Barefoot running

Check out the buzz from a secret society that is mainstreaming into every day life and judge for yourself.

Shoe design has come a long way over the years, resulting in footwear both practical and outlandish. Shoe style, just like other clothing style, is constantly evolving and making way for new and sometimes better ideas.

The minimalist running shoe movement is creating a buzz all over the nation with retailers expecting to earn $350 million in sales this year. Heading the industry of such footwear is the well-known Vibrams Fivefingers, otherwise known as “dude, where’d you get those shoes?”

Vibrams FiveFingers is designed so your feet can move naturally and flex easily. With five individual toe slots it lets your toes separate gently, stabilizing your body and providing balance and increased muscle stimulation to feet, ankles and lower legs. The idea is to engage your body from the ground up, improving overall performance no matter what you are doing.

Vibrams has 13 different styles of FiveFingers for men and women, and each style depends on the type of sport or activity you will be doing. This special footwear is recommended for fitness, running, water sports, yoga and trekking. You can even wear them to work if dress code permits.

Initially the founder of Vibram, Vitale Bramani, invented the first rubber sole for mountaineering boots in 1935. Since then the company has manufactured more than 34 million soles for over 1,000 different premium footwear brands world wide. Bramani and industrial designer Robert Fliri showed the concept to Vibram USA President and CEO Tony Post, who became a believer in the benefits of natural running and training, thus starting the Vibram revolution.

There are, however, poorly made imitations not intended for the same performance use as Vibrams. You can order Vibrsms online at vibramsfiveingers.com or purchase them at a local authorized retailer.