minimalist running shoes please help!

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  • genessabice
    genessabice Posts: 3
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    I found an article in a womens health magazine that broke it down by width, arch type, ect and then showed you which shoe was best. For me it was a certain type of adidas shoes. So I came home and got on the adidas website and almost ordered them for $100 but then my husband suggested looking at amazon.com, yup bought them on there for $50. Same shoe, brand new and I've had them for almost a year and LOVE them! good luck shoe shopping!
  • Rurouni_Kou
    Rurouni_Kou Posts: 180 Member
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    I'd like to try a pair and see how they work too, I think the five finger ones would make me self conscious, they just draw too much attention, do the minimalist ones you are talking about mimic the five finger ones without the appearance of "feet"? Just curious too!

    Yes there are. This article http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/ mentions several types, one of which is the vivo barefoot. I'll stick with my vibrams though. I like the company and I like the shoes a lot. They're extremely comfy and feel like a second skin. I like the toes because I have wide feet (think duck toes) and it allows my toes to spread, where in most other shoes the walls of the shoes press on the side of my small toe and big toe and crunch too much or when they don't the walls are not tight enough and my foot shifts too much.
  • Rurouni_Kou
    Rurouni_Kou Posts: 180 Member
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    I've been running for over a decade and it's important to have a good shoe. Running shoes is the ONLY shoe I spend more than thirty bucks on. They're that important! :) Pronation is something to worry about if you pronate. Pronation is where your ankles tilt inward or outward and your ankles don't like up with your knees which also throw your hips out of wack. Therefore, you definitely need a supportive shoe. Any running store can help you find the right one! I LOVE new balance. I've tried just about every brand on the market but NB just fits my foot the best.

    My advice in a nutshell. Spend the money, you wont regret it. You only need to buy them every year give or take.

    I'm not a runner, but I would love to be. Difficult when you have a chronic case of plantar fascitis. Pronation is when your inside heel wears more than your outside heel. Ankle turns in. Supination is when your outside heel wears more than your inside. Ankle turns out. Look at your everyday shoe and see where the wear is. It is important to purchase a shoe that will correct your gait pattern when running or you run the risk of turning your ankle and tearing tendons. Very difficult to heal.. I don't want to sound like a know it all, but I am a physical therapist assistant and I love to analyze gait patterns. Don't be afraid to spend money on your shoes. You only get one pair of feet. Knees and hips can be replaced. Like I said, I wish I could run, but right now.....I can't.

    About the wear- I wouldn't go by that if the Op wants minimalist shoes. The wear in my everyday shoes is NOT the wear pattern I get when running and it is also completely different from the wear pattern I get when walking in minimalist shoes. Minimalist shoes causes you to change your gait when walking and drastically changes your gait running. When wearing tennis shoes/every day shoes I wear out the heel first. When wearing minimalist shoes I wear out the ball and toes first (and when I barefoot completely in the summer I get calluses on the ball.)
  • NotAllWhoWanderAreLost
    NotAllWhoWanderAreLost Posts: 615 Member
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    i am confused by the OP's term of 'minimalist running shoes' and wonder if she means shoes such as Vibram 5-fingers or if she means "no bells and whistles, inexpensive shoes" (but traditional shoes, not barefoot style)... I am buying some 5-fingers this spring and can't wait to start running in them a bit at a time. For now i run in Saucony Pro-Grid Rides that i got at 6pm.com for about $50 (they are $90 shoes). My previous pair was also Saucony, but a slightly different style. I have never heard good things from runners about Nike shoes, so i would definitely avoid them. One piece of advice i got from a friend was to go to a running store and get your gait analyzed and listen to the types of shoe they would recommend and why. Take notes. Tell them you need to think about it and then do research online to get ideas of pricing. Many shops will exchange shoes if they are not working out for you, so that is one plus to buying them from the shop. If you don't go to the specialty shop, please do look up some you-tube videos of runners gait analysis; over and under pronation or neutral... its good to know to be able to select the right type of shoe and to avoid injury and just to have a more pleasant training experience. Good luck! And, for what its worth, i totally agree with the other posters who say its worth the extra $$ to invest in good shoes. If you get a bargain, just be sure you are getting good shoes at a great price, not just so-so shoes at a decent-enough price.
  • Flyntiggr
    Flyntiggr Posts: 898 Member
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    The minimalist or 'barefoot' running movement is here to stay. Most of the running shoe companies are coming out with a light back-to-basics shoe. Nike, New Balance, Adidas, Inov, Vibram, and now Merrell all have barefoot running shoes.

    I just ordered the new Merrells based on a lot of web reviews. I tried the VFFs and just couldn't get past the crap between my toes. So annoying (but I struggle with flip flops in the summer too!). The Merrells have been called Vibram One Fingers by a couple of reviewers becuase they feel just like their Vibrams, but look like a normal shoe. They have a sole made by Vibram as well.

    I ran on the treadmill in the pair I ordered, and they are too short. Gotta send them back for a larger size.

    Also - some points to consider. Barefoot running is NOT for everyone. It is a different style of running. You will have to adapt your gait to more of a mid or forefoot strike and push off. Your calfs will be engaged much more, and WILL hurt the first few runs. This is going to happen, so expect it. Most people transition from 'normal' running shoes to barefoots over time. Take it slow and build up your mileage gradually, or you will most likely get injured.

    If you want to learn more about barefoot running, get the book Born to Run. Also, these websites are helpful:

    http://therunningbarefoot.com/

    http://www.barefootrunner.com/

    http://www.barefoot-running.us/
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I have a pair of Vibrams. Love em, but you do have to ease into them slowly.

    I also have a pair of Saucony Kinvara, they are a minimalist running shoe. I cannot speak more highly of them. feels like running in slippers.

    You have a lot of choices out there these days, my advice is to go to a REAL running store, not one located in a mall. They will have minimalist shoes, try them on, see which feels the best. I tried 5+ minimalist types of shoes the day I bought my Kinvara's and just becuase they are minimalist, doesnt mean they all feel good.
  • vibramfivefingers
    vibramfivefingers Posts: 4
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    http://www.vibramfivefingersshoesusa.com/
    Do you like vibram five finger shoes, now it is very popular and has many fans, if you like it, don't wait but choose it. http://www.vibramfivefingersshoesusa.com/
  • lady_daraine
    lady_daraine Posts: 61
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    I love my VFFs. I have a pair of Classics because my feet are so wide and tall that the covered/strapped ones just don't work. I have had them for well over a year, and I have even been camping and fishing in them: http://www.antihousewife.com/2010/11/summer-camping/
    I would get them again in a heart beat! I'm even considering getting another color, instead of my basic black, because I love them so much.
    This is the review I wrote about them on my blog. Hope that helps anyone who is interested in them!
    http://www.antihousewife.com/2010/12/a-review-vibram-five-fingers/

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