Vibram running shoes (five 'finger' shoes) settle class action lawsuit

[NielC]

Interesting article that I've spotted where Vibram, the company that brought us the 'barefoot shoe' was recently at the receiving end of a class action lawsuit in the US of A...bottom line, their claims relating to the benefits of their particular shoes could not be achieved and now they are paying for it!

 

Reminds me of the 'powerbalance' bracelets...

 

Here's the link...http://goo.gl/H7GJE1

[HappyMartin]

Only shoe uglier than crocs. Should have been sued for that.

Edited May 14, 2014 by HappyMartin

[TALUS]

All owners should rather be made to pay extra Sucker Tax and not be given a refund.

[Wyatt Earp]

All owners should rather be made to pay extra Sucker Tax and not be given a refund.

 

I have been running with them for five years now, I have only had a positive experience.

Edited May 14, 2014 by Wyatt Earp

[Wyatt Earp]

Interesting article that I've spotted where Vibram, the company that brought us the 'barefoot shoe' was recently at the receiving end of a class action lawsuit in the US of A...bottom line, their claims relating to the benefits of their particular shoes could not be achieved and now they are paying for it!

 

Reminds me of the 'powerbalance' bracelets...

 

Here's the link...http://goo.gl/H7GJE1

 

You need to understand the difference between placebo and science.

[eeeek]

Interesting article that I've spotted where Vibram, the company that brought us the 'barefoot shoe' was recently at the receiving end of a class action lawsuit in the US of A...bottom line, their claims relating to the benefits of their particular shoes could not be achieved and now they are paying for it!

 

Reminds me of the 'powerbalance' bracelets...

 

Here's the link...http://goo.gl/H7GJE1

 

This is different than Powerbalance, which was gimmick through and through.

This is more akin to fat people suing diet soda manufacturers... The type of people drawn to go all in for minimalist footwear were the types of people who had been plagued by injuries and had most likely been advised by numerous bios/physios/sports medicine professionals to do various strengthening exercises, which they did exactly 4 times and then when the injury hadn't cleared up looked for their next quick fix.

With the advent of minimalism the group of runners who stood to gain the most from the buffering effect of the cushioning in their shoes, were the same group of runners who dove headlong into foot wear most seasoned uninjured runners were loathe to wear for more than 3km at a time more than once a week - and what is more is this group of runners was now running through niggles with this thought running through their heads "ignore it, you are running in minimalist shoes, you CANT get injured"

I think VFFs legal team are clearly no good.

 

This is just further evidence of the fact that the world has become a very safe place for very stupid people.

Edited May 14, 2014 by eeeek

[TALUS]

 

 

I have been running with them for five years now, I have only had a positive experience.

I have no doubt than some people are biomechanically nearly bulletproof. In the early days Wally Hayward and his mates wore standard Bata tennis shoes. The problem is that most people that run need more than this. I think eeeek said it very well. The problem is that they marketed this product to all and sundry knowing very well what the law of averages are. For every happy customer I can show others that quickly discarded it or a few that persisted and developed Plantar Fasciitis or metatarsalgia. My beef is with the mass hysteria and the premise that they have suddenly found an answer that nobody else could (and the consumers that believe that anybody that questions the marketing is behind the times). If it works for you then you are not a sucker. It didnt work for many though.

[TALUS]

 

 

You need to understand the difference between placebo and science.

I agree this is not really placebo, but it is very dodgy market driven science also.

[Wyatt Earp]

I have no doubt than some people are biomechanically nearly bulletproof. In the early days Wally Hayward and his mates wore standard Bata tennis shoes. The problem is that most people that run need more than this. I think eeeek said it very well. The problem is that they marketed this product to all and sundry knowing very well what the law of averages are. For every happy customer I can show others that quickly discarded it or a few that persisted and developed Plantar Fasciitis or metatarsalgia. My beef is with the mass hysteria and the premise that they have suddenly found an answer that nobody else could (and the consumers that believe that anybody that questions the marketing is behind the times). If it works for you then you are not a sucker. It didnt work for many though.

 

There is a huge process in getting to run with them, it's a long process.

My body is better off, my running is better off.

If there is ever a shoe where BS baffles brains, I would put Innovate on the top of that list.

[Wyatt Earp]

I agree this is not really placebo, but it is very dodgy market driven science also.

 

To be honest, I have never looked at their marketing drivel, I normally avoid stuff like that.

I was training for Sky Run and got a very bad bursitis in both heels, I was told by three doctors I will never run again.

I did my own research on effective running and stumbled on to barefoot running, I just couldn't stomach nor bear the pain of running everywhere barefoot, to be honest, if I could get Cloudy With a chance of Meatballs shoes, I will be very happy.

[TALUS]

 

 

There is a huge process in getting to run with them, it's a long process.

My body is better off, my running is better off.

If there is ever a shoe where BS baffles brains, I would put Innovate on the top of that list.

It is the process that the average person does not want to invest in. Witness me buying new cycletech rather than trying to ride more and more technical trials. I am a cycling sucker and I pay lots of Sucker Tax. I doubt that I can expect a refund from Rockshox soon.

[TALUS]

Most true runners will not be satisfied with "you will never run again". Mostly it is better to keep on looking for a solution. The problem comes when they dont want a solution but rather a miracle. Cashing in on that despirate market is like getting people to sell their houses to pay for a miracle cancer cure.

[Mats]

Im not a serious runner and also very slow when it comes to running.

 

I am very happy with my VFF.

Back in the days when i ran with normal shoes i constantly battled with shin splits, stress fractures and plenty running injuries.

Since i moved to vibrams i havent had any problems.

The transition was a very long process but worth every minute.

 

[TALUS]

The difficulty with science is that you must control all the variables. Often by cutting back your distance and pace and rebuilding it slowly (the process) you get better the natural way. If this happens while you are wearing brand x you will believe they cured you for life. Hard to prove though. It is imposiible to do a double blind, random, contolled study on shoes - hence not ever really scientific.

[Rata Del Spruit]

Before this gets into a barefoot vs cushioned debate, with the respective proponents defending their positions religiously, note that according to the article the reason for the settlement was because Vibram said the shoes WOULD improve posture, etc. rather than COULD. There's probably a bit of a causation vs correlation debate on the benefits but this suit isn't really evidence against barefoot running.

[eeeek]

My beef is with the mass hysteria and the premise that they have suddenly found an answer that nobody else could (and the consumers that believe that anybody that questions the marketing is behind the times). If it works for you then you are not a sucker. It didnt work for many though.

 

The most amusing thing about all this is that that mass hysteria wasn't generated by Vibram, but by the runners themselves, Vibrams were aqua booties and yoga shoes and the like, when some runners started wearing and marketing them, and only then did vibram come out with its first bona fide running shoe

The legal team totally dropped the ball here, burden of proof was on the claimant, but they don't just have to prove that the runner is injured they have to prove that they are injured as a direct result of running in FFs, so if a large enough percentage of the runners were found to have had biomechanical imbalances or poor mechanics that on their own in any shoes at the same mileage and intensity would have caused injury they could have had the suit dismissed.

 

Anyway, I will be keeping a keen eye out for stock clearing sales, I need a new pair of kicks for cross country.