One Year in Vibrams

It dawned on me the other day. I've been wearing Vibram Five Fingers pretty much exclusively for one year now.

I got my first pair of Vibrams- KSOs- just before my birthday last year, and with the exception of two very cold days registering at 17 below zero, I've worn nothing but Vibrams for a whole year. My conclusion? I love them.

So what was it like?

I have to say, it's been kind of amusing. My dad's reaction was simply "It looks like you have gorilla feet." I wish I could have taped and put together a montage of people's reactions. My town is sort of small. You don't see a lot of weird stuff. People are pretty much normal. So, when you see somebody walking around with gloves on their feet, of course you're going to have a reaction.

By now I'm pretty used to it, and I barely remember my feet look different from everyone else's most of the time. My friends and family however, are much more aware of people's reactions than I am. They're generally amused when they see people walk past me, pointing to my shoes and whispering to their companions. "Oh my gosh... look at her shoes! Those are weird/neat/cool..." There were even a couple of "Dude, did you see that?" and "Whoa, check that out!"

Of course there were a lot of questions too. In the grocery store, at the check-out line, the laundromat, when donating blood, crop mobbing, shopping at the mall, and even in the ladies bathroom. From the adjacent stall in Applebee's a voice echoes "Oh wow! I like your shoes!" The first question is always "What are they?" followed immediately by "Where did you get them?" I should be getting a commission for sales of these things.

What have I done in my Vibrams?

Everything.

These are my everyday shoes. I wear them to work, all day, every day. I wear them to exercise, to hike, to do laundry, everywhere I go, it's in Vibrams. The comfort of these things is unmatched. I can't remember the last time I came home from work with sore, achy feet and legs. That says a lot for someone who spends a minimum of 6 hours a day standing on concrete. I have no complaints.

I'm a country kid. I grew up being barefoot throughout most of my summers. As soon as it was warm enough to ditch the shoes I did, and lived in flip flops for as long as the weather would let me. I always lamented the return of winter and cast-like shoes. When I discovered Vibrams, that was the end of "barefoot season." I could be barefoot all year, and have been.

I absolutely love it. I really do. I wish I could say with proof, but I believe my posture is better. No back, hip or leg pain from standing all day. It's really nice not being worn out at the end of a work day because my feet were tired. It's fun being able to pick up a quick run anytime, anywhere, with no need for a change of shoes.

There are more barefoot options now than there were a year ago. Fila, Merrill and Nike are all jumping onto the barefoot bandwagon, among others. Some are more affordable than Vibrams, but I think I'm going to stick with my VFFs for now. I like the new styles they're coming out with, making them fashionable as well as functional.

I guess my only complaint is that I no longer have a need to get pedicures and paint my toenails. You can't really show those off in Vibrams... yet, but that's ok. I've got a variety of styles now- KSO, Trek, Bikila LS, Sprint... and the collection continues to grow.

Happy Anniversary VFFs. I <3 You and the way you <3 my feet. :)