Vibram FiveFingers Bikila Running Shoe Review

Considering how long Vibram has been the foremost brand among minimalist runners, and knowing how countless barefoot aficionados have used them for everything from road 10Ks to mountain ultramarathons, it’s almost unbelievable that the company has never intentionally designed a model of its FiveFingers specifically for running until this year.

In fact, runners have embraced other Vibram FiveFingers models – in particular the KSO and KSO Trek - so passionately and been so pleased with them that Vibram was arguably taking a risk in marketing a completely different model to this demographic. After all, if the new shoe wasn’t clearly better than the current ones, it would be seen as a disappointment. Thankfully, Vibram was more than up to the task, and has designed a product that truly stands out as the footwear of choice for distance runners, particularly those who favor roads over trails.

Even the name is a home run: when I first saw the 2010 product catalog more than a year ago, my immediate response when I saw the word Bikila was, that’s absolutely perfect. You can’t pick a better way to identify a game-changing barefoot running shoe than to name it after the most famous barefoot runner of all time - one who almost single-handedly changed everything the world thought about the way running should be. It’s no secret around here that I’ve been a fan of Abebe Bikila for years – so to say that I was excited to try a product from one of my favorite companies that was named after one of my all-time favorite runners would be a bit of an understatement.

By now you’ve probably gathered that my bar of expectation was set pretty high with this model, and thankfully, the Bikila didn’t disappoint – which is a good jumping off point for us to get to the review.

Vibram FiveFingers Bikila

As I mentioned in my first impressions post, the Bikila’s overall appearance is probably as close to a traditional running shoe as Vibram will ever get. It’s got classic racing shoe styling that makes you want to take them right out of the box and run a marathon (in fact,that’s exactly what I did).

Polyamide fabric with TPU coating on toes

The upper of the Bikila is made of a very thin, breathable, and abrasion-resistant stretch polyamide fabric with minimal seams in comparison to the KSO. This construction was most likely born from user feedback, as one of the more common complaints about running in KSOs is that some of upper’s multiple seams can become abrasive over long distances. The only forefoot seams on the Bikila are on the toes, and I haven’t noticed any discomfort at these areas after over 100 sockless miles.

Achilles notch; padded ankle collar, Dri-Lex sockliner

Vibram’s running-specific design of the upper is evident in the Achilles notch at the back of the shoe, which provides the same feel around the tendon as a traditional trainer, but without restricting any range of motion. They’ve also included reflective accents on all sides for enhanced safety on the road in low light, and demonstrated nice attention to detail with TPU reinforcement around the toe caps (beyond the normal upward curvature of the outsole around the toe ends) to prevent puncture or tearing.

Top-only strap; reflective accents

The interior surface of the upper is without question the most comfortable FiveFingers model I’ve ever worn. The ankle collar has thin padding, and the entire sockliner and insole are covered with a very soft material called Dri-Lex that feels like smooth cotton but wicks moisture like an advanced tech fabric. The padding goes down the top of the foot as far as the first seam line, with the single layer polyamide fabric covering the rest of the foot and toes. It’s both airy and extremely comfortable, and the combined feel of these two materials is just as pleasant at mile 26 (or beyond) as it is at mile 1.



It’s a good thing that the upper is so comfortable on bare feet, because the overall fit seems slightly more snug than either the KSO or KSO Trek. This might be partially due to the fact that the fastening strap on the Bikilas doesn’t wrap around the heel as those other two models do. I was initially concerned about some heel slippage without that wraparound component, but I haven’t experienced any difficulty this way at all, even during my speed workouts at the track. However, because of the slightly different fit of this upper, if you’re accustomed to wearing toe socks with your Vibrams, or if you’re an “in-betweener” when it comes to sizing, I’d recommend sizing up for the best fit with the Bikilas.



Although the top of the shoe looks dramatically different than any other FiveFingers, it’s the underside that demonstrates the biggest departure from “classic” Vibrams. The Bikila is built on an entirely new platform than previous models, with plating protection to distribute impact forces, and a podded outsole giving ideal traction where you need it, while allowing greater flexibility for the remainder of the foot. The pod areas are 4mm thick, which combines with the 3mm (non-removable) insole to create a total thickness of 7mm; for some hardcore barefooters, this dimension is cause for concern, but from my experience I’d say the ground feel is exactly the same or better than my KSOs, and definitely better than KSO Treks. I suspect it’s the gaps in the outsole podding along with its much improved overall flexibility that result in such enhanced ground feedback.



Weight of the Bikilas is 6.0 oz, which is 0.3 oz heavier than both the KSO and Trek, but the difference is so marginal that I honestly don’t notice it. From an overall performance standpoint, the fit and comfort improvements on the Bikila far outweigh (so to speak) the concern of carrying an additional fraction of an ounce on your feet. Without question, these are the most comfortable FiveFingers I’ve worn to date; using both the KSOs and Treks, I typically have some chafing issues (particularly around the toes) on multi-hour runs, but the Bikila is a model I can wear for a 30-miler, then keep on my feet to walk around in afterward. I’ve never had the feeling of “I need to get these off my feet” at the end of a long run, which is probably my most reliable indicator of exceptionally well-built footwear.



All things considered, Vibram took a considerable risk with the Bikila; there was ostensibly no reason to say, “Here’s a new model you should use for running, even though we realize that everybody loves running in our existing models anyway.” It was a bold step for them to do a top to bottom overhaul of its basic design and construction, adding a list of novel features and stylistic changes that could have potentially been rejected as unnecessary or insignificant in comparison to the original. The fact that they went ahead and did it speaks to their confidence that the new product would be something worth getting excited about.

From my standpoint, they were absolutely successful, and the FiveFingers Bikila is a shoe that’s worthy of its ambitious name. It’s an absolute state of the art minimalist running shoe that’s loaded with innovations which make it worth the slight price increase - $100 compared to $85 – over the KSO. It performs well on both road and trail (although I’d still give the edge to the KSO Trek for a pure trail runner), and – most pleasingly of all - takes everything you love about running in Vibrams and makes it even better.

The Vibram FiveFingers Bikila retails for$100 from TravelCountry.com as well as other online retailers.

Set your feet free with barefoot running

Some area runners are leaving their sneakers behind to try on a more natural approach to training.

From barely-there shoes to nothing at all, some seasoned runners say barefoot running has its benefits.

"Running sneakers provide a tremendous amount of support and cushioning, but they could be hurting us by causing the foot area to move differently," Framingham runner Adam King said. "Shoes are basically doing the work nature intended our feet to do."

A self-proclaimed "fitness geek," King said he's always interested in running improvements and was intrigued by the trend he read about in magazines.

While shopping at Framingham's REI store two weeks ago, King spotted a shopper sporting a pair of Vibram Five Fingers - a thin-soled shoe with separated toes designed to provide some protection from rocks and glass while simulating being barefoot.

That day, he walked out with his very own for $80.

"It took about 10 minutes to get my toes in the toe sections, but I got used to them," he said. "I was surprised how natural they felt right away, like I was barefoot - which is the whole point."

The 32-year-old runner said he wears them about four times a week, and runs under five miles. Though he said he gets quite a few confused gazes and questions about the unique shoe, King said the Vibrams have helped his form.

"I run on my feet often. I use my feet from work to leisure. I want them to be as strong as possible, and running barefoot I think will help that," he said. "After the first time I wore them I was sore in places I didn't know I had."

Northbridge runner Tim Doiron bought a pair last summer after reading about the benefits and said the change has improved his stride.

"I tend to strike on my heels, and when you run barefoot you really can't do that. It's nature's nice way of telling you that hurts," he said. Barefoot running "forces me to run on the ball of my feet. When you put on a pair of shoes, you don't always do that."

Doiron, who is 41, is training for the Boston Marathon next month, and recommends runners wanting to lose their sneakers start slowly.

"You have to gradually go into it. I by no means consider myself a barefoot runner; I'll occasionally go out and do it because I like the freedom," he said. "If you do it 100 percent, your form has to be improved. You're going to get pains you're not used to having."

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. David P. Magit sees patients at Milford Regional Medical Center and UMass Memorial Health Care in Worcester and says barefoot running can pose risks for runners if they do too much, too soon.

"Someone who has run their whole life in a sort of hind-foot manner and quickly changes to a forefoot manner, may quickly develop pain in the foot. The bio-mechanics are completely different," he said.

Magit said runners with sneakers typically land on their heel, transition to the hindfoot, then to the midfoot and finally to the forefoot.

With barefoot running, he said that process is reversed and different muscles are used.

"Instead of the force being transmitted to the heel bone, in the forefoot, force is being transmitted to the muscles of the leg. Runners can become much more fatigued a lot earlier in their running distances because those muscles are not built up and strong enough," he said.

In addition to stretching the hamstring and calf muscles before running barefoot, Magit recommends people run under a mile every other day, and increase their distances by no more than 10 percent each week.

"Because muscles aren't conditioned enough, you can get sore and tired easily," he said. "Any signs of soft tissue swelling or persistent pain that's not going away with rest or ice... should be evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon."

Mario Fraioli, assistant manager at Westborough's PR Running store, also cautions barefoot runners to start in small doses.

"Before someone even thinks about going to run barefoot, we encourage them to just walk around their house a few minutes barefoot, and get used to the sensation of not having shoes on," Fraioli said.

Though the store doesn't carry them, Fraioli, a longtime runner, said he owns a pair of the Vibrams and has used them on occasion.

"It feels different. All of a sudden you've got to think about what you're doing," he said. "Afterwards, you can tell you've done something differently because all of a sudden you're sore in places you wouldn't think twice about."

Fraioli said customers often ask about barefoot running and the specialty shoes.

"We certainly see a demand for it and it's something we're exploring. It's not just something we're looking to jump right into," he said. "We have to give it a little more thought and sort of see where this whole barefoot running trend goes."

King is confident the trend will live on.

"As with most 'extreme' forms of anything, it will only be adopted by a minority of folks. The danger of running barefoot, the cost of Five Fingers... and the 'weirdness' and unfamiliarity factor will keep widespread adoption to a minimum," he said in an e-mailed response to a question. "I think for converts, however, it will continue to be a part of their respective running practice."

VIBRAM

       

      Remember going barefoot as a child? It’s the way you first discovered and conquered your world—without the constraint of shoes. Or the sense of duty you acquired later on.

Now you can experience that same physical and visceral sensation in Vibram FiveFingers—the only footwear to offer the exhilarating joy of going barefoot with the protection and sure-footed grip of a Vibram® sole.

FiveFingers footwear connects you to the earth and your surroundings in a way that is simply not possible in conventional shoes. It puts you in touch with the earth beneath your feet and liberates you to move in a more natural, healthy way. FiveFingers stimulate the muscles in your feet and lower legs to build strength and improve range of motion. Our customers report an increased sense of balance, greater agility, and visibly improved posture.

Choose from a variety of designs to cover the wide range of activities you would rather do barefoot—everything from fitness training and yoga, to running and trekking, to kayaking and sailing. Discover a level of performance and a connection to your environment that is positively without peer