Hello barefooters! I hope you can help me. I know this request sort of goes against the spirit of this forum, but I don't know where else to ask! (In fact, suggestions for other places to ask would probably be helpful.) I have been trying to get in shape this year--specifically, by running. Unfortunately, I have joint problems, and while I was fine for the first few weeks, running seems to be very hard on my joints. Having read a fair amount about barefoot running, I'm fairly certain that shoes are the culprit, or at least part of the problem. However, I can't solve this problem by simply running barefoot. The gym that I've joined requires "athletic shoes" in exercise areas, and I doubt there are any gyms that don't require shoes. I want to stay in the gym for several reasons: 1) a gym membership helps motivate me and keep me on my schedule; 2) the treadmill is easier on my joints than concrete would be; 3) it's cold out! I'd like to be hardcore like I see many of you on this forum are, but I have poor circulation in my hands and feet and even walking barefoot in my 66F house makes my feet hurt from the cold after an hour or so. So what I'm looking for is a pair of shoes that will give me the barefoot benefits I'm looking for--namely, allowing my feet to find their own, natural way and letting me step down more softly so my joints are not so jarred--but still qualify as shoes so I can wear them at the gym. I have tried Vibram FiveFingers (my college roommate had a pair--actually, I think now she has several) and they don't fit me. I have oddly shaped toes and while I could get my roommate's shoes on, the toes didn't all go into the right toe spots and my big toe was very difficult to get in and out. I've looked at the Feelmax shoes on Amazon and the reviews are very discouraging. Do the Nike Frees really simulate barefooting? Are there any other brands out there? Any other suggestions for me? Thank you in advance for any help you might be able to offer!
There are the 'pocket slippers': http://www.pocketslippers.com/product.shtm Also Vivo barefoot: http://www.terraplana.com/womens-vivo-barefoot-c-154_163.html Or Feelmax: http://www.feelmax.com/ Or you could make your own Huaraches, with thin and flexible soles. I think there are Youtube video's showing how you do that.
You can buy kits to make your own Huaraches here. You could also probably get some ideas from the pictures there about making your own without buying a kit.
I don't think any footwear really simulates barefooting. If you think about it, putting anything between your feet and the outside world takes away part of the barefooting experience. What I think you may want to know is whether any footwear allows your foot to function more naturally during running—and that may be possible. I've had a couple of pairs of Nike Frees. One is light, flexible and comfortable to wear. The other was heavier, stiffer and not much different from other athletic shoes. IMO one of the lighter more flexible pairs *might* work for your needs. If you're interested in Nike Frees, go to the shoe store and try on a few pairs. You'll get a feel for whether they'll work for you pretty quickly. The important point about running barefoot is how you run. If you can learn to run as though you were barefoot by bringing your forefoot down first and using your arch to absorb the energy of the impact, even regular running shoes *might* work. Unfortunately, most running shoes are heavy and constructed in such a way that it's difficult not to land heal first. Take a look at the videos of shod versus unshod running strides from a recent Harvard study at http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/4BiomechanicsofFootStrike.html. There are barefoot "purists" and there are people who think of themselves as "barefoot" runners even though their feet never, ever leave the embrace of a shoe. If you want a few websites for more information, you can check out http://www.runningbarefoot.org and http://www.barefootrunner.com. They approach the issue from different angles, so you may find one or the other suits your needs better, or they might point your search in a better direction. Basically, if you want to encourage your body to adopt a more natural stride and barefooting is not an option, find light, flexible, well-fitting footwear with minimal sole and no heal padding. You want footwear that doesn't mute your feet's plea to the brain, "Stop slamming down your heels!" (The replies above give some good suggestions of such footwear.) P.S. Barefoot running has been in the news so much lately that I'd be surprised if there aren't sports clubs out there that allow it (or would allow it if approached).
Thanks you for the responses (and I apologize for taking so long to follow up)! I don't suppose anyone here has actually tried the pocket slippers, Vivo, or Feelmax? I'll have to look around for reviews. As far as I can tell, none of them are sold in my area--not in my state or the other state I spend time in. Frustrating. The Nike Frees might be available... I'll have to go to the mall sometime. Kazuya, thank you for all that information! Those videos were really interesting. I've seen those other sites but maybe I'll look at them again. It's been a while. Those Huaraches look really awesome. Too bad they won't work for the gym. Maybe I'll make a pair just to have... ETA: I see that there are reviews on barefootrunner.com--that will be really helpful!
