If you missed our first post on barefoot running, you might want to check it out before you read this product review!
I actually have two different models of the Five Fingers, the Sprint and the Bikila. Both of which I love, but for slightly different reasons.
My first pair of Five Fingers was the sprint. I originally purchased them as part of my leap into the barefoot running world and was a bit skeptical of the individual toe design. Right out of the box they were easy to get on, just slip in your feet and bam you are ready to go, no laces, no fighting with the fabric, just one quick Velcro strap. The first thing I noticed was the lack of cushion or any sort of arch support. They really felt like a slightly heavier pair of socks than shoes. It did take a bit of getting used to for the toe spaces and having fabric and a seam between each toe, but after a few minutes I was comfortable.[Ed note: Wearing toe socks, like the injinji seems to make a difference!]
Some of the great features of the Sprint are that the inside has few seams which means, less rubbing since I go without socks. The only rubbing I noticed was on the seam near my instep. I did get a bit of a rub on the first few outings but once the shoes were more molded to my feet I was fine. Since the shoe is essentially fabric and rubber, over time they take on the shape of your feet, and fit much more like a second skin than a device.
What about smell? Fortunately, the Sprints hold up great in the washer! You just pop them in and hang dry, the fabric wears great, and dirt lifts almost fully out making them look brand new again. The only lingering sign of use is the smell. These puppies really keep that sweaty foot smell. While this is of course not a pleasant thing, while on or even not near your nose the odor is not apparent.
I put about 800 miles on them before they really started to wear and needed replacement; there is actually a small hole in the bottom sole! The sad thing is the fabric still looks great.
Now for the Bikilas. I was super excited when I first heard about the Bikila since it is designed for running. Basically the changes from the Sprint, are the addition of a top layer of fabric (so the shoe covers the whole foot), treads were added to the sole for better grip while running, reflective tape was added, and the sole also had a more rigid rubber piece added under the arch (not traditional arch support but something).
While in general the feeling is similar between the shoes, I found the Bikilas are not as flexible and second skin feeling as the Sprints, especially fresh from the box. The fabric was quite stiff which made it actually difficult to get the shoes on initially which was a big deterrent for me. Over time the fabric stretched and this became less of a hassle, but they had a much longer break in period in comparison (about 10-15 wears Vs. 2-3 wears). In addition I actually felt slightly less ‘barefoot’ in the Bikilas, they are heavier than the Sprints and more shoe like with the light arch support than ‘barefoot’ like. Don’t get me wrong they are far from a traditional shoe!
Where the Bikilas really have the Sprints beat is in the general warmth of the shoe and the grip. The extra fabric over the foot and the additional thickness makes a huge difference; no snow even crept in this year (not true with the open design of the Sprints). I also find myself slipping less and feeling more stable wet pavement in the Bikilas which turned out to be a bigger deal than I thought.
The Bikilas also appear to be lasting longer in term of sole wear (I am going on close to 1000 miles in them, and they aren’t quite at replacement time) ; this is likely simply because the sole is thicker with the treads vs. new materials.
So which to choose? Well, it depends. Overall both Five Fingers are fantastic and allow for flexible use for a variety of activities. For just running, I think I will stick to the Bikilas for the most part, but for other activities, I find the flexibility and fit of the Sprints are better, so if you are looking for a more all around travel, yoga, running, climbing shoe, I would go with the Sprints or their fraternal twin the KSOs and stay away from in specific use designs.
Happy Running!
We received no compensation for this review. It is based on solely on the author’s experience. Feel free to check out our other travel, adventure and outdoor gear reviews.
They do look funny says a person who does not run at all, leave alone barefoot but I just love to read about all these activities.
You should try a pair! Just for walking is a start 🙂
My concern would be about cushion; when I stand for longer than ten or fifteen minutes barefoot (like while doing dishes or something), the soles of my feet start to ache. Wearing cushioned shoes seem to help a lot, so my biggest concern about these types of barefoot running shoes is that I’ll experience a similar discomfort. What’s your take on how much they cushion the foot?
There is actually no cushion at all in the Sprint and about 3mm of cushion in the Bikilias which really is basically nothing. So initially I would suspect you would still have the aches but over time this should decrease as your feet get stronger walking around barefoot.
This is what I was waiting for after the last article you wrote about barefoot running. I think I may pick a pair up I’m thinking probably the Sprint since I don’t run much, but I am pretty active and outdoorsy. Or do I have that backwards maybe the Bakila would be better for stuff like hiking?
I would actually suggest the Trek version is you are going to use them more for hiking. These like the Bikilas cover the whole foot and have the tread on the bottom but are apparently a bit more rugged in comparison. I have seem a few people out on the trails running and just hiking in them. The downfall of the sprint for hiking is that leaves and dirt tend to creep in on the top.
These intrigue me – but for someone like me I don’t think they would work. What about us ‘second toe is longer than our big toe’ people? 🙂
Great Question Lauren. Unfortunately I cannot help you there. My second toe is actually pretty small in comparison to my big toe, so I am the opposite. Just by looking at them, there is not a huge length difference between the big and second toes, but I would suggest trying them on at a store or ordering from a shop with returns.
Another Barefoot alternative is the Merrell Trail Glove which like the five fingers is very minimalist but it lacks the individual toe design so it might be better for you. I can’t speak to them specifically as I don’t own any, but initial review are that they are a good competitor to the five fingers. I might be picking up a pair just to compare.
I have a pair of the vibram five finger KS0, and love them! I only typically use them for running, especially forest running! I even brought them to peru with me and wore them while I was in the amazon. This was hard as the few roads were pebbles, and stones and hurt my feet after awhile of walking. But I still loved them, there is no better way to run!
Pebbles and Gravel will definitely be rough. i did a 5K last Spring that ended up being all large gravel. ouch!
These look so weird, but when I hiked the Inca trail someone with our group was hiking in them and swore by them! They did get a bit smelly by the end though..
Wow the whole Inca trail in them! I am impressed. The longest I have worn mine is a few hours around the city!
I’m sorry, but for some reason, these things give me the heebie jeebies. But then again I used to say that I didn’t like beer too, so there’s always hope…
They are a little weird for sure, but as you said, there’s always hope…