer
the fact that douchebag hippies buy them and wear them for 'style' is disgusting. these shoes are amazing, for running for hiking, for climbing, whatever. go running in them. go hiking in them. or, heres an idea…actually research why they exist..(oohhh wow never thought of that)… they are far better for running than any running shoe.
yes ive walked hundreds of miles in jungle boots (yeah i was a paratrooper. i know what walking with weight is) ive run many many miles in them. it
sucks. if i had the option of wearing the vibrams, i would be a far healthier person right now.
do i wear them in public? sometimes. they are comfy.
do they smell? ****ing terrible. ( you wear them without socks for the most part.)
the point is, next time you see some ratard wearing them cuz he heard they were the next cool thing, like a croc, ( which weren't ever cool. period.) then cock/ovary punch them. seriously.
-ps. my favorite line is “they dont look natural”…really? cuz a shoe? a sneaker? a boot? those are natural? good luck in life chief….
I dont know who catalyst is but go fuck yourself. Speaking of gay, “catalyst” is a pretty gay ass name.
your favorite line, i swear this is true. He's got some insane pheromones i tells ya. His sister told me he owns more shoes than she does.
great now i feel like shit…
Not anymore biotch! I just made 600 in two weeks, just have to keep it up and im set.
The strengthen your entire foot and leg while correcting back problems and promoting proper posture.
Your a moron.
If you read my original post you would see I only wanted them for the health benefits then rich gave me a dose a reality.
HEY! im not unemployed anymore!
and your still commenting on this “crap”
fuck mini me and thats fucked up
Its for the benefits I bought them in the first place. I personally could care less about how i look, then rich had to say “I dont care if they feel like pussy on your feet i would never wear those in public”
I know hes got a good point about that, there awkward plain and simple, and honestly i felt like more of a douchbag with em on in public like school. Call me susceptible to public opinion or something like that. It just goes to shoes most people as shallow.
and 04wagon your totally right, do some research and you would find that regular shoes are horrid for your body.
Also catalyst please elaborate (not on here of course!) how gay i am sometimes. I would really like to know what kinds of things you or others think is gay. Im not perfect but i do have a little self respect to hang on too after your done tearing it up of course.
sorry scratch that, 600 in one week!
Kalin, please keep the language clean. I'll only edit a few of your comments to remove the four letter words, and after that I'll just delete them.
Thanks.
I wouldn’t worry about what girls think about the shoes, because 5km/day for a month, they’ll be staring at your calves and quads instead. Deoderant and leg wax is all you need! Then, who cares if you become a douche bag if you pick up?? Haha.
Ps. For guys making fun of you…have you noticed how hard you can kick and takedown wd vffs, and how fast you can sprint away when their friends join in? For when diplomacy fails.
I think girls have a harder time transitioning from our fashionable and socially acceptable heels to VFFS. Its easier for guys to pull it off then girls, we are constantly be judged by our appearance from not only other women, guys, but the general public as well. Luckily my hubby loves me for who i am, not what i have on my feet.
If you’re with someone who pays that much attention to other people’s feet, you have problems.
I too was going to wear VFFs to church one day! I don’t see what the big deal is. Heaven help my choice of shoes?
I have had friends joke about their look before, plenty do, and even had a mutual friend take a jab saying “but they’re so ugly”. My retort being that they make me 10x more fit than him silenced his shoe bashing.
I am married, so it’s not too big of an issue. However, I have gotten nothing but positive feedback from women since wearing them. Come up with a few witty retorts and have the confidence to back them up. Some women care more about shoes then other’s but almost all women find confidence (w/o being cocky) sexy.
I don’t know what is up with people these days.
If a woman is picky about shoes then she ain’t going to like me full stop because I’d make a big deal about how totally stupid and shallow that is. I wear what are comfortable and practical; I’m a funciton over fashion kind of guy and if it looks good but has no practical purpose then it’s for the bin and no woman will influence my common sense. Besides I actually think VFF look cool, what I think they look like is all that matters. Some times I think my ladies fashion isn’t ideal but hey, who am I to tell her what to wear, it doesn make her less perfect in my eyes so I expect women to treat me the same, otherwise they can say good bye.
Awesome looking VFF and most importantly practical. Also I’d wear them anywhere, I’m a free spirit. I wouldn’t with a suit but I’m hardly ever in one; unless VFF create a something that works
It was a bit comical seeing a couple guys one who was in our group where them to a dance club. The military guys love these shoes!
wear*
I first noticed VFF’s at the gym and thought to myself, what the hell is that guy wearing. It took me forever to get a pair because I couldn’t get pass the looks. Now that I have a pair of classics I’m sprung and wear them to the gym all the time. So far everyone I come across tell me how cool they look. I even heard people commenting on how cool they look behind me on an escalator. Anyway, I never trip on negative comments people make because it is a waste of time and energy. I proudly rock my VFF’s in San Diego, CA
Stop raising chickens or get a new pair of shoes?
In all honesty, though, if a “chick” doesn’t like you because of your awesome shoes, leave her in the dust. She isn’t worth it. Ask her how she feels ten years down the road after wearing stilettos every day.
If cleaning is a handful, I HIGHLY recommend purchasing Injinji socks.
As for the “douchebag” comment, allow me to direct your attention to this comic:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/6/2/
They look retarded. Just say no and avoid them all together. Everyone I’ve met who wears them is, in fact, a self righteous douchebag.
Personally, I’m attracted to men (and women), who do their own thing. The first time I spotted a guy in VFF, I thought they looked silly, but I asked him why he liked them, and he said, “well, they’re kind of awesome. As close to being barefoot as you can get without having naked feet!” And then I wanted a pair. (But I had to hide that I was attracted to him because my boyfriend at the time was kind of a jealous type..)
typical reply from an ignorant who does not understand why VFF & minimalist shoes are better for you than the over padded shoes being touted by the big guns.
I have been a VFF for over 2 years and reaped the benefits by being stronger and faster.
Have you checked out the Evoskin from Inov-8 , http://tinyurl.com/6becjcy
I wear them everywhere other then when I’m at work (no steel toe vibrams available, lol) and I’ve never had anybody act like I was a douche for being comfortable.
Wish I could wear them in uniform while working around the FOB. Too bad the Army was so quick to ban these incredible shoes. At least I can wear them at night for a few hours before I hit the rack.
Thank you so much, Geoff, for the laugh! Personally, I love the VFFs and wear mine almost exclusively. I think in the two weeks I’ve had mine, I’ve worn other shoes twice.
Personally I love my VFF’s currently wear the KSO’s Mulitsport and getting ready to order the new Bormie model which looks to be a good choice for the coming cold weather coming soon in Yooper’s where I currently reside I have never had a negative comment on them only complements or questions about comfort and such.As to style mine is comfort and only my feet have a vote where they are concerned have never asked anyone what they thought about my style nor do I care about the opinions thoughtless people who only think they think.Same goes with my clothing ,my criteria is natural fibers cotton,hemp wool or silk and fit.I was wearing handmade moccasins by Native American’s in the 60’s in Venice & San Francisco to Florida boot long style and my so called Jesus sandals from India loved those also for the time these are the best option today that I have found so far and getting ready to hit 61 I find the stability and comfort of the VFF’s above expectations.If any of you are concerned about the ladies learn Tantra you be happy cause she will be real happy.Peace
Funny article. As a gay man – I love my Vibrams but only for the gym. I’ve had them for 3+ years – BUT – the first time I saw a dude walking around in his five fingers on the street I thought: douche… No offense, but grow the f* up and wear a nice pair of shoes unless you’re planning on running or hiking in them (What they are meant for).
My mom gave me some sage advice on assessing a man on first sight – You have a few seconds to assess a good looking man before you give him the time of day to have a conversation. You have to look at the details:
1. Shoes – Most men will go to lengths to wear clothes to impress you, their shoes should also match their outfit. Usually this detail is forgotten. One who actually wears a pair of clean appropriate to outfit shoes shows attention to detail.
2. Hands – Are they clean, fingernails trimmed? Unless he’s your mechanic/gardner/ construction worker – They should be clean and trimmed. And guys don’t get a manicure with clear nail polish – Again I’m gay and I think that’s redic – tell them to buff your nails and leave them dry.
Vibrams are unfortunately becoming the next Crocks… I love them and don’t want them to stop being made, so please, wear them when you’re really going to use them… Sigh
Shahriar–I’m a female, so maybe this doesn’t apply to me. I love my Vibrams. I only recently got my first pair, and I wear them everywhere. I got them primarily for work, because my work shoes were killing my back. Wearing the Vibrams kept me from needing to see the chiropractor for an adjustment. I understand what you’re saying about them being the next Crocs. I’m hoping that I will one day run in them.
Oh, one more bonus is that I have a better sense of balance when I’m walking and climbing ladders (which I sometimes do at work). I’m not always the most graceful person, and I can feel my feet adjusting to keep me balanced. So they are essential in my life.
As a 20 year old female student, I can definitely understand why people would worry about being “judged” for wearing VFFs. I wear mine all around campus, and with each new semester, it seems more and more people are doing the same. I definitely have had more compliments and questions than I’ve had weird looks or negative comments. I love the way they look with certain clothes, too.
As for guys: When I see a guy wearing them, it’s actually very attractive because it signals to me that they’re concerned about their body/health/etc. It also tells me that they’re the athletic and/or the outdoors type, which is definitely a plus. It’s also something we’d have in common. As long as the guy is attractive looking to begin with, VFFs are just a bonus! Also.. wouldn’t you rather meet/impress a girl who LIKED your VFFs? So why hide them, when it’s part of who you are? I’ve seem several attractive guys at the gym who happen to be wearing VFFs, which just makes me look at them even more ;)
Funny discussion and thought I’d comment. I’ve been happily married 10+ years so I can’t comment on the whole “single ladies don’t like ’em” issue, but as a full-time youth minister, I get plenty of comments from parents and teens who think they’re funny. I have 3 pair of KSO Treks that I wear exclusively (don’t even wear dress shoes anymore – not even to worship) and I find folks are not only accepting of them, but teens seem to think they’re pretty cool. The kids do call me “Kangaroo Killer” from time to time (since they found out they’re made from Kangaroo leather) but otherwise, most people I run into at work – even older members of our church – are really cool about it and even like ’em. In fact, I had an elderly 85+ year old lady tell me they looked comfortable…and if she were 40 years younger, she’d buy a pair!
My husband hates mine. I love them. They are a HUGE talking point wherever I wear them. Most people I speak to hate them but they don’t have to wear them. When I’m not at work, I wear them EVERYWHERE! They are called my “frog feet”. I would wear mine to work if I could but they don’t make them in steelcap!
I don’t care what people think of them. They are the most comfortable things I’ve ever had on my feet and I’ll make outfits to match them!!
I do not think God cares what you have on your feet. I say wear your VFFs to church. It’s man that worries and judges others. Judge not less you be judged theyself.
If this is an issue, you’re after the wrong women.
I’m a single lady, and I love them! I have 3 pairs. And if I saw someone out in them I would definitely strike up a conversation.
:)
I just don’t care what people think. (being 6’7″ tall and 275 lbs might have something to do with that as well, not many people talk smack to me) :)
But honestly, I care what my family and friends think about me as a person and my actions, not what is on my feet or on my body.
Anyone who would not like me because of my shoes is not worth knowing.
I would totally think a guy was rad for wearing VFF. It shows that he is willing to try new things, is concerned with his health, and doesn’t give a damn what others think because he know’s he is cool regardless.
I brought along a pair of Vibram Komodosport LS with my Ahnu Elkridge Mids to my South America backpacking trip. They were my first VFFs and even though I bought them right before the trip I had a hunch I would not regret bringing them. I was right. They are my primary shoe, saving my boots for rain or carrying the pack.
I walk and run on concrete, asphalt, dirt, stone, brick, and grass, on trails and in cities. If you think these shoes turns heads there, try wearing them down here. Kids crack up and most adults don’t know what to think of them. I’ve had many strangers begin talking to me because of them. Having already practiced barefoot walking and running before buying them, I take the opportunity to educate them on minimalism and how it’s fixing my flat feet. That alone goes above and beyond fashion. My knees are happy I care more about them than what other people think of my shoes. HGP
(I found this site when searching for info on fixing a tear. Thanks.)
So Shahriar it is not OK for me to wear these every day to work? These are the first shoes I’ve worn to work regularly that caused me ZERO pain in my feet and knees. So because they were designed to run in it is not OK to wear them daily? I will likely never go back to wearing much else. Of course if I am going out for a nice dinner, or other more formal type event I am not going to wear them. I also will not be comfortable! :)
Glad you are pain free :)
I can definitely say that your boss must be cool to let you wear them to work – We can’t at my office. I wear mine around the house and the gym to make up for it. Sucks that wearing flats make you uncomfortable :( But they will look appropriate with more formal clothing, so it’s not all that bad :-/
Shannon, I wear mine (black KSO Treks) to work every day, too. I even interviewed wearing these shoes. Before finding VFFs, my ankles would swell and my feet felt as though they were trying to fold in on themselves. Like you, I am feeling no pain AND my balance has drastically improved.
On top of work, I’ve also worn my VFFs to two weddings, and my job interview. I also know someone who’s worn theirs to a funeral. They didn’t grab too much attention at the weddings (even in the one for which I was a bridesmaid), and my boss didn’t notice the shoes for my first week of work. As time goes on, I am valuing shoe form less and less, gladly giving way to function.
let’s see…
– you don’t have to wear them 24/7 to get a benefit. don’t be so “all or nothing”. Seek the middle ground grasshopper.
– If you are smart and cool enough to wear VFF, then you want your woman to be the same.
– only douchebags were crocs!
Haha…I’d much rather go out with a girl that wears Vibrams instead of high heels ;)
Just sayin:
http://cdn.jockular.com/assets/images/2012/05/4fb15e8a92947.jpg
Wearing them everywhere does make ya look like one… Nothing hotter than some dude in khakis “training” at the bar in his Vibrams
First off, I am 100% woman and second, I have gone straight up to guys at races just to ask them about their VFF’s. I feel like VFF’s attract the right kind of women: In shape, curious, and healthy.
If you love 5 VFF it says a bit about who you are as a person. So if the women doesn’t like the VFF then she might not be the right women for you. Never change to obtains another persons affection. There are plenty of women who do love them that do love VFF, so use them as a sorting tool.
Well said!
I’m a pastor and I preach from my Trek LS’s or new Speed LR’s every Sunday. Wear them to church all you want.
I dont care what a female thinks, or anybody else thinks, everybody is entitled to wear what they want on their feet.
I wear all of my toe shoes with pride, since plain tennis shoes have gotten just plain ugly, with Patent Leather, and bright Neon Colors.
I am grown, Iwish somebody would say something about my toe shoes, they can get Knocked the Hell Out.
I have a mind of my own, If you dont like what I am wearing on my feet, then oh well.
People are so “IGNORANT” today, I am not wearing my toe shoes for anybody but me, so what if the next man wears them or not, and for you female rights Activists, I could care a less if you wear them, or like them or hate them, its my money, my feet, and my choice.
I LOVE ALL MY TOE SHOES.
Too bad Can’t take them with me when I leave this world!
Wow, gay and a bigot, first time for everything.
I think VFFs are sexy are men and women! Someone who cares about their feet and body is attractive. I am now single and wear VFFs 95% of the time and I still get hit on. Men may be a little less scared of them, but I’m not ure why because they look nothing like a pair of sexy heels but my feet health is important to me. If someone doesn’t like my shoes, they don’t need to look at them or try to date me. Wear VFFs proudly! I would hit on, have hit on, and will continue hitting on men wearing VFFs.
It’s fun, isn’t it, Hillary? They’re such a great conversation starter! You don’t need to do the whole small-talk thing to figure out if s/he’s worth your time; just see what they think about the shoes. Wearing VFFs has helped me quite a bit in the networking department. So, I guess this is also a warning to the anti-social: If you don’t like strangers talking to you, this might not be the shoe for you.
The only REAL appearance problem I’ve encountered, wearing all-black ffs, is that folks ask me where the rest of my gorilla costume is. 8^)
Wear whatever shoes you want. If a girl judges you on your shoes she isn’t worth having. She should like you for you and not your shoes.