Vibrams Five Fingers Treksport Review: The Best Shoes of E3 2013

The Way

Like I mentioned earlier, I settled on some Black/Charcoal Treksports before I realized what I was getting into. I still think they’re the best-looking pair they make, but they also have a (perhaps unnecessary) advantage in having textured treads, which makes navigating rock yards easier. When I get a second pair, they’ll be KSOs, which don’t have those traction nubs, leaving you with a more intimate feel of whatever surface you’re on.

So what’s the big deal with these things? For one, they have no cushion. They have a semi-firm tread that protects you from the elements, but for the most part, it’s just you and the walking surface. It’s like walking barefoot with foot-gloves, because that’s what they’re designed to be (and how they’re designed to fit, more on that in a second). For those used to traditional shoes, there’s a break-in period on top of the break-in period where you re-learn what muscles you have in your feet. Some say it could take weeks, but since I’d been avoiding shoes for months and walking around barefoot anyway, it didn’t take long to get used to.

Let me give you a nugget of advice: do not order your first pair online. I don’t care how confident you are in Vibrams’ sizing chart, it will come out wrong. Find a local reseller and get fitted for real. By Vibrams’ chart, I was supposed to fit into a size 43 Treksport, but wound up comfy in a 46. Their sizes don’t translate directly from American traditional, which I’d be a 13, so finding the proper size is absolutely critical with these things. The sizes also change between models, so be wary.

When it came to price – these were $100, no spare change – it wasn’t really an issue. As a guy who traditionally buys $30 shoes, wears them down to nubs, then buys another $30 pair after 12-18 months, this felt more like what normal people did anyway. Of course, acquiring multiple pairs of these will become a costly adventure.