I bought the V-Alpha's as my first introduction to barefoot running, and I couldn't be happier with them. As Steve said, they just grip to anything, and have just the right ratio of ground feel to protection for my liking. Great content, Steve. Your channel is one of the main reasons I got into minimalist/barefoot running last year, and haven't looked back. Cheers.
The timing of this video couldn't have been any more perfect, I've been reading and watching reviews trying to narrow down what pair should be my first Five Fingers and I've been leaning towards the V-Alphas because they seemed like they were a good all rounder. Just yesterday I watched your first impressions video of them and was wondering when the full review was coming, and here it is! 😃 I think I'll pull the trigger! Thanks for the info Steve, best of luck with your training endeavor! 👍🏻👊🏻
For 6 years, I have had unbelievable pain in my arches after about 5k on every run. I've tried so many trainers spending ££££ I've tried every insole going and seen specialists and stretched blah blah blah. After research and mainly your vids I decided to buy V Runs and they arrived on the 3rd Jan 19. OMG.... After 4 consecutive runs I got up to 5k with zero pain. Yesterday 12th Jan I ran 8 miles, with zero pain. The difference is unbelievable. Trainers made my legs feel like led and feet and hips hurt that much I had to stop on many runs. I wish I had found these years ago... I now only want to wear vibram fivefinger. I wouldn't recommend how quick I upped my miles to everyone, but these are perfect for my style, i know my body and I have some very good recovery techniques. So thanks for helping me take the plunge as your videos helped me so much. 👌👍
Brought some in Nov my first pair of Vibrams. They are cracking I’ve done a lot of trails, mountainous, muddy, woodland and road there a brilliant all rounder. Nice to feel the trails for a change feel more in control. My Salomon speedcross have gone in the bin vibrams are all I need. Thanks for all the advice.
llcoolpwilly yea V-Alpha. Tried a few more but haven’t felt as good as these. I’ve done 2 50km runs including a mountain ultra. No issues recovered with no issues.
@@karlcritchlow6016 thanks for replying... I ordered v-alpha and should arrive Monday so like you might be time to retire speedcross 4...are alpha tough enough for trails as well as road like the speedcross or you need additional v-trail?
llcoolpwilly Much tougher than Solomon’s. My first pair is still going strong with nearly 700 miles on them. Not much tread left tho. Second pair has 200 hard miles on them with no sign of any wear.
I've transitioned from standard thick heeled running shoes to merrel vapour glove 3s. In just 18 days!!! I absolutely love them, my calfs were aching like hell for about a week. I took it steady but I found it very easy to change. I've all ready ran a hard 10k in them and had no issues. My pace is up and my cadence has gone up by 10 steps. Well happy. Thanks to you Steve. Love this channel 🏃♂️👍💪
Any advice on sizing? I've been reading reviews on various different five fingers, and aside from seeing lots of complaints about drops in quality, the other big negative I see are problems with inconsistent sizing between different five finger styles. With the regular KSO I'd probably go with a men's 44, but I wasn't sure how that compared to the V-Alpha.
Interested in Coach Kalclash personalised running plans and community support? Register your interest by emailing me. Email address in the description box of this video
Hi, thanks for the really helpful videos. I'm torn between the v-trail and v-alpha. I want them for summer hiking on rocky terrain. The v-trail sounds like it will have the more protective sole but my main priority is cool feet in the hotter months, am I right in thinking the v-alpha will be better at keeping my feel cool?
Have you continued using your merrell vipor glove 3? I'm not sure but i think i got an injury (inflamation at the lowest part of the achilles tendon) from using them. I used them every day for a few months to run to work before I had to recover for half a year. It might though just be overtraining so i'm not sure.
Hey man, I had exactly that problem with the vapor gloves. Some shoes are just not suitable biomechanically to some people. Was it the v-alpha's that caused it for you? If so drop them asap, rest, heal and then get back into it with a shoe you know works for you 💪
Did that ankle stretch out from your preview? How much space do you leave in big toes? I started in 44s but newer 44s are giving me some pressure in the right big toe... considering sizing up but worried they might be too big. Thoughts?
So bottom line I live in Minnesota I am looking for a minimal shoe that would be good at trail road wet snow I don't have alot of money I would rather go barefoot and I do one block and I have to stop in Minneapolis alot of rocks and glass seams alcoholism and garbage go hand and hand I would rather step on dog poop then glass or a Needle 💉 I think this is the shoe any thoughts I am new to running I road bike but at 49 get sick of sitting my crotch hates riding it is not what are body was designed for so any info from you veterans of this I would be most appreciated
I've been running for a year in KMD-EVOs (trails, roads, grass, dirt, you name it) about 30-40km a week, thats why for my pair i chose a thick sole for my transition, now my big question is, v-run or v-alpha? i need that downward tow flex on some terrains, plus i want more ground feel now that im prepared. I like how the v-alpha seems more durable on the upper, those stray branches... Thanks!
Hey Pablo, great question. Either would be fine but you're right the extra bit of durability from the v-alpha's probably make them the better choice for you
That settles it, going for those, best of luck on the coach endeavor!, i may sign up around midyear, need to put more gym now, hope you wishes come true.
Just got the V-Alphas and have a fit question. Got them in 40 and 41. The 40s are a bit snug on the toes (no scrunching but each toe hits the end of the pocket) and the 41s seem a bit loose in areas (particularly in the arches, where I feel material moving around if I walk down a set of stairs). If I wear a 40 on one foot and a 41 on the other, I can flex my toes up more in the 41, which I guess means the 40s are a bit restrictive. Going to be using these primarily for hiking and not sure which size to go with. I've also tried on the KSO EVOs and in size 40 they seemed to be a perfect fit, but I'm not sure if they'd be good for hiking because of the thinner sole. Would appreciate any advice. Thanks!
Thanks for this comment, bro. Not sure if I should buy a new pair of V-trail or try V-alpha, but grip is my priority. How is the size of the shoe compared to the V-trail?
I run in V-run and Bikila's they are both in black and fit's perfect. Then I bought a pair of V-run I orange color and the fit is bad. The instep is too lowe for my foot. I have only used them once. Why this difference ? and how's the alpha in instep ?
Mate, if you suffer from smelly feet there is an easy fix: first, think about: are you OVERwashing your feet with soap? Too much will destroy your natural protective skin. second: vinegar. Seriously, no matter if you add it to your washing machine (never use softener), just put concentrated straight in (25%). Can also be added to dish washer (compartment in door). Back to your feet: add a good amount of vinegar from apples to water and soak your feet for 30s-60s. Do that a couple of times each week and then rebuild your natural protection.
Wearin vibrams make your feet stink quite a lot. I own vtrail2.0 n v alpha n must say that v alpha does not make your feet smell as much. Thanks for the idea with the apple cider vinegret
@@wzroq One thing, but not easy to put in five fingers, but I have in all my other shoes: cinamon insoles! Pretty cheap and smell great all year round :D
In quest of my first minimal trailrun shoe, I wear size 11 on walking shoes and size 12 on running shoes due to swollen feet after long runs. What size should i choose?
Thinking of wearing these Alpha’s for my 800km Camino De Santiago (Frances) 33day hike in May/June. Been wearing my first pair (KSO EVO’s) almost a year now. Thoughts?
I have v alpha and KSO evolution for trail running. Both excellent but V alpha more comfortable due to wool mix and grip better too. more expensive but worth it.
want to try Vibram five fingers trail type of shoe but cant work out why they need to bring so many versions out and after reading mixed reviews I cant decide what is the best trail running shoe ( for grass/ rocks/ woods ect… v alpha, trek ascent, or v trail? completely stuck on what one to buy as they all seem the same does anyone no?
Review starts at 3:35, you're welcome.
Actually starts at 4:20
thanks!
I bought the V-Alpha's as my first introduction to barefoot running, and I couldn't be happier with them. As Steve said, they just grip to anything, and have just the right ratio of ground feel to protection for my liking. Great content, Steve. Your channel is one of the main reasons I got into minimalist/barefoot running last year, and haven't looked back. Cheers.
The timing of this video couldn't have been any more perfect, I've been reading and watching reviews trying to narrow down what pair should be my first Five Fingers and I've been leaning towards the V-Alphas because they seemed like they were a good all rounder. Just yesterday I watched your first impressions video of them and was wondering when the full review was coming, and here it is! 😃 I think I'll pull the trigger! Thanks for the info Steve, best of luck with your training endeavor! 👍🏻👊🏻
For 6 years, I have had unbelievable pain in my arches after about 5k on every run. I've tried so many trainers spending ££££ I've tried every insole going and seen specialists and stretched blah blah blah. After research and mainly your vids I decided to buy V Runs and they arrived on the 3rd Jan 19. OMG.... After 4 consecutive runs I got up to 5k with zero pain. Yesterday 12th Jan I ran 8 miles, with zero pain. The difference is unbelievable. Trainers made my legs feel like led and feet and hips hurt that much I had to stop on many runs. I wish I had found these years ago... I now only want to wear vibram fivefinger. I wouldn't recommend how quick I upped my miles to everyone, but these are perfect for my style, i know my body and I have some very good recovery techniques. So thanks for helping me take the plunge as your videos helped me so much. 👌👍
Brought some in Nov my first pair of Vibrams. They are cracking I’ve done a lot of trails, mountainous, muddy, woodland and road there a brilliant all rounder. Nice to feel the trails for a change feel more in control. My Salomon speedcross have gone in the bin vibrams are all I need. Thanks for all the advice.
What kind of Vibrams 5 fingers did you buy??
V-alpha?
llcoolpwilly yea V-Alpha. Tried a few more but haven’t felt as good as these. I’ve done 2 50km runs including a mountain ultra. No issues recovered with no issues.
@@karlcritchlow6016 thanks for replying... I ordered v-alpha and should arrive Monday so like you might be time to retire speedcross 4...are alpha tough enough for trails as well as road like the speedcross or you need additional v-trail?
llcoolpwilly Much tougher than Solomon’s. My first pair is still going strong with nearly 700 miles on them. Not much tread left tho. Second pair has 200 hard miles on them with no sign of any wear.
I've transitioned from standard thick heeled running shoes to merrel vapour glove 3s. In just 18 days!!! I absolutely love them, my calfs were aching like hell for about a week. I took it steady but I found it very easy to change. I've all ready ran a hard 10k in them and had no issues. My pace is up and my cadence has gone up by 10 steps.
Well happy. Thanks to you Steve. Love this channel 🏃♂️👍💪
Any advice on sizing? I've been reading reviews on various different five fingers, and aside from seeing lots of complaints about drops in quality, the other big negative I see are problems with inconsistent sizing between different five finger styles. With the regular KSO I'd probably go with a men's 44, but I wasn't sure how that compared to the V-Alpha.
Interested in Coach Kalclash personalised running plans and community support? Register your interest by emailing me. Email address in the description box of this video
Who saw the spider at 5:25 in the video 😂❤️
Hahaha 😂 good spot! Totally photobombed!!
A personalized plan for transition to barefoot or zero drop would be great 👍💜
Thank you for this great review! Now I finally know which shoes to buy.
Do you wear injinji toe socks with these shoes? Or just go barefoot? Love your channel 👌
Hi, thanks for the really helpful videos. I'm torn between the v-trail and v-alpha. I want them for summer hiking on rocky terrain. The v-trail sounds like it will have the more protective sole but my main priority is cool feet in the hotter months, am I right in thinking the v-alpha will be better at keeping my feel cool?
Steve, How about doing an ultra? Something like UTMB
Vivobarefoot primus light vs v-alpha 5fingers vs xero prios: shootout! Who's the winner and why?😁
Have you continued using your merrell vipor glove 3? I'm not sure but i think i got an injury (inflamation at the lowest part of the achilles tendon) from using them. I used them every day for a few months to run to work before I had to recover for half a year. It might though just be overtraining so i'm not sure.
Hey man, I had exactly that problem with the vapor gloves. Some shoes are just not suitable biomechanically to some people. Was it the v-alpha's that caused it for you? If so drop them asap, rest, heal and then get back into it with a shoe you know works for you 💪
Great video and review as always.
Thanks Mark! 💪
Did that ankle stretch out from your preview? How much space do you leave in big toes? I started in 44s but newer 44s are giving me some pressure in the right big toe... considering sizing up but worried they might be too big. Thoughts?
Good timing, my V-Alphas arrived yesterday and already put 10km on them.
Good luck with the coaching 👍🏻
Been waiting for this video! 😄
Kachow!
So bottom line I live in Minnesota I am looking for a minimal shoe that would be good at trail road wet snow I don't have alot of money I would rather go barefoot and I do one block and I have to stop in Minneapolis alot of rocks and glass seams alcoholism and garbage go hand and hand I would rather step on dog poop then glass or a Needle 💉 I think this is the shoe any thoughts I am new to running I road bike but at 49 get sick of sitting my crotch hates riding it is not what are body was designed for so any info from you veterans of this I would be most appreciated
Another new Vibram 💪👌👍
I've been running for a year in KMD-EVOs (trails, roads, grass, dirt, you name it) about 30-40km a week, thats why for my pair i chose a thick sole for my transition, now my big question is, v-run or v-alpha? i need that downward tow flex on some terrains, plus i want more ground feel now that im prepared. I like how the v-alpha seems more durable on the upper, those stray branches... Thanks!
Hey Pablo, great question. Either would be fine but you're right the extra bit of durability from the v-alpha's probably make them the better choice for you
That settles it, going for those, best of luck on the coach endeavor!, i may sign up around midyear, need to put more gym now, hope you wishes come true.
Just got the V-Alphas and have a fit question. Got them in 40 and 41. The 40s are a bit snug on the toes (no scrunching but each toe hits the end of the pocket) and the 41s seem a bit loose in areas (particularly in the arches, where I feel material moving around if I walk down a set of stairs). If I wear a 40 on one foot and a 41 on the other, I can flex my toes up more in the 41, which I guess means the 40s are a bit restrictive. Going to be using these primarily for hiking and not sure which size to go with. I've also tried on the KSO EVOs and in size 40 they seemed to be a perfect fit, but I'm not sure if they'd be good for hiking because of the thinner sole. Would appreciate any advice. Thanks!
I've been usin v trail 2.0 for hickin n they seam perfect
Strangely both 41 n 42 fit me perfectly
So it sounds like to me these would be a great shoe for someone who is trying FiveFingers for the first time.
For some reason I found that my vtrails had more grip than the v alphas? However, v alphas are so comfortable to run in.
Thanks for this comment, bro. Not sure if I should buy a new pair of V-trail or try V-alpha, but grip is my priority. How is the size of the shoe compared to the V-trail?
@@JensAugustSJ V-trek is an awesome choice for grip too.
I run in V-run and Bikila's they are both in black and fit's perfect. Then I bought a pair of V-run I orange color and the fit is bad. The instep is too lowe for my foot. I have only used them once. Why this difference ? and how's the alpha in instep ?
Mate, if you suffer from smelly feet there is an easy fix:
first, think about: are you OVERwashing your feet with soap? Too much will destroy your natural protective skin.
second: vinegar. Seriously, no matter if you add it to your washing machine (never use softener), just put concentrated straight in (25%). Can also be added to dish washer (compartment in door). Back to your feet: add a good amount of vinegar from apples to water and soak your feet for 30s-60s. Do that a couple of times each week and then rebuild your natural protection.
Wearin vibrams make your feet stink quite a lot. I own vtrail2.0 n v alpha n must say that v alpha does not make your feet smell as much.
Thanks for the idea with the apple cider vinegret
@@wzroq One thing, but not easy to put in five fingers, but I have in all my other shoes: cinamon insoles! Pretty cheap and smell great all year round :D
In quest of my first minimal trailrun shoe, I wear size 11 on walking shoes and size 12 on running shoes due to swollen feet after long runs. What size should i choose?
Does the v alpha have perforated sole to drain the water in your shoes?
Thinking of wearing these Alpha’s for my 800km Camino De Santiago (Frances) 33day hike in May/June. Been wearing my first pair (KSO EVO’s) almost a year now. Thoughts?
I have v alpha and KSO evolution for trail running. Both excellent but V alpha more comfortable due to wool mix and grip better too. more expensive but worth it.
So how does the Alpha compare in your top 3 list? @kalclash
Does anyone know how much space you have in the big toe box in these shoes compared to other models like kso evo or v-run?
want to try Vibram five fingers trail type of shoe but cant work out why they need to bring so many versions out and after reading mixed reviews I cant decide what is the best trail running shoe ( for grass/ rocks/ woods ect… v alpha, trek ascent, or v trail? completely stuck on what one to buy as they all seem the same does anyone no?
Trek Ascents are the best trail shoes I've ever owned. They're also the most durable Vibrams I've come across. Top marks from me.
What would you recommend vtrail or trek ascent?
👊🏼
next time can we see the shoe more than your face?
Holy cow!! 4 minutes later........
Vegan? Are people eating shoes?
Put baking soda in those shoes.
Here's a goal you can aim for: train with tyson fury for a day
This dude talks to much and needs to cut to the damn chase already