My personal experience was that they made my hamstring issues vastly worse. I understand that if you have excellent feet (mine are f-l-a-t) these might work. Vibram however must pay for their false advertising. Since nearly 75 million of these have been sold, this is a drop in the bucket though.
Thoughts? Anyone aside from me thinking of getting their money back?
– jj
(Edit:I didn’t see any other thread about this on T-Nation, so I am starting one.)
Umm I’ve never had a problem with them and I’ve had 2 pair. I primarily wear them to lift and they travel well since I travel a lot (i.e. don’t take up much room in my suitcase, no need for socks, etc.) I’m up in the air whether I’ll collect or not. My morals say no since I didn’t buy them to “strengthen my feet and muscles.”
I wonder if people can make the same kind of conclusion on just about EVERY product that says “our product will do XYZ” and you never see that.
I hate shit like this. OMG, I am so fucking stupid that I got caught up in advertising hype, now give me my money back. For hunters, they probably remember the Scent-Lok suit lawsuit, or the Kellogs Mini-Wheats suit that was similar to this. Just more ignorant people, who want the system to save them from their own fucking selves.
This is what happens when the everyone gets a trophy, special snowflake generation grows up.
I love my vibrams, but they are used only for lifting and for occasions when I feel like annoying my girlfriend while out in public.
No reason for me to collect as I’ve gotten everything I hoped I would get out of them, which was simply a comfortable lifting shoe.
[quote]jbpick86 wrote:
I hate shit like this. OMG, I am so fucking stupid that I got caught up in advertising hype, now give me my money back. For hunters, they probably remember the Scent-Lok suit lawsuit, or the Kellogs Mini-Wheats suit that was similar to this. Just more ignorant people, who want the system to save them from their own fucking selves.
[/quote]
I agree. I don’t see how Vibrams’ dubious claims about their products are any different from the false (or misleading) benefits advertised of many dietary supplements, food products, fitness programs, etc. So they claimed that it’d help posture, etc. Isn’t it up to you, the consumer, to test the product and see if it works for you? Can I sue a bodybuilding magazine that promises “Ten Weeks to Titanic Triceps” if I bought the magazine and didn’t add an inch to my arms in ten weeks like it said I would?
Vibrams will have some benefit for some people, and no benefit for others. Like pretty much everything else in this world.
This is stupid.
I hurt both calves while in Vibrams, shit happens. I still wear them just not to run in.
[quote]ActivitiesGuy wrote:
[quote]jbpick86 wrote:
I hate shit like this. OMG, I am so fucking stupid that I got caught up in advertising hype, now give me my money back. For hunters, they probably remember the Scent-Lok suit lawsuit, or the Kellogs Mini-Wheats suit that was similar to this. Just more ignorant people, who want the system to save them from their own fucking selves.
[/quote]
I agree. I don’t see how Vibrams’ dubious claims about their products are any different from the false (or misleading) benefits advertised of many dietary supplements, food products, fitness programs, etc. So they claimed that it’d help posture, etc. Isn’t it up to you, the consumer, to test the product and see if it works for you? Can I sue a bodybuilding magazine that promises “Ten Weeks to Titanic Triceps” if I bought the magazine and didn’t add an inch to my arms in ten weeks like it said I would?
Vibrams will have some benefit for some people, and no benefit for others. Like pretty much everything else in this world.
[/quote]
I’d say the difference here is that Vibrams were sold effectively as a do-it-yourself orthopedic equipment. No place did they give a list of conditions that contra-indicate with it – the store rep told me they’d strengthen my feet and fix the issue. Nope. Made it a lot worse to the point I was having trouble standing without tearing a hamstring.
If they had a warning rather than a breathless ad that told me they’d help I probably would not have gotten a pair. Generally I take damn good care of myself and stay on top of my training. I do not appreciate being systematically lied to about health matters. Do any of you?
– jj
[quote]jbpick86 wrote:
I hate shit like this. OMG, I am so fucking stupid that I got caught up in advertising hype, now give me my money back. For hunters, they probably remember the Scent-Lok suit lawsuit, or the Kellogs Mini-Wheats suit that was similar to this. Just more ignorant people, who want the system to save them from their own fucking selves.
This is what happens when the everyone gets a trophy, special snowflake generation grows up.[/quote]
Yup: Kids who get trophies for losing often grow up to be pretty useless adults.
There’s a lot of different versions of Vibram. I never could get myself to wear the toe ones, so I got some that don’t have the toe thing going on but have a wider forefoot and narrow heel… It’s the most comfortable pair of shoes I own because my feets is wide.
They are like year old Merrells, mostly black.
[quote]jj-dude wrote:
[quote]ActivitiesGuy wrote:
[quote]jbpick86 wrote:
I hate shit like this. OMG, I am so fucking stupid that I got caught up in advertising hype, now give me my money back. For hunters, they probably remember the Scent-Lok suit lawsuit, or the Kellogs Mini-Wheats suit that was similar to this. Just more ignorant people, who want the system to save them from their own fucking selves.
[/quote]
I agree. I don’t see how Vibrams’ dubious claims about their products are any different from the false (or misleading) benefits advertised of many dietary supplements, food products, fitness programs, etc. So they claimed that it’d help posture, etc. Isn’t it up to you, the consumer, to test the product and see if it works for you? Can I sue a bodybuilding magazine that promises “Ten Weeks to Titanic Triceps” if I bought the magazine and didn’t add an inch to my arms in ten weeks like it said I would?
Vibrams will have some benefit for some people, and no benefit for others. Like pretty much everything else in this world.
[/quote]
I’d say the difference here is that Vibrams were sold effectively as a do-it-yourself orthopedic equipment. No place did they give a list of conditions that contra-indicate with it – the store rep told me they’d strengthen my feet and fix the issue. Nope. Made it a lot worse to the point I was having trouble standing without tearing a hamstring.
If they had a warning rather than a breathless ad that told me they’d help I probably would not have gotten a pair. Generally I take damn good care of myself and stay on top of my training. I do not appreciate being systematically lied to about health matters. Do any of you?
– jj[/quote]
In all honestly, did you really think a pair of shoes would fix your hamstring issue?
[quote]jj-dude wrote:
the store rep told me they’d strengthen my feet and fix the issue. Nope. Made it a lot worse to the point I was having trouble standing without tearing a hamstring.[/quote]
Hold on now, what? How does this happen? What’s your flexibility like? Do you do squats and deadlifts?
[quote]jj-dude wrote:
Generally I take damn good care of myself and stay on top of my training.[/quote]
What does this entail that your hamstrings are about to snap off at all times? Is there some kind of underlying major injury?
[quote]jj-dude wrote:
[quote]ActivitiesGuy wrote:
[quote]jbpick86 wrote:
I hate shit like this. OMG, I am so fucking stupid that I got caught up in advertising hype, now give me my money back. For hunters, they probably remember the Scent-Lok suit lawsuit, or the Kellogs Mini-Wheats suit that was similar to this. Just more ignorant people, who want the system to save them from their own fucking selves.
[/quote]
I agree. I don’t see how Vibrams’ dubious claims about their products are any different from the false (or misleading) benefits advertised of many dietary supplements, food products, fitness programs, etc. So they claimed that it’d help posture, etc. Isn’t it up to you, the consumer, to test the product and see if it works for you? Can I sue a bodybuilding magazine that promises “Ten Weeks to Titanic Triceps” if I bought the magazine and didn’t add an inch to my arms in ten weeks like it said I would?
Vibrams will have some benefit for some people, and no benefit for others. Like pretty much everything else in this world.
[/quote]
I’d say the difference here is that Vibrams were sold effectively as a do-it-yourself orthopedic equipment. No place did they give a list of conditions that contra-indicate with it – the store rep told me they’d strengthen my feet and fix the issue. Nope. Made it a lot worse to the point I was having trouble standing without tearing a hamstring.
If they had a warning rather than a breathless ad that told me they’d help I probably would not have gotten a pair. Generally I take damn good care of myself and stay on top of my training. I do not appreciate being systematically lied to about health matters. Do any of you?
– jj[/quote]
This speaks more to your own mobility issues than the shoes. I spent almost every summer barefoot the entire time I was around the house, running and playing, since I was a child and I have never had an injury problem. Actually, making it through years of basketball and tennis without the first overuse/mobility injury in my feet or ankles would indicate that those areas are pretty durable. Like I said, this sounds like people blaming their own stuff on some shoes.
[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
[quote]jj-dude wrote:
I’d say the difference here is that Vibrams were sold effectively as a do-it-yourself orthopedic equipment. No place did they give a list of conditions that contra-indicate with it – the store rep told me they’d strengthen my feet and fix the issue. Nope. Made it a lot worse to the point I was having trouble standing without tearing a hamstring.
If they had a warning rather than a breathless ad that told me they’d help I probably would not have gotten a pair. Generally I take damn good care of myself and stay on top of my training. I do not appreciate being systematically lied to about health matters. Do any of you?
– jj[/quote]
In all honestly, did you really think a pair of shoes would fix your hamstring issue?[/quote]
In all honesty I did not have a real hamstring issue, just sore, flat feet and sometimes a little tweakiness. I now have a bad chronic issue, ok? So yes, they took it from being a sometimes nagging problem (sometimes stiff and have to pop) to a very bad one indeed. My podiatrist measured a tremendous difference before and after when I went back to see him and he said he’d seen rather a lot of it in other people from Vibrams and other minimally soled shoes. Again, had they mentioned that was even a possibility I would not have considered them.
– jj
[quote]jj-dude wrote:
[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
[quote]jj-dude wrote:
I’d say the difference here is that Vibrams were sold effectively as a do-it-yourself orthopedic equipment. No place did they give a list of conditions that contra-indicate with it – the store rep told me they’d strengthen my feet and fix the issue. Nope. Made it a lot worse to the point I was having trouble standing without tearing a hamstring.
If they had a warning rather than a breathless ad that told me they’d help I probably would not have gotten a pair. Generally I take damn good care of myself and stay on top of my training. I do not appreciate being systematically lied to about health matters. Do any of you?
– jj[/quote]
In all honestly, did you really think a pair of shoes would fix your hamstring issue?[/quote]
In all honesty I did not have a real hamstring issue, just sore, flat feet and sometimes a little tweakiness. I now have a bad chronic issue, ok? So yes, they took it from being a sometimes nagging problem (sometimes stiff and have to pop) to a very bad one indeed. My podiatrist measured a tremendous difference before and after when I went back to see him and he said he’d seen rather a lot of it in other people from Vibrams and other minimally soled shoes. Again, had they mentioned that was even a possibility I would not have considered them.
– jj[/quote]
I suppose it’s okay.
I’m surprised you didn’t talk to your podiatrist before you bought them. I mean, most of us don’t have podiatrist to begin with…
It is still strange to me that you are blaming a shoe for your issue. It sounds to me like you’re foot isn’t designed to work without a traditional sole.
Do you have an issue when you walk around barefoot? It’s just about the same thing.
How do you know it was the Vibrams that “caused” your issue?
Another thing just occurred to me. These shoes are basically the same as being barefoot. 2mm or so of rubber material, that’s all you get. How anyone could expect these flimsy things to do anything except provide a minimal barrier between your foot and the ground is beyond me.
That said, who can the people who just run without shoes sue? The Tarahumara tribe? Whoever else gave them the idea to run barefoot? Wikipedia? It HAS to be SOMEONE’S fault!
[quote]twojarslave wrote:
Another thing just occurred to me. These shoes are basically the same as being barefoot. 2mm or so of rubber material, that’s all you get. How anyone could expect these flimsy things to do anything except provide a minimal barrier between your foot and the ground is beyond me.
That said, who can the people who just run without shoes sue? The Tarahumara tribe? Whoever else gave them the idea to run barefoot? Wikipedia? It HAS to be SOMEONE’S fault!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarahumara_people[/quote]
Tis the world we live in my friend.
I bet the vast majority of the people with injuries never gave their body a chance to adjust to being “barefoot” all the time. Most people spend their entire life wearing regular tennis shoes and their heels elevated several inches. All of a sudden the “barefoot” craze changes that and people are surprised when they get hurt…
It’s like people getting hurt doing crossfit, ah duh.
FYI when you buy coffee from McDonalds, it’s hot and cruise control isn’t auto pilot.
[quote]jbpick86 wrote:
This speaks more to your own mobility issues than the shoes. I spent almost every summer barefoot the entire time I was around the house, running and playing, since I was a child and I have never had an injury problem. Actually, making it through years of basketball and tennis without the first overuse/mobility injury in my feet or ankles would indicate that those areas are pretty durable. Like I said, this sounds like people blaming their own stuff on some shoes.
[/quote]
While the lawsuits are bullshit, they don’t mentioned the explosion of achilles tears in older runners since the barefoot craze started. If you research it they advise against older runners using a zero drop shoe.
I went to the New balance brand of zero drop shoes and immediately started having achilles problems. Went to a shoe with a 4mm drop instead of zero and the problems cleared up.
If I remember correctly you are pretty young to be having issues from these shoes.