You know, I commented on that thread when it popped up ages back - I had forgotten about them!
How was the sizing? Go for bang on my normal size or do you think up/down?
Barefoot running?
- Thread starter Stew
- Start date
You know, I commented on that thread when it popped up ages back - I had forgotten about them!
How was the sizing? Go for bang on my normal size or do you think up/down?
It seems like a lot more people do this than I expected! I'm going to give it a try, although gently. 
Read Kephart on the wearing of moccasins and even back then minimalist footwear was a good idea for the woods.
http://www.wcu.edu/library/digitalcollections/kephart/onlineexhibit/outdoors/Writing.htm
Best I could do for the relevant extract but you can find the text easily.
http://www.wcu.edu/library/digitalcollections/kephart/onlineexhibit/outdoors/Writing.htm
Best I could do for the relevant extract but you can find the text easily.
Dreadhead
Bushcrafter through and through
those are the ones i got. i went down a size and they fit just fine, even with a pair of thin toe socks. not sure if you can still get them though...
It seems like a lot more people do this than I expected! I'm going to give it a try, although gently.
Yes, gently does it at first, particularly with running. It takes a little time to adjust. Do not be surprised if your calves are very stiff after a little running in minimalist shoes.
Hmmm, barefoot running, no, but barefoot walking yes. I usually wear either boots [winter] or sandles [summer] or "smart shoes" [while at work]. A few summer's ago one of my sandles fell apart while out with the dogs so walked back without anything on as it was a pain having one foot with a sandle and another without, I was only on grass and a little stretch of tarmac so the going wasn't too bad. Rather than fork out for another set of sandles [yes I'm a tight git] I countinued to walk the dogs barefooted for the rest of the summer [untill it got too cold in the mornings for barefeet] I must say I felt incredibly liberated feeling the ground beneth your feet and the dew from the grass in the morning is great, it even taght me to look at the ground closer and to avoid pebbles/ bits of gravel on the roads [and the dog and seagull poop]. Now at home I regularly wear nothing on me feet, even walking over my chuckied front drive is not a problem, I find my posture is better, you strengthen your feet by using different muscles and having air around your feet rather than wrapped in socks and shoes is so much better - the only down side is your feet do get exeptionally dirty.
Although having said this if I was to strap a heavy pack on and go for a camp I'd be wearing boots.
and yes it will take time getting used to/ toughen up your soles because you've 'trained' your feet to walk in shoes/boots so doing anything different will be 'unnatural'
Although having said this if I was to strap a heavy pack on and go for a camp I'd be wearing boots.
and yes it will take time getting used to/ toughen up your soles because you've 'trained' your feet to walk in shoes/boots so doing anything different will be 'unnatural'
None in my size (or below)
I'm a 44 normally but just checked on the Vibram site - using their measurement I'm a 41 for proper 5fingers.
I've been running for a couple of years now only toe striking. Its took a few weeks to get my calves comfortable but it now feels natural. I actually have trouble heel striking now and can feel the extra impact on my knees when I do. It just feels wrong now
Barefoot? Only in style.
After having 2 huge blackthorns go straight through the sole into the bone and breaking my foot when I ran into a huge crack that had opened up in the dry weather, I won't be going barefoot, ever
The Taramuhara of south america are famous for this running style and can clock up 60 miles in a day at altitude. I've only ever done 10, mainly because I weigh more than 2 average Tarahumarans and like my food too much
Lol lol........
Problem is, if you move over the barefoot running to avoid injuries, then are off from an injury as a direct result then they've kinda defeated the whole point of trying them.
It's just a fad bought about by shoe companies to cash in in my opinion.
Now they can sell you 2 types of running shoes instead of 1 they did previously.
They do not prevent injury, they don't help you run any faster or any further (consistently over various terrains) so what's the point?
I must admit, from doing a fair chunk of reading you can see the sense in the whole minimal protection footwear thing. I guess the issue comes in that we've made our feet work in an un-natural way for a while and it'll take a looong time to retrain/condition connective tissues and muscles.
The bit I cant see as anything more than a fad is the separate toes gig. Surely its enough to either have a highly flexible sole or even just a separate big toe section (very ninja!).
Im still tempted though, I live in sandals in the summer ( I remember that, its the season when we have sunshine)
The bit I cant see as anything more than a fad is the separate toes gig. Surely its enough to either have a highly flexible sole or even just a separate big toe section (very ninja!).
Im still tempted though, I live in sandals in the summer ( I remember that, its the season when we have sunshine)
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My feet in my 5fingers
Ohhh and my socks
My apologies!
But, for me at least, running is more enjoyable in them, it feels easier (I need any help I can get). The forefoot striking technique they force you to use also feels more natural.
There is no real need for the toe separation offered by 5fingers, you can get a similar experience in a shoe that is thin soled, wide and flexible. But, being close fitting, they are the nearest you can come to being barefoot imho.
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Those things have got to be a right bugger to put on to walk the dog after you've been to the pub...
There's a very long thread on the fellrunner forum about this:
http://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/showthread.php?7374-Vibram-Fivefingers-Anyone&
http://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/showthread.php?7374-Vibram-Fivefingers-Anyone&
Absolutely no need for an apology it was a relevant and insightful question.
They're a bugger to put on no matter where your going.
After a few months you get a system, but it still takes a few mins to get your toes in right, they're sweaty as hell as well and oddly cold in winter even with socks.
Late to the thread - but I've done a fair bit of barefoot running.
Two 'Great North Runs' done barefoot. That's a pretty harsh environment, 10's of thousands of other runners, bitumen covered in plastic bottletops etc.
I wouldn't use the vibram things. When running barefoot, you avoid stone bruises and turned ankles by feeling something before your weight goes on the foot. It is a reflexive thing to do a 'stumble' and avoid a bruised foot, turned ankle or broken toe. Stick some rubber on the outside of your feet and you lose that sensitivity.
One of my ankles is damaged from a nasty (not)rock-climbing fall - I'm missing several important ligaments on the outside of the ankle and the joint is misshapen. This hasn't prevented me from running distances of up to 14miles on and off-road.
I took it steady getting back into running. Allowed a similar buildup as those recommended to avoid shin splints and found my feet toughened up quickly. At the peak of my running barefoot I could tread on brambles without the thorns penetrating the calluses. I've got home and picked broken glass out of my feet - no blood, the glass hadn't penetrated and I hadn't felt it.
The downsides:
Running downhill on hard surfaces is much harder on your knees. With running shoes on, you can let a lot of the impact be taken by the cushioning in the shoes. Doesn't exist when barefoot, so your knees have to do the job.
Wet and muddy ground. Wet softens the skin, slipping in mud can result in cuts when there are sharp stones, sticks or broken glass in the mud.
Scree. You'll break toenails in a bloody way, but will be much more light of foot and faster than wearing boots.
If running with other people, you feel short. Being barefoot loses over an inch in height.
You get called a hobbit.
The upside:
It's cheap (have you seen the cost of running shoes?)
Less tendency for shin splints
People think you are hardcore (I got a shout out on the big screen at the GNR).
No washing mud off shoes or griping from the missus about stinking running shoes in the house.
Two 'Great North Runs' done barefoot. That's a pretty harsh environment, 10's of thousands of other runners, bitumen covered in plastic bottletops etc.
I wouldn't use the vibram things. When running barefoot, you avoid stone bruises and turned ankles by feeling something before your weight goes on the foot. It is a reflexive thing to do a 'stumble' and avoid a bruised foot, turned ankle or broken toe. Stick some rubber on the outside of your feet and you lose that sensitivity.
One of my ankles is damaged from a nasty (not)rock-climbing fall - I'm missing several important ligaments on the outside of the ankle and the joint is misshapen. This hasn't prevented me from running distances of up to 14miles on and off-road.
I took it steady getting back into running. Allowed a similar buildup as those recommended to avoid shin splints and found my feet toughened up quickly. At the peak of my running barefoot I could tread on brambles without the thorns penetrating the calluses. I've got home and picked broken glass out of my feet - no blood, the glass hadn't penetrated and I hadn't felt it.
The downsides:
Running downhill on hard surfaces is much harder on your knees. With running shoes on, you can let a lot of the impact be taken by the cushioning in the shoes. Doesn't exist when barefoot, so your knees have to do the job.
Wet and muddy ground. Wet softens the skin, slipping in mud can result in cuts when there are sharp stones, sticks or broken glass in the mud.
Scree. You'll break toenails in a bloody way, but will be much more light of foot and faster than wearing boots.
If running with other people, you feel short. Being barefoot loses over an inch in height.
You get called a hobbit.
The upside:
It's cheap (have you seen the cost of running shoes?)
Less tendency for shin splints
People think you are hardcore (I got a shout out on the big screen at the GNR).
No washing mud off shoes or griping from the missus about stinking running shoes in the house.
Well just to bump this a bit, I just did a mile (and a little bit) jog in some huarches. I ran totally barefoot last year a few times before the wife banned me from doing it and only just got round to a different approach. A little bit of tweaking needed on the bindings but felt good. Running true barefoot was fine but a little bit of pain at times from rougher ground - the thin rubber from the huaraches eliminated that.
We'll see how it progresses.....
We'll see how it progresses.....
