What is the best brand barefoot shoes and why? I've read

None. Even millions of years ago humans made shoes. Thinking you need to be barefoot or feel like you're barefoot to "be one with nature" is fucking retarded. Go be an autist on Dual Survivor. You'll fit in.

>>736026
Loved my Vibram fivefingers. Tore them up in 5 warm months
More acceptable in town than barefeet.
Cops go from "we gotta investigate" to "wat a fuckin loser"

Good for breaking in feet after years of "arch support" and cushioning (Read: riding in a stroller).
Made me change how I walked on hard surfaces.
Would buy again (this time used because of price).

>>736026
Barefoot shoes is an oxymoron. Just wear sandals.

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>what is heel support
>what is arch support

>>736043
When running on hard surface I get pain in my knees. When walking long distances I get pain in my back. Whenever I got barefoot I don't have any of these problems..

They are not cheap those Vibrams and not worth it to me if you need to buy a new pair every year. Would rather look for something which would last at least 2 years

>>736041
this

>>736054
They're called barefoot because of their properties i.e letting the foot work as if it was barefoot = zero drop/flat, very flexible, thin sole, no arch support etc. Regular sandals usually don't fit the criteria.

>>736058
Muscles develop when they're used and thus you don't need support.

>>736068
There's plenty of other brands that are worth checking out. Soft star, lems shoes, feelmax, vivobarefoot, ZEMgear etc.

>>736058
>he fell for the foot support meme
You do realize that you don't need heel or arch support unless you are basically crippled, right? Insisting on artificial foot supports for a healthy person is equivalent to making healthy people breathe through CPAP machines.

Why don't you wear knee braces for better knee support?

I've got a couple pairs of fivefingers. I mainly use the KSO, they're the most comfortable. Haven't tried any of the fancier ones they've come out with in the last few years.

I have pretty wide feet and they fit me great, but I haven't tried any of the others. I used to run barefoot as a kid, and running in a pair of nikes has never felt natural to me, so I really enjoy hiking and running in them as opposed to regular shoes. That said, I don't run for fitness, just when I'm out with the dogs or something. I bike for fitness.

>>736041
>Even millions of years ago humans made shoes.

Why do you think he is looking at buying shoes?

No one disagrees that shoes are useful or that they have been used for millennia - what people disagree with is shoes that crush your feet and promote unnatural gait.

Anyway, my personal experiences:

Five Fingers are way too specific of a fit. When I tried them they felt more restrictive than normal styled shoes and I couldn't get used to them at all because of it. My toes are not all the same size/length as the way shoes are cut, so they will never work for me. My wife has a pair and loves them for working out.

Merrell Trail Glove have fantastic durability, zero drop, zero padding, slightly stiff soles but are generally a bit narrow. I have been primarily wearing these for years and have put thousands of KMs on a single pair.

New Balance MT10 are fair for durability, zero drop, notable padding, slightly soft soles and are a little bit more spacious than the Merrell's. Overall I actually find these more comfortable than the Trial Glove's I have owned, but I only got a pair of these more recently.

Vivobarefoot have poor durability, zero drop, variable padding by model, soft soles, and are the most spacious and comfortable by far. The biggest detractor is that they are hard to find, expensive, and wear out quickly.

>>736026
>meme toe shoes
just wear moccasins or some other kind of minimalist shoe

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I got some Xero Shoes in the mail last week, basically a diy kit. Loving them so far. Otherwise I run in very thin Vans Sk8 Hi Pros, if you take the insole out it's only a couple millimeters thicker than the xero sandal, flat and flexible. Anyone here read "Born to run" by Christopher McDougall?

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>>736821
Thanks for the list. My all-time favorite, Nevados Traverse, was discontinued years ago. Ever since then, only hiking in zero drop shoes feels natural to me. I've tried Merrell, Vivo, Feelmax, Columbia, Salomon, Vasque, LEMS, ZEMgear and a pair of Belleville Mini-Mil boots. None of them achieve the level of comfort those old bastards had, almost as if they were tailored. For $50USD they lasted me 5 years/~320km. Proof that price isn't always an indicator of quality, or fancy individual toe "technology". Those types of shoes boil down to individual comfort or design preference, and fuck what anyone else thinks if you like them.

>>736026
Only autists wear those.

Can you go to a glove maker and ask for a leather glove for your feet?

>>736963
Ballet slippers

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Hey sc/out/s

Currently on a trip in upper-mi ( near Gladstone/Escanaba ) and my footwear just fell apart after less than six month's time. I need to buy some replacements ASAP and currently only have $120 to spend. Can anybody point out some decent hikers for me; ideally I'd like to spend $80 but I'd gladly spend the whole $120 if I had to. Pic semi-related.

>>737041
Get a pair of huarache sandals instead.

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>>737041

Do they look wired? Do ppl stare at you guys or make rude comments?
Are they bad just for every day use?

>>736942
Correct answer.

>>736942
>>737702
no they don't

>>736914
How are they on asphalt?

Just read an article saying common wisdom says barefoot is best on grass or soft surface, but this article said asphalt is better for giving you feedback on how to walk

>>736914
I read that back in 2010 I think. Good read. Then I fucked up my knee falling off of something and I can run any sort of distance anymore. Reading that book got me to get fit, and now I can't do that anymore and it makes me sad.

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>>736927
Those look similar to Merrell Chameleons. Have you tried those yet?

>>736914
DUDE
TARAHUMARA
LMAO

I remembrer that guy's TED talk, filled with some of the worst pseudoscience I have ever witnessed from TED.
Actually scratch that. It wasn't pseudoscience; it was just stupidity.

>>736041

You're telling me the shoes made millions of years ago are at all similar in nature to the modern running shoe?

You realize the types of shoes we wear today only started getting popular in the 70s right? Before which people ran with extremely minimalist shoes.

Know what the fuck you're talking about before you open your uneducated mouth dumbass.

>>737819

You're all wrong buddy. Chris Mcdougal did serious fucking research with the top minds in running science. Way to hate on shit you obviously know nothing about, makes you look real smart.

>>736041
They believe humans started wearing shoes 30-40k years ago. Modern humans are only like 200.000 years old.

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>hike mount chocorua with group of friends last summer
>retard friend wears vibrams
>me: you know there are giant rock steppes for 3.5 miles right?
>him: bro I'm just breaking my feet in
>he complained the entire time
>no one had a good time
>why

>>736942

says someone who doesn't run.

If you never went fishing, would you presume to comment on what fishing gear one should or shouldn't bring? Seems pretty stupid to me.

I run 8+ miles in vibrams regularly. If I wear traditional nike shoes, I get knee and shin pain. No pain with vibrams. Do your research, you obviously don't know what you're talking about my friend.

>>736026
Literally terrible, please stop posting this meme.

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I wear some Asics running flats meant for a track. Has all the coverage and protection of a real shoe and doesn't look like shit but still thin enough to give you the ability to wrap a rock with your toes just a bit.

I run in them so they get pretty beat up. I think I'm on my 7th or 8th pair now but it's been my primary running shoe for the past 5-6~ years.

>>736058
You don't fucking need that shit unless you have weak as fuck muscles (from never using them, because of unnecessary supports) or if you're carrying an insane load.

>>738254
>>736942
>>736054
>>736041
Have you people ever actually tried five fingers or regular barefoot type shoes or do you just like to bitch? Brand preference is going to depend a lot on the shape of your foot, but in general once you find something that fits, having a thin flexible zero drop sole and a large toe box feels so much better than keeping your feet and ankles bound in a stiff boot.

Toe socks are the fucking shit by the way, if you have any problems with blisters, I'd recommend trying some even with regular shoes.

>>737768
So far great on all surfaces. I run on sidewalks and asphalt during the week, and trails over the weekends. It's important to mix it up.

Out of the few brands and types i've tried I would suggest Merrell Barefoot Run Trail Glove. I put close to 5,000 miles on my most recent pair before the sides of the sole started to peel off. Those were hard miles from trail running and even rock climbing a bit.

I've run 40 miles this past week in my 4 year old vibram fivefingers btw. Never any pain or injuries, and I could beat any of you in a race. Just sayin.

>>736026
> Barefoot shoes
Just. Wear. Shoes.
Or don't. It's that simple.

>>739862

No it's not lol.

You obviously don't run or have done no research into the "barefoot" movement.

Why are you speaking about things you obviously have no knowledge about?

"Barefoot" shoes allow for the barefoot style of running in terms of gait and strike, while still providing some protection to the skin.

If I ran the trails which I run in my vibrams but barefoot, my feet would look crazy.

You're ignoring your common sense to shit on a concept you don't understand.

>>736942
>Access granted!
Thank god that is the only stipulation to own these.

Just ran another 5 miles today in my beat up 5 year old vibram bikila kso and it felt great. Fuck off naysayers.

>>740881
>cue 48 hours later when your ankles and shins feel like they have just been through a 15 hour long hike. ;^)

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Even if i could i wear em i wouldnt

>>741471
Rekt

>>736026
I have a lot of minimalist/barefoot shoes from fivefingers, merrell, vivobarefoot, and otz shoes, etc.

fivefingers are the best. none of the others are actually wide enough to let your toes splay like they claim.

the downsides are that you need specialized socks, they look and feel weird to wear with pants and stuff can get caught between the toes.

huarache style sandals are the best though, i wear them all the time if it is warm enough. my favorite is the vivobarefoot ulysses. it was discontinued.but you can still find them online or vivo just came out with a new sandal which looks good called eclipse.

>>736241
How is a 2 dollar pair of flip flops not amazing for you then? It's no different then walking on soft dirt

>>741471
Are you inbred? Webbed toes and dat 'big' toe.

>>740979

4-17 : ran 4 miles
today : ran 2. Then 10 sprints on rocky trail. Then ran 1 more back home

I run 25 miles a week at least in these things man. It's when I wear cushioned nike running shoes that I get knee and shin pain. Pain was the single reason I switched to vibrams. I get no pain at all now.

>>741829
Flip flops are no good because they force you to push down with your toes in order to keep them on. If you can find a pair of cheapo sandals with a heel strap those should be fine but I have never seen any that do not have a thick, heavy sole and arch support.

There are plenty of reasonably priced huarache style sandals on the market and many people make their own using scrap rubber and paracord.

I personally like to buy my huarache sandals because I have money and can afford nice things.

Vivos vary. Some are great, some are shit.

>>743749

Every review I read on any model I like says they fall apart in months.

>>743772
I have 2 pairs of vivos that I got last fall and they show no sign of falling apart yet. I wear one of them almost every day to work.

I'm not sure how well they would hold up for running but for casual wear they seem to be just fine.

>>743772
>>743785
I *think* that the soles are vulnerable to falling apart if you wear them after having not worn them for a while.
What I mean was more that some of them seem poorly designed.

eg. The back of the shoe will cut into your foot. The toe box will run on your toes etc.

I wore my dharmas every day for about five years. I didn't wear other shoes.

>>743812
rub on yours toes*

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as long as we're all here
i'm looking for something i can feel the ground with, but won't fill with pebbles every half mile
>thin, flexible sole
>preferably little to no drop
>must go above my ankle
i've been looking at the vivobarefoot tracker and Beleville TR102. i have some new balance minimus now and have worn fivefingers in the past, but in any serious hiking i pick up pebbles and burrs. any suggestions for minimalist boots?

>>743890

I'm going to be trying the Lem's boulder boots in a few weeks, I'll report back after taking them /out/.

>>743898
B R U H
these look perfect please do report back

>>743900

Apparently not waterproof, but neither are most boots I've owned.