Xero Sensori vs. Unshoe Pah Tempe

jchite84
jchite84 Posts: 467 Member
My background story: I started running about 2 years ago, started with a pair of Asics with a million mile drop. I overpronate and as shoes wear out I get pretty bad knee pain. Solution: less sole = less to wear out. Switched to zero drop Reeboks which I ran in until they wore out and then New Balance Minimus, which made my feet go numb. I eventually made my own pair of huarches. I put about 50 miles on them and the string broke mid race. Finished 3.5 miles completely barefoot.

I currently have a pair of Xero Sensoris with about 200 miles on them, which I really like, except for 3 things. 1) The balls of my feet hurt something fierce, though nothing that a few minutes with a golf ball doesn't help, and with no knee pain, I figure it's a good trade off. 2) Sometimes on long runs (10-15 miles) the toe post will start to rotate and burn a hotspot on the top of my foot, sometimes they shift around a bit and the toe post will start to dig into places that it doesn't normally dig in. 3) Muddy or wet trails and they become so slippery that they are useless.

I am considering buying a pair of Unshoe Pah Tempes, which have no toe post, slightly thicker sole, and are apparently better in muddier conditions, thus solving all three of my problems. Has anybody tried the Pah Tempes? They are a little more expensive than Sensoris, but still less expensive than standard running shoes. I'm training for my first ultra, so I want something sturdy, but I'm not into the wasting money game.