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Vibram Five Fingers – Bikila Running Shoe

I injured my lower back running last year.  I too quickly piled on too many miles.  I woke up and found out it hurt to laugh, let alone run.  It was a month before I tentatively approached a treadmill.  A bit longer before I hit the road.

Back pain is no joke.  It is amazing to me that my Dad survived seven years of back and forth with workers' comp before they finally agreed to cover his spinal fusion surgery.  I knew I would heal but the wait was agonizing.

Since I couldn't run I read about it.  And that is what lead me to Chris McDougall's, "Born To Run." By now, you who are reading this post have probably read "the book" (as runners seem to be calling it). I suspect you did a Google search for "vibram+bikila AND review" which is how you got here. So I'll skip talking about the book and forefoot strike running - chances are you've read all about both and just want to hear about Vibram's latest creation, the Bikila.

Here it is:

Bikila Review and First Impressions - The iPod Mini of Vibram Five Fingers

The Vibram Bikila is named in honor Abebe Bikila an Ethiopian Olympian who famously ran marathons barefoot.

The shoe lives up to the name.  In my opinion the Bikila is the most refined five finger product to date.  The sole of the shoe imparts more than adequate ground feel.  The minimalist and aesthetically pleasing tread design shows an increasing attention to detail not present in Vibram's previous efforts.  The foot enclosure looks fluid and organic. It is especially striking in the gray/palm colour scheme. When viewed from the "arch" side the Bikila looks like a shoe from the future.

These are by far the most comfortable running shoes - traditional or five fingered - I have ever worn.  When they are on you hardly know they are on.  I really mean that.  You will forget that you are wearing them. Part of this comes from the way Vibram re-engineered the strap enclosure - it closes from left to right, opposite all other five finger products. I don't know why they waited to implement this change.   The removal of the wrap around portion of the strap probably necessitated the directional change.  I suspect this change will migrate to all new Vibram models the way the iPod Mini's click wheel moved to all subsequent iPods.   Like the iPod Mini for Apple, the Bikila will be the breakout model for Vibram. Hell, they even come in the same colours!

In short - Vibram really put some thought into these shoes.

City Sports seems to have a lock on Bikila availability at present and at $99.00 retail I think they are a steal.  Availability will probably be spotty for the first few months of their release so if you have to have them now - if you want to train in them for the fall marathon season - you can get a pair on eBay.  Prices will be higher.

I will never stop wearing my KSO Trek's - the most tactile five finger product in my opinion - but for running, the Bikilia is untouchable.  The Achilles cup in the heel is a vast improvement for runners. The new stitch pattern is awesome and will eliminate the blisters and tender skin for 90% of people.  

The only part of the Bikila that can be improved are the clear plastic "toenails." Compared to the rest of the product they seem like an afterthought added by a committee.  They are supposed to protect the fabric above the toe pocket from tearing when a toe catches on some obstacle. I appreciate the effort but think they should have come up with a better solution.  I've  read whispers around the web that the nails easily de-laminate. Should mine do that, I'll just remove them.

For those just getting into "barefoot" running: it's the perfect time because the Bikila is as perfect a shoe as you can get right now.  I foresee it being so for a while.

So there you have it.  My review of the Bikila's.  If you can find them, buy them.

(That's a sensor pocket for the Nike+ device on the strap in case you were wondering)