It was a year ago that we were in Estes Park, Colorado with some friends when my son told me he wanted a pair of Vibram Five Finger Shoes.
Being completely out of touch, I was thinking "You want vibrating shoes?"
"Dad", he said. "They are Vibram Five Finger shows"
So I took him to the store and he showed me the shoes.
I had seen toe socks before because my teenage daughter would wear multi-colored versions of them.
But I had never seen a masculine-looking toe sock with a matching shoe.
I had to laugh.
The clerk at the store told us they were a very hot item, especially for outdoors activities.
Hiking, biking, running, climbing, etc...
On one hand I thought they looked ridiculous.
On the other I realized that I was out of touch with the "in thing". No big surprise there.
I bought the shoes for my son. As he modeled them for me, I considered that perhaps Armageddon was closer than I thought.
I told him, "You look like Chewbacca", and I proceeded to let loose with a classic Wookie growl.
He didn't care. He wanted the Vibrams and wore them with great pride.
It's been over a year and he is now on his second pair of Vibrams. He wears them almost everywhere.
As far as regular shoes go, he wants nothing to do with them.
He is used to the freedom that the Vibrams bring.
Since wearing regular shoes is so uncomfortable for him, we joked that his toes don't get along with each other.
Have you encountered these unusual shoes? Do you wear them? Would you buy a pair?
Haha. I was coming back home to New Jersey from the Affiliate Summit in New York City when I exited the train and saw this young guy wearing these funky fins. I had heard about these shoes a few years back but never saw them up close. I stared so hard wondering how his feet felt, were they supportive around his ankles, and what on earth would make him want to wear "Gorilla Feet" to walk around New York City? I even tried to take a picture of them as we walked off the train to post on twitter but him and his toes got away. They look hysterical because it seems like you are walking in a wet suit style foot wear but I hear they are very comfortable and better than the regular shoes we wear every day. Go figure LoL.
I have never seen these, but I think I have heard of them. One of the firefighters I work with does triathlons and someone was saying he was running in them. (not the firefighter I work with that just Regis and Kelly Firehouse Cook off, that Ross.)
I don't think I would be these because of the "pull off" factor. Me and my body type, size etc, I don't think I could "pull it off." People would probably ask me why I was wearing dress socks with no shoes and find it strange they could see my toes.
Not saying anything is wrong with them because I come from the generation that at one point thought it was cool to wear aqua socks and tight rolled jeans to school, oh my.
Wow, those are really weird looking. I have to agree with everything you said. I can't stand wearing toe socks, so these would likely drive me crazy. That was if I could get past their Halloween costume looks.
Sergey Brin co-founder of Google wears them, you can see the photo on wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergey_Brin.
Actually, Vibram are not yet found in my country Morocco, but even if they were I wouldn't wear them, for outdoors activities I wear a pear of shoes I bought with $2, they are lighter, more beautiful and you can even go in water with them... lol, you gave my an idea, I will write about my shoes too.
My closest encounter with "unusual" shoes are the Sketchers Shape-ups. They cause your feet to roll from front to back and, quite honestly, they take a little getting used to. They're not the most attractive sneaker in the world but they are cushy.
I wouldn't be caught in the "toe" shoes. Just a little too unusual for me. I guess I'm getting to be old. :-)
Thanks for this! I'll probably get a pair next summer. :)
I suspect these are healthier than normal shoes as they likely improve posture and I suspect there is some sort of a natural reflexology that occurs when the wearer slogs his way over rocks, stones, crevices, etc.
Three cheers for Joel's son for enlightening us all!!