Sadly Vibram has not really Created a waterproof design yet. In trouble no doubt is that a waterproof version would probably become sweaty as well and this might not really work well as a design.

To make matters worse, the two designs that have leather in between the toes, which makes for better water resistance, are both men’s models. These would be the Trek LS, and the Bormeo.

If your feel fall within the men’s sizes you may want to give those a try. I would suggest a good waterproofing spray might help as well.

Fantastic – thank you for letting us know. It’s good to see the product being supported!

The Bikila is my favorite shoe ever. It sizes bigger than the Flow and feels much less substantial–a good thing for a runner.

I have no problems with slippage on the heel. I have wide feet with somewhat flat bottoms, if that matters.

The relatively thick sole of the Bilila lets me run on trails, but the sole design gives me excellent flex. I carry them with me when I go on barefoot trail and road runs, and here’s what happens when I put them on after running barefoot for a few miles:
- I lose a little bit of toe splay, but that happened more with the Flow. This is an issue with all shoes, and with the Bikila, it’s less of an issue than with any other shoes I’ve worn.
- Of course, I lose the ground sensation, but ground feel is still very good, especially in the midfoot. The padding on the ball of the foot initially gets me running very fast after being barefoot, but I’ve learned that this is because I’m landing harder to make up for the loss of all that direct contact, so I lighten my step consciously. I get better ground feel with the Zem original, but that one isn’t meant for running and is nowhere near as durable, nor does it fit as well.

I’m one of the lucky ones for whom the Bikila fits just right. Don’t buy a pair without trying it on first.

It’s great that you are enjoying Fivefingers so much. Thanks for posting your comment.

I’m having trouble visualizing what is going on when you write about how the yellow materials is separating from the black. I will send you an email so that you have my contact information. If you are willing to take a photograph and send it to me I would be grateful.

In terms of what to do about problems (and I suspect what you describe is probably not normal), I would contact the retailer your purchased the shoes from and send them photographs along with your explanation. So long as the problem is not considered to be from abusive use of the shoes and the time frame that the problem has appeared within isn’t unreasonable than I would expect that they would be replaced. If thousand route is not successful I would contact Fivefingers directly with an account of your attempt to resolve the issue directly with the seller.

Let us know how it goes!

You mention a sole cushion. Vibram FiveFingers don’t have cushion built into them. They a minimalist shoes, and like all true minimalist products there is no cushion under foot. From what you’ve said I don’t think we can recommend a product.

I looking into perfect shoes for running, hiking, traveling, everyday walking and any outdoor.
Comportable is very important. So sole cushion to protect my foot is needed.

Could you recommend all purpose shoes in Vidram?

Fivefingers are of course very different than running in other commercial running shoes.

First, never continue to run if you have pain. Pain is a signal from the body that something is wrong. You say you have just started running in them. Give them a little more time by waiting until you have no pain and then starting very slowly. You should pretend that you’ve never run a mile in your life and transition very slowly to Fivefingers. The rewards can be very great, but nit allowing your feet to adjust can be problematic.

Bikinis are different than Sprints, but in subtle ways that may not make a difference to the pain you are having. I would suggest sticking to your sprints until they are comfortable before you invest in Bikilas.

Running in Fivefingers is an investment in time fir many people.

Good luck and let us know how you do!

Thank you for sharing your experience! The trouble with feet is that they come in so many varieties! The fabric is certainly less forgiving if the fit is not good. They are meant to be snug to avoid slipping. I would say you have the wrong size, or perhaps the Bikilas are just not the right shoe for your foot.

In regards to the smell, have you tried washing them? The other thing that has worked for me with smelly shoes is to put them in a bag with baking soda over night. Does wonders for smells.

Having said this our reviews are based on our experiences and those experiences can be different from people with other points of view and who have different foot shapes.

Your point that Bikilas are somewhat stiffer and less adjustable are well taken. Thus fit is even more important in Bikilas than most other FiveFingers.

Otherwise, I have the impression that this review of the VFFs Bikila is biased. The only negative point they found was that you wouldn’t break them in, so you should be sure they have to fit by try several sizes on.
Well, I just tried them on but could find a number of issues in this model not mentioned in this review:

Vibram has reduced the relative length of the toe compartments in relation to the total foot length in comparison to previous models. The most likely reason: esthetics (marketing).That way Bikilas will look less weird to new undecided customers. Vibram tried to make Bikila look like regular running shoes than any of their previous models and accomplish that purpose they have to give way to some trade-offs and more than questionable solutions.

Unlike all the previous models, there’s no rear strap nor any other adjustment system in Bikilas. The presence of such strap didn’t appear to have caused an obvious discomfort in those owners who usually run in Sprints, KSOs, KSO Treks, TrekSports, Flows and so on. Regular shoes don’t need to snug adjustment at the back because they rely on the structure of the vamps and the sole stiffness to brace the foot and move with it. In contrast, other FiveFingers were intended to fit like a glove, without any kind of structure, the structure was exclusively given by the foot. This meant they have to fit snug all around the foot to minimize shoe movements and going off the foot.

To solve the absence of a specific rear adjustment Vibram resorted to the same solutions applied by regular running shoes manufacturers: they increase the structure of the rear vamps around the heal, made them taller, built a thicker and more rigid sole and a made them fit snug to prevent lateral movements and the heel going out.

The requirement of a snugger fit together with shorter and smaller toe compartments would necessarily make the shoe uncomfortable to wear (specially with socks) for those whose foot shapes weren’t within the narrow limits allowed for that purpose. To bypass such constrain they opted to make a shoe with a inner lining smooth enough to be worn without socks. The down side was that the fiber used is hardly breathable and hot to wear in the hot season and warmer climates.

It’s great to hear from you.

Running in FiveFingers, or running barefoot (which I would encourage you to try even if you end up not liking it) is almost always an exciting time for runners. There is a sense of freedom, agility, and nimble footedness. It is such a wonderful feeling that almost everyone overdoes it. It’s great to hear you question the transition before you have started to use the shoes.

Consider for a moment how complex your feet are. Now consider how supported they have been for all your life. Now consider that you are completely changing the way you run and interact with the ground, and that those chains not only affect your feet, but also your legs and the rest of your body.

I can not understate how important it is that you ease into using FiveFingers. This is not to say that they are in any way dangerous, but if you have been running in traditional shoes until now, you will be using and stretching the muscles, ligaments and tendons of your feet and legs in ways that they have never been stretched before.

Because of this I suggest you start very slowly. For the first few days, start with walking in Bikilas, or walking barefoot – your choice. Walking is different than running but it will give your feet a little bit of time to move more naturally and to get used to not having a heal. On the first day walk only a short distance. If there is no discomfort the following day you can increase your distance until you are able to walk for a mile or two without any discomfort. You’ll know if you have overdone it if you feel any pain or sorriness. Bring regular shoes with you as you do this and if you start to feel uncomfortable than switch over right away for the rest of the walk.

When you are feeling comfortable then start to run a little bit. Run only for very short intervals and walk the rest. Use a regime that you would use if you were a new runner working up your strength for the first time. For example on the first run you might run for 30 seconds and walk for 2 minutes, and repeat.

Gradually increase your running time. Always stop if you feel pain.

This is a very simplistic description, and there are many different views on how to best start off running. We have reviewed several excellent books on the topic, all of which I would highly recommend as great reading.

The key is not to do too much too soon, and to always stop when you feel pain. I guarantee you’ll find it difficult – running in minimalist shoes and running barefoot is a wonderful and surprisingly different sensation to running in traditional shoes.

Have fun and keep us posted with your progress.

It’s always exciting to hear about someone who discovers the joy of a more barefoot style of running. I know I love my Bikilas. I wanted to mention, even though you were not asking for the advice (but for the greater good of our readers), that although you felt no discomfort running 7 miles right away, I would strongly (very strongly!) recommend a more gradual approach to easing into wearing a new shoe. No matter how great they feel, your feet may not be used to the new strains and stresses that come from wearing a minimal shoe. You may in fact have no issues at all, and many do not, but in general it’s best to be cautious rather than create an injury. It can not be understated that feet that have not had the opportunity to ease into barefoot or minimalist running will need to work up to longer runs. Remember, there are muscles, tendens, and ligaments that are being used in a whole new way. Imagine for example that you never use your arms for heavy lifting, and then once every 5 years you move your home and lift boxes for 2 days. At first it doesn’t fel like anything is wrong, but the following 2 or 3 days can sometimes be very hard as your body recovers. Stresses don’t always show themselves immediately. Stay on the safe side and avoid injury that may keep you from the wonderful sensation of natural running! Thanks for sharing your storey with us!

Let’s hope they work for me!

Ken Rogers
Real. Effective. Fitness.

I’ll explain. You stitch 2 pieces of fabric together you have seam allowances. As minimal as they can get, they have some bulk and rub against the skin. This could be eliminated simply by turning it “inside out.” It would look odd? Bad finished? It’s not important. Fit is.