Barefoot shoes?

MVF

MVF

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Anyone have any experience with or recommendations for barefoot-type shoes? Really just looking for the "zero rise", minimalist kind of things, not the separate toes.

I keep reading how they're good for your feet, back, knees, hips, yada yada, so I'd love to hear your experience with them. Also, recommendations for something cheap to try them out would be great - looks like a lot of things run over $100! Gotta love it - pay more for the simplest, most basic shoe!
 
MVF said:
Anyone have any experience with or recommendations for barefoot-type shoes? Really just looking for the "zero rise", minimalist kind of things, not the separate toes.

I keep reading how they're good for your feet, back, knees, hips, yada yada, so I'd love to hear your experience with them. Also, recommendations for something cheap to try them out would be great - looks like a lot of things run over $100! Gotta love it - pay more for the simplest, most basic shoe!
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I’d strongly advise looking at Bedrock, Luna, or Shamma. I like Xero shoes for their price, but they are made overseas and the quality is hit or miss. I would look at Bedrock for outdoorsy sandals, Luna for sports style, and shamma for urban styles. This is assuming you want sandals, if you’re talking more conventional shoes, then Xero is going to be one of the main companies offering that. 90% of the time that I’m not wearing work boots, I’m wearing bedrocks, they are by far the most comfortable (for me being lightest).


However, technically old school Converse are “zero drop”. You might try those out if you still want a thicker sole, as most minimalist shoes have thin soles that are great for flex, but take some adjustment if you’re gonna stomp across rocks and limbs.
 
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I have the merrals and they are pretty nice. A couple of things- thin socks are your friend in them, they get extra feral extra fast if you go fully bare-foot. Also, don't over-do it. Treat it like you would any new exercise, warm up, set a time limit, monitor. I know people who have given themselves compression fractures, and done all manner of damage because they just kept pushing when they should have stopped. Concrete and no padding is a very bad idea.
Also, while they are good, they are not a cure-all, most of the actual research doesn't show any measurable difference. If it does anything, it just makes you pay attention to how you are walking more, which for some people is what they need.
 
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Moccasins would be about as barefoot as a shoe could get.

Not barefoot but I have a lot of trouble getting shoes for my feet, the only thing that worked is Brooks Beast. They have making the same shoe for decades now without changing them. They have an almost cult following.

You should at least try on a pair.
 
I love my Vivobarefoot shoes.

I've tried Merrels (not real barefoots), Xero (meh)
and the Vivos' are by far the best out of the three.

Got one EDC pair and two for hiking.

The biggest benefit of barefoot shoes is that they will teach you how to walk correctly. Vast majority of people are "heelstrikers", meaning they land on their heels first when they take a step. Walking this way will create bad knees and back over time.

I've always worn zero drop shoes but the barefoot shoes have a much wider toebox which allows for more natural movement of the foot. Make shure your socks aren't tight when wearing barefoot shoes.

If anybody knows of zero-drop, crampon compatible hiking boots, please let me know :)
 
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Houlahound said:
Moccasins would be about as barefoot as a shoe could get.

Not barefoot but I have a lot of trouble getting shoes for my feet, the only thing that worked is Brooks Beast. They have making the same shoe for decades now without changing them. They have an almost cult following.

You should at least try on a pair.
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Correction, since my last purchase they have changed to shoe but kept the name.

They have made the new Beast more like a running shoe and less like a stability shoe - the mother lovers.

Oh well it's been decades, time to move on to another brand.
 
Thanks guys, good info!

Part of me is remembering a pair of moccasins that almost ruined my feet when I got caught without a ride (friend's car got towed) and had to walk about 12-15 miles in them, and wondering how good an idea this is - I think the key is probably like gadgetgeek said and work into it.

Coincidentally, I've worn Brooks Beasts for years (one of the few shoes that fit my feet), but I feel like they are so padded that the padding is actually hurting my feet on my longer walks.

Houlahound, you may want to try New Balance 993s or 928s, at least they have worked very well for me
 
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"Houlahound, you may want to try New Balance 993s or 928s, at least they have worked very well for me" MVF MVF

Thanks for the lead, I am now in the market for a new brand.

Yep the beast had a lot of padding, I think that was part of the new upgrade toward a lighter runner style.

I used to box, the boxing shoe might be worth a look. We used to get ours handmade where the maker made you stand on paper and he traced out your foot with a Sharpie took your weight and height and built a shoe.

They have good traction and ankle support but minimal padding and no rise. They would stop a stick going thru the sole on a trail.

Thinking about it they are the ultimate feel of being barefoot with ankle support, traction and slight a shock absorber.
 
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So, similarly years ago when I was running quite a bit I heard and read the same things.

As others have said, if you venture into barefoot/zero drop, take it slow. Ease into it, or you will hurt yourself.

Another point is are you flat footed? If so, just avoid barefoot. You need arch support, or at least I did. I was able to run in zeros, eventually, but not barefoots. Even now at home I usually have some type of shoe with arch support, typically Chaco’s in my case, otherwise my feet kill me.
 
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darsk20 said:
So, similarly years ago when I was running quite a bit I heard and read the same things.

As others have said, if you venture into barefoot/zero drop, take it slow. Ease into it, or you will hurt yourself.

Another point is are you flat footed? If so, just avoid barefoot. You need arch support, or at least I did. I was able to run in zeros, eventually, but not barefoots. Even now at home I usually have some type of shoe with arch support, typically Chaco’s in my case, otherwise my feet kill me.
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I would advice similarly. I've tried barefoot last year and while it can feel good, it just is way more strain for your feet. But I would also say that it's maybe better feeling than wearing bad shoes.

Even though I am not really flatfooted, my orthopedist doesn't recommend wearing barefoot shoes but that is his advice based on his experience, but I can say that there is some truth to it. I don't really get any benefit from wearing barefoot shoes as I don't really had any problem in areas which they are supposed to improve so I often choose well cushioned shoes because they just let me use more power more comfortably. And that is advice from someone who really used to walk barefoot anytime there was chance, so I really could even run barefoot through thick forest without too much pain. So, I just may not benefit from wearing barefoot shoes so much because I basically practiced barefoot walking before it was cool.
 
Just thought I'd check back in. I found a brand called Whitin on the big "A" for $40. So far I am loving them. It did take a little (very little, though) adjusting to them the first few times I took them for a walk. Anyway, if you want a cheap way to try barefoot, there you go!
 
Houlahound said:
"Houlahound, you may want to try New Balance 993s or 928s, at least they have worked very well for me" MVF MVF

Thanks for the lead, I am now in the market for a new brand.

Yep the beast had a lot of padding, I think that was part of the new upgrade toward a lighter runner style.

I used to box, the boxing shoe might be worth a look. We used to get ours handmade where the maker made you stand on paper and he traced out your foot with a Sharpie took your weight and height and built a shoe.

They have good traction and ankle support but minimal padding and no rise. They would stop a stick going thru the sole on a trail.

Thinking about it they are the ultimate feel of being barefoot with ankle support, traction and slight a shock absorber.
Click to expand...
I've been wearing a pair of Lems Primal 2s for about a year and a half and I love them. The sole appears to last longer than other barefoot shoes I've tried from Merrell or Vivo, and the Lems' wider toebox is exactly what my feet needed.

The Primals are not intended for extremely cold or snowy conditions; for that, I have a pair of waterproof Boulder Boots.
 
I tried a few "barefoot shoes" including Vibram. I gave up on them (hassle to put on) and now when want to go barefoot I just actually go barefoot. Seems like the simple answer, saves money, and does wonders for my sole. ;)
 
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