VibramMen's FiveFingers V-Alpha Trail Shoe

Let me start out by saying, I have in no way been compensated to give this review. It may feel like it by the time you get to the end, but it is my own 100% candid opinion.I've been wearing my Vibram V-Alpha Hiking Shoes for a week now. I feel qualified to talk fit and function.First, let me give you a short back story:I have had an increasingly difficult time finding shoes that, at least, don't torture my feet. I've been angry at the sadists that design shoes for many decades. No matter how soft the shoes are to walk in, they all squeeze the big toe and the 2 smallest toes into a rounded point. The 2 longest toes were always standing on the 2 smallest which had turned sideways to try to accomodate the shoes. Turning sideways also meant they tried to contribute to my balance by pushing on the ground sideways, rather than down as they are designed to do. It eventually got to the point that my feet ached and burned even when I was barefoot.I broke my smallest toe on the left foot about 3 months ago. In trying to find a comfortable way to deal with it, I found that putting cotton between the broken toe and the one next to it when taped together gave me a measure of comfort. I looked for toe socks because the cotton balls kept moving away, causing the broken toe to rub on its neighbor. I've been wearing toe socks ever since.While searching for more pairs of toe socks, the Vibram V-Alphas turned up. I was intrigued, thinking if the socks were comfortable, the shoes should be at least as comfortable. I ordered a pair. I wear a size 10 in normal shoes so I ordered in size 10.5 to 11 because the page says they run a bit small. The pair was too small pressing my 5 of my toes against the inner end of the toe in the shoe. I could see the quality of the construction so I ordered another pair (from AreaTrends) the next size up (11-11.5). The fit of this pair was ideal. I sent the smaller pair back. The seller was very good about it.I realize now that I hadn't measured my feet in a long time. Following the size chart in the detailed section (the section written by Vibram), I find that had I measured the length of my left foot (heel to the longest toe), I'd have chosed the correct fit the first time.These shoes are incredible! For the first time in so long that I can't remember my feet don't hurt in shoes! My poor abused smaller toes have there own space to protect them from their mean older brothers. In fact, they are more comfortable inside these shoes than barefoot!The info section of the page suggests that some people could have a hard time adjusting. I was fortunate, since I was spending as much time as possible barefoot already, no adjustment period was necessary.Now that I've been wearing them for a week, I'm finding my smaller toes are getting stronger and turning back upright. They are starting to press down to set my balance, instead of sideways. I never thought my feet would be pain free again, yet they are now.I really wish I'd have found these a long time ago. It is a shame that they aren't available in shoe stores. It sure would make getting the correct sizing easier. ;)I will never again wear stylish shoes. I will be buying more of these shoes in different styles since they are the only shoe I'll ever put my feet in again. When winter gets here, Vibram also make an insulated shoe.Thank you AreaTrends and Vibram for making my feet very, very happy!

IMPORTANT FACT: humans are NOT meant to run on hard asphalt. It can cause chronic pain to your feet, knees, and hips. A lot of people bought these shoes as part of a craze, thinking just wearing toe shoes would make their feet more healthy. Then they kept running on hard asphalt, further ruining their arches and knees. They used the product wrong, and then blamed the product when really the issue was ignorance. DON'T BE THOSE PEOPLEWith that out of the way, I will say I didn't expect these to become my favorite shoes, but they have. They're not for everyone (clearly) but if you have heel or hip problems, myofascial pain, or fibromyalgia, these shoes (along with an inversion table and a rower if you can hack it) might just be the answer. They have been for me! The grip is awesome, better than my pumas, and I like them for wroking out as well as walking. Vibram rules

I own this shoe in a women’s size 8.5-9 and have been wearing it for about nine months. The women’s shoes are a little snug for my great toe joints so I’m trying a men’s. I would have ordered a men’s size 6.5-7 but ordered a 7.5-8 based on reviews. The toe wraps over the top more than the women’s but seems more protective. The blue is a stretchy fabric instead of leather and may offer my wide feet more room.

I bout my first pair in 2010 from a local shoe store. I can buy these and nail the size and type i want without fear.If you don't know this product like I do, get ready to have to return them and accept it. This is a lifestyle-brand product and not meant to be for whimsical purchase.Ive only worn them a handful of times having only recently purchased, but I have put them through an appropriate amount of significantly rough terrain, including fully submerged in a lake; they are performing perfectly.The upper material is more comfortable than my previous pairs. the soles looked and felt cheap when I inspected them out of the box, but they are holding up nicely and have provided a nice compromise between protection/ground feel.Only giving 4 out of 5 because it's too early to tell if they will continue to shine or just fall apart.

These are more comfortable every day. I was interested in a very breathable cool summertime shoe and this is the best of the best. The build quality is excellent.

I really wanted to enjoy these shoes, and for the first few months I did. I've always had foot issues so I figured barefoot walking would be a great way to strengthen them.While this may be true, these shoes are straight up low quality for a premium price. I had another pair before that lasted about 3 months, but I'd figure these (made SPECIFICALLY for hiking) would be able to last years. My daily use ended up being about 1-2 hours max, as I use these primarily for my lunch time walk (I got these in early May, for reference). I maybe did 1 or 2 light hikes in these but nothing crazy (all on dirt paths with minimal rocks).This week I noticed a hole forming in one of the toes and ended up getting a nasty cut/blister, even while using socks with these. I ended up taking the shoes off and just walking barefoot the remaining 30 minutes.As these are my second pair of FFS, I'm noticing a trend that these are low quality and I expected WAY more for the price. I envy the people with good things to say, because I truly love the shoes and they have made walking more enjoyable... but if they really expect me to cough up $120 every 4 months then the folks at Vibram are crazy.Quite frankly, I don't know of a higher quality alternative, but I would definitely recommend trying to find a better brand... it's clear they focus more on marketing than product quality in my opinion which is understandable and disappointing.