It's been a long winter in Wisconsin, and even wear shoes inside, since my feet get cold. The built-up padding on my soles has disappeared. I've been considering giving up on going barefoot. I just can't seem to stick with it lately. Is this really worth it?
I used to get cold feet back when I was a kid forced to wear shoes. But now my bare feet stay warm all winter. In fact, if I put on just socks my feet get all hot and suffocated. The temps here get down to below 20 F and I'm still walking around barefoot. When I sleep I have to stick my bare feet out of the sheets.
Well I haven't gotten to the point where I wanted to give it up yet, but it is very frustrating, I must wear shoes at work, and the past month I have also taken to wearing socks inside due to it being so cold, I just can't keep warm. I haven't been barefoot outside since january 2nd, I tried running out in the cold one day and it was too much for me, I really handle the heat much better than I handle the cold. My feet show almost no shadow of thier pre winter selfs and I will be starting over yet again, hopefully this saturday when we should get into the high 50's or low 60's here in central indiana. Its frustrating I know....
MisterEm, don't lose hope. You're listening to your body. You don't have anything to prove and there's no award for forcing yourself to go barefoot just because. Going barefoot is something that you should do when you want to, because you enjoy it. There are no rules that say you must go barefoot year round. It's not weakness to take heed of your body's needs. We are all individuals and need to find our own path. Maybe yours is that you enjoy going barefoot in spring summer and/or fall...but not in winter. There's nothing wrong with that. Shoes and socks aren't evil. If you need one or both of them to get through a cold winter, then use them and just realize that you will look forward to being able to shed them again when spring arrives! A lot of barefooters in the various communities I've been involved in try to turn this into a competition to see who is the most devoted barefooter. To me, that's just not fun at all. Each person has to shape their lives in the way that works best for them. It's not a question of whether it's worth it, in my opinion - it's a question of what best fits your life and makes you happy.
I would still definately say that it's worth it! I'm Canadian....canada=cold for the most part...and every spring/summer, off come the shoes. I'm in horrible pain for the first bit, but it's soooo worth the pain after the fist few weeks. It's all up to you of course, but that's just me
MisterEm, please hang in there man. Matthew said some great stuff, listen to it. you have nothing to prove to anyone but yourself. if you want to be a warm weather barefooter, great, at least you're going barefoot WHEN YOU want to. so what you loose a bit of the padding, think of the fun you'll have rebuilding it. peace, bob
What they all said! As cold as it is in Maine, I do about as well as anyone can, and love every minute of it. But the dangerous cold is, well, dangerous, and precautions must be taken. Can't mess with it. One thing I do even with all this snow and ice, when I come back to the truck from a few hours of pruning, is take off the low cut hiking shoes (my work footwear in winter,) and socks (often wet by then anyway) and drive home barefoot with the heater drying my feet and legs out. If I have to stop somewhere, my Chacos or flops are right there, and it's safe to do errands that way in the cold. Probably not much else though. For whatever reason, I'm luckier than most about resuming barefooting in the spring. It's wonderful. The toughness is still there, but also so is the sense of feeling that can "taste" the different textures I so often walk on. Probably my advantage is where I work, and working for myself. I can get back into bf any moment that it's good to do so.
Barefooting are not any competition. You´re running your own race and you´re only challenge your self. Do what feels good for you.
MisterEm do not give up. Dress appropriately so you do not suffer frostbite in the winter. Follow the advice posted here by the other cold climate barefooters. View next spring as a reintroduction of your soles to all of the wonderful textures you will encounter.
Maybe I have cabin fever or something... I don't know. I'm just tired of winter. There's more snow on the way.
It's not too cold for barefooting here, and I'm still tired of winter! We had the hottest July month since they kept track, but it was followed by the wettest August since they've been keeping records, and it seems to me it's been raining ever since... Only one day of snow and it turned to slush before the day was over, but lots and lots and lots of rain, wind, just generally dreary weather... we may not have much of a winter but seven months of autumn weather doesn't make me happy either. Yes it is time for spring and summer to arrive!
