The Vibram FiveFingers TrekSport Multisport Sandal is my 5th pair of VFF’s. The treksport sole that this shoe utilizes has the best blend of protection from stones, flexibility and a small amount of cushion for longer runs. For the first few months I really loved these shoes and was planning on wearing them in an upcoming marathon. Today, however, I took them out on a Half-Marathon time trial and after about 10 miles I started to develop a blister on my foot where one of the straps crosses the arch of the foot.
It seems that the cutout strap design causes extra friction at some parts of the foot. I wear socks with my VFF’s to reduce blisters on anything longer than 3 miles. I could go with the original Treksport, but those don’t have a lacing system and can be a little sloppy on the foot if they don’t fit exactly. I am waiting for a VFF to come out with a shoe that has a little more cushioning to protect from occasional rocks or for longer runs. The thing that I like most about VFF’s is the wonderful individual toe pockets. They give my wide forefoot plenty of room to move naturally. My feet feel cramped in other running shoes. I hope that the people at VFF will eventually realize that we need various amounts of cushioning depending on the terrain they travel and the distance they plan to go. My feet are fine for anything under 10 miles in something like the Bikila, but around 15 miles the bottom of my feet start to hurt and get tired.
These sandals are performance footwear that may work for you. In my case I’ve never had a blister while wearing any of my other VFF’s and can’t see myself using these for longer distances.
Aaron Olson 