VFF and Injinji

Tristan

Barefooters
Sep 15, 2011
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Ohio
I ran in my VFF for the first time over the weekend to test em out and really liked em! With winter fast approaching I think I'm going to end up running in VFF's. For one, my feet are really struggling with the cold, I just have never lived the BF lifestyle and I dont think a couple months is enough for them to adapt, to the cold and to the abrasiveness. I will run BF as much as possible but I am pretty sure I'll end up in minimalists for the winter at least. So far I like my VFF's and was going to get another pair for casual use anyhow. I've also read here a lot of people wear Injinji socks in the VFF's. I have a few questions in regards to that. I only have the one pair, and they are very snug, almost too snug. I dont see how socks would fit at all. Do you all get VFFs a size bigger to fit socks? Does socks help prevent them from stinking up as fast too? Thats the only problem I have with mine when I wear em to work. These things will stink up worse than any other shoe I have, and they do that in a couple days! I hope maybe going with socks will help cut down on that some.
 
I'm a massive VFF-whore, I

I'm a massive VFF-whore, I have three pairs, and I always wear socks unless I'm doing a tri. It cuts down the speed of smell, for sure. And I don't consciously buy bigger and didn't try on my first pair wearing the Injinis. The socks are so thin that I would say the difference is negligable. And they are supposed to fit so snugly that going up even one size will mess with the comfort I think.
 
I just ordered a few pairs of

I just ordered a few pairs of Injinji for that very same reason Tristan. Should be here this week. I'll let you know how they work out. I have the same concern about wearing my VFFs with socks.
 
Tristan:I too have

Tristan:

I too have difficulty with cold feet functioning effectively. I don't wear VFFs without the Injinji socks, a legacy of one run without socks that left raw spots (from seams) in several places on both feet. They are very thin indeed, but if your VFFs already are bordering on too small, you should probably go up a size anyway.

On the topic of smell, Doug said it perfectly; Injinji socks work minor miracles in slowing the rate of stink production, which is interesting since they too are synthetic materials. I guess it's that they effectively function as a removable and washable shoe liner.

Maybe you can keep your original VFFs for casual wear after a thorough detoxification process. The sizing will be much more critical when you're running.

One more suggestion for you is Altra Adams. I finally bought a pair yesterday after waiting forever. They're essentially VFFs without toe pockets. The toe box is plenty big. They're more comfortable to me than the VFFs, but I haven't run in them yet. Today's a BF day, but I hope to run in them tomorrow.
 
Make take is if your Vibrams

Make take is if your Vibrams are snug now, you might have some issues with socks. Just from trial and error people who do like wearing socks with Vibrams go up a size so they have a comfortable fit with the socks.

I have tried socks and personally not a fan, I wear sprints in the winter and in snow with no socks and never had any issues. I find the socks actually make my feet colder, but we are all different. As far as the smell that is something I don't worry about.
 
Thanks for the responses

Thanks for the responses fellas. I suppose I probably covered more issues in one post than meets the eye. I'm not too concerned about smell for a pair that would be dedicated runners. But I like em enough I want to have a set for running and one for casual wear as well. I just washed my Komodosports in the washmachine and wore them to work on sunday. I dont think the one run in the machine was quite enough to bring them back to perfectly scent free, and after one day at work I can smell them sitting on the floor about 6 foot away. And I can't smell any of my other footware like that, most of which have never been washed once. I guess my feet just perspire a lot, regardless if they are hot or cold. Maybe if I soaked them longer, and wore socks...

Anyhow, today I ordered some Injinji from amazon. There are so many choices! Looks like even wool ones - but those werent in stock with amazon with free shipping and I wasnt going to spend another $5 on top of an already too expensive pair of socks. I'll wait until amazon has em. In the mean time I ordered one of the coolmax ones and one of the liner ones to test out. When I get em, maybe I'll run into town and try them with VFF's at the store to see what size is best before I order another VFF.

For just running, I might try to keep running in the VFF's without socks until it gets too cold. But I've never ran without socks before... always thought the socks would help against blisters and such. I figure I'm going to end up in socks before too long anyway, due to the cold, if I try and continue running outside.

Phil - yeah I've been contemplating other minimalist shoes as well, and might even get a seperate trail/road pair. That was before I tried the VFFs though. After I ran in my Komodosports the other day I decided for now to just stick with that since I liked em. But it was only one run and less than 2 miles. I'm sure it will take many more runs to see how they really do, but after two months BF I still havent hit 2 miles per run yet. Its been sloooooow process, but at least I havent done TMTS. I'll be completely BF the next few times... having our Indian Summer this week, tomorrow suppose to be mid 60's, probably for the last time this year.
 
Tristan - I got my Injinjis

Tristan - I got my Injinjis in today. Tossed them on and stuck on my VFFs. They feel great! No issues with them feeling too snug or anything. I haven't tried running in them (and probably won't) but for wearing around, they can't be beat! So glad I went out on a limb and snagged a few pair. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how thin they are. Honestly, they make getting on my VFFs a heck of a lot easier...not that I have been having issues lately, since I've gotten used to them. With the Injinjis though, they slide right on.

As for the smell, I'd try soaking them in a water/baking soda solution and then washing them. That seems to work well with mine. I think once you sweat in them though, they'll never smell 'out of the box' again. I'm looking into snagging another pair for casual wear for that very reason.
 
SoleSolace, thanks for the

SoleSolace, thanks for the heads up. Do you know which one you got? They come in different 'weights'. Looking forward to giving em a try.
 
Tristan - I got the Orig.

Tristan - I got the Orig. Weight in the Performance Series, whatever that means. :)
 
I've used the performance

I've used the performance ultra thin (liner) and haven't had a problem with them. I've used them in my Treksports and my agate/camo KSOs. I don't think the original weight would work though. I have some and wear them with "regular" shoes and think they would be too thick for my VFFs. But they may be fine for you depending on how yours fit. Again, another case of trying it for yourself. I didn't size up my VFFs for socks.
 
Just figured I'd post a

Just figured I'd post a follow up. I got two pairs of injinji's to try out. The lightweight liner ones would fit in my snug vff's but the nuwool ones were just too tight. So a few days ago I went ahead and ordered my next pair of VFFs one size bigger and just got em. Barefoot I can tell they are a bit long in the toes, but they fit good with the wool injinjis. Havent ran in em yet though.