Vibram FiveFingers

So recently I've been researching the Vibram FiveFingers shoe.
They were first introduced to me by my ex-boyfriend who lucked into a free pair because his Dad owns a rock climbing store in Nevada so he got access to the Outdoor Retailers Show twice a year.
(That event really is a blast- I wish I still had an in to go to it and check out all the new technologies of outdoor adventure.)
I couldn't take these shoes seriously on the ex to save my life. I was only 16 at the time, I believe.
I'm pretty sure I humiliated him and he never wore them around me again.
Here I am, 4 years later (the age he was at the time), seriously wanting a pair or two of my own.

My friends are probably going to refuse to go out on the town with me if I'm wearing these, but I think they're so neat.
They're meant to give you the freedom, agility, and dexterity of walking around barfoot but with the protection of a minimalist's sole.
I've read and heard so many positive things about them. Most owners use them for everything from grocery shopping to running to rock climbing. They're supposed to be great for those with ill posture, bad knees, are prone to shin splints (such as I am), and so many other things.
I want a pair to go running in, though it sounds like that will be awkward at first. They supposedly force you to re-learn how to run so that you're not landing on your heel (like 75% of American runners) but rather your forefoot or midsole. This is supposed to be SO much better for runners because when you land on your heel you're actually putting the force of 3 times your body weight on that point, which can lead to bad knees/back, etc. When you land on your forefoot you use your ankle as more of a spring and reduce that force to 60% of your body weight. Isn't that incredible?

I've read so many reviews about these things that it's not even funny. I can't believe the positive results these have on 99% of thier owners. For everything I've researched before buying there's always been a decent handful of bad reviews beacause there's always that crowd you just can't please- but there are hardly any for FiveFingers. There was maybe 1 negative review for every 20 positive. And at that- they were usually just saying something like, "This aspect didn't bother me, but I could maybe see why it would soemone else," or "At first the pinky toe pod didn't work for me and it always slipped off, but once I contacted a FiveFingers employee they instructed me as to how to correctly put them on and they're great now."
There has yet to be one purely negative review that I've seen about these shoes. It's amazing.

So there are 3 styles that I have been interested in.

First is the Classic.
It is definitely the most inconspicuous of the bunch and would be great for errands or walking Rosco or anything mild. My only deal is I want a pair to go running in and these are not reccomended for that.

Second is the Sprint.
These are just as handy as the Classics and then some because of the additional straps to keep them in place during more vigorous activities, such as running. :) The classics look so comfortable though... ha.

And then there's the Bikila.
They just came out with this model this Spring. This is their running specific model. These truly sound amazing. They are solely engineered for running in the most natural way possible. With the added agility and dexterity of seperated toes and the pure feel of the ground beneath you, you're supposed to be able to run faster with a much greater balance. Plus with the improved gait these would require, each run would be much more effective and safe than what's typical.

As it would be, I would love to obtain a pair of the Bikilas to run in and a pair of the Classics for every day use (other than work- I don't think I could pull them off there.. ha). Only thing is I want to try one pair out for a while to make sure I dig the style. I just can't decide if I want to get the Classic or the Sprint... The Bikila is still pretty hard to find in stores and is so new that there are only rwo color variations. I think I'd like to get one of the other two and wait until the Bikila has a few more options to choose from.

The shoes, as you can see, are a tad on the pricey end of the spectrum, but never once was that a complaint in the reviews. Every person who mentioned price at all said that they are worth every penny and then some.
Plus, they're machine washable- cool, right? haha.

There you have it, though. Pretty odd/neat, right? haha.

Will you all still be my friends when I get these? hahaha.