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Vibram FiveFingers

I would be careful using them on BMQ. You will normally not be able to predict what you will be doing for PT, and the VFFs may not provide the ankle support you'll need for certain "surprise" activities. Once you get to your posting, normally there's a PT schedule to follow and pick the appropriate footwear.
 
I would be more worried about your instructors not understanding what VFF's are and giving you freif...and unwanted attention. I as a snr NCO have had issues with people trying to tell me they were "un authorsed" for PT and not "proper footwear". Mostly i was peole trying to sound important who ended up sounding like dolts....one even fell out of the run...anyway.

As for ankle support you dont need it. Which can start an excellent discussion aside from this.

VFF's are great however be prepared to meet resistance to closed minded individuals. It is the army after all!
 
Glad to hear positive feedback on the VFFs. I've been hemming and hawing for awhile, but I think what sold me was the number of folks who had them on the "Not Since Moses" run at 5-islands provincial park this year. (one helluva fun race, BTW)

The trick is finding them around Halifax. Most stores can't keep them in stock.
 
MEC has them... or order online, but be careful with the sizing... tricky as hell!
 
They have them, but the Halifax location doesn't normally have them in stock. There's a place on Young St that does, but they're about 25 bucks more expensive. I may try on a few pairs there when they have some in stock next (which I'm told is hard to do...they sell them as fast as they get them in), and then order them from MEC.
 
I have bought a pair early September.  WOW, running in those is like running barefoot.  You don't have to worry about noting.  Your body will always remember how to run barefoot.  It's in the genes.  The only thing I can recommend is to avoid if possible hard surfaces like sidewalks and streets. Remember there is no support in them and almost no sole.  Go try them in a field, a running track, even in a hilly trail.  My most fun with them is when I'm running in wooden hilly trails with some patches of mud somewhere.  You can run in them and feel like a kid again. You come home all dirty, but what fun it is to finally run free.  Those shoes are washable with the garden hose. 
 
Does anyone know if these can be found in the Saint-Jean, montreal area somewhere?

I might try to see if I can grab them my next outting, though I suspect I won't be allowed to try them out for a while :(  (not doing much running these days! argh!)
 
Hi, you can try a Montain Coop store, but I think they don't have any in inventory now.  I know the sport store on HW 20 near Beloeil, SAIL or something like that had it also.  Go to Vibram site and look at official stores list.
 
dogger1936 said:
I would be more worried about your instructors not understanding what VFF's are and giving you freif...and unwanted attention. I as a snr NCO have had issues with people trying to tell me they were "un authorsed" for PT and not "proper footwear". Mostly i was peole trying to sound important who ended up sounding like dolts....one even fell out of the run...anyway.

As for ankle support you dont need it. Which can start an excellent discussion aside from this.

VFF's are great however be prepared to meet resistance to closed minded individuals. It is the army after all!

This.

I'm on my QL3's Air Force side and both myself and another on my course had been singled out during PT by both senior and junior NCO's and directed that the Vibrams were little more than "swim shoes" and were not authorized to be worn during PT under any circumstance, regardless of the information we presented in our favour. The reasons for them not being allowed ranged from them being "not conservative in style" to them being a "safety hazard". The issue ended up going as far as the school chief who declared they were authorized to be worn and were not in violation of school policy or of CF dress regs, which solved our problem.
 
Anyone have any idea how the "Classics" hold up on snow? I've noticed that they're slippery on wet surfaces so I'm wondering if they would be okay to run on snow with or if that's an accident waiting to happen.
 
-Jules- said:
Anyone have any idea how the "Classics" hold up on snow? I've noticed that they're slippery on wet surfaces so I'm wondering if they would be okay to run on snow with or if that's an accident waiting to happen.

I know the KSO's are gonna be too bloody cold in the winter! I'm either running indide with em or spending some quality time on the threadmill this winter. I've found the kso's great on wet surfaces (running upstream rock hopping etc)
 
jacob_ns said:
This.

I'm on my QL3's Air Force side and both myself and another on my course had been singled out during PT by both senior and junior NCO's and directed that the Vibrams were little more than "swim shoes" and were not authorized to be worn during PT under any circumstance, regardless of the information we presented in our favour. The reasons for them not being allowed ranged from them being "not conservative in style" to them being a "safety hazard". The issue ended up going as far as the school chief who declared they were authorized to be worn and were not in violation of school policy or of CF dress regs, which solved our problem.

Apparently I need to update this. We were informed today that the head of PSP in Borden have declared Vibram Fivefingers shoes unsafe and inappropriate footwear and they are no longer allowed in the Buell Gymnasium effective immediately.
 
Well I found a paor at the Trail Shop on Quinpool in my size. Tried them on at home, and one you get over the wierdness with the toes, you get used to them pretty quick.

Went for a 5km run with them this afternoon, and had no major issues other than some knee and achilles pain (which I get normally) and a couple of hotspots in the toes. 15 minutes after my run, everything feels fine. They're so light you don't notice them on after awhile. Running on grass was an absolute treat. They have no ankle support, but I think after your feet get used to them and strengthen up a bit the extra foot control you get will mitigate any ankle control you might get with regular shoes.

The only thing is that I have to learn how to adjust my stride. I'm not much of a heel runner normally, but these shoes really force you to adopt a forefoot strike.

Verdict: I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship.
 
The VFF are definitely one of the best on the market, but for those who are running in to some opposition I suggest you look into this blog that reviews all the 'barefoot' shoes on the market.

Most look quite conventional (i.e. like a normal running shoe) yet still provide all (or most) of the benefits of, say, the VFF.

http://barefootrunningshoes.org/

Read the reviews and see for yourslef which one suits your tastes.

The Feelmax Osma's are supposedly pretty good. Anyway, hope this helps.
 
I haven't tried mines on snow yet and I'm not sure I will.  I have purchased for winter and for hard surfaces, Nike free, the best free running  shoes after Vibram FiveFingers. 
 
jacob_ns said:
Apparently I need to update this. We were informed today that the head of PSP in Borden have declared Vibram Fivefingers shoes unsafe and inappropriate footwear and they are no longer allowed in the Buell Gymnasium effective immediately.

Does anyone in Borden know if this is still the case?
 
Rider Pride said:
Does anyone in Borden know if this is still the case?

I wonder too although I won't be at Borden for at least another year and a bit.

I also wonder at how they came to that conclusion, it is not like running shoes(or even lifting shoes for that matter) protect any better or worse.
 
Has anyone put any serious miles on the VFF?  I have only heard from users that have less than a year/1 season on them.  I'm curious about long term use.
 
day-1-tendonitis-experts-review-of-his-new-vibram-five-fingers-kso-barefoot-running-shoes-21261593.jpg

All Army Action message 239/2011 is likely to step on some toes.

It prohibits the wear of shoes that feature “five separate, individual compartments for the toes,” such as the one pictured above. Such shoes “detract from a professional military image,” the message said. As such, soldiers are not allowed to wear them with the individual physical fitness uniform or when conducting physical training in military formation.

In truth, this is not a new rule. But it seems word either hasn’t been spread or adhered to ....
Source:  Military Times, 24 Jun 11

On the face of it, this issue of what to wear whilst running isn't a big deal. But our Army captain is correct in asserting that one of the warning signs of deterioration in the military during peacetime is an emphasis on appearance over effectiveness.

By A Rifle Company Commander
Best Defense culture of the Army correspondent

The Army has officially banned the wearing of Five Finger running shoes. Many garrison commanders have already done so, but the following order has made it official Army-wide:

ALARACT 241/2011 REQUEST FOR EXCEPTION TO POLICY TO PUBLISH ALARACT MODIFYING WEAR OF IMPROVED PHYSICAL FITNESS UNIFORM (IPFU), DTG 231424Z JUN 11. This message modifies the existing wear policy for the (IPFU). There are a variety of minimalist running shoes available for purchase and wear. Effective immediately, only those shoes that accommodate all five toes in one compartment are authorized for wear. Those shoes that feature five separate, individual compartments for the toes, detract from a professional military image and are prohibited for wear with the IPFU or when conducting physical training in military formation ....

What particularly gets me is the line, "detract from a professional military image."  I don't understand how the image of someone that takes their running serious is detracting from a professional military image. Professionals sometimes wear items/clothing that may look "weird" but serves a professional purpose. Anyway, I have had some Five Fingers for over a year, and I love them. They reduce shin splints, work your calves better, toughen your feet, and reduced my five mile run average by five minutes in three months ....
Source:  The Best Defence blog, 29 Jun 11
 
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