Stockbridge Kohl's has two
Stockbridge Kohl's has two pairs in stock - a size 8 and a size 12. Now that I've laid hands on these, here's my feedback.
Substantially thicker soles and uppers than VFFs. Substantially stiffer soles, although they do flex pretty well where the toes join the forefoot portion. I can't be certain from feel only, but if looks like there's very little heel-to-toe drop if any.
I'd frankly be concerned about breaking them if anyone tried to roll them up in the mandatory ball shape that all BFR footwear testers are compelled to do. Hold your fire, mighty and noble testers! We all appreciate you truly and thoroughly. And I get it - it shows the flexibility of the shoes' soles versus that of the soles on standard boat anchors. It's just become kind of like the inevitable AS SEEN ON TV product classic "but wait, how much would you pay now?!?" line - not really necessary, but everyone expects to hear it after all these years of TV infomercials. We know your review would be brief, clear and harsh if they were just more disguised old boat anchors, and we know you'll tell us if the soles are comparatively stiff or have any sort of hard shank in them.
I would not look at these as a replacement for VFFs as minimalist running shoes for heavy, routine use. As an old soldier who's limit-tested just about every kind of outdoor gear made including the toughest shoes and boots you can get, my opinion at first blush is that the quality just doesn't seem like they'll hold up to hard use.
But I AM looking at them as a replacement for VFFs for teenage boys who think toe shoes are cool to just wear around, as Kohl's has them on sale for $48 plus a $15% off mailed coupon for this weekend only, making them effectively $41 a pair, or roughly 2 pairs for the price of one pair of VFFs. Also roughly 1 pair for the price of 5 or 6 pairs of water shoes (a more reasonable shoe to compare these to, as many have already said). Not a good bargain for running shoes from either end of the market. If you want cheap rubber soles with neoprene uppers for running, get water shoes or scuba boots. If you want minimalist runners, you'll get a better value in VFFs or Terra Planas (if you can afford a second mortgage) or Merrill "gloves" (if you run off road) or one of the many other alternatives our fearless testers have done battle with.
We all seem to have come to the same consensus with hands on experience with these things: fine for wear about town, not a value-based replacement for VFFs as running shoes.