I was quite surprised to see that Vibram's 2014 version of the FiveFinger Bikila is in fact going to be thicker than the original.
Twice as thick, to be precise. Accordingly they've added the word "Evo" at the end. The Bikila as we know it has gone and the Bikila Evo has taken it's place.
It's an interesting move as the Bikila was hugely popular for middle distance runners; these runners won't be buying the updated model and will move to something else - perhaps the KMD sport or if they're looking for greater ground feel on the road, the Seeya.
While surprised, the move does seem to be a good one. With VFF bringing out a slightly thicker shoe, they're likely to attract those starting minimalist running. The Bikila Evo will become something of a transition shoe, an offering for those not ready to take the plunge.
We've seen this in many other brands including New Balance who uses the Vibram sole for their Minimus shoes. As a VFF runner, I find the Minimus too thick but it serves it's purpose of bringing people closer to the ground and ultimately that's what we want to see.
The Evo is said to give runners new to minimalist running a little extra cushioning. The maximum thickness is 8.5mm but only 2.5 mm of that is rubber, the rest is cushioning. It is still zero drop.
So, while I can't explain why Vibram FiveFingers didn't just bring out an entirely new model and why they opted to "hijack" the Bikila name, it seems the new model is going to bring more runners to our minimalist world.
And, thanks to the extremely bright colours, you'll be able to spot them on the road!
Twice as thick, to be precise. Accordingly they've added the word "Evo" at the end. The Bikila as we know it has gone and the Bikila Evo has taken it's place.
It's an interesting move as the Bikila was hugely popular for middle distance runners; these runners won't be buying the updated model and will move to something else - perhaps the KMD sport or if they're looking for greater ground feel on the road, the Seeya.
While surprised, the move does seem to be a good one. With VFF bringing out a slightly thicker shoe, they're likely to attract those starting minimalist running. The Bikila Evo will become something of a transition shoe, an offering for those not ready to take the plunge.
We've seen this in many other brands including New Balance who uses the Vibram sole for their Minimus shoes. As a VFF runner, I find the Minimus too thick but it serves it's purpose of bringing people closer to the ground and ultimately that's what we want to see.
The Evo is said to give runners new to minimalist running a little extra cushioning. The maximum thickness is 8.5mm but only 2.5 mm of that is rubber, the rest is cushioning. It is still zero drop.
So, while I can't explain why Vibram FiveFingers didn't just bring out an entirely new model and why they opted to "hijack" the Bikila name, it seems the new model is going to bring more runners to our minimalist world.
And, thanks to the extremely bright colours, you'll be able to spot them on the road!