Vibram FiveFingers KSO Trek Trail Runner Review

denny123

Living Barefoot Introduction of Andrew Searle,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]
Andrew is a guest reviewer for Living Barefoot who brings to the review series an extensive background in running experience. Andrew is an accomplished road racer having completed numerous marathons including qualifying for and finishing the prestigious Boston marathon. He is also an incredibly successful trail runner having completed solo the 125 km Canadian Death Race and 146 km Sinister 7 trail races as well setting course records and winning his age group in the 80 km Blackfoot Ultra and the Moose Mountain Marathon. Andrew has also podium finished and placed in his age group in several of the 5 Peaks Trail Running Series races.

Overall Impression of the KSO Treks
After owning the KSO Treks for almost a year,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], they have become an integral part of my trail running footwear. I don’t wear them for every run but they are a fantastic tool for strengthening the foot,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], lower leg muscles,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], and improving agility and proper running form. They do take some time to get used to putting on and getting the correct toe into the appropriate toe pocket. The kangaroo leather is great,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], especially for cooler temperature running,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], even after they get wet. They fit snugly with their full-footed upper and Velcro strap adjustment. I really appreciate that the shoe is the shape of the foot as opposed to narrow toe-boxed conventional trail running shoes. Another important attribute for trail running is their lack of interfering cushioning to ground feel,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], this is especially important for trail running because terrain can vary widely in both traction and surface contour between every step.
What KSO Treks are Great For
The first time I ran in the Treks it was on snow,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], and even though my feet got wet from some slushy snow right away,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], my feet stayed warm throughout the run. They have good grip and I really enjoy running with them on hard-packed snow trails. I also run in a pair of original KSOs and the Treks have far better grip and are more enjoyable to run in on trails. They have great traction on dry or wet grass,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], snow,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], ice,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], as well as any dry surface whether it be man-made or natural. They also perform well on trails both uphill and downhill. I do enjoy running and racing in them,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], on the proper terrain,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], because they are so lightweight.
What KSO Treks are Not Great For
Although the Trek has good traction on dry trails,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], they do not have the best traction on wet terrain,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], especially slippery and/or deep mud. The lug design doesn’t provide enough traction for wet dirt deeper than a few millimetres. For this type of wet terrain,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], I would still trust the grip of a conventional trail running shoe over that of the Trek. I’ve also found that they are not that comfortable to run in on pavement because of the lugs,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], although this was not the purpose of their design,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], so not too surprising. I do tend to slow down on solid rocky terrain as well because their relatively thin sole does not protect the foot if you are not being careful as to where you are placing your foot,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], compared to a conventionally thick-soled trail running shoe.