FiveFingers Go Tribal

I recently acquired some rubber sole material from the VP of Design and Development for Vibram USA. I took that material and quickly made some huarache sandals similar to the Tarahumara sandals that I have been training in. The result? A very interesting shoe/sandal that combines my favorite shoe, the FiveFinger, with my favorite sandal, Tarahumara huarache.

I took'em out for a run. I took them to some of the toughest, rockiest areas I could find. They performed well. The dual layer of flexible protection allowed me to feel the ground without pain. The sandal sole is very flexible. It kept me very aware of the contour of the trail.

I have been dreaming of a modular shoe/sandal that could be added to or subtracted from in order to meet the demands of the terrain. This shoe is something like I imagined.

Disadvantages include difficulty putting on and taking off and no toe protection. Advantages are lightweight, breathable (holy FF) and low profile cushioning.

More testing required.

BFT


photo by Luis Escobar