Vibram Five Fingers - KSO (keep stuff out) review , why not classic, bikila or sprint

At last , after several weekends of not being able to go to Powerplant mall (at Rockwell, Philippines) alone, I finally got the chance to buy my very first pair of Vibram Five Fingers KSO. I was really hesitant to go there by myself due to the fact that aside from not being familiar with the place, I'm not comfortable going there by commute. Its a good thing my friend Gino accompanied me to the place (where he also got his new Casio G-shock blah blah blah).

my feet looks like its yeti's

What is KSO
KSO stand for "keep stuff out" and its main purpose is to keep debris and dirt from going into your feet thereby protecting you from scratches and dirt. Anyhow, anywhere, I bought my vibram five fingers KSO at 2nd floor Power Plant Mall, Rockwell (near national bookstore) for P 4.9k . Classic are cheaper at around 3.9k, while bikila and sprint are around 5.7k. At first glance, I really liked the bikila and sprint because of the padded soles and lining. I think it will be more comfortable to wear. Classic on the other hand is cheaper and is cooler because of less covering of the feet, but since I originally planned to use my first five fingers on outdoors, trekking, trips, walking, training, sports etc I think KSO would be the most logical choice. Its an all around footwear. I can use KSO on wet environments without worrying about cleaning and drying.

Sprint (left side) looks like a classic with a strap to keep the feet on while running
Bikila is like a sprint but it covers the whole feet (both are padded and has thicker soles for running)
KSO has only four colors available at the store, blue camo, gray camo, black and black/orange

Vibram Five finger shoes are treated with Aegis protection, an anti microbial microfiber that minimizes odor.

Minimalist box of Five fingers

How it feels

Initially, it feels weird because your toes has its own socket, and they're technically spread out by atleast 3-5mm. Walking is fine because I'm used to being barefoot at home. Running is somehow difficult because if you usually run with shoes on, the heel is the first to strike the ground followed by the insole, if you do that to five fingers (which is not the correct way to run), you'll somehow hurt your heels because of very thin sole of the KSO. Correct running form of the foort by the way is to strike with your toes first then followed by the insole to absorb the shock, stretching to mid sole and then the heel of the foot. Good thing is that I always run the correct way, because its the quieter way of running. I always run inside the office and people are getting annoyed by my footsteps thats why i run with my toes to minimize the noise. You cant blame me, that's the only excercise i have :P

Walking Barefoot inside the streets of Rockwell

As I said, it doesnt feel much different than walking barefoot. Its just the you feel more secure that even if you step on jagged rocks and cements , your foot wont be hurt. Keep in mind though that only the soles has a hard protection, the mesh or what every material you call it on top is still permeable to pointed objects so still be more careful.


I will update this post, as I spend more time using my Black KSO.