I've been doing a few 5k races barefoot and love it! Now this spring, I've got a 8k and a 10k race lined up, both in downtown Chicago.

I might have to pee. There's usually a lot of time between checking bags and starting to run w/these big downtown races. (And it's urban and I'm not a guy, so I can't just water a tree). I've been trying to think of what will work to put over my feet, that are disposable and small to carry. I hate to use socks and then have to either carry gross socks or throw them away.

I know some folks probably just "get over it," but I can't, it's not gonna happen. I know my limits, and my limit=barefoot in a porta-potty. 😆 What do you all put over your feet?

Why do barefoot shoes hurt my feet but walking barefoot feels fine?

Quisiera saber si alguien ha comprado estas zapatillas para niño. Resulta cómodo? Lo puede usar para todo el día en el colegio? WHITIN Little/Big Kid Wide Width Barefoot Shoes | Boys/Girls Minimalist Elastic Opening Sneakers | Flexible- Zero Drop Sole

Hi, I have been trying to run with Pyopp Fledge Ultra sandals for a while now. The longest was 13km run/hike on trails but I wore them for most of my walks before that with no problems.

However, I wanted to wear my running shoes for a long run after that trail session, but it got a little painful in my heels. Is it a common problem when returning from barefoot sandals to traditional running shoes?

Thanks!

hey! i recently got into barefoot shoes, mostly for the wide toe boxes. (i already have pre-bunions, and my mom and grandmother have horrible feet issues, so i wasn’t gonna keep shoving my feet into oval-shaped torture boxes.) it’s been great for my toe splay, and they feel amazing for hiking, any sort of dirt or grass, the clay track at our local park… but good god they hurt on flat surfaces. any time i need to walk longer than like half a mile on a sidewalk or road, i get shin splints like crazy.

i’ve always had a fairly defined arch, and any time i walk on flat surfaces, it feels like it’s getting stretched flat. i assume this is partially bc i spent so many years wearing shoes with arch support, but i can’t help but feel like walking on flat surfaces without any support just isn’t great for my feet.

does anyone have any tips? i was considering getting support inserts just for when im on concrete or asphalt, and then taking them out on grass and dirt. does anyone do that? i tried to find shoes with support but a wide toe box, but there’s nothing truly comparable to barefoot shoes when it comes to wide toe boxes. (especially since i have such narrow feet, so wide-size shoes aren’t really an option)

My question is in case I dislike the winged version: is it possible to remove the wings with no damage to the sole, to fit any other laces? I didn't find this info on Luna's website. (I would buy outside US, so an international exchange wouldn't be an option)

I did see that the wings are installed with pliers, like a clip through the lace hole:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj4Bc9mPsb8 (from 23 to 26 seconds)

So they could be removed, right? Curious that Luna doesn't sell replacement wings directly to the customer: they offer only as a send in service:

https://lunasandals.com/collections/extras/products/wing-replacement-repair-service

I'll leave also this nice video from instagram: wings vs retro vs roots:

https://www.instagram.com/lunasandals/reel/DBbkWPmPzUq/

Debating on grabbing some Deliberate life designs alchemy sandals or another pair of bedrocks.

I hope to do a lot of road running though I barely run as it is. Also considering Luna Origen 2.0 as I heard they have a long lifespan. Kinda favoring the Bedrocks since it feels like I can strap them down VERY tight making sprinting doable.

Hey everyone,

I suffer from sciatica which flares up when I don’t exercise regularly. I’ve never been able to have a consistent running schedule because of that (I walk several miles a day and go to the gym, however).

I’ve been walking in Lem’s Boulder Boots and they are very comfortable, but I’m fairly new to the barefoot shoe world. My PT recommended I try a barefoot running shoe. Could anyone recommend a shoe for a newbie like myself with sciatica? I want something that will strengthen my leg muscles without triggering my sciatica.

Thanks in advanced!

Hey everyone, I've been recovering from achilles tendonitis after running in my Earth Runners Chronos with Carbon Lifestyle Lace.

I believe the uneven ground and getting a little too excited about running is the main culprit for the achilles tendonitis which I've now fully healed.

It just occurred to me, however, that I can't imagine this kinda thin, stiff lace squeezing down against the achilles the entire time while running is a great idea, achilles-health-wise. It's not like I have it super tight, it's comfortable while walking around and sitting in them, but they are tight enough to not come off while running/sprinting.

I think the fix would be pretty simple - just a bit of a softer, wider lace or perhaps something that just goes all the way around the ankle entirely rather than needing to press down against the bottom achilles/heel area like the Earth Runners design does.

Got any ideas or tips?

I'm searching for boots and shoes that are minimalist style when it comes to wide toe box and zero drop, but have much more cushion than most brands that advertise natural for movement do. This has been very hard to find for me, since every search term I can think of comes up with either traditional shoes or minimalist nothing-but-rubber-soles.

I've been walking and running in minimalist for 15 years now and apparently I was doing it wrong (or pavement isn't that natural) and have degraded the cartilage between my foot bones and caused some mild bone spurs. My doc recommends more cushion but I can't go back to traditional shoes, they're extremely uncomfortable to me now, but I can't do minimalist anymore either without risking foot arthritis in old age.

Basically I want to find a running shoe and a winter boot that makes me feel like I'm going barefoot through a meadow, when I'm on pavement. Does such a product exist?

good option for me around the house on hardwood, my toes get pushed together easily by socks but these socks are pretty stretchy and thick and fit with toe spacers without being tight they are size 6-12 socks from walmart even tho i wear a size 13

good option for me around the house on hardwood, my toes get pushed together easily by socks but these socks are pretty stretchy and thick and fit with toe spacers without being tight they are size 6-12 socks from walmart even tho i wear a size 13

I'm (very gradually) starting off barefoot running (actually barefoot). Legs are feeling fine after a few weeks. The main problem I find is every week or so the ball of my foot will come down on a pebble or bit of debris and get lightly bruised. I try to dodge obvious stones, but can't always see them. Does the pad of your foot become more resilient to this, or is it just part of the game?

I struggled with sesamoiditis (inflamation of the sesamoid, a small bone near the ball of your foot) for a few years. After some false starts getting back into running with Hokas + orthotics, I transitioned to barefoot shoes, which have been super helpful. My sesamoid is feeling a lot better, and now it rarely even gets achy, much less flares up. My guess is, the thin soles/zero drop enable me to make subtle changes in my running and walking to take pressure off the sesamoid.

However, I'm noticing some changes in my right foot (which was the injured one). In particular, I'm developing serious, sometimes painful calluses on the ball of my foot, and some bruising under the nails of my third and fourth toes. This is not the case on my left foot, which did not have sesamoiditis. I think my right knee falls in a bit too when I'm running.

I think this is really interesting, and it seems possible it's showing me either issues that caused the sesamoiditis, or ways I'm stressing other parts of my foot to compensate. My best guess is that when running, I'm striking on the ball of my foot, and rolling to the outside of my foot to push off. Maybe on my left foot I'm striking further back on the forefoot and pushing off from my big toe. These are guesses though. I also have inflexible hips, which, from what I've read, could be a contributing factor to gait issues.

Any advice? I'm interested in how I can correct my gait issues to avoid injury or other resources (any books on gait?) that could tell me more about what's going on. Thanks!

I've been a long time barefoot/ zero drop wearer. I've worn Xero, Lems, Altra and Topos. I never really paid attention to widths until I joined the sub.

I had a hip replacement in December. Because my left hip was bad, I developed plantar faciatis in my right heal.

I feel like, because of the pain, I need cushion while I'm rehabbing and fixing the imbalance.

My measurements are 26cm long x 12.3 cm wide.

I'm looking for winter boots and daily drivers that fit. I'm open to putting in a cushion insole while I'm fixing my issues and I'm open to a higher stack height.

Suggestions?

Hey All,

Getting back into serious running again - i use to run in minimal shoes 8 years ago and enjoyed it. However, I set a goal to run a marathon and would like to plan accordingly- training regiment and shoe wear. In regards to shoe wear, it seems reasonable to believe that I shouldn't expect to do all my runs in my minimalist shoes and that having another zero drop shoe with some cushion would be beneficial for longer runs? Has anyone come to this conclusion and found it useful to have two different types of shoes when running long distances/ training regularly for a long run? I am somewhat heavy, so it seems even more relevant.

If so, what shoes would you say is the perfect duo? especially, what would be a good zero drop cushioned shoe complementary to running in minimalist shoes? Perhaps I am overthinking this, but it seems like it might be important that the two shoes work together in some way.

My details: For Road running, age: 43, 6'1, 218 lbs, wide feet (I split and spill out of the pinky toe sides of "normal" running shoes), history of over training and knee issues (but committed to ramping up steady and slow this time)

Thanks,

-Cupa

I am currently transitioning to barefoot shoes, and am caught in the peculiar situation, that I can no longer fit my old running shoes, while I'm simoultaneously unable to run more than a few kilometers in my barefoot shoes. (I currently have some Vibram and Xero)

Therefore I am looking for some wide running shoes to use in the transition. My issue here is, that the wider sizes of most common running shoe brands seems to primarily widen the toe box , while the midfoot is where my issues occur.

There simply doesn't seem to be any cushioned running shoes with as wide a midfoot as - say - a pair of Xero Prios.

Edit: I think I would prefer >15 mm stack height, but any recommendations are appreciated!

I will still be running in barefoot shoes for the distance, I can handle it. I am also strengthening my foot deliberately on the side.

I would just like to not reduce my running volume by 90% as of right now

About 3 weeks ago, I was on my usual run in my barefoot shoes (I started running barefoot over a year ago and it was going very well, finally a pair of shoes that do not hurt my bunions ). On this particular run, my foot starting aching a bit but I often just run through the pain.

I was wrong, I should've stopped. I have been limping ever since with terrible pain in my middle toes (the two after the big toe) as it they were stretched upwards really bad. My foot itself feels like it's been squashed, like something was stepping over my foot while running; I had actually removed the inner sole of my shoes on that day.

Just wondering if any other barefoot runners with bunions ever experienced anything similar! IT would be really helpful to understand if this was my shoe or was it just the way I was running that day.

I know I should go see a podiatrist, and I will, just curious of others experiences for now.

So, I have been running with my Vibram 5 fingers barefoot shoes for more than a year now and I ended up twisting or spraining my ankle while running on a trail where I landed my foot over a stone flew over by a passing vehicle right on my path.

I just wanted to post this here because I think barefoot shoes may have helped me with minimal injury on my ankle because in 2 weeks I am able to recover and haven't been to the doctor. I have just been following the RICE method which stands for REST, ICE, COMPRESSION and ELEVATE. That helped me recover faster within 2-3 days I think.

The pain is almost gone by 80% and I am able to walk 2-3 KMs in a day without any signs of strain on the ankle.

In my opinion, if I was wearing mainstream running shoes I would have twisted my ankle at a little higher base by few mms which would result in more serious injury and many other issues.

Note that these are all my assumptions based on my experience which I though is worth sharing here. One may be used to regular running shoes and may feel contrary.

My daily driver is also bar barefoot shoes so I am super comfortable with barefoot shoes.

Currently, I wear whitins which I find very comfortable, especially for its price. Recently, my boss required us to wear non-slip shoes to prevent falling and injury. After looking online for a bit, I found some shoes that are well over $100 or cheaper shoes that aren't actually non-slip. Any suggestions?

Not sure how the wide-option Softstar toe box compares to the Realfoot toe box.

How to correct collapsed arches. Had them for many years. Any exercises?

I have less pain in this area but now more of tiring in the area which hopefully is a good sign? But now I’ve been jump roping only 10 minutes 1 minute on 30 off in my crocs because I have no barefoot shoes yet.

Now calf pain on the inside towards my inside ankle and in my shins a bit. What stretches are recommended? Do I need to strengthen any areas and if so what areas? Any YouTube videos that helped you would be very helpful too. I’m gonna rest on my foot but it’s hard because there’s not much cardio I can do without using my calves and feet. I’ll try to find somewhere and swim.

I’m overweight now gained 60 pounds trying to lose it so maybe the added weight I now have isn’t helping? Maybe I need to strengthen my calves and do some calf raises? I’ve also had feet problem from working on concrete ever since I started working so maybe plantar fasciitis. I’m 19 I work 3x12 hour shifts. How do I start to get rid of it, just lost and sad lol.

Thanks for all the help. God bless you for your kindness!

Hey guys, anyone here have experience with snowboard boots that tend to have a wider toe box? It never use to bother me but now that I’m use to wide toe box shoes my big toe hurts while boarding. My boots are already a tad bit too long for me so I can’t really size up.

I’ve never had the wide version of boots before what do you guys think?