Vibram Women's KSO Evo Cross Training Shoe

Let me start off by saying I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the pair of VFF KSO EVO I currently wear. This rating is for the poor quality of the 5 pairs I purchase after the current pair I wear. My journey to VFF...If it weren't for the bad decision of discontinuing the women's vapor glove, I would have never thought of switching to VFF. When I started running, I went to one of those stores that did the running analysis on their fancy treadmill. They recommended a pair of name brand running shoes for me. There was at least 1 inch of sole on the recommended brand. After about 3 miles, my shins started to hurt like crazy. This was sure to end my desire to run. I started searching websites for more information about running shoes. The more I looked, the more I was finding out about barefoot running and shoes that were like barefoot. I tried one brand of barefoot running shoes that ran big. I am not a fan of repeatedly ordering products and returning them, but didn't have a choice with this first pair from the other company because there were no local stores. I returned those and then finally found a local company store in Norcross, GA (now sadly closed forever) that sold barefoot running shoes. I have never supported any brand and have never worn any newly bought shoes straight out of the store. I would always bring the shoes home and wear around the house for a few weeks to get a feel of it.... That is until the day that I stepped into the company store in Norcross, GA. I tried on a couple of pairs. The first was the womens trail running shoes. The second pair was the women's vapor glove. It was like heaven when I put the vapor gloves on. It literally felt like I had nothing on. I was like a stealth ninja when I walked in them. They were so quiet and flexible. After about a year, I decided to buy some more, to my dismay, I quickly found out they were no where to be found. Not in the stores and not online All these nightmarish posts about the vapor glove being discontinued was hitting me everywhere I searched. My vapor glove was a women's size 9. It was like a spa or luxury hotel for me feet. I wore them every single day and was putting about 50+ miles a week in them, never having any pain after any of my runs. I couldn't do that with the recommended brand with the 1 inch soles. After about 5 years with my vapor gloves permanently attached to my feet, I wore a hole at the bottom of the heels. The inside fabric was worn out. I would have to walk on tiptoes when it rained so I would get rain inside my vapor gloves. I loved my vapor gloves so much that I wore them for a couple of years with the holes in the soles while I was in search of its replacement. None of the other styles from this company store compared to the vapor glove. I bought several pairs of vapor glove 2 only to return them because they were not comfortable and the colors were so ugly. I REALLY needed some new shoes! I hit the websites again and kept passing by VFF because I am not a fan of the toe look. I had seen people at the stores with them on for a few years now and every person I saw wearing them I would always ask were they comfortable and did the separated toes bother them. They all said VFF were very comfortable and toe separation was not a bother. I didn't have anything to lose so I decided to order a pair online from Amazon. With the VFF, you really need to try them on first. Each style fit differently. My first pair of the VFF was the Bikila. Base on reviews from people comparing Merrell sized to VFF sizes, I ordered size 39. They felt a little too snug than what I prefer. I didn't know whether or not they would stretch out or not. I did not wear my Bikila but a couple of times and continued looking around. One day I found a local store. It was not close by, but it was in GA. I went to this running shoes store in McDonough, GA. Dave was there and he is great - he will take care of you! He has a great selection of VFF. I currently own 3 pairs of VFF. 2 Bikila and 1 KSO EVO. After trying on the various styles, I ended up buying a size 40 Bikila and a size 41 KSO EVO. I still had a little place in my heart for the vapor glove so ended up buying two pairs of the vapor glove 2 from Amazon. The sole on the vapor glove 2 is like the sole on the VFF Bikila. A little thicker and stiffer. I don't like the vapor glove 2 because there is a high, stiff arch support that makes you feel like you are wearing a cast. It takes several days of wearing to get used to them. Because the soles on both vapor glove 2 and Bikila are so thick and stiff, I feel and sound like I am tromping around in army boots. The Bikila also makes your toes spread a little more than the KSO EVO. I don't prefer my toes spreading that much. Other than the stiff, thicker sole, and wider toe spread, the shoes are comfortable and great when running. Now about the The KSO EVO. This style runs a little smaller than the other VFF. So for comparison, I wear a 40 in vapor glovel, 40 in Bikila and 41 in KSO EVO. The KSO EVO have the SAME EXACT feel as the original vapor glove, only with toe separation! It feels like you have nothing on. Soles are very flexible and thin like the vapor glove. I am back in stealth ninja mode when I have them on. I can sneak up on anyone without them hearing me. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my current pair of KSO EVO. So why did I give a 1 star rating? I love my mint colored KSO EVO so much, I was not about to have a repeat of the vapor glove. I bought another pair of the KSO EVO from Dave at the running shoe store in McDonough, GA. Dave ordered them for me because he did not have anymore in my size. I ordered the black pair. When I received them, they were defective. The arches of both left/right shoes had excess material so I guess when the made the shoes, they tried to gather it a little. This cause a very visible wrinkle in the arches of the shoes and it rubbed against the arches of your feet. It was not comfortable at all. The toes were also jacked up. Dave returned them and ordered another black pair. I received them and same issue. Wrinkled fabric at the arches AND the toes had excess fabric as well making it look as though your toe knuckles were popping up. I couldn't remember whether or not the first pair was like that with the toes. After 2 strikes with Dave, I decided to order 3 pairs of the KSO EVO on Amazon. I received them and ALL 3 pairs are defective. I bought another pair of mint green. The defect in the mint green only had the excess fabric causing a wrinkle at the arches that was very noticeable rubbing/pressing against the arches of your feet. The two black pair had defects in the toes as well as the defect of the excess fabric at the arches. The defect in the toes are also due to excess fabric, but it is not wrinkled at the toes. Instead the excess fabric make your toes appear like it has a hunch back. I don't know if this is due to the color of the fabric and making it difficult to possibly see where they were sewing when they made the shoe. I have posted 5 pictures below so you can see what the arch wrinkle and hunchback toes look like. I have it side by side with my older mint green KSO EVO (not the new ones). VIBRAM - please address these defects as soon as possible!!! I wear these to work but the mint green color stands out to much so I ordered the black pair to minimize it being noticed or HR will ban me from wearing them. I will be a customer for life, but not with these defects. I beg you, please fix the problem so I can order some more. I hope this review and comparisons with the other shoes were helpful to those who are contemplating wearing the VFF. I do wear mine with toe socks. I know alot of people don't, but I do. And for those who are new to the world of barefoot running shoes, PLEASE ease your way into the use of the shoes. Walk short distances in them and build up. Do not go for a full fledge run on the first wear without breaking them in first as your muscles are being worked differently. This should prevent any complaints or possible injury because of misuse. As with any product, READ THE INSTRUCTIONS and you WILL enjoy your shoes...I promise!