Fila Skeletoes

Barefoot TJ

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Mar 5, 2010
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So my hubby was on his way to work in Atlanta this morning when he sees this huge billboard that says Fila Skeletoes; he emails me from work telling me to check them out. How I had not heard of these sooner, I have no idea, but you can read more about them at Birthday Shoes here:
Fila Skeletoes Toe Shoes Exclusive Sneak Peak
 
The info has been out there

The info has been out there but not much of it. Even after release they seem to be going low key about the shoes. I tried some out a couple of weeks ago and they are okay as a cheaper version of what VFF has already done. I know they don't want those comparisons and do not consider themselves competitors but they are and they are a couple notches below Vibram. I kept thinking they were the aqua shoes of the toe shoe world...a good alternative with a lower price tag.
 
I find it ridiculous for them

I find it ridiculous for them to say they aren't a Vibram competitor. Whatever!! It'll be interesting to see if they take off. They are definitely cheaper.
 
I saw a billboard for the

I saw a billboard for the Skeletors yesterday on the north side of Atlanta...and someone at work saw it too and ask me about them for running. I told them to go to REI and look at the Vibrams instead, they only want them for treadmill running...they now run in monster motion control shoes...I gave them all usual warnings.

I'm not a Vibram fan much but they do last along time...it will be awhile till we find how the Skeletors hold up. I saw somewhere online that VFF Classic model are getting down to the $50 range, I wonder if thats the new "competition" factoring in.
 
$50 sounds great, Mokie! 

$50 sounds great, Mokie! (Are you running the Georgia Marathon or Half this year on the 20th? I could use some company.) It would be nice to see billboards of VFFs also though.

Those Filas look pillowy compared to the VFFs. That and the outer fabric, is that where you got the water shoe-feel, Jimmy?
 
There's a full text and video

There's a full text and video review of these over on Birthday Shoes. I'm not impressed. I realize their market supposedly is not the Vibram market - the shoes look a bit stiffer, have more material to them, supposedly have some sort of drop on them, and overall don't really compete head to head with most VFF models. I'm sure that was Fila's whole point, to appeal to a different crowd. I, for one, prefer the most minimalistic Vibrams (ie Sprint) for all my everyday activities because there's nothing to them, and they're flexible. I think the Skeletoes would drive me nuts. But we'll see if these things find their own audience or not.
 
I saw the billboard on the

I saw the billboard on the south side of Atlanta also after being alerted to it by my neighbor and BFR buddy. Kohl's website says they have them, so I'm going to check out the Kohl's in McDonough with my three boys tonight. My middle boy has taken over my VFF KSOs in size 42 after I figured out that I really need a size 43. My other two boys have been interested also, but they're just too expensive. Kohl's has a sale on this weekend, advertising them for $49.99, and we got a 15% off flyer in the mail. That makes them more affordable for growing boys.

Having checked them out on the web and hearing others' comments, it sounds like these are a good, less expensive walking around pair of toe shoes that offer less ground feel, more support, and more material than VFFs. Sounds like a possible better choice for my growing boys who think they're cool but don't want to run in them. I'll share more if we get to check them out in person. But having had Vibram soles on my Army boots and hiking boots for years, I'd be very surprised to hear that these are anything like as durable as the VFFs. Whether you love VFFs or hate them, that's one tough, long-lasting sole material, even at only 4mm thick. I still have my heavy duty insulated Army boots (20 years old) with the hard-used soles barely worn down at all.
 
I saw these when I was

I saw these when I was checking out the trail gloves at a local store. They are WAY heavier then the merrell's and the VFF. The sole is thicker and rigid, the upper is rather thick, but cushioning also. It does look and feel like a reef shoe.
 
I looked at these at Dick's

I looked at these at Dick's sporting goods yesterday..$60...stiffer soles for sure. These might be ok if they fit your toes better than VFF's.
 
My sister noticed them in a

My sister noticed them in a store and immediately texted me about them. Had never heard of 'em so I jumped on the google and did some reading. Without holding a pair in my hands I'd have to say I'm not impressed. They look like VFF knock-offs to me from their pictures and literature. The four-toe thing? A double pocket makes it easier to get on and wear? I'm doubtful to say the least. She went in and played with them and said they didn't seem as nice as the VFFs she'd had. (I was so close to converting her! She went and got a pair of Bikilias but didn't like them. Think she's on to the Free now. Better than nothing...or something. That saying doesn't really work around here, does it?)
 
Stockbridge Kohl's has two

Stockbridge Kohl's has two pairs in stock - a size 8 and a size 12. Now that I've laid hands on these, here's my feedback.

Substantially thicker soles and uppers than VFFs. Substantially stiffer soles, although they do flex pretty well where the toes join the forefoot portion. I can't be certain from feel only, but if looks like there's very little heel-to-toe drop if any.

I'd frankly be concerned about breaking them if anyone tried to roll them up in the mandatory ball shape that all BFR footwear testers are compelled to do. Hold your fire, mighty and noble testers! We all appreciate you truly and thoroughly. And I get it - it shows the flexibility of the shoes' soles versus that of the soles on standard boat anchors. It's just become kind of like the inevitable AS SEEN ON TV product classic "but wait, how much would you pay now?!?" line - not really necessary, but everyone expects to hear it after all these years of TV infomercials. We know your review would be brief, clear and harsh if they were just more disguised old boat anchors, and we know you'll tell us if the soles are comparatively stiff or have any sort of hard shank in them.

I would not look at these as a replacement for VFFs as minimalist running shoes for heavy, routine use. As an old soldier who's limit-tested just about every kind of outdoor gear made including the toughest shoes and boots you can get, my opinion at first blush is that the quality just doesn't seem like they'll hold up to hard use.

But I AM looking at them as a replacement for VFFs for teenage boys who think toe shoes are cool to just wear around, as Kohl's has them on sale for $48 plus a $15% off mailed coupon for this weekend only, making them effectively $41 a pair, or roughly 2 pairs for the price of one pair of VFFs. Also roughly 1 pair for the price of 5 or 6 pairs of water shoes (a more reasonable shoe to compare these to, as many have already said). Not a good bargain for running shoes from either end of the market. If you want cheap rubber soles with neoprene uppers for running, get water shoes or scuba boots. If you want minimalist runners, you'll get a better value in VFFs or Terra Planas (if you can afford a second mortgage) or Merrill "gloves" (if you run off road) or one of the many other alternatives our fearless testers have done battle with.

We all seem to have come to the same consensus with hands on experience with these things: fine for wear about town, not a value-based replacement for VFFs as running shoes.
 
Thanks for the very

Thanks for the very informative post, Phil.
 
All I can say is finger shoes

All I can say is finger shoes are uselss to my webbed toes. Ouch!! :O And those look VERY hard to modify. At least I was able to modify my VFFs.
 
I spotted those at a sporting

I spotted those at a sporting goods store this morning and felt them up. They have a huge heavy thick sole with a ton of arch structure. Umm, no thanks.