Vibram Five Finger Lontra Review!

I recently won a contest from Jeff at Barefoot Inclined! He was gracious enough to hold a giveaway that would return to the barefoot/minimalist running community! A quick shout out to him for having a great blog and great content!

Naturally, I thought I should review these new shoes to report to the community on my opinions and experiences with the shoe. I should note here that this is my first shoe review! I have not read any other reviews of the Lontra's online, as to reduce bias. I have only used the VFF website to collect information on the build materials on the shoes!

The Lontra is a VFF shoe that responds to the clique of the barefoot/minimalist running community that wanted a winter running shoe. This would allow for warm toes without compromise! The neoprene heel cup is designed to wick away moisture and to insulate the foot. It also keeps out any snow or grit that may try to weave its way in.

First Impressions 

The Lontra's come in at about 6.9 oz, average between the two shoes. I thought it strange that both shoes were of such difference in the left and right shoe! The sizes are both size 40. (About 7 1/2 US Men's).

I compared it to my VFF Komodo Sport Laces at 6.2 oz, also in a size 40. Given the neoprene heel cuff, extra weight is to be expected of the shoe! 

The VFF Lontra utilizes a Trek sole, with a total of 4mm in stack height. Of course, it a zero-drop shoe! 

This is my first time having experience with the Trek sole, and I at first found it to be quite bulky compared to my KMD Sports! 

 But of course, you still have the great flexibility of a VFF shoe!

 The upper is a soft, multi layer laminated stretch mesh with a water resistant membrane! I do not experience any chaffing on the inside, nor any flexibility issues. Here, you also see some abstract styling of the shoe, with a combination of black and grey lines.

 The rear features some bubble-like designing, along with a bar reflector.

 I did notice immediately, a seam line that runs along the insole of the shoe. While I thought this might cause irritation, I could not distinguish the presence of it when I put the shoe on! UPDATE: I noticed in class on the first day that the seam runs into the big toe pocket slot. This is where I definitely feel the seam, at least while sitting still or standing. Running, I did not feel it.

Additionally, there is a seam line that runs across both sides of just the heel area, stopping around where the straps begin. But again, I felt no irritation or discomfort with the seam lines!

 The lacing system consists of a X-type loop-and-velcro style, and is further accented with abstract accentuation.

The heel-cuff material forms a "tongue" underneath the lacing system to provide for assistance when putting the shoes on. There is also a nylon pull tab for this function as well. 

Fit and Looks

Well, after fumbling around with the neoprene heel cup, and playing a crazy game of tug-of-war with the two pull tabs, I managed to get both shoes on in about 5 minutes. Definitely more difficult to put on compared to my other minimalist shoes! My best record now is about 20 seconds each shoe! ;) 

 I went ahead and strapped the front nylon tab down with the velcro, so it would not be flapping around.

 The shoes look great and feel great! The neoprene is tight, but gets the job done in keeping things out. I felt no pain, pinching, or abrasion when doing a quick treadmill session for about an hour. Not much to report through a treadmill run, though!

The heel cup rises to about where my DryMax socks would go to. The side view shows the apparent lacing system, along with intricate detailing of style. In comparison to my KMD Sport's, it was much softer on the inside and more snug. 

 Here you can definitely see the back bar reflector once I turned on flash. Definitely effective for runners at dusk.

 Another view of the lacing system and side

I did notice that my narrower heel leaves much slack around the rear left and right sides. This has not become an issue in fitment. 

No issues with flexibility. Unlike my KMD Sport's, the upper does not crinkle and pinch the skin when the foot bends. 

One thing I might point out: I have hyperhidrosis. This means that I sweat profusely, particularly in my palms and feet. Wearing these shoes in a regulated temperature home for a 1 hour run on the treadmill was almost an agonizing time with the moisture build up. For people like me, minimalist running truly stinks--literally, of course. In these brand new shoes, my 1 hour run was able to develop a faint aroma of my other minimalist shoes. 

To give you an idea, I wear my KMD Sports from 7:45 AM-6:00 PM in a school day (with track practice) and the shoes remain wet/damp until morning. Because of this, I swap between shoes daily, as one should. 

As you can imagine, since the upper is designed to be hydro-phobic, ventilation is not great. I find it also very hard to get my feet into the shoe with my foot seemingly sticking on every obstacle. 

UPDATE: I did wear them for an entire day of school, as well as a track meet (between races). I have determined that while my feet get hot quickly, they are COMFORTABLE, and wick the moisture away. The neoprene takes care of it. I did feel plenty of moisture in the ankle neoprene, but much better than the dreaded footbed area. 

Performance

In my quick trial run, I was able to determine that the 4mm stack height will obstruct with the most ideal ground feel, which is not an overly concerning issue. I no longer felt the sole was "bulky" as I had thought in my first impressions. 

At my most recent track meet, I was able to warm up, stretch, and wear them around through the duration of the meet. The ground was wet from a thunderstorm the night before, and it was approximately 50 degrees. I did not feel any coldness in my toes or feet, and it was a great time! 

Pros

-Extremely comfortable; no chaffing, pinching, or tight pain

-Flexible, excellent build quality

-Heel cup does what it is supposed do and is tight around the ankle. But not so tight that it inhibits movement. 

-Lacing system is very precise, and keeps the shoe glued to your foot. 

-Stylish, in my opinion
-Excellent moisture management

Cons

-Heat up quickly; I would not recommend for gym workouts and the like. Obviously, this shoe is designed for cold/wet weather! 

-Costly (running for about $150 on the VFF website). 

-A bit of a pain to put on
-Decreased ground feel (ran on some gravel, could hardly tell). 

I will update this review as mileage on the shoes increases!