Mission: Footwear

[Dreadhead]

having worn trainers or boots my whole life my feet are in pretty poor shape so im trying to move towards barefoot type shoes and boots with flat soles for heavier weather. however having a hell of a time trying to find boots that i can agree with and that look like they wont treat my feet like crap

following several threads on here iv come across two shoe makers im eager to try out and i wondered if anyone has any information or tips on these types of footwear for someone wanting a more 'barefoot' feel to shoes rather than heels/lifts/arch support/cushioning etc.

Very interested in these:
http://www.kero.se/en/shop/products/product/show/bloetnaebb-antik/
luckily they can do a flat sole which is why i would consider them. however i dont know anybody who has ever even heard of them so im a little reluctant to be the guinea pig on this one! have a habit of being let down by footwear. they do however look perfect but would appreciate it if anyone could share any experience with these boots or the company as google isnt turning up any reviews etc

and this company seems interesting (factoring out the cost!):
http://po-zu.com/uk/

they look great aswell but im not sure how the soles affect the feet. if they are generally good for feet or just another 'cushioning' that feet can do without

My old german paras just feel too clumsy these days and are doing me more harm than good. time tae find some more inovative footwear that can function as boots.

any advice would be great, cheers, Hamish.

 

[pauljm116]

These look great for the summer.

http://www.shoesmode.com/vibram-fivefingers-sprint-men-dark-blue-blue.html?___store=default

Not sure if I could wear them in the street though!

 

[greensurfingbear]

While not boots I have to say I love my vibram five fingers. I regularly run and take light level hikes in the kangaroo leather kso model. I've had to get some toe socks as they've aged they've gotten slightly looser and I was getting blisters for a while, but thats stopped now. I really think that they are great. The grip isn't the best in muddy/ wet conditions but the comfort and the sheer cool factor makes up for it. They are also a great talking point lol. I saw a Chap wearing them when I was traveling and got mine within 6 weeks of getting back to the UK. Mostly as I had to travel to north Yorkshire to get them! If you decide that they are for you should try them on before buying as sizing is a issue you don't want to get wrong.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

 

[Dreadhead]

yeah iv seen the vibrams and they do look great however i try tae avoid any synthetic stuff. but yeah iv seen a leather model somewhere so i may end up with a pair someday!

 

[EdS]

good old Converse are still hard to beat.

And you don't look like a yogurt knitting arts teacher.

 

[treadlightly]

yeah iv seen the vibrams and they do look great however i try tae avoid any synthetic stuff. but yeah iv seen a leather model somewhere so i may end up with a pair someday!

I have the leather kso treks and they are great, BUT, not for winter use in the UK imho. I stopped using mine in November last year. Once the temp gets down to 5C its a bity cold for them even with the toe socks. Fine for the rest of the year though.

I am in the same position as you and as you've read the threads I'm sure you'll know about the bison bushcraft boots.

 

[Dreadhead]

yeah i figured with the five fingers. and yeah im nae so keen on the bison boot, those kero boots are growing and growing on me though! i reckon ill have myself a pair or 2 before xmas

 

[bilmo-p5]

Clogs perhaps?

 

[treadlightly]

Went into Ellis Brigham in Covent Garden at the weekend and came across these....

http://www.barefootathlete.co.uk/Shoes/Inov8/Evoskin.html


The ultimate barefooting shoes?? I tried a pair on just to see what they were like - not for me.

 

[pastymuncher]

The point of minimalist shoes is to avoid the things that change your posture, i.e wedged soles or heels and thick soles. The thinner the soles the better as it lets your feet feel the ground etc.
I've removed the insoles of most of my shoes, when I do wear shoes, lo top Vans mostly, you can still feel the ground. However the more I go barefoot the more I dislike wearing any shoes as they feel so claustrophobic. I liken it to wearing thick wetsuit gloves when woodcarving.

 

[treadlightly]

I agree and have gone down the same route. but those silicone feet were a step (ha ha) too far.

 

[sakotrg]

On the back of a previous thread on here I ordered a pair of boots from Chuckle shoes.
Spoke to Barrie Forte a few times and sent down templates of my feet along with circumferences.
Still waiting on delivery but I will post up a review shortly, as the boots are made to measure i'm sure he could fit whatever sole you wanted.

 

[Dreadhead]

got tae agree with you there pastymuncher. aye iv seen those wee shoes tread but they seem like they would part like butter over a stone

still knocking around in my soft stars with bits of leather glued on as makeshift sole repairs they are treating me fine so far! two thin pieces of leather is perfectly adequate until i find something a bit more foolproof

 

[forestwalker]

http://www.kero.se/en/shop/products/product/show/bloetnaebb-antik/
luckily they can do a flat sole which is why i would consider them. however i dont know anybody who has ever even heard of them so im a little reluctant to be the guinea pig on this one! have a habit of being let down by footwear. they do however look perfect but would appreciate it if anyone could share any experience with these boots or the company as google isnt turning up any reviews etc

They are quite regional here. Martin K. could possibly comment on the use of similar shoes in Finland. And I will buy a pair come fall, and will report here as to how they are to walk around in the forest in.

And Kero is know as a fairly high quality company.

 

[rautakokki]

You should see what Russell Moccasin Link-to-website from US is offering. They have recently started to make "barefoot" stuff also but most of their stuff is made to order and highly customizable to ones needs. I have two pairs of their shoes/boots and can vouch for the quality and comfortness!