Barefoot shoes - good, or overhyped?

[Michael569]

@Something Funny still not onboard but I gotta admit some of those hiking shoes actually look pretty solid

Perhaps one day....

[Pateedm]

Enjoy man, it feels good wearing shoes that actually fit the shape of your foot. 

Also, my arch seems to have gotten significantly higher since transitioning to mostly wearing barefoot shoes. 

I wear Vivobarefoot at work and I walk on average over 10km a day (according to my phone), without many issues. Although I have put in the innersoles as I find it more comfortable. 

I would recommend to start slow, your feet will probably be a little sore in the begining until all of the foot muscles etc. strengthen up.

[Leo Gura]

19 hours ago, kieranperez said:

You don’t know what you’re talking about.

Vibram made false claims because they got caught in the hype with the barefoot movement post-Born to Run when thousands of people read that book and got lost in the part about barefoot running but missed the part about how it can take 6 months to build up and run 2 miles barefoot.

As a runner whose invested more than a decade studying this stuff and knows some of the best athletic scientists regarding this stuff, there is no debate about the benefits of minimal footwear.

However, the matter is not black and white. The modern human foot is so incredibly weak and we’re on surfaces that human beings that ran barefoot just a few thousand years ago just weren’t on. There was no pavement and humans weren’t running up high mountain peaks (by and large). They also weren’t necessarily all trying to maximize how fast they ran a mile or 5000 meters on the track. And even then, some humans, like the Tarahumara, did create minimal forms of footwear for basic protection. 
 

The reality for most modern people is that they would benefit tremendously from minimal footwear but in low doses and gradually build strength in the foot and lower legs and let the body adapt over time. It’s not the answer most people want though. It can start by just walking around your house barefoot and going on walks on your local grass or turf field and slowly build from there. Build strength not just in your feet but your Achilles, ankles, tibialis, calves, etc.

If you’re doing this just to be healthier and develop over strength, check out knees over toes guy on YouTube as he does really lay out a solid progression that assists with all this stuff.

Be smart and best of luck with your journey. 

I tried doing that with vibrams a long time ago. It's just such a low-priority thing. You don't need some ripped caveman feet.

[Something Funny]

19 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

I tried doing that with vibrams a long time ago. It's just such a low-priority thing. You don't need some ripped caveman feet.

It doesn't take much effort though, does it? And potentially can scale into healthier feet, knees, back, and general posture as you get old. So why not?

It's kind of similar to you buying stainless steel pans for cooking and setting up a water filter.

[Leo Gura]

It's so unnecessary it's silly.

[kieranperez]

46 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

I tried doing that with vibrams a long time ago. It's just such a low-priority thing. You don't need some ripped caveman feet.

You’re just ignorant. Just admit it’s not your thing and be done with it and and admit you don’t know what you’re talking about and have a cool humble attitude about it. For once, have some honest humility in subjects you know nothing about. You don’t need to be an ignorant arrogant dick with every subject matter and put things down you don’t understand. 

[Snader]

I've had two pairs from Vivobarefoot over the past few years and am using them occasionally as casual use and when going out for a walk in the nature.

I don't know about the part of getting your feet ripped, I use them for the feels and looks, and the fact that they fit my wide feet better than any shoes I've tested around that price range. The ones I've used has a thick enough sole, so that I can go along in the forest without experiencing any or worrying a stick or a rock piercing my feet.

I'm still ready to replace them for normal shoes if I just manage to find a pair that fits my feet better and is not overstylized.

[StarStruck]

They look ridiculous. There are other shoes who give the same benefits without looking like Bilbo Baggins. It is always a certain time of dude who wears those. 

[Something Funny]

@StarStruck damn, how could I have known what your comment is going to be without even looking at it

Anyway, you do realize that there are thousands of different barefoot shoes models, right? And then there thousands of different styles of clothes you can combine them with to pull of a nice look. And then every person looks different so the same shoe will look different on them.

Just look at all those ugly ass "Bilbo Bagginses":

Btw, hobbits didn't wear any shoes at all...

[Something Funny]

35 minutes ago, StarStruck said:

It is always a certain time of dude who wears those

It is always a certain type of dude who hates on things like barefoot shoes.

Fragile masculinity type of guy who is so manly, that he is too afraid of even the possibility of people thinking that he looks ridiculous.

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by Something Funny

[StarStruck]

59 minutes ago, Something Funny said:

@StarStruck damn, how could I have known what your comment is going to be without even looking at it

Anyway, you do realize that there are thousands of different barefoot shoes models, right? And then there thousands of different styles of clothes you can combine them with to pull of a nice look. And then every person looks different so the same shoe will look different on them.

Just look at all those ugly ass "Bilbo Bagginses":

Btw, hobbits didn't wear any shoes at all...

I’m not the one who is butt hurt. Obviously not all barefoot shoes but most of them yes. 

[Pateedm]

20 hours ago, kieranperez said:

You’re just ignorant. Just admit it’s not your thing and be done with it and and admit you don’t know what you’re talking about and have a cool humble attitude about it. For once, have some honest humility in subjects you know nothing about. You don’t need to be an ignorant arrogant dick with every subject matter and put things down you don’t understand. 

+1