JR
* Ace Member *
This is an initial first impression review because i just bought mine and greased the leather so it's usable tomorrow at first.
So far without playing in these they appear to be the best shoes for disc golf i've tried on my feet. And the flexibility in the hands twisting the front up is convincing if a little less than with Vibram Five Fingers. The tread is killerwith V shaped 4 mm tall lugs that are directed to stop sliding on the heel forward and against sliding back with the ball of the foot. These are sortakinda barefoot shoes but masked as a hiking shoe. The last ain't as wide as with other (tremendously spaceous) Vivobarefoots and i picked one Euro size larger shoe than i normally use. IDK how that translates to US sizes. Half or full size i haven't checked out. Normal size number pushed the big and little toes up because the last is not that wide and i like most Finns have wide front of the foot. And the sole to side transition is round inside the shoe. The ankle suits me fine again following the Finnish average of having thin heel so that might make these too tight for some.
As with all minimal/barefoot shoes these tax the feet and the legs way more than your average sneakers and an adjustment period is mandatory. I'm overweight and definitely not in shape so i really feel the workout i've gotten from my Vibram Komodosports and i can say without a shadow of a doubt that you can injure yourself overdoing training with minimal shoes in the beginning before you've grown enough muscle and tendon tissue to handle the stress. Check out what the shoe manufacturers say about proper technique of movement and easing into minimalist style shoes. I learned a lot about running and switched style which made running more efficient and way more fun.
Being a minimalist style shoe the shock absorption is was smaller than you're accustomed to with sneakers. In disc golf it is an advantage pivoting more freely and creating more power from the feet and the ankle thanks to the minimal (non existing) drop from heel to ball of the foot. Elasticity in form is needed in DG any way in the x steps so adding to that with the small height of the sole+insole is just a bonus. I don't guarantee that you'll throw farther with minimal shoes because grip slips hold me back and cap my D ATM i think.
WATERPROOF in a minimalist shoe SAY WHAT???? That is great for reducing smell perhaps not for coolness in hotter weather.I can't say about breathability yet but in the store it felt ok but not VFF good. Better than normal sneakers. I bought these for outside summer use but summer rains will probably bring these out. The tremendous thing about being shaped like a normal shoe, unlike Five Fingers, is that you can use water proof socks in these and my Seal Skinz fit into the same size that is usable as is with the insole in place. That means i can use these into winter but can't tell how cold temperature is too cold with the Seal Skinz yet. And the hotness decides in how warm summer days these are useful. I imagine that these won't kill your feet in anything but the hottest weather. The mid tall ankle ensures great mobility even with the Seal Skinz.
I didn't find info about where the waterproof membrane is located on the website of the manufacturer and the paper describing it was not present in my shoes. Other models from the same manufacturer have the membrane against the skin so it seems that one must clip toe nails religiously and file them round and use socks that are slick enough to not abrade.
I'll tell about my experiences after i've thrown in them. I imagine these are great for longevity because they are light albeit heavier than VFFS at 240 grams each with the insole and 230 without.
So far without playing in these they appear to be the best shoes for disc golf i've tried on my feet. And the flexibility in the hands twisting the front up is convincing if a little less than with Vibram Five Fingers. The tread is killerwith V shaped 4 mm tall lugs that are directed to stop sliding on the heel forward and against sliding back with the ball of the foot. These are sortakinda barefoot shoes but masked as a hiking shoe. The last ain't as wide as with other (tremendously spaceous) Vivobarefoots and i picked one Euro size larger shoe than i normally use. IDK how that translates to US sizes. Half or full size i haven't checked out. Normal size number pushed the big and little toes up because the last is not that wide and i like most Finns have wide front of the foot. And the sole to side transition is round inside the shoe. The ankle suits me fine again following the Finnish average of having thin heel so that might make these too tight for some.
As with all minimal/barefoot shoes these tax the feet and the legs way more than your average sneakers and an adjustment period is mandatory. I'm overweight and definitely not in shape so i really feel the workout i've gotten from my Vibram Komodosports and i can say without a shadow of a doubt that you can injure yourself overdoing training with minimal shoes in the beginning before you've grown enough muscle and tendon tissue to handle the stress. Check out what the shoe manufacturers say about proper technique of movement and easing into minimalist style shoes. I learned a lot about running and switched style which made running more efficient and way more fun.
Being a minimalist style shoe the shock absorption is was smaller than you're accustomed to with sneakers. In disc golf it is an advantage pivoting more freely and creating more power from the feet and the ankle thanks to the minimal (non existing) drop from heel to ball of the foot. Elasticity in form is needed in DG any way in the x steps so adding to that with the small height of the sole+insole is just a bonus. I don't guarantee that you'll throw farther with minimal shoes because grip slips hold me back and cap my D ATM i think.
WATERPROOF in a minimalist shoe SAY WHAT???? That is great for reducing smell perhaps not for coolness in hotter weather.I can't say about breathability yet but in the store it felt ok but not VFF good. Better than normal sneakers. I bought these for outside summer use but summer rains will probably bring these out. The tremendous thing about being shaped like a normal shoe, unlike Five Fingers, is that you can use water proof socks in these and my Seal Skinz fit into the same size that is usable as is with the insole in place. That means i can use these into winter but can't tell how cold temperature is too cold with the Seal Skinz yet. And the hotness decides in how warm summer days these are useful. I imagine that these won't kill your feet in anything but the hottest weather. The mid tall ankle ensures great mobility even with the Seal Skinz.
I didn't find info about where the waterproof membrane is located on the website of the manufacturer and the paper describing it was not present in my shoes. Other models from the same manufacturer have the membrane against the skin so it seems that one must clip toe nails religiously and file them round and use socks that are slick enough to not abrade.
I'll tell about my experiences after i've thrown in them. I imagine these are great for longevity because they are light albeit heavier than VFFS at 240 grams each with the insole and 230 without.
But i have had no trouble with 5 finger socks with my Komodosports in summer heat. Sweating, hotness and smell are more of an issue without the socks but a non issue with the socks i have. They contain silver nitrate i think and it is antibacterial. So my VFFs smell less than regular sneakers 
