Going Barefoot.

I've been trying out something different lately. I've gone almost 4 weeks without wearing proper shoes. Translation, I'm barefoot.

I've had help though. I've supplemented my barefootedness with water socks, driving moccasins and of course "fivefingers" shoes.

There are moments where I have to wear a proper shoe. But they have been few and far between. The most prominent is of course bike riding. I am trying to ride the bike every day and try to get a better handle on being active.

It's really hard tho. I kind of injured my back during my training workouts. It's hampered my ability to be active as I would rather not work out because of the pain.

But back to being barefoot. I'm really enjoying it. The fivefingers shoes I found were a knockoff brand of the original vibram brand. Somewhat similar but yet somewhat cheapened by the fact they are knockoffs.

I'm not really getting into the knockoffs, but it make me want to say to the vibram company that when it becomes so hard for a consumer to buy a legitimate product that the suppliers can't even keep legit products in stock, this leave the consumer to seek outside means in order to obtain said product.

Honestly, I'd love to have a pair of actual vibram fivefingers, if they were accessible. The only way currently is to HOPE that a local store has a pair in exactly your size, or that the website actually has a pair.

Heaven forbid that you actually have to spend extra tho. $75 is a bit much for the basic pair... I'll get to that in a second.

My feet are on the smaller end of their line. I wear a size nine shoe, but I have a foot that is under 10 inches in length. This means I literally am at the bottom end of the mens shoe line.

I suppose I could try to go to the womens shoes, but they're slightly narrower. And by slightly, I exaggerate that they aren't slight.

The other part that gets me is that if these shoes were really set to the european scale then a size 39 would be the same for men as for women... they aren't even close.

Somehow they made their own sizing numbers. This makes no sense, because some sellers won't give you where their numbers come from. In the knockoffs, I wear a size 42/41, wheras I would wear a 40 in vibram's actual line.

It's a whole size difference which when it comes to fivefingers, this is extremely important.

Why do you say? Because if the shoe isn't exactly right on with the foot you'll get a blister because its too lose.

I got a couple of blisters. They went away quickly of course, but I have compensated somewhat in adjusting the shoe straps.

That being said, I totally love the fivefinger shoe. It's like placing a glove on your feet and then still going around barefoot. You really feel the grass go between your toes. You feel the textures of the ground. You feel every crack and every little impurity. However you don't feel the sharpness of the rock, or the sting of the thistles. All the positives without all of the negatives!

I would gladly pay full price for a legitimate vibram... if they were readily available. They just aren't.

You need to have it accessible to try them on... learn what the correct size is and what fits best. You can't really do that online, although that's the way the vibram company says is best.

I think that's a bit delusional, as you really should try them on first.

I spend countless hours in my five fingered shoes.

Now I don't presume to speak for people with foot problems or podiatrist or advocates of the barefoot style. I don't side with any of them. The only reason I am going barefoot is that it was something that I felt like I should do. So, I am doing it.

I've been going to workouts. Excellent results. Leg strength is way up, but that's due to the stability of not wearing a training shoe. Some weight lifters go barefoot anyway.

I've also felt a need to get in touch with the ground a lot more. It's no kind of religious or metaphysical thing. I consider that I need to get in touch with my body in the way nature should interact with it a whole lot more closely.

If the idea of having your toes separated is not ideal for you, I would suggest trying the vivo barefoot. I do have to say it is more expensive than the vibram. (btw, the vibram fivefingers was 2007's time magazine invention of the year)

I don't know if it's made me feel lighter, but I am enjoying the experience so much that I want a second pair.

I actually purchased a 2nd pair on e-bay, but it turned out to be the completely wrong size. I'll resell them later this summer as they are perfect for the colder months. I'd love a pair just like them in my size.

Which only makes me want 2 more pairs. The "classic" for the very basic use and the "flow", so I can wear them well into the later months of the year.

The "flow" replaces what I found out was a winter based shoe model, which kind of represented a boot. I kinda wished they kept producing that model. That one's pretty cool looking.