Vibram KSO Evo review - Nearly

This should be a review of my new Vibram KSO Evos. The first of a new generation of Vibram's Five Fingers that supposedly offer lighter weight and more feel.

However you'll notice there isn't a review here instead there's a bit of a blank space.....

I can show you a picture of the Evos......

I can say they indeed appear to be lighter and more flexible than previous models I've tried, I can even tell you they come with a neat little bag to keep them in. However what I can't tell you is much more than that.

I currently have two pairs of Vibrams, a pair of KSO Treks and a pair of Spyridons. Both in size 46 and both are a perfect fit. I've done countless miles of running and walking in them and never had as much as a hot spot or pressure point let alone a blister.

So when ordering the Evos from the Vibram website I had no reason to think anything more than my usual size 46 would be needed. Unfortunately it seems the KSO Evo has different sizing to previous VFFs.

Even out of the box the Evos look small, whether its just a trick of the eye I don't know but as soon as I put them on my feet I knew there was a problem. My VFFs have always been super comfy but straight away my left big toe was touching the end of its toe pocket in the Evos. After five minutes of trying to persuade myself they would stretch and bed in I came to the inevitable conclusion, I was going to have to send them back.

After checking they were indeed size 46 I put them next to my KSO Trek's and the problem was immediately obvious. 

The new Evos are approx half an inch shorter in length than the older Trek model, standing them next to my Spyridons told the same story. For me the whole point of them is the comfort and feel they give, if they're causing pain this is going to be a no go. 

Be warned if you're planning on getting a pair of the Evo's I'd highly recommend trying them before you buy.

At this point I must apologise for not getting a photo of the difference between the two shoes. I put the Evos back in the box while I looked up how to send them back and before I knew it the wife had sealed and sent them. You can't blame her for being efficient.

I bought the Evos direct from the Vibram website so they have had to be sent all the way back to Italy, not ideal. Note to self: next time go to my local barefoot shop and buy them there. Now I'm waiting on the roomier version to arrive.

I'm not sure why Vibram have felt the need to change the sizing of their shoe, its very frustrating to not be able to trust the sizing when you buy. Surely a size 46 is a size 46 no matter what shoes it is. I understand some shoes may have a sightly different fit but not to the extent that they a considerably too short and don't fit. 

I'm hoping it won't be too long a wait for the larger size 47s and of course there will be a detailed review as soon as I've had chance to put some miles under them. Just as long as they fit this time.

Minimalist in every way

It seems barefoot shoes aren't just minimalist in construction.....

Last Saturday I managed to crawl out of bed and get down to Endcliffe Park in Sheffield for the weekly Park Run. However as anyone who knows me will tell you I'm not great in the mornings so my key role was drinking coffee and acting a chief cheerleader for the wife who was upholding family pride and taking part.

Anyone who saw me may have thought I'd nodded off as I stared at the floor while clinging on to my coffee but I was awake (just) and watching people's shoes. What do you expect from someone with a trainer addiction?

With approx 250 people taking part there were plenty of shoes to watch as well but I didn't see a single other person wearing barefoots. 

It would seem despite more and more versions coming on to the market the manufacturers still have some way to go to sell them to the wider running community. But what is the underlying reason? 

• Is it simply they aren't marketed widely enough so people aren't aware of them or their benefits?
• Are they still seen as a niche market for people who like to be different?
• Is the need for big padded trainers so inbuilt now that people can't move away from this idea?
• Are barefoot shoes just too expensive for people to take a gamble on?

My personal opinion is its a mixture of all four of these points but from what I've seen over the past year its clear the manufacturers still have a long way to go in selling the concept to the wider public. I can probably count on my fingers the number of other people I've seen wearing barefoot shoes since I bought my first pair.

Minimalist in numbers as well as construction then. 

Barefoot Tennis

Today was only the second time in 15 years I've played tennis and obviously with any trainer addict the first issue was what foot wear to roll out.

As regular readers will know minimalist shoes are my first choice for any sporting endeavour. Actually they're my only choice and with no tennis shoes of any sort my Vibram KSO Trek Sport were rolled out. 

When I reviewed the Trek Sports before I said that I was yet to find something they couldn't do. That still stands true. The stop-start nature of tennis combined with playing on a hard surface did prove tough on the feet and joints but the Five Fingers came through with flying colours.

By the end of an hour on court my feet where feeling a bit sore although I think some of that soreness would have been avoided had I worn my Injinji socks.

Ten minutes of the Wimbledon-esque performance was also done in monsoon conditions and the 'fingers' still gripped perfectly on the wet surfaces and never felt uncomfortable despite being soaked through.

There were some quizzical looks from other tennis players but they'll soon get used to the idea you don't need mattresses on the bottom of your feet to play tennis. 

So who knew, Vibram's Trek Sport are great for tennis. Pretty sure we won't see them at Wimbledon next year though. 

The view from the top of Mam Tor

Making the most of both the sun and the Peak District with a walk up to Mam Tor yesterday. As usual the Spryridons performed faultlessly.

They were never anything less than sure footed and super comfortable. 

Looking at some of the heavy duty footwear on show you wonder where people think they're walking. 

Updated review of Merrell's Barefoot Train Embark

It's not good news for my Merrells.

Back in April I reviewed my Merrell Barefoot Train Embark Gore-tex with mixed results. I loved them because they had the potential to be the all round shoe I was looking for but my first pair fell apart after six months. 

Now, right on cue, after a further six months the replacement Merrels have both started to show signs of not being able to handle the pace. 

The first pair of Train Embarks fell apart around the outside of the toe box after a walk on the beach. Merrell agreed to replace them and the replacement pair have been used continuously through the winter for hiking, dog walking and general wear duties. 

However after a walk in the local park this weekend I noticed the 'new' Merrells were starting to split in the same place as the previous pair. While the damage may not look too much at the moment it renders the Gore-Tex useless as they now let water in. Also from past experience the rubber coating peels off pretty quickly once it starts.

The walk that tipped the Merrells over the edge certainly wasn't rigorous, a gentle stroll with the wife and dog in the local park consisting of paved footpaths and grass. The Merrells did get wet however and I have a suspicion this may be the key factor.

When I say wet I'm only talking about standing in a puddle. Taking the dog down to the edge of a stream meant standing in about 2-3 inches of water for a few seconds.

This may not seem like much but the previous pair were also six months old when they disintegrated after getting wet on the beach. Their damage was much more significant but they also got much wetter. However surely a Gore-tex shoe should be able to withstand getting wet on occasions. 

My suspicion is after six months of use the materials and joints around the toes loosen up and allow water in which then means the coatings fall apart. These are my original pair's damage.

A Gore-tex equipped trail shoe should definitely be able to stand up to moderate use including getting wet on occasions. I can't help but feel that Merrell's decision to discontinue the Train Embark has something to do with the fact they just don't live up to the company's sturdy reputation. 

As can be seen from the pictures below, the sole of these shoes were by no means at the end of the usable life yet the shoe fell apart.

I'm as disappointed as anyone, if the Train Embarks had lived up to their potential I'm convinced they would have been the perfect minimalist shoe for me, comfortable, perfect for hiking and light weight. However they seem to have a fundamental flaw. 

There are major design errors that mean this shoe is simply not up to the job. Now the only decision is whether to replace the Train Embarks with another pair of Merrells or whether to go for a different brand. 

Has anyone else had problem's with Merrell's barefoot range? If so leave me a comment below, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

Barefoot rehydration drinks

The perfect rehydration drink for all those Barefoot activities.

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

Merrell Barefoot Train Embark Glove Gore-Tex Review

The Merrell Barefoot Train Embark Glove Gore-Tex  (phew) were my first foray in to the world of bareform shoes. As I've explained before it came from a need for a particular type of shoe rather than a desire to go bareform. I've now been using them for nearly a year so here are my thoughts.

I wanted a shoe that was tough enough to use for long walks across the moors, comfy enough to use all day, looked good enough to wear to go for coffee in and most importantly were light weight. I didn’t want a traditional multi-sport shoe such as Merrell’s Chameleon. They're just too much like moon boots for me.

After seeing the Merrell Trail Glove in a local outdoor shop I went home and scoured the Merrell website (www.merrell.com) for something similar that fitted my needs.

While I liked the Trail Glove the focus of a running show concerned me, I’ve suffered from running related injuries for several years and tarnished by my physio's horror stories of the dangers of walking in traditional padded running shoes I wanted something designed to walk in.

The Train Embark were the obvious choice. While the Train Embark and Trail share the same Vibram sole the Train has a more substantial upper body with tough synthetic leather and mesh upper body with the all-important Gore-Tex layer.

I chose the awesomely tangerine Castle Rock / Dark Cheddar (orange and grey) colour way in my usual size 46 and they were a great fit from the start. Although they should be for the price, £125 isn't cheap.

Castle Rock / Dark Cheddar Train Embarks

Everything you read about starting out on the barefoot journey suggests short distances at first so I restricted the Train Embarks to a few trips to the shops and walking the dog for the first ten days.

However I've never been one for rules or advice so after less than two weeks of ownership I took them on a road trip from Arizona to California and the Train Embark took everything in their stride. Three hour hike around the edge of the Grand Canyon – Check, walking in Yosemite – Check, sight-seeing on the Vegas strip or chilling out in San Francisco – Check. I was over the moon that I’d found a shoe that did it all.

One of my fears when I ordered the Train Embarks was the sole would be too thin and I’d feel every stone and imperfection. I was soon relieved that the tough 4mm sole manages a careful balance of letting you feel the trail beneath you while protecting the foot perfectly. It is worth noting the Merrells are at the thicker end of 'barefoot' soles.

It wasn't all rosy in the first few weeks though. Despite the claim that the footbed is treated with an Aegis antimicrobial solution after two weeks of use I was getting complaints from Mrs T about the pong eminating from the tangerine terrors. A switch to trainer socks soon solved this and while it goes against many people's concept of wearing barefoot shoes for me it makes them a much more usable everyday shoe. Also by being selective and choosing very thin socks I don't feel I'm losing any of the feedback.

My other slight negativity is the difficulty in getting them on. Once on your feet they're like a good set of slippers but getting them on can be... frustrating. This is due in main to the stiff upper body and the lacing system which can restrict access slightly.

As you'll gather the first six months of ownership were generally very positive until me and the Merrells had a major falling out. On a trip to the coast I noticed the rubber toe bumper on the front was coming away from the main body of the shoe. As it was only a small split I wore them the next day for a gentle walk on the beach and it all went wrong. The front of the shoe effectively disintegrated. with all the rubber covering on the upper shoe peeling off and the sole and bumper becoming detached. This happened on both shoes as well which makes me think it maybe a manufacturing defect. 

Needless to say I wasn't impressed but to give Merrell their dues they eventually replaced the shoes. Only problem being the orange version were no longer available so i had to settle for the Black and Blue option. In my opinion they look far better in the orange but it appears this colour has been discontinued. 

Not as eye-catching in the Black / Olympia Blue

The new Black versions have now had six months of use including several walks on the very same beach and so far are still in great condition. So I'm happy to put it down to experience.

Interesting though the uppers on the black version seem to be constructed from a different material and I have to say don't feel like they fit as well as the orange ones did. They feel roomier and a looser fit. I certainly haven't been won over as easily as I was with the originals.



Conclusion
The Train Embarks have been fantastic as a do anything, go anywhere shoe. Wearing them everyday they look great and have become my shoe of choice for any out door adventures. The Gore-Tex lining does what you'd expect and means the only way water is coming in is if you stand in water that's deeper than the height of the shoe.

The orange version were amazingly comfy but as mentioned the black ones don't feel as snug as their brighter counter parts. 

Of course I can't ignore the fact the original pair fell apart but I've currently no fears with the newer replacements. They've been worn every day for six months for a large number of different tasks including in deep snow and mud and they're still fully water tight, solidly built and looking good as you can see in the photos below.

Currently Merrell's website is only showing one size of Train Embarks as being available (8.5 UK). If they are discontinuing the range totally it will be a real shame. These shoes are a little bit of development and a couple of colour choices away from being a fantastic trail shoe.

The score has to be a 7 / 10 

First blog, first post. Big pressure

I can pinpoint the moment the slippery slope started.

22^nd April 2012 at 9.40pm.

I’m not an evangelical runner, I don’t run every day and I’ll be honest and say I’d never really heard of Barefoot / Bareform / Minimalist shoes before April 2012. What I didn’t realise back then though was I was already looking for them.

Anyone who knows me will tell you I have issues with trainers, I love them. At the last count I had over 30 pairs in the wardrobe. Most are fashion pose rather than sport prowess but I love them.

But despite loving all these ‘sport’ shoes I couldn’t find a shoe that filled the gap in my life. Something that was rugged enough to go on long hikes, relaxed enough to wear every day and crucially were light weight.

Then in 2012 while preparing for a US road trip I needed some shoes I could wear all day sight-seeing, go hiking at the Grand Canyon and wouldn’t look out of place walking round Vegas or San Francisco.

I considered all the usual trail trainers such as Merrell’s Chameleon but they weren’t hitting the spot until a sales assistant in a well-known outdoor shop pointed me in the direction of Merrell’s Barefoot range and suggested I had a look at the whole range online.

Skipping home to my computer I logged on to www.merrell.com and that’s the point the slippery slope started. I realised the shoe I’d been looking for was the Merrell Train Embark Glove.

Within another 30 minutes of internet action I’d ordered a pair and become an expert on barefoot shoes. And then the real education began.

I've now been wearing both the Merrells mentioned above and my two pairs of Vibram Five Fingers (KSO Treksport & Spyridon) for nearly a year. I've done long hikes, short walks, trail running and just lounging around in them. While they're great for walking in I got a real shock when I tried running.

I used to go running at least two or three times a week (in traditional trainers) then shin splints and knee problems stopped me for over three years. Towards the end of last year i decided to give it a go again, however this time in "barefoots". The result was five months of running with no injuries and I'm a convert.

I know plenty of friends and colleagues who scoff at the idea of barefoot running as a trendy fad. All I do is just nod along, i they're happy running in their heavily padded trainers then great, you carry on. But for me, "barefoot" works and the results are undeniable. I can run again, I can do so with fewer injuries and better running motion and perhaps most importantly I really enjoy running again.

Until next time......