Vibram Five Fingers: US stockist

[Wattlebird]

Does anyone know of any reputable Vibram stockists in America - most importantly - that will ship to Australia?
Help appreciated 

[cherimoya_kid]

Can't you just order them on ebay?

[Eric]

Why do you want Vibram Five Fingers? I tried them a couple years back and found them to be far overpriced for the benefits they offer. I'd recommend Soft Star Shoes instead.

[eveheart]

Amazon global does international shipping and they carry VFF. And I don't think VFF are that great.

[Wattlebird]

Why do you want Vibram Five Fingers? I tried them a couple years back and found them to be far overpriced for the benefits they offer. I'd recommend Soft Star Shoes instead.

Amazon global does international shipping and they carry VFF. And I don't think VFF are that great.

Hi Eric,
Going barefoot has kept the surgeons scalpel away and allowed me to roam the forests, beaches and mountainside, activities I wouldn't otherwise be able to do. I have a ruptured ACL ligament in knee (injury 28 years ago) and bone on bone contact.
The surgeon cannot believe that the injured knee has not progressively worsened since a check-up some 5 years ago.
Barefooting has changed my walk into a more gentle gait, reduced pain considerably, as well as increased awareness of the earth more directly.
Most of the time I do go barefoot, out in the bush also.
But of course, there are times when the ground is very, cold, (yes, sometimes cold therapy  ) and alternatively I wear Vibrams often when doing stuff in town.
Personally, I cant vouch for VFF enough: I have wide feet and overall the individual toes prove to be most accommodating.
My current pair have been well and truly worn, fixed up with stitching and patched up with bicycle repair patches.
Time for a new pair.

Hi Eveheart,
I shall check out Amazon, thank you.

Kind wishes, J

[cherimoya_kid]

Barefooting has changed my walk into a more gentle gait, reduced pain considerably, as well as increased awareness of the earth more directly.

Have you ever checked out Esther Gokhale's posture and movement work?  She talks about the "glide-walking" that traditional tribes do. 

[Wattlebird]

Have you ever checked out Esther Gokhale's posture and movement work?  She talks about the "glide-walking" that traditional tribes do. 

Hi CK,
yes, I am aware of her work.
I have discovered that once I ditched shoes, and walked barefoot (or Vibram) constantly, the natural gait occurs spontaneously.
For me, once padded, heeled, closed in shoes are worn again, the biomechanics get influenced again, and consequently knee alignments and so forth again become comprimised.
Getting the shoes off for good, has provided solutions undreamed of previously.
Kind wishes, J

[Ioanna]

are these types of shoes also good for someone on their feet all day on a hard flooring? i guess i'm wondering if there are circumstances that warrant the thicker, more supported shoes?

[eveheart]

I switched to barefoot shoes a year ago. Before this, I had been wearing stable shoes with lots of arch support and cushioning. I made the switch because of posts I read on this forum.

My feet, ankles, knees, and hips have benefited greatly from barefoot shoes. At first, I spent about 6 weeks building up to all-day wear. I am amazed to see how my arches have developed, going from flat to shapely. I do not own any non-barefoot shoes anymore. I work on concrete or vinyl floors all day, and the flooring at home is hardwood or tile.

My favorite brand is Merrell. I also like Vivobarefoot. I use yoga postures, YogaToes and YogaTuneUp therapy balls for foot exercises.

[Wattlebird]

are these types of shoes also good for someone on their feet all day on a hard flooring? i guess i'm wondering if there are circumstances that warrant the thicker, more supported shoes?

Hi Ioanna
for what its worth - after an initial settling in period - I now barefoot (or equivalent) in all terrain, mountain rock, forest floor, gravel, sand, bitumen, etc.
The beauty for me is the feet start 'thinking'- melding, flexing, making love to the ground.
Kind wishes, J

[lex_rooker]

Wattlebird,
I prefer barefoot as well.  Since I live in Southern California I can go barefoot all year around rain or shine.  Some stores insist on some kind of shoe so I carry flip-flops in the car.  They are super easy to slip on and off and I find that once in the store or restaurant I can slip them off and it is seldom noticed.  If someone does say something I can put them back on in an instant.

I bought a couple of pairs of VFF's but found them annoying on my feet.  There was unnatural pressure on the bottom of the heel, across the ball of the foot, as well as across the top of my foot.  Since going barefoot my feet now spread when I walk and the closed toe box restricts this as well.  They are also much more difficult to slip on and off compared to flip-flops so I ended up giving them away.

There is a drawback to flip-flops in that your toes must curl unnaturally as you lift your foot or they will fall off.  This problem can be kept to a minimum by choosing the lightest ones you can find.  Weighing all the positives and negatives, flip-flops win hands down for me.  They are much closer to barefoot than VFF's or any of the other "barefoot shoe" alternatives, and nothing else allows you to remove and put back on so quickly.

I believe Sports Chalet carries the full VFF line here in the US and you can order then over the web if you know your size.  I don't know if they ship overseas but it shouldn't be too difficult to find out.  If they won't ship and you don't find any other alternative, I'll be happy to purchase them for you and ship them myself.  We have relatives in Australia (Melbourne, Sidney, and Mildura), and we send things back and forth several times per year so it's not a big deal.  Just PM me if you want something.

http://www.sportchalet.com/p2p/endecaSearch.do?search=endeca&keyword=302045&page=1&sortby=newArrivals&sortType=1

Lex