From the Toes of Colbert Posted by Steve on May 21, 2013 No Responses » May 212013 As I’m sure many of our followers noticed, we posted a picture of Stephen Colbert on our Facebook page on Friday of him wearing a pair of Vibram FiveFingers (specifically the EL-X model). Although a funny shot for Colbert, it was actually a pretty exciting moment for us minimalist runners. Regardless of the countless times our “fad” (as Runner’s World recently called it) has been seen on TV, I still get excited when I hear them come up and have to run and look up whoever it is that’s talking about them! Colbert is rocking the EL-X’s because during the interview portion of his show, he sat down with Dr. Daniel Lieberman, an advocate of long distance running, a professor in human evolutionary biology from Harvard University, and a barefoot runner. During the interview, Lieberman shared information about his research on the evolutionary biology of humans. They have found that there are five major things make humans special relative to other mammals (running, walking, chewing, throwing, and sweating), most of which are closely related to why we make the best long-distance runners, and, in many cases, natural hunters. Continue reading “From the Toes of Colbert” » Technorati Tags: barefoot running, ffs, fivefingers, minimalist running, minimalist shoes, Stephen Colbert, Vibram
Spring/Summer 2013 Vibram FiveFinger Catalog Leaked! Posted by Meagan on July 30, 2012 3 Responses » Jul 302012 Last Wednesday, we were alerted by the Reddit Barefoot Running community that a copy of the Vibram FiveFinger catalog for Spring/Summer 2013 was leaked by an online retailer. As you might expect, there are some very exciting new additions coming to the FiveFinger line-up, some of which we have seen before, and some that are brand new! Because the catalog comes from a Canadian-based retailer, I have reason to suspect that all of these models will be available in North America. Obviously, though, I cannot guarantee that some of these are not Europe-only releases, or that all of them will actually make it to production (next summer is a long time from now!). Disclosures aside, I think the new models represent a great step forward for Vibram and I am thrilled to be able to share details and photos of them after the jump! Continue reading “Spring/Summer 2013 Vibram FiveFinger Catalog Leaked!” » Technorati Tags: barefoot shoes, fivefingers, minimalist shoes, shoe release, spring 2013, summer 2013, toe shoes, Vibram, vibram catalog, Vibram FiveFingers
Vibram FiveFingers Classic: Olympic Edition Posted by Steve on July 17, 2012 No Responses » Jul 172012 With the 2012 Olympics only 10 days away, companies left and right are beginning to release their Olympic-style gear, Olympic branded soft drinks, and Olympic advertisements. This marketing phenomenon reaches our televisions, store shelves, and fast-food restaurants every two years (between the summer and winter games). My celebration of the summer Olympics began with my recent discovery of slow-motion videos showing the amazing running form of Olympians such as Usain Bolt and Greg Nixon. This discovery was soon trumped, however, when I found that Vibram was getting into the game with Olympic flag-style FiveFingers. Vibram chose to represent five flags in the form of an Italian, Australian, British, Dane (Denmark), and American version of the FiveFinger Classics. Even though these shoes are only available for a limited time in the Boston Vibram store, we managed to get our hands on two pairs….more after the break! Continue reading “Vibram FiveFingers Classic: Olympic Edition” » Technorati Tags: fivefingers, FiveFingers Classic, Olympic FiveFingers, olympics, toe shoes, Vibram, Vibram FiveFingers
The Vibram Transition: Chapter 6 Posted by Meagan on June 21, 2012 2 Responses » Jun 212012 The most frequently asked question I get when I wear my Vibram FiveFingers around town is: “Are those actually comfortable?” Of course, my answer is always some variation on “Yes, they’re very comfortable,” and is often followed up by a longer explanation of the benefits of minimalist footwear if the asker is interested to hear more. Obviously, I’m happy to have people ask me about my shoes, because it’s always great to get to spread some of the minimalist shoe gospel–there’s a reason we talk about minimalist shoes on this blog so often! However, I’ve decided that this FAQ is, without a doubt, the most concerning question that I am asked about my shoes and I see it as indicative of our society’s current (but slowly changing!) approach to footwear. Let me explain. Continue reading “The Vibram Transition: Chapter 6” » Technorati Tags: FAQ, fivefingers, minimalist shoes, shoe advice, toe shoes, Vibram, Vibram FiveFingers
Water, Sun, Fun! – Getting Your Toes Wet Posted by John on June 8, 2012 No Responses » Jun 082012 It was truly a paradise. There we sat at the beachside bar in beautiful Waikiki, fruity drinks in hand as we watched the sun slowly melt into the sea. You could hear the waves gently crashing on shore nearby as ukulele music wafted along with the warm tropical breeze. It couldn’t get any better than this. Then I looked down at my outstretched feet, and smiled as I wiggled my FiveFingered toes. How awesome is this? When I started to pack for my week long adventure in Hawaii, I threw my Vibram Komodo Sport LS’ in more as a workout shoe than anything else. A few early morning runs along the beach would be great, I thought. However, my Vibrams, soon became my best friends in Hawaii due to their versatility and comfort. Continue reading “Water, Sun, Fun! – Getting Your Toes Wet” » Technorati Tags: beach shoes, fivefingers, surfing, toe shoes, vacation shoes, Vibram, Vibram FiveFingers
Vibram Opening First US Store in Boston Posted by Meagan on April 11, 2012 No Responses » Apr 112012 The Vibrams are coming! The Vibrams are coming! To Boston, that is. This Saturday, April 14, Vibram is cutting the ribbon on its first retail store located in the United States. This store is the third exclusive store to be opened by Vibram (the other two are located in Italy and Spain). It will be dedicated to the Vibram FiveFingers, with a major focus on promoting “brand awareness.” Continue reading “Vibram Opening First US Store in Boston” » Technorati Tags: barefoot shoes, fivefingers, minimalist shoes, Vibram, Vibram FiveFingers, Vibram store
A Run in the Spyridons and a Quick Look at the Lontra Posted by Steve on February 26, 2012 3 Responses » Feb 262012 During what we intended to be a quick (and less expensive) visit to our local REI, I decided to try on a pair of Vibram FiveFingers Spyridons (in case you didn’t know they are finally available!) on a whim and, to my surprise, they were insanely comfortable. I wasn’t initially prepared to spend the $120 required for them, but after much debate, I decided to take the plunge. The decision was a great one, and although I’m not ready to give a thorough review, yet, I wanted to talk today about one particular feature of the Spyridons: the sole. The Spyridon rocks the first ever XSTrek Vibram Rubber Sole which has an “aggressive tread design [that] delivers sure-footed grip in all directions [and a] molded nylon mesh in midsole [which] adds a “rock block” effect, dispersing impact over a wider area”. Continue reading “A Run in the Spyridons and a Quick Look at the Lontra” » Technorati Tags: fivefingers, lontra, shoes, spyridon ls, Vibram FiveFingers, water-resistant
