Trail running in Vibram FiveFingers

After been playing and running in the FiveFingers Bikila's for a while now, the biggest benefit, apart from the immediate step up in my social status from wearing the funky looking, super lightweight, visually appealing shoes to the envy of sporting friends and general public alike, would be that the Bikila's are a medium of teaching and reminding my body of how it was suppose to move and run in the first place.

Although I would suggest a steady-faced approach to avoid the risk of injury (I have learnt a quite a few bad running habits that resulted in some poorly developed muscles from over reliance on certain shoes in the past), I can honestly say that the use of the Bikila's are rehabilitating my body to the way it was designed to run... fast!

Ryno Griesel Adventure Racer and Mountaineer

I turned to my first pair of Vibram FiveFingers 'Classics' after I injured my back running the Knysna half marathon. This injury resulted in some intense research on running injuries and stumbled apon the benefits of barefoot running and Vibram Five Fingers. It always struck me how differently a child ran compared to a middle aged adult. That's when I gave Vibram FiveFingers a go. It did take a transition period of about 6 months. There is a period of an intense amount of stimulation your feet get - which quickly translates to INFORMATION which your feet use to tread carefully without you having to think about it! I got so hooked on running with Vibram FiveFingers that I ordered my second pair, the KSO's shortly after to participate in trail races. Obviously being the only woman in Cape Town to participate in 21km plus trail races does get its comments but the comments fell away when I happily skip ahead and recover quickly the next day. I feel like an absolute KID running on Table mountain with them! My feet, legs and running strengthened NOTICEABLY. I have now recently received a pair of Vibram FiveFingers BIKILA's in HOT PINK and all I can say is: sexy, sassy and deadly fast! These are now my road running/racing Vibram FiveFingers since I honestly don't have the heart to take these pretty ladies onto the trails... yet. So if you see a crazy chick hopping around on table mountain or on the road with neon pink Vibram FiveFingers with a HUGE grin on her face - its more than likely me!

Nicola Steenkamp, Triathlete and Trail runner

Since I've had my fivefingers, I haven’t done anything in tekkies yet.

• I now comfortably do my morning 10km runs with them on tar.
• Have done a 11km trail run at Fort Klapperkop
• Have done a mountain orienteering run with them at Grootkloof
• Have done a whole weekends worth of orienteering with them at Lakenvlei (Belfats – forestry)

Cobus van Zyl, Adventure Racer & Mountaineer