We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Vibram Five Finger Shoes - Review Thread

Playing 36 tomorrow, so will put these through the paces.
 
Ton's of great information still coming through here. I was wondering how these were working out in wet or cool situations, sounds like some weatherproofing might be in order for these cold weather states.
 
Do you any of you feel like the better connection to ground is helping your game out? I remember seeing guys like Rocco talk about practicing barefoot because he felt it helped his swing from the ground up.
 
Sanzabar said:
This is exactly on point. The feel they give you on weight transfer and the feel of the greens you get take precedent over them looking goofy.
Click to expand...

I would think that being able to really feel the greens would be a huge advantage
 
Played in these again today in the warm Florida weather more to come later.

ddec said:
Do you any of you feel like the better connection to ground is helping your game out? I remember seeing guys like Rocco talk about practicing barefoot because he felt it helped his swing from the ground up.
Click to expand...

I am playing well in them partially from being able to feel the ground better, beat up tee boxes are annoying as I can feel every uneven spot.
 
I gave GolfinFF a hard time a couple of times this weekend about these, but he says they are crazy comfy and he and the other reviewers are doing a great job.
 
golfinFF said:
Played in these again today in the warm Florida weather more to come later.

I am playing well in them partially from being able to feel the ground better, beat up tee boxes are annoying as I can feel every uneven spot.
Click to expand...

Will be very interesting to hear your thoughts in the different States/Temps!
 
I have to say I saw GolfinFF in these today and they were pleasant on the eyes and looked extremely comfy. His reply was, "They are." Great job guys.
 
ddec said:
Do you any of you feel like the better connection to ground is helping your game out? I remember seeing guys like Rocco talk about practicing barefoot because he felt it helped his swing from the ground up.
Click to expand...

I do feel this. I feel like I can better feel where my weight is through my swing and feel more "grounded". It has helped with my tendency to lift my front foot up on my back swing for sure.

I just played 18 in these, I rode, though cart path only, because I'm not sure my feet are adjusted enough to walk 18 yet. The way my feet feel right now, I'm glad I did that. Still walked plenty and can feel it in my right foot more than my left. Will put my thoughts together and get a full write up in a bit.
 
Played a full 18, cart path only, today in the Vibrams. Felt fantastic. I noticed at about hole 10 that I wasn't transferring my weight correctly. Before these shoes I would have blamed something in my swing as the issue but I could actually feel it with the Vibrams on. Hit some sand shots—no problems. Hit some shots out of some standing water in lateral hazards—no problems. I was actually impressed with how fast the shoes dried. They weren't submerged in water but the water was past the rubber sole. Dry by the time I got to the next tee box.

Some of the other testers must have sweaty feet or the difference in models makes aside thence but I have not had any issues with moisture build up in the shoe. I took them right off after the round, put on socks, and put on other shoes. No sweat and my feet felt great.

My friend asked me if they are the official shoe of UPS haha. He did really like them. The shoes are obviously still a head turner :)
 
Vibram Speed XC Lite Testing 5/10/2014
Lake Padden Golf Course Bellingham, WA

Links to previous posts:
Intial thoughts: http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...=1#post2978461
First Range session: http://www.thehackersparadise.com/f...eview-Thread&p=2980733&viewfull=1#post2980733
First Round: http://www.thehackersparadise.com/f...eview-Thread&p=3004171&viewfull=1#post3004171


Got out for 18 this weekend with SkiBumGolfer out at Lake Padden. It had rained the two days before so the course was fairly wet in places, which made things interesting. Overall the Vibrams held up well and I continue to be impressed with how they feel. I didn't feel I have gotten used to them enough to walk 18 yet, and how my feet felt afterwards I know I was right. It was cart path only on the back, 90*/ watch for wet spots on the front so I still walked plenty. Immediately after the round I had just a little fatigue in my right foot, mostly I believe from my weight transfer (there's a bit of weight going over onto that side hehe). During the night, I had a little bit of pain when I got up in the middle of the night, but by morning, my feet felt even less bothered than immediately after the round.

Feel:
Again, the feel on these is surprising. I was skeptical on how these would feel, but once I have them on and get walking around I can easily forget I am wearing them. Then I look down and am reminded I am. I walked over sticks/branches, gravel, and sand and never had anything bother my feet, or get between my toes to bother me. I have yet to wear them with socks, as they have been incredibly comfortable without any. I think next time I go out I will try them with socks. So far though, walking the course, and not running more than just jogging to/from my ball, I have not felt socks were necessary.


Dealing with water/wetness:
As I mentioned it was wet again out there (PNW, go figure). I had no slippage issues anywhere, and even hit from straight up mud a couple times. I probably should not have worn these with it as saturated as it was, as there were several times I rushed my shot in effort to speed my getting out of the wet/muddy grass and it hurt me a few times. The grip in those areas seemed fine, but the ground was wet enough I was sinking in and getting water/mud on the top side of my feet. It was a bit annoying. That said, I was never uncomfortable even when my feet were fairly wet, though if it were colder I would have been miserable (to no fault of the shoes bear in mind). As well, with as wet as my feet got, I never felt my feet sliding around inside the shoes. They stayed snug and comfortable. They seem to dry fairly quickly, however they did seem to stain some from the water. I will get pictures tomorrow, as I've got them in the car still. I intend to wash them and see how they turn out after the wash.


Durability:
These have held up really nicely so far for the terrain I have put them through. They really feel well made and the soles are seeming to be quite durable so far. This is something I am keeping an eye on for the longer term as I tend to tear the soles of shoes up something fierce. So far though, they are holding up well.

Golf specific thoughts:
These really do wonders for me in feeling the ground and my weight through my swing. I feel more connected, and in turn more aware of where my weight is in my swing, if that makes sense/is even possible. I am curious if this will help engrain the feeling of how my weight should be to help even with regular shoes. I do believe it will from how I feel, as I'm starting to feel it better throughout my body not just in my legs/feet. Walking the putting greens continues to be one of my favorite things with these. It is just really neat to feel the greens in your feet the way you can with these on. The greens at this course have a lot of undulation and can be pretty brutal if you're not on the right place on the greens. I do believe that there were a couple cases where having walked the green helped me not leave myself in a worse spot than I could have, had I not.

Digging in the sand of a bunker with these felt a little odd. The digging in wasn't so bad but feeling the sand more on the sides and even a little on top was strange. I didn't have any problem with sand getting in the shoes or between my toes, just while I was standing there and about to take my swing it was something I noticed. I didn't feel like it bothered my swing at all, was just something I noticed and felt a little strange about.


Summary:
Once again, these held up well and felt very comfortable. I still need some more time to get to where I think that I could walk 18 in them, but I know that will just take time. I still struggle getting my right foot pinky toe in without any discomfort, but once they are on they are as comfortable as any shoe I've worn. I am trying to be open minded on the looks, but I just still struggle with it. One thing I noticed that could be awkward is if you wear socks with regular shoes when you wear shorts and get that tan line where your socks are, you'll have a really interesting look when wearing these. Overall though, I am enjoying wearing these and am more impressed than I thought I would be with them.

Again, I will have some pictures of the water stains and how the soles are holding up tomorrow. Then I'll wash them and take pictures of how they turn out.

As always, any questions or anything you'd like to know, just let me know.
 
What a great weekend of testing out the V-Classic shoes. I got to spend the weekend with 20 awesome people who are into everything golf and their spouse who at least new about the game and attire.

I started the weekend testing these out by casually walking around the resort taking in the sights. We walked a good bit on all kinds of surfaces and my feet were really comfortable with no socks being worn. Had some good conversation about the shoes with hotel staff and other THPer's about their comfort and style.

Saturday(mid 80's-90 dry and windy) was day 1 of golf that started with a solid range session with zero slippage even with me stepping on a few shots. Practice green was fun as I had some really good conversation about the comfort of these as well as the look most think they look much better in person and on the foot than they had imagined.

On the course I had zero issue with traction/slippage during my swing or walking/jogging around the course, I even to took to a few hikes through the brush looking for errant shots and didn't notice any poking anything sharp at all and I was not watching where I stepped,

bunkers were no problem at all- no extra foot movement than you'd expect from fairway bunkers when you swing too hard :) and zero slippage green-side, I had zero sand in the shoe issues as well (note-- getting a solid base in bunkers with sand actually in them is different, I noticed my heels tended to dig down deeper if I didn't concentrate on weight distribution, this isn't really a big deal just something to watch for)

Comfort- my feet were nice and cool all day even after putting on socks right before the round, my feet/toes were a little tired by the end of the round but were fine after a little rest back at the hotel( I walked quite a bit for being in a cart)

Sundays round(mid 70's - 90's and muggy, grass was a bit damp/dewy on the range and tee off)

Range time - the range was damp and pretty soft and I had zero slipping issues even getting after few shots with irons and driver.

Course(same condition as the range to start)- traction was great from tee to green all day, especially the tee box where we all know traction is at a premium to hit it long.

Bunkers- still no sand in the shoes for me and being able to really feel how deep the sand is and it's texture is cool and informative on how to play the shot.

Comfort- I wore these almost all day today( to the course(driving), warm up and playing, driving to the airport and then back to the hotel about 8hrs) and my feet felt great the whole time.

Some extra thoughts-

If you it a bad shot do not smack your foot/toe with the club in disgust. I promise you'll only do this twice at the most.

If you do not like having random conversations with people about what your wearing these aren't for you. Fortunately I really enjoy this part as people are fun to talk to about anything golf related.

If you do not like the feeling of being barefoot and feeling everything these aren't for you. This sensation is awesome to me and something I truly love.

Chewed up tee boxes are seriously annoying and finding a good spot to stand can be difficult.

The saying that the swing starts from the ground up is so true and you can feel when you made the perfect swing and when something wasn't right, before seeing the ball flight. Several times I've let out a little in disgust only to see the result was not as bad as I thought, but knew the error(s) of the swing.

The new nickname for these are "Hobbit Shoes"

Yes they really are comfortable(you do need to build up the foot muscles gradually)

I want a leather pair in black and white for a dressier pair.

If wearing pants make sure they are the proper length, too long and you will walk all over them.

Traction/Grip during a full swing isn't an issue.
 
Did some range time and played 9 holes walking. The Vibram "V-Classic" black shoes worked perfectly. Weather was warm. Shoes actually breathe really well. Plus any dampness drys really fast. The shoes are very comfortable BUT take a bit to get use to. Still trying to get the right foot little toe to feel better in its slot. Almost wish the last two toes were together as I don't have much spacing between. These feel better to me walking on something soft like the grass. As opposed to cement/rock cart paths which create more impact on the hard surface. No problems with traction or slippage. When you get out of the same don't take your iron and whack your foot to knock off sand as it will hurt!

My feet were tired more than wearing other shoes. Oh don't stub your toe as there is not a lot of protection. Accidentally drop your iron or something heavy will hurt. Especially that pint of beer at the 19th hole. :)

Nice shoes that take a bit to get use to. You definitely feel everything under your foot, divots, objects etc. Thin bottom. If you like playing bare foot or in sandals then these should be on your list. If you like shoes that are squishy comfortable than these are definitely not that. These do help in the weight shift.
 
Some fantastic updates the last few days gents.

I did see someone at the course in Vibram's on Saturday (non golf specific version) and made me want to try these out.

Comfort while walking is very important to me and these seem to deliver that along with other benefits (on the greens, etc).

Keep up the great work fellas.
 
These are quickly become some of my favorite shoes/golf shoes to date.

They are flat out comfortable and I swear, they make my short game so much better.

I walked 36 holes in these the other day and neither course was flat. I brought my other shoes along just because I didnt know about foot fatigue due to the hills. Needless to say, my other shoes didnt sniff the course.

Feel:
- Fabulous
- Lightweight
- Breathable
- Bendable

On-Course Thoughts:
- I havent noticed any traction issues whatsoever.
- I feel like they really make me focus on my weight transfer and keeping myself grounded. They really make me focus on my lower body, which is normally my big downfall.
- Be careful if you hit it in the woods cause you will feel tree roots, pine cones, rocks, etc.. Not enough to hurt, but MUCH more noticeable than normal shoes.
- They seem extra durable.
- Sand has yet to be an issue, but I will admit, I towel them off and my ankle off when I exit the sand.
- Putting is just flat out easier with these things. You can feel the breaks alot more because you are practically barefoot.
- Only knock I have is that if you have an extremely awkward lie on like a hill in the fairway/bunker/rough... you can roll you ankle if you dont focus on really staying down through the swing. Maybe this is just for me due to my ruptured Achilles injury that I suffered a few years ago.
- One other small thing, if you walk through taller grass, you will sometimes get things stuck in between the toes on the shoes and it can be uncomfortable.

Parting Shots:
They still dont take place over my TW13's or Lunar Controls... but I prefer them to my Faas Lites and I hold those Faas Lites to HIGH REGARDS. If you are looking for spikeless and minimal shoes, buy these things. You will not regret it. They get funny looks for sure and you will hear comments, but they flat out make my game a little better and my putting has improved tremendously.
 
Absolutely wonderful write-ups everyone. You guys have me pondering...
 
So, I gave my Speed XC Lite's a hose down after the round and let them dry. They got pretty well wet this last time out (and a bit of dirt got in through the mesh as you can see). The water marks are hard to see in the pictures, so what I was trying to show doesn't really come through. If you look hard you can see some discoloration...though I guess it's good it's hard to see in the light as it wouldn't be as noticeable when wearing them.

vibrams2.jpg



I'll wash them and take new pics once they dry and see how they clean up.

Also, here's how the soles are holding up so far. I've walked cart path, parking lot, gravel paths, and in the woods, above all the normal course terrain, and they are holding up very well so far.

soles2.jpg
 
I'm posting this to all of the testers in general, but to GolfinFF in particular because of me seeing these in person over the weekend and because he mentions wearing these all over the place.

Most golf shoes are made just for that. It's not a shoe you would wear, typically, to any place other than a golf shoe. I went to the vibram web site and see that there are several different patterns on the soles of their shoes. There are a couple that have they design pattern on the upper that would be typical of a golf shoe, but most of them with a semi aggressive sole could probably be used for golf.

So I guess that's my question. Do these shoes seem golf specific like most golf shoes or do you feel like they can be used for most any outdoor activity plus golf? That could be a bonus as well. GolfinFF is really the one that has stood out as far as commenting about using them in an environment other than golf and I know I saw him wearing them all over the place over the weekend.
 
Glenn I will wear them every where obviously as you saw me trekking all over the resort, course, cars(riding & driving) in mine.

I wouldn't hesitate to wear them doing almost any activity inside or outside. The traction is fantastic and comfort is stellar for me.
 
Texasbrons said:
I'm posting this to all of the testers in general, but to GolfinFF in particular because of me seeing these in person over the weekend and because he mentions wearing these all over the place.

Most golf shoes are made just for that. It's not a shoe you would wear, typically, to any place other than a golf shoe. I went to the vibram web site and see that there are several different patterns on the soles of their shoes. There are a couple that have they design pattern on the upper that would be typical of a golf shoe, but most of them with a semi aggressive sole could probably be used for golf.

So I guess that's my question. Do these shoes seem golf specific like most golf shoes or do you feel like they can be used for most any outdoor activity plus golf? That could be a bonus as well. GolfinFF is really the one that has stood out as far as commenting about using them in an environment other than golf and I know I saw him wearing them all over the place over the weekend.
Click to expand...

The Speed XC Lite's are definitely not just golf specific in my eyes. I have been wearing mine more than just on the course. I have worn them around the yard, at work, the range, as well as on the course. I don't know that I would personally be comfortable running in them, but walking/hiking or every day use around town running errands or what not I would be totally comfortable in them feel wise.
 
Texasbrons said:
I'm posting this to all of the testers in general, but to GolfinFF in particular because of me seeing these in person over the weekend and because he mentions wearing these all over the place.

Most golf shoes are made just for that. It's not a shoe you would wear, typically, to any place other than a golf shoe. I went to the vibram web site and see that there are several different patterns on the soles of their shoes. There are a couple that have they design pattern on the upper that would be typical of a golf shoe, but most of them with a semi aggressive sole could probably be used for golf.

So I guess that's my question. Do these shoes seem golf specific like most golf shoes or do you feel like they can be used for most any outdoor activity plus golf? That could be a bonus as well. GolfinFF is really the one that has stood out as far as commenting about using them in an environment other than golf and I know I saw him wearing them all over the place over the weekend.
Click to expand...

I wear mine all of the time honestly.

I have worn mine to the mall, grocery store, park and just about anything. The comfort is flat out unbeatable.
 
Wow, thanks for the feedback. I have to admit that I am pleasantly surprised by the responses with all of you guys wearing them all over. My Adidas spikeless I wouldn't say I'd wear all over, but unlike most golf shoes, I don't have a problem putting them on at the house and wearing them to and from and if I got sidetracked it would be no big deal to wear them into a store or restaurant or something. But I still wouldn't wear them just as a regular pair of running around sneakers. It's good that you guys feel like these are a good shoe to just wear that you happen to also be able to play golf in. To me that makes another selling point for having them possibly.
 
The Vibram sole on my Fivefinger KSO's is very durable. I've had them for about 4 years and wear them all over and still not much wear. If the V-Classic has the same type of sole material then I wouldn't worry about wearing them as a casual shoe as well as on the course. Conversely, even though they're comfortable enough to wear everywhere, I'm not as confident in the sole wear of my Puma FAAS Lite's and will stick to the course with them until further notice.
 
Got another 18 In with the Speed XC Lite... They are quickly becoming my favorite golf shoes.

One thing I am looking forward to, is to try these during the winter to see if they keep your feet warm.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top