"Strips of old tire" (from your cited article) would be thicker than the soles of my Fivefinger Sprints. All of my running surfaces are rocky or gravelly, and the Sprints do not provide enough protection for me against stone bruising. Perhaps my feet will toughen, with more miles in these shoes... I don't know.
They're great fun as river shoes, though I have to guard my toes with greater care than I did with worn-out trail runners (my previous river shoe of choice).
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1170253/The-...