Forum menu
Thinking of getting a pair to try, has anyone bought the ones on ebay?
They are a fair bit cheaper on there, but are they genuine or some Chinese copy?
Any over-pronators use them, how did you get on?
Read lots of stuff online but would like some real feedback.
Cheers.
I've just started using them. Takes a while to get used to because of the way they use your legs differently, but my running gait is changing already (in a good way!)
One thing I'd say is that you definitely need to try a pair on before buying. I usually wear a UK 10 or 10.5, but I wear take a size 8 VFF.
In my experience, it's very hard to get a genuine off ebay.
They even come in identical looking packaging and tags etc.
There are a couple of givaways (or there were), but nothing you'd know until you had them in your hands.
There was a guy in them the other week on the Walna scar road, he didn't look at all comfortable with that sort of terrain
If they are much cheaper than legit web-shops then they'll be fakes.
Though you can get some good savings if you order them from US sites such as [url] http://www.kayakshed.com/ [/url]
As for over-pronation, In much the same way as a runney nose is a symptom of a flu, but also a symptom of exercise induced rhinitis, over-pronation is a symptom of something rather than a defect in it's own right.
For me, it's been fine, but I think my excess pronation was largely caused by weak hip abductor muscles, which are now a lot stronger. I don't think cures that aim to alleviate the symptoms rather than the cause are helpful in the long-term if they are alternatives.
if you do a lot of running any barefoot shoe will take time to get used to. forget the pronation stuff you need to run on a grassy field and see how it feels.
i love it, but then i am starting from nothing with my running and having been off my feet for 18 months my muscles and legs have formatted themselves. i read born to run and it made a load of sense.
i had been running in innov 8 and loved them but then i've gone to merrel barefoot and love them more! wear them all the time when i'm not in work.
you'll scan the trail differently and the heel hits won't last long as they bl**dy hurt, you learn!
FiveFingers look ridiculous, like something a props department has churned out for extras playing hobbits. I find the barefoot thing fine running uphills and on the flat, but any sort of descent with rocks underfoot is a bloody nightmare. How far do you plan to run in them at any one time?
If they are cheap they are almost probably copies. I think sports direct/field and treck are the cheapest brick and click retailer at ~ £80. The sizing is odd and they look bloody mental. If BF is your intention then I'd certainly consider the merrell trail glove instead, although running on pavement with these really isn't nice.
I'd recommend a transition shoe first; I love my Nike free 3.0's but if you want quirky then the run I had on Newtons this week was interesting.
got some of ebay last year for £25 .
they came in the vibram box with tags , all the docs etc....
on arrival they were identical , so I think they were stolen from the factory in china .
walk a lot in them and love them , havent tried a run in them yet .
have sprints and classics and love them. think i prefer the classics. don't run in them though so can't help on that front. they are pretty much all i wear. all year round. am after some others at the minute cause i have pretty much worn my sprints out. take a little bit of getting used to for general use but would imagine longer for running. there are a few Facebook fan pages that vibram put loads of videos on about training in them.
My fakes also came with tags/box/booklet/etc but there were some tells. There's loads of youtube videos showing the difference. (tissue versus chipshop paper, poor print quality, etc)
Big one was vibram stitching above the toes - mine matched the colour of the shoe, whereas real ones are always yellow.
Another one was that my straps were actually threaded the wrong way around. Under the sides instead of over.
Then you start seeing other things like the glue protruding from the joints, etc. They are among the best fakes of any type I've ever seen though.
wear them all the time when i'm not in work
I've a colleague who wears black ones to work. Looks ace 🙂
Take a look at the merrel barefoot shoes as well, same vibram thin sole, but without the separate toes.
I've got some of the Merrell ones. I've also got plantar fasciitis so probably not a good idea! However I've been using them in small amounts for casual wear to try and improve foot strength. I'm enjoying using them but I've only managed a 15 minute run in them so far...
Have both VFF and a pair of Inov-8 Evoskins.
Sizing on the VFF is mental large. The 43 is not a Euro 43, more like a 45/46. Try before you buy.
The Evoskins, I'm a 43 and just slot into the Large size...they are bet onto my feet.
Running wise, I;'d been running in flats and Newtons for a few years so done the whole forefoot transition thing. VFF's are a bit nicer on gravel, on road the Evoskins are nicer but do tend to squirm a bit. only had them a week mind and done two runs now.
Wear my VFF as normal foot ware now pretty much all the time.