Golden Octogon of "Win"

Take a look at the bottom of your shoes.  Go ahead.  Indulge me.

Now tell me…what symbol do you see?  Is it a swoosh?  Maybe the ADIDAS logo, or (for those few out there) the Reebok logo.  Maybe it's the Sketcher's "S" or a big ol' "V" for Vans.  Either way, we wear our shoes for a reason.  I know for the longest time, I used to wear Vans and Sketchers, because they were comfortable, and the Sketchers were discounted for me (The perks of working at a Starbucks).  Now it's onto a different symbol -

www.vibram.com

This symbol has made me understand a superior making of footwear, especially since the "swoosh" or the Reebok symbol just don't seem to do it for me anymore (and that they break in a few months). 

So what did Vibram do that made it the brand that it is today?  Lets go back to 1935, when Vitale Bramani (by the way, did I mention that Vibram is his name: VItale BRAMani) had undergone his big tragedy?  On a climbing excursion several of Vitale's companions died from inappropriate footwear, regarding the "tricounis," or the stiff, hobnailed ice-climbing shoe. 

Courtesy of www.supertopo.com

Terrible for rock-climbing, Vitale wanted to do something different - footwear that would be unlike any other, that could go any place and provide safety and protection.  In 1937 he made his first sole, the Carrarmato.  It utilized the same vulcanized rubber that automobiles used to maintain grip. 



Now you want uniqueness?  Nothing becomes more unique and more appropriate in the field of safe hiking than a shoe that allows you to traverse multiple areas with ease and comfort.  Vitale not only thought outside of the box, but he knew that there was a demand, as more and more people were suffering from these tragedies. 

So how did this brand become authentic?  Well, despite the yellow plaque that is displayed on the shoes, or the tests that show that unique biomechanics are being used to walk - How about conquering mountain peaks like K2 or Mount Everest?  If you were seeking individuality, then climb a massive mountain.  People will definitely look at you differently.  There is also the testimonials - hundreds of them on Vibram's Five-fingers' website alone, all dedicated to sharing how people use their Five-fingers

So here's my next request: check out the extension of Vibram's website: http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/ and tell me what you find is talkable about this?

What has happened is a brand has exploded, not just as gear for extreme hiking, but also for daily workouts, casual lifestyle and corrective fitness.  This has made people come out of the woodwork and try this footwear more and more, and tell us about how much it has changed their lives.  It has even gone as far as create fanatics, much like Adam Downing and his Tattoo of the Vibram Gold Crest on his feet.  This same gold crest not only shows how dedicated Vibram is to a superior product, but it has become their "calling card," and for some people, their emblem of satisfaction to a fatastic piece of footgear.

Now this has entered Vibram into a field that is much more mainstream, simply by opening up customer interaction - this was in fact one of the selling points that got me into using Five-Fingers - I watched enough testimonials and videos of people using "foot-gloves" to run marathons, hike trails, do yoga, sit and play videogames, go paintballing.  The brand has easily extended itself to anyone that isn't necessarily interested in high-intensity activities, like mountain climbing, but it appeals to anyone who wants to walk about barefoot in their everyday life.  That makes us feel special.