Barefoot Running

[KnottedYet]

Jolt - have you noticed any cross-over between VFF and Birkenstocks? I have the perfect Birki feet - it's like those suckers were made for ME. (and, oh, do I feel special!) But I wasn't able to fit VFF at all because my great toe is so huge compared to the rest of my toes that to get a size that felt right left me with floppy flaccid toes everywhere else.

Mostly, I'm wondering if the neutral heel, straight last, and broad toe box of Birkis translate well to the neutral heel, straight last, and unlimited toe box of the VFF.

[colby]

I didn't have any trouble going to Keen sandals after wearing the VFFs for a couple weeks pretty much straight, but Keens are well known for their toebox and foot-friendly shape. ANY shoes that squash my toes feel absolutely wrong - even my bike shoes.

I feel like the VFFs are one of those toe aligner dealies that you see in the SkyMall catalog or in the back of magazines. My left pinky toe always feels funny the first time I put it back in the VFFs after wearing other shoes, like it's being put back where it belongs. I wear them for a while, my toes feel great and the shoes go on super easy, then I wear regular shoes, even just for a night, come back to the VFFs, and I have to argue with my toes to get in them.

[Selkie]

I capitulated and just ordered a pair of the KSOs from REI. My feet are "pre-bunion," according to a podiatrist I saw a few years ago. If I love these shoes, it's going to be very difficult not to wear them to work....

[Jolt]

Jolt - have you noticed any cross-over between VFF and Birkenstocks? I have the perfect Birki feet - it's like those suckers were made for ME. (and, oh, do I feel special!) But I wasn't able to fit VFF at all because my great toe is so huge compared to the rest of my toes that to get a size that felt right left me with floppy flaccid toes everywhere else.

Mostly, I'm wondering if the neutral heel, straight last, and broad toe box of Birkis translate well to the neutral heel, straight last, and unlimited toe box of the VFF.

I haven't worn Birkenstocks but I would imagine you're right. They're one of the very few shoes shaped like a real foot, and are flat from toe to heel. The only potential problem with them is that they aren't flexible. Check out this link http://barefootted.com/2008/08/my-huaraches.html for sandals you can make yourself (for running or otherwise) that fit all the criteria for staying out of the way of the natural functioning of your feet.

[KnottedYet]

I run in Chaco sandals, and have recommended Chacos to a lot of patients (not necessarily for running, just in general). Birkis seem to only really fit a specific type of foot, so I don't direct patients to them unless they already know they've liked them in the past.

If I could wear VFF I'd buy a pair just so I could experience them and pass the info along to my foot people. I can rationalize a lot of shoe purchases that way...

Neutral heel and straight last AND wide toe box are rather hard to find, and I'd like to be able to add a few more shoes to my recommendation toolbox. (Even though I haven't worn them myself, I did suggest them to a patient with great foot posture barefoot, kinda iffy posture in regular shoes, and who prefers sports sandals and moccasins. They seemed like a reasonable match, and she was quite excited about how funky they look.)

[Red Rock]

With all of this talk on shoes....well I added some Chacos to my collection this week. My shoes are becoming like my bike collection. A big Thank you goes out to Knott on these. Its nice to know that they are recommened by the Podiatry Association. They have a great arch support and hold by big bunioned toe in place. One foot is worse than they other.

Now I am either in my Danskos or Chacos.

GLC1968-thank you for your eval on the VFF's and toe placement.

I think with the Chacos having the toe "strapped in" actually feels better.

Red Rock

[Serendipity]

Barefootin' hits the big time.

I really need to find a PT or podiatrist who, as the article says, doesn't believe that "one size fits all."

Been suffering from a heel injury for the last month or so and not really feeling like it was improving, despite resting & icing it. I randomly made an appointment with PT at a local sports medicine clinic and fully expected to be told to 'hang up the running shoes'. After a thorough assessment, the PT confirmed that it was a bruised heel and we talked about treatment. It was when he suggested that I try running barefoot on the treadmill that the light went on. We spent the next 15 minutes talking about barefoot running - showed me the VFF KSO's he uses - and I had a chance to try running barefoot on the indoor track attached to the clinic. What - no pain?

Now I can hardly wait to try this out - I had to order VFFs as no one in town sells them - but they should be here within the next few days. And I do need something on my feet. First of all, there's too much snow on the ground right now and way too much crud on the roads, trails, paths, to truly run barefoot.

The other thing I'm excited about is going barefoot around the house and around the yard....when the snow goes, of course. Had always done that; like so many others on this thread, I had grown up barefoot but over the past few years had listened to those telling me that I needed to protect my feet as I got older.

So, the PT did tell me to 'hang up my running shoes' but not in the context I imagined. It's been very enlightening reading about others' experiences on this thread; while I don't expect all my foot troubles to magically disappear, I am looking forward to the 'barefoot running' expeience.

Sorry this is so long - but can you tell I'm excited..

[Kimmyt]

I picked up a pair of VFF sprints at REI on a whim a few months ago- they had one pair in stock (normally they don't stock them, but someone had returned an online order and they were just sitting on the ground in the shoe section) and they were in MY SIZE. I tried them on in the store and said, 'what the heck!' and bought them.

I wore them once on a treadmill before realizing they were actually a bit too big, so I ordered a smaller size. Still actually have the bigger pair, have yet to return them (left the tags on since I wasn't sure about the fit).

Anyway, I've been adding on 0.5 miles on to the end of my treadmill runs this winter when I didn't run outside, so I got a bit more used to them, but I've been waiting for it to get warmer to take them out!

I took them out yesterday for 0.8 miles and they felt GREAT. I felt so... fast! And free!

My feet certainly aren't made for these shoes. My second toe is slightly longer than my big toe, but not enough to make a huge difference. And my pink tends to curl under the other toes, so that means it takes a lot of manual labor to get my toes in their respective pockets. But once in there they feel okay, at least for now.

Here's a question for people, any funny stores of 'what are THOSE!'. When I first took mine outside on the track at work, I passed some of the security guards out walking during lunch, and their conversation stopped as they passed me, then they started whispering and laughing. I knew they were looking at my shoes but I didn't really care. It was way too much fun to run in them!

Also I saw a girl at my rock gym in these, though i personally think the rubber is too soft to use for any really technical climbing and that also might make them more prone to rock-induced damage and would get ruined too quickly. I also know another guy at my work gym who runs on them on the treadmill, but then apparently there's a growing crowd of BFers at my work gym. What can I say, we're scientists... we're all about empirical research!!!

[KnottedYet]

With all of this talk on shoes....well I added some Chacos to my collection this week. My shoes are becoming like my bike collection. A big Thank you goes out to Knott on these. Its nice to know that they are recommened by the Podiatry Association. They have a great arch support and hold by big bunioned toe in place. One foot is worse than they other.

Now I am either in my Danskos or Chacos.

GLC1968-thank you for your eval on the VFF's and toe placement.

I think with the Chacos having the toe "strapped in" actually feels better.

Red Rock

Chaco has finally done it right! After flailing around with Merrell (for the disasterous hiking boots and shoes in the early 2000's) and the appalling sneakers (mid 2000's) they've taken a cue from Birkenstock. Basing a heel-strap clog on their fabulous Z1/Z2 footbed (like Birkenstock did with the Tokyo) to make the "Toe-Coop" and a closed-heel clog (like Birkenstock did with the London) to make the "Ped-Shed." These won't be available until July 2010. $110 for the heel-strap clog (Toe-Coop) and $120 for the closed-heel clog (Ped-Shed).

And they will be resoleable like the Z1 and Z2!

Yay!

ETA: Serendipity - I run barefoot in the snow (truly barefoot, not with training flats like VFFs). It's good stuff. Give it a try over a short distance.

[Serendipity]

ETA: Serendipity - I run barefoot in the snow (truly barefoot, not with training flats like VFFs). It's good stuff. Give it a try over a short distance.

Wow, KnottedYet, I have never considered running barefoot in the snow.
You inspire me, but for next year
Actually we've lost all the snow we had over the past week or so and unless we get a major snowstorm (and that entirely possible), it looks like next winter....which will give me time to build up my courage!

[KnottedYet]

I never ran far (30 yards, tops!) but it felt so neat that I made a point of doing a little run in the snow on sunny days.

That was when I lived where it snowed...

I still run in the snow when I go to visit my mom, but that's not every week!

It's really a lot of fun! I thought my feet would get very cold, but for a short jaunt they stay pretty ok.

[OakLeaf]

Re-post from Chi Running:

Anybody practice chirunning or barefoot running in South Florida? Journalist looking to interview for a magazine article. Please contact Margit Bisztray at majo705@yahoo.com, thanks!

Got a pair of VFF Sprints yesterday. Honestly I'm not sure if they're going to work with my toes or not, but they were close enough I'm going to give them a try for a bit. Or, I may have a pair of size 41s for sale in the near future...

[Tri Girl]

I've been pretty much wearing ONLY my VFF's for about a month now. We did a mountain hike on Tuesday and I wore my trail running shoes with my custom orthotics (I thought I'd need the extra toe protection and support). My arches have hurt terribly for the last 2 days. Eek! I guess going from no support to full-on support was NOT a good idea.

I'm hiking for 4 days in the Grand Canyon this summer. I want to wear my VFF's, but I'm afraid they won't protect my feet as well as traditional shoes. I'm stumped at what to do. Maybe I should wear my trail shoes but without the orthotics... I've got lots of experimenting to do over the next 3 months.

[twin]

The trek is supposed be out for women in the near future.

[Tri Girl]

The trek is supposed be out for women in the near future.

bwaa haaa haaa (insert evil laugh here).... perfecto!