Minimalist/Barefoot Running?

Would love to find some vibrams....also thinking about Adi-Pures.

I ordered mine online using the measurement video they have on their site. I gotta say, it's spot on!

I always wonder about the "toe shoes" (as I've always referred to them as... prior to knowing what the heck they were). lol. But can someone please elaborate on the idea behind these "toe shoes"? ?

I loooooove my Vibrams. I hadn't been running long when I got them and have never had any problems. After I started running with them my knees stopped hurting like they had been and I found I had better running posture and could run a little longer. Just make sure you get them somewhere that has good customer service...it was kind of hard to know what size to get when I had no idea what they were supposed to feel like. Also...they took a few days to get used to. At first they were kind of hard to get on and felt really, really weird. You have to kind of ease into using them for running, a little at a time.

I also am a barefoot runner and I love love my Vibrams! I 100% recommend them.

I always wonder about the "toe shoes" (as I've always referred to them as... prior to knowing what the heck they were). lol. But can someone please elaborate on the idea behind these "toe shoes"? ?

The idea behind minimalist running is that you should have a natural footfall in which you don't injure yourself as much as when you run in regular, heavily padded shoes. Think of kids running - you often see them racing around on the grass barefoot. It's the same sort of idea, that you naturally have a way of running that's more suited to your body's posture, etc. It's become quite a phenomenon in the last couple of years.

For me, I'm not a huge fan of it, but I also don't tend to have a lot of problems running in regular shoes (one of the main reasons a lot of people turn to minimalist running/shoes is to prevent injuries they tend to have with normal shoes). Just try it and see if you like it.

The reason I'm changing to minimalist is because I have a problem with my right ankle rolling a lot. I'm hoping that a shoe that doesn't have an elevated sole will help with that.

Aight.. I'll give you my insight.. Keep in mind that I'm about 6'4" and at the moment 280. I'm not exactly the poster child for health nuts or running gods. However I run in both Vibrams and the New Balance Minimus shoes. Matter of fact I had a thread where I did my first official 5k Saturday in my Five Fingers and last night I ran about 4 miles in my NBs, what's special about those 4 miles was it was the first time I've done it in the NBs that wasn't on a treadmill. What sold me on Vibrams was the rolling of my ankles. I have terrible ankles, however, when I first saw a pair of Vibrams I was in Fayetteville, NC working out and I asked a guy wearing them the story. He was a Army Ranger based at Ft. Bragg and said he began wearing them due to his ankles rolling. His claim was with the Vibrams his ankles have been strengthened and he doesn't roll them any more. So I bought a pair months later after lots of research. I have worked out in my Vibrams since Oct 2010. Ran in them. And I can say without a doubt I haven't had a single ankle issue EXCEPT when I was transitioning into them there were days where my ankles hurt, but it was not a joint pain.

After wearing my Vibrams so much, I bought a pair of NB Minumus shoes, and there's been no transition. I wear inji socks with my NBs just because my future Brother In Law experienced blisters with his going sockless (he's one reason I bought a pair of the NBs).

Do your research. Go to running shoe stores that have all kinds of minimalist shoes/barefoot shoes and try them all on until you find one you're comfortable with. Make sure you remember the name and the size in case you can find them cheaper elsewhere. Once you buy a pair, don't go b*lls to the wall in them, transition into them. I know Five Fingers on the tags on the shoes it tells you to work your way into them and always have a spare pair of shoes handy in case you start feeling pain. Stop swap and continue. The pain is the indicator. You'll eventually get to a point where you build up your muscles and they don't bother you.

Feel free to send me a message if you have any other questions.

Vibram shoes warn you to not go full out in these shoes right away, it hurts (on so many levels). But you can up the pace and distance pretty quick. If your ankles are week it definitely strengthens them, but if they're week it'll definitely hurt at first. I know of a few 'flat foot' people who like these shoes for strengthening their arches and ankles.

I love my Merrell Barefoot running shoes (http://www.merrell.com/US/en/Barefoot). They have the Vibram sole but not the hobbit foot look. (Don't get me wrong, I have the hobbit shoes too, just not for running). My calves and ankles were sore about 3 weeks into running with the barefoot shoes, but now for the most part things are great! I used the Couch to 10K program to get me going in the right direction - I would recommend it if you are just starting out like I was!

I love these shoes 'cause I feel like a sexy hobbit...when you pull over to sit on a rock and pick grass out of your toes lol. Loves it..

Started training for a 5k about 3 weeks ago. Im completely new to running and loved the idea of minimalist/Barefoot running, however I have just recovered from a serious knee injury, so I was a bit apprehensive. I bought myself some Nike Free + 2s and I loooooove them. I bit more cushioned than some of the minimalist shoes, but i really adore them! Good luck on your running adventures!

I have Brooks minimalist running shoes and I love them. I have tried on the Vibrams but have a hard time with the toes so I decided against them at least for now. I used to run 5k races and I had a really hard time with traditional running shoes. I have flat feet and they kept trying to get me into shoes with tons of extra support. They were so bulky and uncomfortable I started avoiding my runs. My feet and ankles are in so much better shape than they were because I have really worked to strengthen them. I agree to start out slowly and to find a shoe store that will fit you to them and let you try on a bunch of different brands. Where I go if I don't like them for any reason within 30 days I can return them and try something else.

I have Brooks minimalist running shoes and I love them. I have tried on the Vibrams but have a hard time with the toes so I decided against them at least for now. I used to run 5k races and I had a really hard time with traditional running shoes. I have flat feet and they kept trying to get me into shoes with tons of extra support. They were so bulky and uncomfortable I started avoiding my runs. My feet and ankles are in so much better shape than they were because I have really worked to strengthen them. I agree to start out slowly and to find a shoe store that will fit you to them and let you try on a bunch of different brands. Where I go if I don't like them for any reason within 30 days I can return them and try something else.

One thing I'd like to mention about Brooks. I use to work at a shoe store and sold hundreds and hundreds of different types of sneakers in including different types of Brooks. I'd say 90% of the things people returned that I sold to them were Brooks. Staff use to try and convince customers not to buy brooks but many people still bought them and the rest of the staff had the same problem with returns. It was a running joke and people would laugh at you over the head set as soon as you were brought over to the brooks wall. If you want something for short term, then great. Dad loves brooks and wears them until there's holes in them everywhere because they're usually cheaper and he doesn't generally walk anywhere.

Couldn't find any decent shoes. The only minimalist shoes I found were Fila Skeletoes. They really looked kinda shoddy. They felt less like a minimalist trainer that would strengthen your feet and provide comfort and stability, and more like, "Hey kids, here are some of those funky toe shoes that all the cool kids are wearing!"

Well I'm 39 so not a cool kid. I run about 20 mpw in mine.