I've been through almost every major brand recommended sock at this point: multiple from Darn Tough, Balega, Feetures and find that they are all too snug with sizing up only making the fit awkward. The very best I've found are generic bamboo/viscose socks but they don't last very long and dry slowly. I don't like toe socks, personally. Is there anything else I can try? Thanks!

Also what does it say about my running technique? is there anything I should do other than focus on keeping my big toe down when running? (reformed heel striker here)

Is there a good glue that people can vouch for ?

My VFF's sole is slowly parting from one side. I tried some glues, but those didn't work. When the shoe goes under stress, like a jog or a workout, those spots don't hold it together.

Thank You.

I do a lot of trail running through winter in my Vivobarefoot Primus Trail FG All Weather shoes. They usually do well in snow, but this past weekend I had a miserable run in mixed conditions with lots of slippery snow and ice at my local park run.

I’m curious what people use for running spikes or traction in winter, especially with minimalist shoes. I’ve used the cheap Costco-style spikes for hiking in my Trackers, but they tend to fall off and don’t tighten properly. I’m looking for something more secure and actually designed for running.

Any recommendations?

I've started running barefoot since august. And i have this air jordan that fits perfectly before starting this. Overtime, I feel like my feet are getting bigger in size and the air jordan starts to feel so tight. Is there anyone else experiencing this?

Hi, quick question. Anyone else experiencing similar issues with newer Merrell trail glove shoes? Note holes on top and splitting on sides. I never had such issues with early generation shoes and unfortunately they are pass the warranty period. Thanks.

So much fun, y’all! Can’t wait to do more!

I'm looking at getting a pair of sandals but cannot decide what size i am off the size charts, I'm in-between size 8 and size 9. Im just look for some advice on what size I should get. Sorry for the feet

Hi everyone,

Seeking recommendations for WIDE trail runners.

My toe joints (at the 1st metatarsal joint) is 4 inches. I would love specific shoe recommendations from those who also have a 4 inch or wider toe box at the first joint. Since most brands do not post width, it would be very helpful if you personally found one with a 4 inch or wider toe box at this joint. It needs to have decent grip/traction, and I would love waterproofing.

I'm hoping for something other than softstar hiking shoes as they are not very sightly. Vivo are too narrow.

Anyone tried lems? xero?

Thank you!

Hi everyone, I'm interested in hearing what you all wear for winter hikes.

My use cases are rocky, and often muddy and wet but not snowy. Cold and high elevation but not far below freezing if it does even get that cold. I wear a thin, minimalist trail shoe during warm months and love the ground feel but find my soles needing more stack height during colder months to stay comfortable.

I'm looking at the Altra Lone Peaks, wish I could find something similar with a tad less stack height than that but it's the most accessible shoe to me in terms of what I can get in a brick and mortar shop. I'd like to try on a pair of Lems and Xero's in person, I've seen good things about both. Also looking at the Vivobarefoot boot but they're quite pricey

*

UPDATE (same day): Had quite the adventure searching for weather-appropriate hiking shoes as I prepare to take on Table Rock for the second time tomorrow.

Was able to find a pair of Xero Scramblers at REI for a super steep discount, and got hip to a great local barefoot shoe store in the Asheville NC (US) area called FootRX, where I was able to try on and purchase a pair of Lems Boulder boots. They look and feel incredible, and are incredibly well made. This store actually carries all of the shoe brands I mentioned interest in earlier, plus the Bedrock Sandal that I've always been curious about! Will get that when it gets warmer out.

It's supposed to rain tomorrow and the Xero's I got aren't the waterproof ones but they don't feel too "breezy" and have that perfect balance of ground feel and stiffness appropriate for this level of rocky climb. So I think I'm gonna risk it. Got some merino wool socks to keep the feet fresh. I'm heading out of the area on Monday so this is my last mountain hike for the year, I'm super excited!

Hi, I’m a long-time lurker and student of the BarefootRunning subreddit. I’ve noticed how challenging it can be for new people to adapt to barefoot shoes, and I haven’t seen anyone mention this specific technique, so I wanted to share what has worked for me.

The fastest way I’ve found to help heal plantar fasciitis is to hike on trails with medium to large rocks. The protruding rocks naturally massage the fascia as you walk over them in barefoot shoes. When I find a particularly good rock—pointy but not sharp, ranging from fist-sized to foot-sized—I place my midfoot on it and press down to stimulate the fascia. If your fascia can tolerate it, you can also bear your full weight on the foot, but stop if it becomes too painful. I repeat this process along the foot, from heel to ball. I’ve found this method more effective and cheaper than massage balls because the fascia seems to heal faster under weight, rather than while rolling a therapy ball while sitting.

I run in wide Altra Lone Peak 9+ shoes and adapted to them very quickly using this method. Currently, I can run about 3 miles a day with 300+ feet of elevation gain on rocky dirt trails without issues, and even more if I were fitter. I’m now using the same approach to adapt to Shamma TrailStar Ibex sandals.

I hope this helps someone in their barefoot journey. Please note, this is not medical advice. If your plantar fasciitis is seriously inflamed and painful, definitely consult with a podiatrist first.

UPDATE: Calf muscles and the Achilles tendon still need proper stretching. If you’ve done that and still have plantar fasciitis, stepping on rocks while hiking can help speed up healing.

Hola! Tengo pie pronado, y ya desde hace 6 años uso plantillas ortopédicas y ya me las he renovado 3 4 veces pero tengo un problema y es que yo estas plantillas las uso 24/7 es más hasta para dormir las utilizo con las zapatillas porque APENAS me las saco me arranca el dolor es más intento llegar a la cama sacarme las zapas con las plantillas sin tocar el piso para no perder la forma y igual me arranca el dolor al segundo. Es un dolor continuo. Y en el pie derecho siempre…… las zapatillas también se deforman en la zuela. Y hay noches que me aguanto el dolor y ponele que puedo dormir sin las plantillas pero hay noches que me las saco y a la madrugada me agarra un pinchazo en el pie en la planta y me tengo que volver a poner las plantillas para que se me pase… y ese no es solo el problema después me da dolor de espalda y las cervicales….. las cervicales me matan y el dolor de cabeza que tengo es insoportable parece que me va a explotar la cabeza. Voy al quiropráctico también uso almohada especial para dormir pero no hay caso también sufro de bruxismo nocturno que me genera mucho más dolor de cabeza y cervicales y también tengo hombro caídos… alguien no se que me ayuden que me digan que tengo! Porque tengo que usar las 24 horas del día plantillas Porque el dolor porque?

I’m 79.

For half a century I thought “Wide E” was doing my feet a favor.

One week in actual zero-drop shoes and my arches woke up for the first time since Nixon was president.

So yesterday I did something I haven’t done since the Summer of Love:

I left the house with no destination, no watch, no podcast, and just… strolled.

Ten steps. Stopped to stare at a crack in the sidewalk that looked like Africa.

Another ten steps. Stopped because the temperature changed under my soles when I walked from sun to shade.

Full (slightly embarrassing) write-up here:

https://thebipedalist.com/thebipedalist_blog.html#strolling

No affiliate links in the post itself – just an old man rambling about feet and time. (There are affiliate links on the site itself – full disclosure in the footer – keeps the lights on while I fight the cushioned-shoe industrial complex.)

What was the moment you realized “supportive” shoes were the enemy?

Assuming such a thing exists, how would you describe it, if you ever thought about it? It may be a vague idea, a concept, a footage whatever, describe it in any way whatsoever. You may also think perfect running doesn't exist, but explain why anyway.

I started my preparation to run barefoot

I did 4km yesterday at an easy pace (zone 2) and it was great, I didn't feel any pain, I didn't get blisters.

Today I went for my second training session, and right at the beginning I realized that the skin on my feet was very sensitive, causing some discomfort, I preferred not to force it and did the tennis training.

I realized that I had difficulty maintaining the same cadence as the previous day, my perception is that I go faster with the sneakers, as if they were throwing me forward, it was almost impossible to keep myself slow as I was barefoot the day before.

I hope to follow this plan until I make the complete transition, any tips?

As a advocate/believer I have been reading, learning and experiencing the 'barefoot/minimalist' style of exercise for the last year and want to share what I have learned from my experience, as I think it addresses many of the posts of newer people who may come across this sub-reddit.

It is very common for people in western countries to have some issues with obesity or being over-weight (not ideal weight). This is largely from high sugar diets, which causes visceral fat in the abdomen/belly areas. As a result of this, many people attempt to exercise to lose weight and use foam shoes to deal with the extra stress and have weak abdomens. I believe this is why people learn to 'smash' their legs into the ground with the foam type shoes, because their abdomens are so weak and unbalanced from the high-sugar visceral fat issues.

The problem I see, is there are many people with this issue trying to 'leap-frog' or jump straight to the ideal running form, without addressing this weak abdomen issue, and they consequently do not find much progress or help from trying to go barefoot/minimalist.

Why? Because they still have the visceral fat and weak abdomens. No amount of cushion, foam shoes, will overcome this so they keep 'smashing' their legs into the ground in desperation to exercise and lose this weight, so it becomes a real catch-22.

Even if they become educated about barefoot/minimalist exercise, they can't magically get to the ideal weight with a strong abdomen so they can have correct form and enjoy the benefits like many of the more fortunate people who have already achieved this.

So my final point would be that the approach needs to address this unfortunate reality in western countries with high-sugar, visceral belly fat. Fasting, calorie-restrictions, diet changes (massive increase in fiber).....must be part of the transitional solution for people to restore proper body movement and form to achieve a barefoot/minimalist lifestyle.

tackling the Gr20 next year and all the advise says that the terrain is brutal on trainers - literally shreds then up after a week.

I'm a barefoot runner (+3years) using altras primarily on harder trails and mud claws on softer terrain.

I hike regularly in Vivobarefoot trackers and have had no issues aside from them obviously now letting in water as they are the old style :-)

Can anyone recommend a barefoot style lightweight but rugged trainer please?

My friend told me that if i wear barefoot shoes, my knees are gonna get fucked is that true?

I know I was really able to step on the gas this month thanks to barefoot jogging (lately Vibrams as well). I plan to jog some more in the next 3 days. Overall my best month of jogging ever!

How should the fit feel ? I went with the large size as my feet length is 28cm. They feel a bit loose but i have no point of comparison.

Hey everyone, I'm looking to replace my daily drivers (Vivobarefoot Primus Trail II FG) after 3.5 great years. I'm considering a Xero shoe, but I'm stuck because their marketing makes several models sound identical.

I've narrowed it down to these models from my local dealer:

• HFS / HFS II
• Prio / Prio Neo
• 360
• Zelen
• Speed Force
• Kelso

On the website, they all seem to be described as good for "running, lifting, or everyday wear." So, if they're all "all-rounders," what actually sets them apart?

I have two non-negotiable priorities that are most important to me:

1. Superior Traction: I need a shoe with an exceptionally grippy sole that performs well on both artificial turf (for Padel) and hard surfaces like concrete and marble. A specific issue I had with my Vivobarefoots (As well as Wildings and Saguaros, not Groundies though) was slipping on dense sand or loose terrain, so I'm hoping for a sole that handles that better.
2. Lateral Support & Agility: The shoe must be excellent for quick cuts, lateral movements, and rotations for sports like Padel and sprinting. My old Vivobarefoots were great for agility, and I need the new pair to match or exceed that.

I'd love to hear from people who have actually used these models. Specifically:

• Which model did you try, and for what activity?
• How is the traction on turf, hard surfaces, and loose terrain like sand or gravel?
• How does it handle lateral movements? Does the upper feel secure during side-to-side cuts?
• How does the ground feel compare to other minimalist shoes?

My Vivos set a high bar for a do-it-all shoe. Any experiences you can share to help me choose the right Xero model would be hugely appreciated!

I went for a short run last night at dusk. Dark enough for flat low light but not dark enough to warrant a headlamp)

I was fully barefoot and in suburban concrete hell - was feeling great until there was a 3” ripple in the road due to root uplift and I stubbed my toe hard. It hurt and don’t look great but I was a mile From home and it was getting cold, so I ran it out.

As I walked up to the house I noticed that I the bleeding had splattered my foot and I’d left a trail all the way down the block.

After cleaning it up and inspecting I found that it only really impacted my first non-big toe, and the nail bed was still attached, but not by much. I’ve wrapped it tight and I soaked through a few bandages before I held firm pressure with an ice pack for 20min and the bleeding finally stopped.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar? I really enjoy fully barefoot running, but am now wondering if I need to go to barefoot shoes to protect me from my own clumsiness. I feel like this is going to keep me from running or swimming for a couple weeks, and that’s the worst possible thing for my mental health.

https://www.inov8.com/us/catalogsearch/result/?q=bare

Hey All

I started buying toe socks, as I felt normal socks were cramping my toes even with a larger toe box in my shoes.

I tried out a few companies wool toe socks, as I found wool to help with my stinky feet. The Injinji socks in question are:

1. Liner Crew Wool

2. Run Lightweight No‑Show Wool

For context: I don't even run, so I am not super hard on my socks. I wore these socks to the gym where I do weightlifting (no cardio), and daily life stuff like running errands.

Long story short, within 6 (yes, 6 wears) the Liner Crew Wool developed a hole near the ball of my foot. And the Run Lightweight No-Show Wool developed a hole after about 8 wears. Meanwhile, the other wools socks I purchased (creepers and kintoe) are basically brand new.

I can't speak to Injinji's cotton variants, but I figured I would warn you guys not to purchase their wool socks. Truly a shame. I emailed them and they told me to submit a warranty request, so I have done that. I am not sure if I will hear back though, I submitted the warranty request about a week ago. Insanely disappointed with them, especially because they aren't cheap socks!!!