Minimalist/Barefoot Running?

Brunner26_2

The vibrams remind me of gorilla feet when viewed from the bottom.

YoungerNextYear59937

A great place to get fivefingers is REI. If you don't have one near you their website is great. REI.com. Great return policy if they don't fit. Another website that has a great variety of styles and colors is travelcountry.com. Great customer service there also. I strongly suggest trying them on first to get the right size. I tried the online sizing chart, but evidently I didn't do it right. I would have bought the wrong size. I'm lucky to have several REI stores nearby, but not everyone does.

gentlygently

Bump

mrfunnyjokes

If you are a new runner, I would suggest going to a running store that sells both regular and minimalist shoes. Talk to them about what your running goals are and be honest about being new to the sport. A good store will welcome the chance to earn a satisfied new customer and will spend time going over the pros and cons of different type shoes. Some stores even have treadmills set up. If you feel like you are being brushed off or fast talked into a pair of shoes get out! Running can be a lifetime of pleasure but not if you start with a painful/bad experience.

CoderGal

They maybe cheaper but they hold up well for me. I'm not really hard on my shoes and in the winter I tend to run on the treadmill so that might help them last too. For me if they wear out faster it is okay as long as I'm comfortable and wearing them. The pair I had before them had me giving up running. I think it is all up to the user. Wear what works for you. I have almost a reverse arch so I have a really hard time finding something that works for me. These were perfect - for me.

Absolutely, they were perfect for my dad too. One thing to note if you have problem feet a lot of people will recmomend acics. I didn't realize what the big deal was at first until I bought a pair. If you have wide, narrow, flat, high, whatever kind of feed a lot of different kinds of people have told me they swear by them. Staff and customers. I started out trying to pull 20 hour shifts standing in nikes and adidas and it just didn't cut it. These are amazing little things. The only person who I've ever heard complain about them is me. 'Cause they're ugly :P (yet I love my hobbit shoes lol)

stevensashen

a) I've spent the last 2 years in Invisble Shoes huarache sandals. And that includes 2 Colorado winters. (www.invisibleshoe.com). They're only $25-30 and have a 5,000 mile warranty.

b) You have got to see these videos:

*kitten* Barefoot Runners Say - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPdb7ZDJKS4

and the followup, *kitten* Runners Say To Barefoot Runners - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erorsuyJKiQ

JTH11706

My local running store put me in a pair of Newton mid-strikes and I LOVE them. They force you to land more flat footed instead of on the heel. I understand they also work as a transition from a structured shoe to a really minimalist one.

Eats_With_A_Fist_Returns

"Oh I thought you meant BEAR foot. ARRRR!" Too funny!

pdlasky

I bought my Vibrams last August and LOVE them! My feet roll in and I've worn arch supports since I was a kid. I really got into running a year ago but was constantly getting hurt - back, calves, feet. It got to the point where I'd finish my run and not be able to move for the next 30 minutes. It was either give up running completely or give the Vibrams a try. I was nervous because I've had a 2 yr fight with plantar fasciitis in the past & the podiatrist had told me to never walk around w/ barefeet or without supportive shoes so I didn't think they would really work for my feet.

I went to EMS and had them fit me and help me select the right pair for my activities. Please do some research about transitioning to them before your first run. I was told to run for 5 minutes, or 1/10th of my normal run, max. And, they suggested running on a soccer field or other soft surface in the beginning. So, the first day I only ran 0.25 mile on a field and stopped - which was very hard to do because it felt great! I took a day off and then repeated. The third day out I moved up to 0.5 miles. It took over 3 months for me to get back up to the 3 miles that I was doing over the summer. You'll work out muscles that haven't been used since you were a kid so you really want to take it slow.

Since moving to the Vibrams, I have not had ANY injuries! My feet & legs feel wonderful! I'm enjoying running so much more now. I'm doing over 4 miles now and I'm running in 30 degree weather! I NEVER would have imagined that I'd ever enjoy running this much! If you haven't already done so, read Born to Run. That book helped me understand the benefits of minimalist shoes for running and also helped me to find the joy in running.

Good Luck!