RIP Fivefingers KSO

My 21-month-old pair of Vibram Fivefingers finally died yesterday in the line of duty, during a two-hour parkour session:

As you can see, I had completely worn out the treading on the sole; it was bald in several places, and very thin.

They actually lasted longer than I thought they would. My shoes usually fall apart in a couple years, and I used these for running and hiking and parkour and climbing and normal everyday wear. Ever since I got them, I have not worn anything else aside from dress shoes, sandals, and winter boots.

I got a second pair last summer, and that pair is already looking rough. This pair looked like it was falling apart after about six months, but after I superglued them back together they held up well and did not need any more fixing. I have not had to glue my second pair, but the soles of those are also looking ragged.

I am not sure what I will get to replace this pair. Black KSO's are known for having the most quality problems of any of the Fivefinger family, as my experience demonstrates. Hopefully they have gotten that under control in the last year, but they may have been too busy making new models. I tried the one meant for hiking, and did not like it. I may try the one meant for running, which has a thicker sole. Some fivefinger enthusiasts do not like the feel of that either, but a thick sole may make them last longer. They also have a few more advancements, like a plastic coating on the tops of the toes to prevent them from getting holes. I'll just have to try the different types on.