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Vibram KSO Trek Sport Rated

No piece of footwear splits opinion quite like Vibram’s FiveFingers.

There's no getting away from it, Vibram's FiveFingers (VFFs) are definitely eye catching. The first thing I found, even before I bought my first pair was they polarise opinion. People either love or hate them, there's little middle ground.

After dipping my toe in the barefoot pool I decided to take the plunge and go all in with the infamous FiveFingers. My primary need at the time was for a walking / hiking shoe and after reviewing the Vibram range the additional grip and slightly thicker sole of the Trek Sport seemed to offer what I needed.

My first piece of advice for anyone new to the FiveFingers is go and try some on before you buy. Vibram has a very good sizing chart on their website (available here) but there's no substitute for actually putting them on your feet. Partly because not everyone will like the feel of having your toes in pockets. It’s worth trying before you buy.

The Trek Sports were comfy from the start and my usual size 46 were a perfect fit. As with any barefoot shoe there can be a bedding in period and I did suffer some minor discomfort in the early days of wearing them. The instep of my feet felt strained and my feet ached when I took them off after three / four hours of wearing. This wasn't bad enough to make me take them off and within a couple of weeks wearing them for between one and two hours the problems were history.

The mesh upper does a good job of letting your feet breathe while keeping stones and gravel out of the shoe. I’ve worn these shoes all day in +30C with high humidity and they've never felt uncomfortable. They do get a bit sweaty when they’re worn regularly with no socks but not any more than a normal pair of trainers would. They can also be thrown in the washing machine if they get too stinky.

The Trek Sport has a heavier tread pattern than the almost non-existent tread on the KSO. This gives a sure footed feeling with stones, rocks and other trail debris rarely having any great impact. You can feel it’s all there it just takes the sting out of it.

I've used my VFFs for a variety of uses including hiking in the peak district, beach visits, walking the dog and general shopping / coffee drinking duties. They've even had outings in the snow. Through all the different conditions the grip levels have always been limpet like. This feeling is increased because of the ability to use your toes to grip far more than you can in a 'normal' pair of trainers. Anyone concerned that other VFFs might not offer them the versatility they need should look no further. These really are the do anything shoe in the Vibram line-up.

As with all VFFs there's an art to getting them on and it takes a little time to master. My advice, slide your foot in while getting your big toe and second toe in position. It should only take a little rearranging to get the other toes in position. Once you've done this then hook your heel in to the shoe and fasten them up.

As an everyday shoe the black Trek Sports can often go unnoticed, especially when worn with jeans or cargo trousers. I wore mine to see the bank manager on Saturday and they largely went unnoticed. And if some one does notice them i find a quick twitch of the toes usually guarantees a horrified look. 

I’ve now got two pairs of VFFs having recently invested in a pair of Spyridons for trail running duties (first impressions to follow soon). The comparison is interesting, the green and black Spyridons feeling much more sporty in their construction and focus while the Trek Sport definitely taking the position of the more versatile shoe.

Following the success of the Trek Sport a pair of KSOs maybe the next Vibram shoe to find their way in to my shoe rack. My understanding is the soles are thinner and offer even more barefoot feeling so I can't wait to get my hands on a pair.

Verdict

There’s no getting away from the fact you will get attention with these shoes and you will have people staring and pointing. If you don't like that you might be best looking elsewhere. On the basis I didn't feel the need to draw even more attention to my new shoes I opted for the black version of the Trek Sport.

The feeling given by the Trek Sport is like no shoe I've ever worn. You know you're wearing a shoe but the amount of feedback you get from not just the terrain but also just the process of walking in the FiveFingers really adds to the sensation. It sounds corny but I found the Trek Sport added a whole new dimension to any walk or run. You actually feel what the ground beneath you is doing. A sensation that is increased by the air flow offered by the Trek Sport's mesh upper construction. 

This feeling combined with the subtle styling and versatility of the Trek Sport mean they are the first shoe in the bag for any holiday or trip away. Interestingly they are also my first choice of shoe after a long day in my work shoes. With tired, aching feet the last thing you want to do is put another pairs of shoes on but the comfort and breath-ability of the Trek Sport make them my preferred choice to relax in.

A couple of minor downsides, the treads seem to wear quicker than a lot of shoes. This is probably down to the soft compound rubber they're made from. Can you have it all, plenty of grip and long lasting? They're also trickier to get on than other VFFs I've tried. Apart from these minor points, I'm sold. Tough, comfy and great performance. 

When I suggest the Trek Sport are the everyday choice it makes them sound dull and boring, however they're anything but. The Trek Sport are my VFF of choice for a majority of the time, they offer the feel and flexibility with the ability to go anywhere and do what ever I need.

Score 8.5/10