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Vibram FiveFingers in Korea?
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Would VFFs fly in Korea?
You can get away with it.
20%
 20%  [ 8 ]
No one will take you seriously.
79%
 79%  [ 31 ]
Total Votes : 39

Author Message
El Bandito



Joined: 07 Oct 2013

PostPosted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 10:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

winaniw wrote:
I just read up on slippers in schools. What if I wore the Vibrams outside and wore Invisible Shoes as my indoor slipper? http://www.invisibleshoe.com


Those are just thongs
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cam83



Joined: 27 Jan 2013
Location: Seoul, South Korea

PostPosted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 12:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have been wearing vibrames since a while before coming to Seoul (5yrs ago), i wear them pretty often and koreans at work or socially never had an issue. Providing you go for a neutral tone and dress well, it shouldn'be a problem
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Steelrails



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System

PostPosted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 2:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

winaniw wrote:
Once you start wearing them, walking around in regular shoes feels unacceptably restrictive. Sort of like walking around with a condom on all day.
.


Hot liquid or a dropped heavy metal object on your foot will cure you of that insanity. Open toed shoes are an invitation to disaster.
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cam83



Joined: 27 Jan 2013
Location: Seoul, South Korea

PostPosted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 4:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Steelrails wrote:
winaniw wrote:
Once you start wearing them, walking around in regular shoes feels unacceptably restrictive. Sort of like walking around with a condom on all day.
.


Hot liquid or a dropped heavy metal object on your foot will cure you of that insanity. Open toed shoes are an invitation to disaster.


Girls have been doing fine with open toe footwear for a while now; pumps, ballerinas, wedges etc Smile
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Patrick Bateman



Joined: 21 Apr 2009
Location: Lost in Translation

PostPosted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 8:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

neilio wrote:
Update: VFF are available in 3 locations in Korea. Check their facebook site.

And to the people ripping vibrams, saying they're not 'professional.' No one mentioned the fact that it's only because they're novel that they look 'strange.'

Unlike a tie, bowtie, vests, and other things that have zero functional worth, and how they came to represent 'professionalism' i have no idea. Vibram shoes are highly beneficial. At a point in time, all the mitten wearing masses were laughing at this new weird "glove" that hit the market..

TO help transition , there are all black 'minimalist' models and even ones that are unwebbed to appease the masses.


You are wearing specialty running shoes.

If you're not going to, coming from, or currently engaged in running while wearing VFF, you look like a knob.

That'd be like me wearing a Nathan hydration vest to work.

Vibrams makes the soles of many shoes, such as Merrell's and Ugg's. There is no difference in the benefits obtained from wearing a flat with webbed or boxed toes.

The fact that you speak as though you're some sort of cultural or fashion trailblazer means this will probably fall of deaf ears.
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YujiKaido



Joined: 10 Oct 2008

PostPosted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 6:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have been wearing mine for 3 years. Its all I wear unless I go home to the states during winter. I am teaching in HK now and I wear them everyday to work. Kids love them. I get all kinds of compliments here and many people ask where they can get a pair but to stay on topic. I was in Seoul Korea over the sumer for KU camp and they had no trouble with them. I didn't really care about anyone's opinion about them outside my superiors. I guess its based on dress code at work.
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Steelrails



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System

PostPosted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 2:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cam83 wrote:
Steelrails wrote:
winaniw wrote:
Once you start wearing them, walking around in regular shoes feels unacceptably restrictive. Sort of like walking around with a condom on all day.
.


Hot liquid or a dropped heavy metal object on your foot will cure you of that insanity. Open toed shoes are an invitation to disaster.


Girls have been doing fine with open toe footwear for a while now; pumps, ballerinas, wedges etc Smile


Sure, in a completely sanitized office setting it might be okay, but schools still have just enough of the hazardous element that it makes little sense to wear open toed shoes.

Dave's- Bashes Koreans for Darth Vader masks and overpriced hiking gear, wears doofus shoes to work.
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neilio



Joined: 12 Oct 2010

PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 11:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Patrick Bateman wrote:
neilio wrote:
Update: VFF are available in 3 locations in Korea. Check their facebook site.

And to the people ripping vibrams, saying they're not 'professional.' No one mentioned the fact that it's only because they're novel that they look 'strange.'

Unlike a tie, bowtie, vests, and other things that have zero functional worth, and how they came to represent 'professionalism' i have no idea. Vibram shoes are highly beneficial. At a point in time, all the mitten wearing masses were laughing at this new weird "glove" that hit the market..

TO help transition , there are all black 'minimalist' models and even ones that are unwebbed to appease the masses.


You are wearing specialty running shoes.

If you're not going to, coming from, or currently engaged in running while wearing VFF, you look like a knob.

That'd be like me wearing a Nathan hydration vest to work.

Vibrams makes the soles of many shoes, such as Merrell's and Ugg's. There is no difference in the benefits obtained from wearing a flat with webbed or boxed toes.

The fact that you speak as though you're some sort of cultural or fashion trailblazer means this will probably fall of deaf ears.


You're making an aesthetic argument over a functional issue. VFF's were not designed to be some kind of rebok pump, streamlined, speed hole gimmick. They were designed to try and reverse damage that has been done by current footwear. Bringing us back to a natural state. Have you even tried minimalist footwear?

Cultural Trailblazer out.
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Patrick Bateman



Joined: 21 Apr 2009
Location: Lost in Translation

PostPosted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 5:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

neilio wrote:

You're making an aesthetic argument over a functional issue. VFF's were not designed to be some kind of rebok pump, streamlined, speed hole gimmick. They were designed to try and reverse damage that has been done by current footwear. Bringing us back to a natural state. Have you even tried minimalist footwear?

Cultural Trailblazer out.


This topic is about aesthetics and functionality. I'm not placing one over the other.

Webbed toes are a gimmick. There is no functional advantage to them over an enlarged toe box.

I'm fully aware of Vibrams and the minimalist/elementalist movement. I aim to run 30-60 miles a week, and I rather enjoy shoes. Of the 4 pairs of running shoes I rotate in Korea, three have a 0 offset, and one has a 4mm offset.
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neilio



Joined: 12 Oct 2010

PostPosted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 5:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Patrick Bateman wrote:
neilio wrote:

You're making an aesthetic argument over a functional issue. VFF's were not designed to be some kind of rebok pump, streamlined, speed hole gimmick. They were designed to try and reverse damage that has been done by current footwear. Bringing us back to a natural state. Have you even tried minimalist footwear?

Cultural Trailblazer out.


This topic is about aesthetics and functionality. I'm not placing one over the other.

Webbed toes are a gimmick. There is no functional advantage to them over an enlarged toe box.

I'm fully aware of Vibrams and the minimalist/elementalist movement. I aim to run 30-60 miles a week, and I rather enjoy shoes. Of the 4 pairs of running shoes I rotate in Korea, three have a 0 offset, and one has a 4mm offset.


So what's the problem aesthetically. How is it different from gloves vs mittens. Gloves give you a better grip, as do vff's.

Ps- chronic long distance running is terrible for your joints.
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Steelrails



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System

PostPosted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 6:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

neilio wrote:


Ps- chronic long distance running is terrible for your joints.


Maybe, but it does remain one of the things that human beings were designed or evolved to do. The human is terrible compared to other animals in almost every physical ability save one- Long distance endurance running. It is theorized that early man hunted their prey in such a fashion, basically chasing it into exhaustion and death.
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wishfullthinkng



Joined: 05 Mar 2010

PostPosted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

lol.. vibrams...

if you want to be taken seriously don't wear them.

yes, if i wanted to i could use a condom on my head to protect my hair when it rains. it'd be totally functional, but would it be a good idea?

i'll let you guys figure that one out.
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Patrick Bateman



Joined: 21 Apr 2009
Location: Lost in Translation

PostPosted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 8:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

neilio wrote:

So what's the problem aesthetically.


The aesthetic problem with Vibrams is, they are not aesthetically pleasing. I've only heard (supposed) functional reasons for why people choose to wear them. The only compliments people mention reflect their novelty.

neilio wrote:

How is it different from gloves vs mittens.


Our hands are different from our feet both in their aesthetic and functional qualities.

neilio wrote:

Gloves give you a better grip, as do vff's.


Is your school comprised of a rope course?

neilio wrote:

Ps- chronic long distance running is terrible for your joints.


Thank you for your concern, but in short, you're misguided in this as well.
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neilio



Joined: 12 Oct 2010

PostPosted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Patrick Bateman wrote:
neilio wrote:

So what's the problem aesthetically.


The aesthetic problem with Vibrams is, they are not aesthetically pleasing. I've only heard (supposed) functional reasons for why people choose to wear them. The only compliments people mention reflect their novelty.

neilio wrote:

How is it different from gloves vs mittens.


Our hands are different from our feet both in their aesthetic and functional qualities.

neilio wrote:

Gloves give you a better grip, as do vff's.


Is your school comprised of a rope course?

neilio wrote:

Ps- chronic long distance running is terrible for your joints.


Thank you for your concern, but in short, you're misguided in this as well.


Not pleasing says you. Terrible argument.
Learn about proprioception.
No rope course, i wish, but it's hard ground that i walk on all day.
Sprint don't jog.
yawn
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son of coco



Joined: 14 Mar 2008

PostPosted: Tue Jan 07, 2014 6:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

winaniw wrote:
Would you recommend I wear formal shoes at first and then gradually introduce the Vibrams, or should I start wearing them right off the bat?


I'd wear one of each. If you keep turning around quickly they'll never be sure whether they saw you wearing them or not.
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