VibramMen's FiveFingers V-Trek Trail Hiking Shoe

To start off, if you never wore these, your feet might hurt a bit because you’re using muscles in your feet that you probably never really use. Once you start wearing them more, they are very comfortable. I’ve had my first pair for about 10 years now. Wearing them on and off. Over the years they have came out with different models. These have a little bit more cushioned in my other ones. Far as fit, there are a couple ways to wear these by size. My first pair are a little bigger. So that way i can wear them with the toe socks. Without the toe socks, they are tad big, but still wearable without socks. I normally wear 11.5 so I got these in 11.5 to 12 and they fit perfect. If you plan on wearing these without socks, go with your original size. Far as walking around on the ground, that’s what they exactly feel like. So if you like to walk barefoot, these are shoes for you. These ones are a bit more warmer compared to my other ones. Only thing I find interesting is the way they look. I never been a fan of the appearance but I really don’t care. They are just too comfortable. And the grip on these are amazing. I definitely recommend them. Or at least giving them a try. Sizing is the key for these.

These are my first Vibram minimal shoes. I previously owned two older minimal shoes that were basically cheap knock-offs. The higher price of the Vibram FiveFingers and derivatives is what prevented me from buying them, but being unable with the quality of the cheaper clones I had for many years, I went ahead and bought the Vibram V-trek. The quality and comfort of the V-trek are much higher, and I find the comfort level much better. With some other minimal shoes, there is an elastic strap that either goes over the top of your foot or around your heel. In both instances, I found these uncomfortable for all-day wear. The V-trek uses more standard shoelaces and so for me, the comfort is much better. I've so far been wearing them for hours at a time and not yet experienced any discomfort. The padding of the shoe, including the rubber sole, is also a bit thicker than on other minimal shoes I've owned. This doesn't seem to affect the feel of the shoe so much as it provides a bit more quality and durability.I've had no issues with the fit. I ordered my usual shoe size, and they fit just fine. Some other reviews have stated you needed to order a size up, but in my case, that wasn't necessary. I do wear these without toe socks, and I suspect if I did, these might become a bit too tight. So I would suggest going with your normal shoe size or one size up dependent on if you plan to wear toe socks or not. 2/6/19 UPDATE: I have since worn these with some toe socks. The fit remains the same, although you naturally do lose some sensory feedback. I still prefer these without socks, however.Normally I wouldn't mention the styling, but one of the V-trek's selling point is they have a bit more "flair" to them. At first glance, they do appear to look just like an ordinary pair of black shoes. A lot of minimal shoes, including some older pairs I've owned, tend to have rather "loud" colors or designs. Other than a yellow sole, the V-trek are a simple black all over. For people who have been turned off to minimal shoes because of their look or just want a slightly more understated design, the V-trek will probably work for you.3/8/19 UPDATE: While the V-trek are easy to clean (either throw them in the wash or just run them under some hot water), they take a long time to dry, longer than some other Vibrams I now own. These are not great options if you are planning on being near water. Consider the V-Aqua instead.

Sizing, I did follow the sizing recommendation and got one size larger and I am glad I did as the ones I purchased fit perfectly. I usually wear EU42/US Women's 11 and the EU43 fit me perfectly.Oh man, I thought these were silly for soooo long...and I still do... But I love walking barefoot and found the modern aqua-socks, but they were not durable enough for how much I walk, so I bit the bullet and purchased these... and I love these Vibram V-Treks!!I added a set of Zoobits magnetic closures, so they are really easy to put on and take off -- I think it is enough to try to get my toes in the toes that it is nice to not deal with the laces.Onroad/Sidewalks 3.5 stars:These are my go to shoes if I am going further than around the corner, especially when it is wet out (PDX is always wet this time of year =oP) and I like them better than most other shoes... but my feet begin to hurt if I walk too long on hard surfaces. I can jog to keep up with the dogs and I've walked a few miles.Now it may be a lot of my fault as I am working on changing my foot/floor contact, but I feel this might have something to do with the off-road-worthiness of these shoes.Onroad Conclusion, if you are ALWAYS going to be on pavement, try a different tread pattern, these might not be for you.Offroad 6 starsI purchased these because I love to jump off the traveled path. I wanted hiking shoes that I can pack and take camping and walk through everything and that is exactly what these are.The previously mentioned pain? The moment I jump off the sidewalk and into grass, these shoes become super comfortable. Gravel and rocky roads won't even slow you down.I thought the toes were silly, but now I crave that satisfying feel of my big toe digging in on the push off.Excellent grip off road wet or dry, rocks, dirt, etc.Infact, these are so awesome off road, I find it funny that I will walk in the grass beside the sidewalk while my two small dogs stick to the pavement =oDI feel I can take these everywhere my dogs go and they disappear. The sole is excellent, I cannot believe I wasted time with aqua socks (though I do tend to still use them for the very short walks, the toes do add some time that I just don't want to waste with a potty training puppy!)These are my new hiking boots. Small and light, I can imagine me packing these in ways I never would have with my full size, high top, hiking boots.If I knew I was going to spend the whole walk on pavement, I wouldn't use these, though I am tempted to buy a road-specific version. But if I might step in grass or cross gravel, these are my go-to shoe!

Incredibly comfortable especially when paired with creepers merino socks. I literally don’t want to take them off. Unfortunately the left shoe has been falling apart already and I’ve only had them 5 days. I’m going to return them for another pair and hopefully this was just a defective pair.