10 years of Vibram Fivefingers (0)
There are no products in this collection. Keep on shopping.
Suspected cause of the accident? Shoes with bad soles, without grip. Deeply affected by the death of his friends, Vitale decided to do something about it. With the help of Pirelli, he launched the first Vibram rubber sole two years later and had it patented immediately. The Carrarmato was born (Carro armato: tank). The sole was designed to give the best grip on the most diverse surfaces and combined this with a very high wear resistance. The secret of this sole was vulcanized rubber. A few years later, the Vibram sole (with its well-known yellow logo) was the most commonly used sole for (hiking) shoes.
The idea for the Vibram Fivefingers originated in 1999 at the University of Bolzano. Robert Fliri was studying design and was given an assignment with the theme "Sport = fun". Fliri came up with the idea to design a minimalist shoe. It soon became clear to him that his shoe would be a toe shoe. His first concept was the "Tatto" (Italian for touch). Fliri said the following about this:
"I wanted to walk barefoot , but in a way that still protected the sole of my foot. Because only when you can really feel the surface beneath your feet, can your body do what nature made it to do."
10 years of Vibram Fivefingers
A few years later, Fliri came into contact with Marco Bramani, grandson of Vitale Bramani. Then everything started to move fast. In 2002, the first prototype of the Vibram Fivefingers was designed, and in 2006, the first Vibram Fivefingers shoe was launched in America. This very first model is still known as the Vibram Fivefingers Classic.
2006
One of the very first people to test this Vibram Fivefinger was Barefoot Ted, the famous American barefoot runner. According to Ted, the Vibram Fivefingers were the very first minimalist shoe with which he could run longer than 20 miles, without them falling apart. Ted also set quite a few milestones in this shoe: he was the very first to run the (Boston) marathon, an ultra marathon and 100 miles trail run on Vibram Fivefingers.
2007
Launch of the FiveFingers Sprint. The Sprint is actually a further developed version of the Classic, with an extra velcro over the back of the foot.
2008
Launch of the popular Vibram Fivefingers KSO. The KSO (Keeps Stuff Out) is the first FiveFingers shoe that is completely toe-off. This shoe becomes an instant success.
2010
Until 2010, Vibram mainly developed all-round FiveFingers. With the arrival of the Vibram Fivefingers Bikila, Vibram is going to differentiate more. The Bikila is a model that was specifically designed for running (on the street). The model has a slightly thicker sole and is therefore an ideal entry-level model for beginning barefoot/minimalistic runners.
2011
Launch of the Vibram Fivefingers Komodosport (KMD)
2012
The Fivefinger Spyridon is born. The very first trail shoe from Vibram Fivefingers. In 2017 it was renewed with the V-Trail which got a new update in 2019 to the V-Trail 2.0
2013
The first children's collection of FiveFingers is released. That same year, the EL-X and the Altiza are also launched.
2014
The Bikila and KSO will be succeeded by the FiveFingers Bikila EVO and the KSO EVO. The very first ballerina, the VI-B, will also be launched.
2015
Vibram introduces a new rubber sole the Megagrip. The Vibram Fivefingers Trek Ascent and Trek ascent LR are all equipped with this new sole.
Vibram sole technology
Vibram Fivefingers is constantly looking to improve their shoes. That's why they have a whole range of soles, each with their own specific purposes:
VI-Lite : EVA lightweight midsole for shock absorption without energy loss. Used in the new Vibram Fivefingers V-Run
Megagrip : excellent grip on both wet and dry terrain. This is combined with a very high wear resistance. Used on the Spyridon MR Elite and the Trek Ascent, among others.
Icetrek : specially developed to provide grip on cold and icy or snowy surfaces. Used in the Fivefingers CVT Wool, among others.
XS Trek : Flexible sole for dry and wet conditions. Thanks to its non-marking sole, you can also use it perfectly for indoor activities. You will find this sole at the KSO, Altiza, VI-S,...
XS Run : as the name suggests: the ideal sole for running shoes such as the Vibram Fivefingers V-Run
Mont : The Vibram Mont is used for difficult terrain at low temperatures.
6 Benefits of Running with Vibram Fivefingers
- Walk the way you should - Vibram Fivefingers force you to walk the right way. The heel landing can be thrown overboard immediately. This teaches you to use the natural shock absorption of your body.
- Strengthen your feet - The muscles in your feet are being addressed again and will therefore strengthen quickly. Often the position of your toes can change (improve) and you will get more control over your toes. (And admit it: it is incredibly fun to move your toes in your Vibram Fivefingers, which makes people wonder how that is actually possible).
- Improve your blood circulation - Trained muscles are muscles with blood flow. This means that waste products are removed more quickly and you will therefore get less cramps in your leg muscles.
- Increase your step frequency - When running on Vibram Fivefingers, you go from landing on the heel to landing on the midfoot or forefoot. When running barefoot, you run with a smaller step length and a higher frequency. By landing on your mid/forefoot, your center of gravity is directly above your feet. Your ankle, knee and hip are in a straight line. In time, you will notice that the smaller step length and the higher frequency make it easier for you to run fast.
- Prevent injuries - The improved body position and shorter step length put less strain on the hamstrings, which leads to fewer injuries. Because, with the right technique, your ankles, knees and hips are in line at the moment of landing, the pressure is better distributed over all joints. This results in fewer symptoms of overload.
- Have fun - Running should be fun. So enjoy it when other people look at you strangely!
Are Vibram Fivefingers dangerous?
Yes, Vibram FiveFingers are indeed very dangerous! And especially for your wallet ! If you have one pair, after a while you will want a second pair. And then you realize that you have an everyday shoe, and a running shoe, but no trail shoe. So a third pair of Vibram FiveFingers is added. And so it goes on...
But seriously. There has been a lot of fuss about Vibram Fivefingers and barefoot running in general. You simply cannot compare running with Vibram Fivefingers to running on classic sports shoes . Most people have been used to the unnatural position of 'normal' (sports) shoes for years. With such shoes, your body is almost forced to perform a heel landing. And then you do indeed need thick cushioning. After all, the heel bone is not made to land on . Take off your shoes and walk barefoot for a while. Are you still doing a heel landing? Probably not. It doesn't feel natural at all.
With Vibram Fivefingers you will have to switch to a forefoot or midfoot landing . This takes some getting used to. Logical, because you have been doing it differently all those years. That is why it is extremely important to get used to your Fivefingers slowly. The transition should be slow and gradual. With a good build-up you will certainly not overload your body and Vibram Fivefingers are not dangerous at all. On the contrary, you learn to use your body in a more natural way. Most experienced barefoot runners even have far fewer injuries than when they ran with regular sports shoes.
Buying Vibram Fivefingers for the first time
Buying Vibram Fivefingers for the first time can often make you a little nervous. But that is not necessary at all. If you follow the following steps, everything will usually be fine:
- Determine the purpose of your Vibram Fivefingers. There are Fivefingers for casual use, running, trail running, hiking,...
- There are women's and men's models. Women's models are generally a bit narrower and go up to size 42.
- Most importantly: Vibram Fivefingers uses its own size chart ! So don't just buy the size you're used to. To determine your correct FiveFingers size, you must first measure your feet. Based on that result, you can determine your correct size. With every Vibram Fivefingers on our webshop you will find a link to these size charts. So use them well!
- Select the right model, color and size and throw them in your shopping cart. Once paid, the Vibram Fivefingers will be shipped the same or at the latest the next business day to all addresses in Belgium and the Netherlands!