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Firstly, did a quick search and nothing came up, although I thought this had been discussed before - feel free to just point me at an existing thread, if there is one.
So, had a conversation about barefoot shoes yesterday, which had me googling.
I do have "achey" feet, but it's not really debilitating, just a bit annoying.
But there are a raft of benefits claimed for barefoot shoes; some intuitively feel meritorious e.g. bigger toebox equals more natural shaped, healthier feet. Some other claims are possibly a bit "exaggerated".
Anyone here have real experience, and/or scientific input?
I do appreciate the looks can be slightly challenging, but I'm old enough not to really care about that...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001ngl2?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile
Sliced bread did an episode on them.
I like wearing barefoot shoes, I have been for a number of years and my feet are def stronger.
Has it made any other changes? Couldn't say but I like doing it
Same, a fan, never going back to big stiff clonky foot squishers.
It’s a bit like riding a single speed, rigid bike or hard tail rather than a contemporary full suspension or ebike.
It is more like riding a bike that fits your body, while everyone else is riding childrens bikes because tradition and fashion dictate so.
Seems an extreme view. lol.
I mean I like my vibram 5 fingers and I like my altra loan peaks.
ymmv
I tried, but being 'heavier set' I didn't get on with them, those nobbly pavements for visually impaired, catch a heel bone on there, pray for padding again!
It is more like riding a bike that fits your body, while everyone else is riding childrens bikes because tradition and fashion dictate so.
If barefoot shoes are right for you great, some folks have feet that are shaped differently and wide(r) shoes just don't fit. It's as if humans come in all shapes and sizes...
Sliced bread did an episode on them.
Yeah, but wasn't that some mum asking if get kids should wear them?
The reason some people say they're bad is because most people have been wearing the wrong footwear for their feet most of their lives.
Best thing you can do is run around barefoot, be that indoors, the garden, beach etc.
GF has a pair. Despite me looking im yet to find a pair. I've got quite wide feet and even the Meindl shoes were too narrow.
If barefoot shoes are right for you great, some folks have feet that are shaped differently and wide(r) shoes just don’t fit. It’s as if humans come in all shapes and sizes…
My feet used to be the shape of traditional shoes, after a couple of years wearing more natural shaped footwear they are not. Traditional footwear wasn't matched to my feet, it was shaping my feet.
Heels are for keeping feet in stirrups while riding horses not walking.
I wear a mix of barefoot and normal shoes. My feet have grown a full size.
For running I don't wear barefoot shoes but I do wear Topo running shoes which have some drop but much wider forefoots.
I like them. My feet are a bit stronger. It's not magic but it is slightly better, maybe, probably. It does make getting normal shoes or boots that fit a bit harder.
Some stuff that is marketed as barefoot is still relatively narrow. Vivobarefoot are the ones that really are foot shaped but my god they cost a fortune for what they are.
My wife has worn very minimal shoes for years or gone barefoot a lot and her toes are remarkably widely spaced. She did run about 6 marathons back in the day in minimal shoes so is a bit of an outlier. I think trying that for most of us softfoots would lead to trouble!
I tried, but being ‘heavier set’ I didn’t get on with them, those nobbly pavements for visually impaired, catch a heel bone on there, pray for padding again!
@toby1 - the likes of Altra and Topo do a range of "foot shaped" shoes that still have some cushioning.
I wear them most of the time I wear shoes. At home it's no shoes.
I love the big wide foot shape, and the flexibity. I don't love zero padding.
I wear Vivobarefoot Gobi for the office, and Primus lite for gym.
They're shoes... On your feet, right?
Where's the barefoot??
I think the moderate view above is probably right for most people (including me!).
Altra lone peaks for off road running, altra escalate for road.
(Re)Vivo Primus lites for the gym. Flip flops (a whole new debate there!) or barefoot at home.
but I still own a pair of Nike SBs, and a pair of boots for the office in winter (when my Vivo gobis get a bit cold), so I’m. It a complete convert!
Wife and I switched a few years back. I no longer suffer from plantar fascitis and she has avoided bunion surgery.
It's important to transition slowly though. Imagine having your hand in a cast for 8 hours a day for 40 years, then suddenly trying to do everything you do with it now. It would hurt, a lot.
My feet are stronger now and less prone to injury. I run in Altra Superior so I still have a little cushioning. For general use, I love my five fingers. Comfiest shoes I've ever had but Lems Nine2Five are great for the office and Freet Tundra work well for wetter muddier walks although the sole does wear quickly.
Thanks for all the input, all - I'm keen to give it a go, interesting to read the advice about not going cold turkey from "normal" shoes.
My conversation which sparked all this was about Vivo shoes and my god they're not cheap!
Any good, slight less expensive brands with which to dip my toe in? (See what I did...?)
Every time I read one of these threads I'm convinced that some folk have been buying shoes that have been just too small for them.
Vivo shoes and my god they’re not cheap!
I get mine from Amazon when they appear. Last pair of Gobi boots were £90 ish
Mine are from https://www.revivo.com so I’ve not paid rrp- the price has also slowed the transition for me.
Weirdly I wonder if the vivo ones I have caused the plantar in my left foot. I have very flat feet/no real arch.
Every time I read one of these threads I’m convinced that some folk have been buying shoes that have been just too small for them<br />
whys that then ? I mean sure I could just buy bigger shoes to gain a bigger toe box but then I’d just be wearing shoes that are too big for me and that’s even less fun.
https://www.therange.co.uk/toys/fancy-dress/inflatable-clown-shoes/
I've gone down a size. I was buying longer shoes to get the extra width. My feet are 275mm x 115mm.
I love my vivos. The soles are pretty comfy despite their low profile. The only times I feel owt are stones on tarmac. I been hillwalks in them with no issues.
spotted these Lake shoes today. Not barefoot but wide in the toe box. Thought they might well suit someone who had got used to wearing barefoot shoes. They do an MX version with a bit more toe protection for mtb.
I bought a pair of the lake mx201 earlier in the year, I hope they build a better shoe using the same last, they are a big comfort improvement over anything else I have tried, but they are clumpy, heavy and the single boa dial is hatefull (as single boa dials are on any shoe).
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/wide-mtb-shoea/
How do they compare to a basic pair of Vans, which also have a thin and fairly flat sole in comparison to every other shoe I’ve worn?
Similar to converse all stars tbh
I hadn't heard of sliced bread either but listened to it yesterday. Clear that those commenting on what was discussed on here have not listened to it.
How do they compare to a basic pair of Vans
I do like Vans, but they have a bit more height and cushioning than a minimal/barefoot shoe. A well worn pair of Vans does though come pretty close in terms of flexibility and the way they collapse letting your foot spread nicely!
Ok. I quite like the barefoot idea, but I don’t wear shoes or slippers in the house (and work from home two days a week) and Vans are only £35.
I shall keep a watching brief.
What's the general thrust of the Sliced Bread podcast?
Love the shape of barefoot shoes due to their width at the end. Just need some with a thicker sole and more support.
What’s the general thrust of the Sliced Bread podcast?
We should be less concerned about what we run in and more concerned about the shoes we spend the majority of our life in.
Been wearing Vivobarefoot shoes exclusively for years. Have tried a few times to go back to normal shoes and they just feel heavy, cumbersome and plain wrong. I can really feel the angle from heel to toe on them too. Freaks me out a bit 😂
Always barefoot at home and walk about a lot barefoot in the warmer months too. Get some strange looks but I’m over forty so no longer care. The only time I wear anything close to a standard shoe is when on the bike. The only downsides of barefoot shoes for me are the expense, remembering to buy shorter trousers and jeans to avoid the hems dragging on the floor and lack of choice beyond Vivo.
I’d never push them on other people but give them a go. Be patient and wear them a bit at a time. Your gait will change slowly and you should end up treading a bit lighter. They won’t make a difference overnight and you may get some foot pain and cramps. If you’ve been wearing padded shoes all your life you’re feet will likely be a bit weak so be gentle.
I have a pair of Vivobarefoots which are great for cycling, you can grip much better becuase you can almost hold the pedal with your toes and, counterintuitively, they've iliminated the hot spots I used to get under the balls of my feet on longer, all day rides. I previously used to think the stiffer the sole the better, but I've gone right off that now. The only downside is the massive toebox really increases the toe overlap!
I only ride off road and find them hard going. What model vivo if you don’t mind me asking?
Idly musing life's little mysteries I decided to Google wtf trainers have such a ridiculous curve at the front,. It is certainly not the shape of my foot and none of my barefoot shoes are shaped like that.
It turns out that it's for people with lazy feet which don't want to work their muscles too much.
So another reason to wear barefoot shoes.
Which brand? Vivo do a resole and repair service
barefoot equivalents seem to be largely double the price
Someone on stw recommended Freet shoes, I can't remember who but whoever it was I am very grateful indeed.
Not only do Freet shoes start from a reasonable price in the first place but they have a huge amount of special offers which makes them very affordable.
Over a period of about one month I bought three different pairs. Not only are they more sensibly priced than my Xero shoes but they look better too imo. And they stay looking nice and pristine
https://freetbarefoot.com/collections/offers
Edit: If you are not buying shoes on special offers you can get a 10% discount from the code in Anyas review:
https://anyasreviews.com/freet-barefoot-shoes-review/
Zero are on sportpursuit frequently for a massive discount. I like their sandals, not tried their shoes
My first pair of Xero I would like but I bought a size too small (but only for my big toe).
My 2nd pair are okay, fit well, but I have to be careful walking wet streets as the grip is useless on wet pavements (or rocks anything). The tread pattern consists of spaced out chevrons - not very good for flat pedals with pins either as there's always one bit of the tread putting pressure on my foot.
Cheers Ernie for the link to freet offers, decided to get the Richmond for the office at work.
I wouldn't got back to regular non-barefoot foot-squashing shoes now. I sometimes peruse the shoes in the supermarkets in the hope of finding a bargain but the shape of them is absolute garbage - a rectangle with a rounded triangle for toe box.
Went for a barefoot walk on the beach today on lunchbreak, did a 10 minute barefoot run last week. Barefoot in the garden to do a bit of 'movement' exercise last weekend. Definitely a barefoot convert, going to be seeing how far toward winter I can keep doing things like this for.
Not quite ready to walk the streets barefoot due to dogshit broken glass and social pressure haha.