Review: Vibram Fivefingers KSO Barefoot Shoes

Appalachian Outdoors gave me the opportunity to review one of their cool products, Vibram Fivefingers KSO Barefoot Shoes. The concept of these barefoot shoes has intrigued me for some time.  A friend of mine had used them on a hike at Leslie Gulch, Oregon and loved them.  Using your foot the way it was designed just seems better than having it shod with engineered unnatural supports.

I took them camping and wore them the entire time.  I hiked around on all kinds of terrain to really put them through their paces.  I was delighted with their comfort and performance.  The Vibram rubber sole is perfect for natural flexibility and it also gives your feet the protection that you want.  The nylon and mesh upper part are breathable and along with the closure strap help keep trail debris out.  I also used them as water shoes while swimming with my kids in one mountain lake.  They worked perfectly for that and dried quickly.

Putting them on takes a little bit of effort, one toe at a time.  Don't forget to use that little loop at the heel to help.  The only disadvantage I found was that while hiking through vegetation, I would often get plant material stuck between my toes.

Based on a couple weeks of testing these shoes out, I highly recommend them to other birders and hikers.  I love these barefoot shoes so much that I will likely be wearing them at the Midwest Birding Symposium in Ohio.  Maybe it will start a new trend among birders!  We love to leave things in their natural state as much as possible right?  Why not our feet?!

Pop on over to www.AppOutdoors.com and order yourself some Vibram fivefingers barefoot shoes and check out all the other cool outdoor and camping gear they offer.