Five Fingers

I have always maintained that I'm not one for shoes, although the amount of shoes I have in France fiercely contradicts that statement. As such, you can imagine how heart breaking it was for me to get to circus school and choose a discipline that absolutely requires shoes.

Sigh...

Well, all that has been made up for with the shoes we get to wear during the trampoline act in the show.

Behold! The Vibram Five Fingers!


The site describes them as a barefoot alternative. I would simply describe them as awesome. There are many scientific and anatomical reasons why being barefoot is really healthy and wonderful for you. But I will save that for another post. What is simply lovely about these shoes is that you get to experience the texture of the world, just like if you were barefoot, but without the risk of hurting the soles of your feet.

Yes, they are brilliant for many circus things like trampoline. They protect the foot, offer a nice, grippy, sole, and since it doesn't have a heel, there's no risk of turning an ankle. But let's be frank. They're just super cool.

I actually bought a pair for everyday life and happily wander around Montreal in them. You can't imagine how delicious it is to experience the texture of the world beneath your feet as you walk. And then, of course, there's all that scientific stuff.

As for the octopus (or quitapus if you're picky), like the skull and crossbones shoe laces, he was added for extra awesomeness. That and there was a hole on the toe.

The best part for all you Canadians out there is that, despite being the product of a European company, they are way cheaper in Canada! Simply head to your local Mountain Equipment Co-op and discover the glory of Five Fingers for yourself.

And that is the end of today's public service announcement.