Chuck, thanks for the sticker. I thought your were kidding about that. I will wear it proudly as a member of Team Virtuvian.
First impressions-I like the shoe. Very comfortable. The thing I noticed right away is that you don’t feeling much of anything from the uppers. No tight spots on your upper foot. Some shoes seem kind of off-balanced to me-kind of tipsy like you are wearing platform shoes. These seem real stable.
Test run tommorow.
yeah, got mine too. but no sticker. i guess i missed the secret handshake. first impressions are positive. very comfortable, and very light feeling. but way different than the cushioned shoes i’m used to. i’ve one run in mine, and easy 40 minutes. juries still out. i haven’t adapted yet to the new style of shoe, and it always takes me a few runs to decide if i like a new shoe.
i dig the groovy style. my wife said: ‘they’re not nearly as ugly as i expected. actually, they’re pretty cool. i’d wear them.’ high praise. coming from her.
I’m sponsored.
My daughter told me she just bought 3 more pairs. THREE??? WHY??
Well, I really liked mine and they were only $30 and I thought Elizabeth (identical twin sister) might want some and she might take one of mine.
I got mine last Fri and did the following runs with no socks and no blisters:
Fri: 95 min 20K run with 4x1 mile in 6:30 at track
Sat: 90 min easy 18K hilly run
Sun: same as Fri
Mon: 70 min 14 K tempo run with 12x2 min hills.
The shoes felt totally awesome. They let my feet go where they want to go. Being an older runner with ~ 40,000 miles in my legs over 25 years of running, I could use perphaps a wee bit more forefoot cushioning, but aside from that they were awesome !
By the way, I got the Harmony and removed the “old school” Nike style instep foam insert (Nike used to make em pink) in the the insole and the shoe fit perfectly. I’m not a high arch guy so I did not need the instep insert. I like the “grippy” insole especially for running without socks as I feel a nice connection to the road. I hate sliding around in my shoes.
Hey, my wife gave me a hard time about the groovy retro look too :-).
Yea, but my 12 y/o said they looked ‘cool’…
Are the sizes of those shoes pretty consistent with say NB shoes ?? I want to order a pair to try them out.
Trev
I just placed my order this morning after a very helpful email exchange with chuck yesterday. I got a confirmation almost immediatly saying that they had shipped. I’ll have them on Friday! Will report then!
-C
Like the website says, they are a half size smaller than most shoes. This proved true for me.
They definitely fit a half size small. My 10’s fit just like a 9.5 from every other vendor.
Pretty much ditto for me. I have had three runs in them so far (Proportions), and they have a very neutral feel while running as far as support. I do feel it is more of my foot that is in control. The shoes do have a surprisingly light feel to them. As best as I can figure, the lack of stiffeners around the sides of the shoe eliminates sensations of weight (from the lack of pressure). The tops of the shoe feel very light, but it makes getting the shoe string tension very important to prevent pressure “hotspots”. I wore the new shoes around the house for a couple of days to adjust and break in a little. They were the most comfortable slippers I have ever worn. I think I am going to get a pair to use just for house slippers! Seriously, no stiff heels or ankle pain when I first put them on in the morning. I only have one other pair of shoes that this is true for, and they require a pair of silicone heel cups to help with chronic heel pain.
Got mine last week, and posted a review on my blog after the first run - http://tamingoftheblog.blogspot.com/2005/03/vitruvian-review.html. In short, I like the fact that they not only allow forefoot-striking, but encourage it.
Ordered mine yesterday, should be here on friday. Can’t go wrong for 30 bucks.
You know… I’ve worn mine around the house when I first got them and you’re right, they would make great slippers… especially if he made some without the heel cup.
Chuck could also lighten up the sole by offering a version with less hard black rubber through midfoot. Just put that stuff in the forefoot and rearfoot.
You know, I’ve got a few cases of the “Classics” with defective midsole shaping. I could put them on the belt sander and take the midsole down to slipper thickness and have a new product line. Of course, the extra labor would make them more expensive and they probably wouldn’t come with a sticker.
Seriously, thanks for all your comments. I make notes on everything and refer to them when planning future designs.
Chuck
Ship me those cases and some more stickers and I’ll sell them out of my trunk at the Wildflower. It is my duty as a sponsored athlete.
Just placed an order. Will I get a sticker?
HH
Hey Chuck, what do we have to do to qualify for “sticker status” ?