THE TRI-CHRONICLES: Vibram FiveFinger Bikila Long Term Product Review
Thinking about getting yourself a pair of Vibram Bikila's? Check out SamG's long term review first. Vibram Bikila image from http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/Five-Fingers-Bikila-Mens.htm,
This is a long-term product review for Vibram FiveFingers running shoe.
I’ve had my Bikila’s for over 9-months. I purchased it in December 2010 and have used it to train for a half marathon in March 2011, a full marathon in June 2011, and a half-iron distance triathlon in September 2011.
I’ve trained with them on sidewalks, various roads surfaces (e.g., concrete, blacktop, etc.), trail, hard packed dirt, sand, and grass.
I’m very happy with them.
My new Vibram Bikila's. Give me five!
Bikila is the running shoe version of Vibram’s FiveFinger line. If you’re unfamiliar with the product, it’s a shoe that essentially gloves your feet.
The upper is very light and has a Velcro hook-and-loop strap. The toes are reinforced for added protection.
The sole is made of rubber and polyurethane but compared to a regular running shoe, there is no cushioning or padding. The sole is the only protection provided by the shoe. The shoe is very easy to maintain. Just throw it in the wash.
For me, the major difference between Bikila’s and regular running shoes is its effect on my body and on my running form.
Knees and ankles – My knees are really bad. It stemmed from many years of playing soccer. I eventually had to have reconstructive surgery on my left knee due to a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL).
Vibram Bikila's help with knee pain while running. Image courtesy of iStockphoto/Thinkstock.
The meniscus that cushioned the upper bone (Femur) against the lower bones (Tibia) was virtually gone. The coating at the end of the femur began pressing against the tibia and it rubbed off a quarter-sized portion of the cartilage.
The good doctor at Daniel Freeman said I had an arthritic knee of a 60-year old and advised me to stop playing soccer. I didn’t.
I’m now paying the price for that decision: It hurts when I run. It didn’t matter if I ran for a short period of time or if I ran on a soft surface. It hurt. The longer I ran, the more it hurt.
When I switched to Bikilas, the knee pain went away.
I think this is largely due to the way it changed my running form. The lack of cushioning allows the foot to land more naturally. That is, the foot tends to land with a mid-foot strike than a heel-strike.
I also noticed my ankles and feet didn’t swell-up as much when I did long runs. I suspect it’s because the shoe design causes the foot to be more active. I think the added activity creates better circulation. In addition, the foot is more sensitive surface so it adjusts to uneven surfaces.
Calves – The pain that I felt in my joints seemed to transfer to my muscles which are a good thing.
For the first two months, I felt my calves’ burn. Fortunately, I broke into “barefoot” running gradually. First, I ran for 5-minutes a day for a week. Then, I progressed to 10-minutes a day for another week and so-on-and-so-forth. By slowly increasing time and distance, my feet and body adjusted.
The other areas that started to hurt, at least initially, were the tops of my foot.
I have high arches and the top of my foot pressed against the Velcro strap. I started noticing it as we started building for the half marathon. I tried adjusting the strap but it didn’t help. Believe it or not, the pain from the strap was nothing compared to the pain in the knees I used to feel. So, I stuck with it and the pain eventually went away.
Feet - The other noticeable difference was on the soles of my feet.
I thought it would really hurt when you stepped on a stone or a branch. You could definitely feel it but it didn’t hurt quite as much as I imagined. However, the soles of my feet did hurt when running over a hot road or a really hard rough surface for a long period of time.
I’m not sure if this improves over time but there were moments during the marathon and the triathlon when I felt like I was standing on glass bottles. I’m hoping the feet eventually adjusts to those types of surfaces but one thing is for sure, it didn’t take quite as long to recover after those events.
There was one other thing that started to bother me as my shoe began to wear down. There’s an area where I run with low lying grass weeds. It has what seem to be spiked seeds that attach to the bottom of the shoe. You can definitely feel the barbs on your feet. I had to stop to remove them and make sure I avoided those areas.
A couple of other observations: transition time and wear and tear.
Transition time: I found that transitioning from cycling shoes to the Bikilas didn’t take as long as I thought. It may have a cost me a couple of seconds more but it wasn’t a noticeable difference. I also wore Injinji toe socks. I didn’t think it took that long putting them on between the swim and the bike portions of the tri.
Wear and Tear – The shoes have held-up really well. On average, running shoes are supposed to be replaced every 400 miles or around every 4 months. I think this guideline is due primarily to cushion deterioration.
Over the last nine-months, the Bikila’s show some wear in the ball of the foot, the big toe, and in the heel.
My used Vibram Bikila's. Not too bad considering the miles I have put on them.
The upper has also maintained its integrity. Here is how the December 2010 pair looks in comparison to a new pair.
As you can see, it’s held-up very well except it’s not as white anymore! I suspect the shoes still have a number of miles in them so that even if it costs around $100 they definitely last longer than regular shoes.
Overall, I’ve been very happy with the Bikila’s. Except for issues with hot rough surfaces and spiked seeds, the shoes are great on the joints and make running fun again.
My old Vib ram Bikila's beside my new Vibram Bikila's. A perfect 20.
I just bought another pair and already have my next one in mind: the Bikila LS. It uses a drawstring instead of the Velcro straps to secure the shoe.
I can’t wait!!!!
SamG is a middle-of-the-pack recreational triathlete. Overweight and out of shape, he got into triathlons in 2006, starting with the shorter Sprint and Olympic distance triathlons. He has since completed a number of half-iron distance (70.3 miles) and a full-ironman distance triathlon (140.6 mile).
Hi Sam,
I just came across this post and have a few questions- It sounds like some of the issues you had are similar to mine, and I’m desperate to find a fix. I went to a doc after having pain behind my knee caps and some wobbly joints- an x-ray disclosed moderate arthritis in the knee. My GP said no running (at my peak I only did 10k a day anyway), but a sports specialist said to strengthen the muscles in the leg and get back to it.
The physio didn’t really help me strengthen much, and I recently bought a pair of Bikilas (the laced ones are excellent).
It’s been snowy where I am so I’ve only run a few times on the treadmill, not outside. I was wondering how long it took for you until the pain went away in the bikilas? Was it immediate?
I hear a creaking noise in my joints which when i go up the stairs and that really freaks me out- I think it’s cartilage being ground away…
Did you find the VFFs helped with anything like that?
Hi, Kate.
The quick answer is, yes.
I too was desperate to find a fix. I was so disheartened by the pain I was willing to try anything, even the ugliest shoes on earth. Ha! My MRI showed very little to no meniscus in my knee and cartilage was wearing down. Sometimes it feels like sandpaper grinding and yes, my knees would click specially going down stairs. On really bad days I’d waddle and d lean on my strong leg and push against the rails with my opposite hand.
I also got opposing views from various professionals.
Some would say stop running, others keep moving the joint. Almost all, however, agreed to strengthen supporting muscles. I also chose to avoid certain protocols like pain killers and topical ointments because it wasn’t really addressing the real issue – my running form.
That’s when I decided to explore Vibrams. As soon as I put on the Bikilas, there was an immediate difference. I didn’t feel the sharp pain on my left knee where I had both arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery. My running was initially labored partly due to lack of fitness. But, pressure definitely moved away from my knee joint. I felt more strain on the arch of my foot and my calves, at first. Then, there were days when I’d feel it more on my thighs and sometimes my glutes. It was a welcome change because I intuitively knew that’s how it should feel.
But, I was careful.
It took a while to build up to where I started enjoying my runs again. Start with a few minutes a day for a week, then build to 10 minutes a day for the next week, then 15-minutes, and so on an so forth. It’s just like training for long runs. Build slowly and always finish feeling like you could do more. Once I got going again, I knew I could push a little harder. It’s been over a year and I’ve started doing track workouts. I’m also beginning to push the pace of my longer runs. I’m working towards the San Diego Rock & Roll marathon in June and Ironman Arizona in November. Beyond these short term goals, it’s ultimately about being able to run for a lifetime.
My case is a bit extreme and I’m sure my joint isn’t re-generating. But, I truly believe it’s not getting worse. I also believe running doesn’t have to hurt. Listen to your body as you build up the miles. Move thoughtfully, be patient, and stick with it.
Good luck, Kate. Let me know how things progress when you finally get a chance to run outside. May you once again find joy and happiness in your running journey.
SamG