I Finally Broke Down and Hiked in FiveFingers Shoes. I’m a Little Ashamed to Say I Liked It.
For years I’ve avoided testing Vibram FiveFingers shoes. You know, the ones that more or less kicked off the barefoot shoe movement and look like ridiculous crocodile skins for your feet with individual toes?
They looked stupid, I said. Why would anyone wear those? I said. Even after I fully transitioned to wearing barefoot shoes all the time I still refused to wear them. I mean, look at them! They’re ridiculous. You certainly can’t wear them to dinner after a hike unless you want everyone in the restaurant to stare at your feet and wonder what amphibious reptile you just transformed from and how long it’s been since you started walking upright.
They’re super dorky, is what I’m saying.
But I did it. I finally broke down and decided it was time to try the shoes that pioneered the movement (they are the original toe shoes, after all). And you know what?
I didn’t hate them.
Which disturbed me a little, if I’m being honest.
I didn’t even mind walking up and down a fairly busy trail near my home in them even as I caught just about everyone snatching a glimpse at my feet as they passed me going the opposite direction.
You know why? Because it turns out they’re kind of awesome. But only for some. Why? Let’s get into it.
Vibram Five Fingers Spidrwalk
I tested the Vibram FiveFingers Spidrwalk, which are purposely designed for hiking and water-based activities (or a combination of both).
The Deets
Weight
• 3.5 oz / 100 g (W 37), 4.6 oz / 130 g (M 43)
Sole Construction
• Insole: Polyester Fabric + 2mm EVA Foam
• Outsole: 3.7mm Vibram® MegaGrip Rubber
Upper Material
• Stretch Polyester
• TPU Reinforcements
Care Instructions
• Machine wash cold
• Air dry only
What They’re Best For
- Packed dirt trails
- Creek crossings
- Rocky trails
- Rainy hikes
- Canyon/river walks
- Water sports like kayaking and SUP
Function
Right off the bat, let’s talk function, because that’s arguable the most important feature of minimalist footwear, starting with groundfeel, which was tremendous, but they also felt protective (more on that below). That’s because there’s no bulky material anywhere on the shoe, just a 3.7mm flexible rubber sole, so they truly felt like walking nearly fully barefoot thanks to the incredible flexibility and the anatomical design.
But just as importantly, the soles were surprisingly grippy on rock, dirt, in shallow creeks, and going uphill and back down on steep, dusty terrain. That’s partially due to the sticky rubber sole, but also the ability to use your toes to grip and spread as you hike, which isn’t an option in any other barefoot shoe. Because you get to use every part of your foot, balance and full range of motion were excellent.
Plus, thanks to holes in the soles, water drained fast and completely after water crossings and the stretchy mesh uppers dried fast.
One important note, though: these are for experienced barefoot shoe enthusiasts. They’re likely too minimalist for barefoot newbies unless you’re sticking to a transitioning schedule very closely.
Fit
Fit is where this review gets sticky, though. Mostly because––as you can tell by looking at them––they’re designed for a very standard foot shape. As in, an average anatomical shape you’d expect to spot in a shoe ad: All toes appropriately spaced, second toe shorter than the first, all of reasonable length, and no toes curving off in weird directions.
That works fine for me because that’s how my toes are basically laid out. But Josh’s second toe is longer than his first, so his may not fit very well in there. Another friend has a pinkie toe that basically folds over his second-to-last toe, so pulling those far enough apart to go in their own toe sleeves might prove difficult.
Essentially, these shoes are designed for ideal feet. If that’s not you, might I suggest barefoot hiking sandals instead? If that is you, well, congrats on having reasonably attractive feet. And in that case, I can say they actually fit pretty well, which I was worried about because my feet are very slim and I sometimes have a tricky time with sizing. But I got my usual size 37 and they fit nearly perfectly.
Plus, the fast lacing on top allowed for plenty of adjustability so I could easily get them nice and snug with nothing rubbing or bunching. Neither my toes nor feet slipped around inside the shoes AT ALL.
Comfort
That leads to the topic of comfort, which is also super important. And honestly, the shoes were pretty comfy right off the bat. They genuinely felt like being barefoot but with a nice protective, hyper-flexible sole. Freedom of movement was paramount. I was able to move all my toes. My whole foot could conform to large boulders but my soles (miraculously) didn’t feel every tiny pebble underfoot.
They didn’t even feel hot (I hate when my feet are hot). The stretchy uppers breathed super well and because there are drain holes in the soles, I could traipse across creeks and the shoes would drain fully and then dry quickly.
I actually loved wearing them. The only thing that started to bother me after a few miles were my pinkie toes. Because I have such petite little toes, they didn’t fill up the whole space and started rubbing inside their little toe sleeves, which could become a problem on longer hikes (I found them more suitable for shorter hikes anyway). I could assuage the rubbing with thin socks (you can wear them barefoot or with minimalist toe socks), but that defeats a little bit of the breathability and quick-drying aspects.
Another wearer told me she experienced the same hot spots on her pinkies, which makes sense for such a specifically-shaped shoe for specifically-shaped feet: Not all feet are going to fit in there.
Bottom Line
So are Vibram FiveFingers perfect for all barefoot enthusiasts? No. You have to be fully transitioned, prioritize groundfeel above all else, and have pretty normally-shaped toes. But if that’s you, and you can get over how silly they look and don’t mind strangers staring at your feet on trails, they’re actually comfortable and functional.
I’ll likely wear them more for moderate temperature hikes close to home and paddle-boarding than big excursions or multi-day backpacking trips, but honestly, I kinda like having them in my barefoot shoe arsenal. They’re hardly a necessary piece of footwear, but if you want the absolute most barefoot feel, ultimate flexibility and excellent purchase and stability on uneven trails, these are a solid choice (as long as you don’t have janky-shaped feet, of course…).
