A couple barefoot/minimal footwear misgivings before I take the plunge page

[jimb]

Hi folks,

I really like the idea of minimal footwear, but a couple misgivings keep me on the fence:

1. I have done some traveling, and anytime I see feet that have likely never been in a shoe, they just look incredibly flat to me. Splayed and with no arch whatsoever. Maybe it's just that I'm only noticing the bad feet, but even on Mark's "Flat Feet Treatment" post, the photo of the "barefoot forever" feet look totally archless to me. Is this not a problem?

2. If the above is true, and if such flatness is undesirable (two big ifs), then I worry about the long term effects of total shoelessness. I know evolution did not mean for us to be in shoes, but evolution also does care about how long we live or the quality of that life after, say 20 years old. All evolution gives us is feet that are more likely to get us to an age where we can reproduce.

Thanks!

Jim

[jimb]

P.S. I should add that I really want to get off the fence, and have my eye on a pair of minimal shoes, but just can't quiiiite take the (somewhat expensive) plunge with these thoughts in mind, so am looking to be reassured, not stir up controversy. Thanks!

[MightyAl]

Fortunately we are much more complicated organisms then the common May Fly. We are meant to prosper long after we can reproduce in order to see to the survival of the offspring of our offspring. There is no reason feet can survive shoelessness far into your golden years. I go without shoes as often as is socially acceptable and most times beyond that. I have seen no ill results besides healthier feet and zero chronic running injuries since I have gone minimalist. From my experience shoes are a horrbile waste of money to simply keep your feet from getting dirty and to confine them in horrbile ways.

[Alex Good]

Both my brother and father have flat feet. I do not. The difference? I was barefoot alot growing up, they were in shoes starting at a young age.

[jimb]

Thanks for the replies, fellas. I guess I was hoping for something a bit more than anecdotal, particularly in regards to what I perceive to be tons of very flat "third world feet" (for lack of a better term). Of course, diet and general health might be coming into play there as well. And of course, my observation there is anecdotal and far from scientific as well, so I'm living in a bit of a glass house.

(regarding evolution, I do see where living long enough to raise your children confers an evolutionary advantage, but I think getting to see our grandkids is pretty firmly in bonus territory, from an evolutionary perspective. :-)

[Littlesigh]

I have had minimalist shoes before they were minimalist but have gone back and forth. The newer brands seem to be much more refined. I recently bought a pair of New Balance MT10 MT10 : New Balance
I am not a runner, but love to have them one while training in the gym, I do alot of body wieght stuff , with some old school gymnastics and love how they feel and perform on my feet. A bit pricey but they are solid!

Good luck!

[Bostonbully]

Just an FYI since I noticed you said take the plunge on some pricey shoes. These shoes are not what I would consider pricey and have great reviews. Unshoes Minimal Footwear shop Maybe you could try these and not take a big hit in the wallet if you don't like them.

[Bevaboo]

OMG... I love those shoes! I so want a pair now, I just wish they already had the model that doesn't go between the toes. They'd be absolutely awesome for the kind of working out I do (mostly walking and body resistance exercises). Thank you for posting this, Bostonbully!

[iniQuity]

I've only had these for about two months but I love them to death and they are by far THE cheapest minimalist shoes/sneakers available.

Bonus:

- they look "normal" (I personally think they look badass) so they blend in quite well
- you can do anything with them. I wear them out, I use them for running, sprinting and every single workout session I've had since I bought them.
- older users say they stand the test of time really well.

Just make sure you're buying the ones pictured, they only come in black or white, if you see any other colors you are NOT buying the ones with the minimalist sole.

Amazon.com: TMAS Wushu Shoes (Black Feiyue Brand): Sports & Outdoors

I have both the black and white and I bought my dad and girlfriend a pair and they're both really happy with them too. They're good as an intro too.

I'm not saying they're the best option, but as an everyday minimalist thing then yes for sure. I do still think going straight barefoot is good and I do it a whole lot. I only own these and some converse and now the converse just feel too padded.

[slowcooker]

Flat feet are fine. We don't really need arches - they are a left over trait from earlier in our evolution when we used our feet to grab and climb trees.