Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS

Trail runners were early adopters of Vibram FiveFingers—you can thank Born to Run for that—but it wasn’t until 2010 that Vibram created its first trail-specific model, the KSO Trek. That shoe featured a thin kangaroo leather upper and a slightly knobby outsole to provide off-road traction.

Think of the Spyridon as the KSO Trek 2.0. In addition to more trail-ready upgrades, it also sports some features from Vibram’s road-running Bikila model that contribute to a better fit and improved comfort. The result is a shoe that delivers from both a comfort and performance standpoint, all while weighing less than 7oz.

The most noticeable upgrade is the outsole, which is a mere 3.5mm thick (one-half mm thinner than the KSO Trek) but features the most aggressive lugs Vibram has ever offered on FiveFingers models. Lugs are directional to improve push-off in the forefoot and braking in the heel, and they help maintain stability quite well even in thick, sloppy mud.  Layered just behind the outsole—and visible through a small window on the instep portion—is a molded polyester mesh barrier that functions as a flexible rock plate, providing additional puncture resistance and dispersing sharp impact across a broader surface area.

On top of the shoe, the footbed is 3mm thick, making a total standing height of less than 7mm. Fit of the shoe is comfortable all around the foot, with seamless interior construction, a soft interior lining, and just enough padding around the ankle collar—all taken straight from the Bikila blueprint. Fit is further dialed in with an elastic lacing system (borrowed from the Bikila LS) for customized tension across the midfoot.

The upper utilizes Coconut Active Carbon for breathability and odor control, but the fabric is slightly thicker than the Bikila and the kangaroo leather KSO Trek, and doesn’t ventilate quite as well as either of those models. Vibram’s fabric uppers have historically been more prone to punctures than the kangaroo leather, but in my testing I haven’t had any problems.

Vibram’s Spryidon is well-built for rugged off-road use, but maintains the extremely lightweight and completely flexible overall construction of pure minimalist shoes.