Moccasins and the whole barefoot running/hiking question

[darrenleroy]

Did you find your feet were cold ever? And what was the human cost? Strange looks? Banning from pubs and shops? I'd love to know more about the practicalities. I agree that concrete isn't best suited to bare feet.

 

[harryhaller]

I use my Vibram Five Fingers when in the woods. the only issue for me is protection against stingers etc.
SWMBO has banned me from wearing them in public otherwise I'd live in them!
If I could find somewhere that did 'normal' looking moccs, rather than a pixy look, at a sensible price I'd be tempted. Perhaps that means I have to make my own again...

Mine arrived today and so I went out in them

They are great - think of them as gloves for the feet, so light and one really feels so earthed.

Anyone looked? NO! Apart from my optician who I visited, but only because he had to bend down to get something out of a drawer and so he saw my feet - but he thought they were absolutely great. I think he's going to buy some too.

Even though I have a "Verruca plantaris" I felt great in them. But I've got to get rid of it. So I went afterwards to the chiropodist. She asked to have a look at it - so I took off my five fingers and showed her - she didn't make any remark about my shoes. She sent me to my GP to a get a transfer to a dermatologist. So I sat in the waiting room full of people and kids for an hour (I didn't have an appointment). Did anyone stare? No one! Not even the GP when I went through the routine of taking them off and putting them back on. After that in the supermarket - same story.

It's only that one model in bright red, I imagine, that would attract stares - because they're red. Any bright red trainers would attract attention.

Mine are the KSO model model in a sort of mud colour.

The important thing about them are the toes - it isn't a gimmick. You look at your little toe and the next one and see that they've never been used. With this shoe each toe has it's own compartment - each toe is important and it really feels great trying to wiggle your little toe as you walk along - come alive little toe - you can do it!

Putting them on, first put in the big toe and then concentrate on the little toe - and treat the shoe like a glove - 'cos tha's what it is - and push down between the toes with your finger, just like you do when putting on gloves.

I really realised how "flat footed" we walk in normal shoes. With these you have to start walking properly. The pygmies in the Congo used to call the Europeans "people who can't walk" because we have none of that spring which the pygmies and bushmen have. And when we run, we run, in their eyes, flat footed, like elephants.

These "foot gloves" are going to teach me how to walk as nature meant us to and not how cobblers meant us to.

The price, I now realise, is reasonable. Trainers cost about 50 quid, but they won't give you half so much fun

 

[treadlightly]

Good on you. Almost a year on and I still think they're great.