barefooting

This guy intrigues me, I happened to watch this program(though not this episode) on one of my rare visits to TV land. It so happened I had been thinking of bare footing just previously and had started re-telling people about this one guy I used to nearly always see in bars on the weekend(back when i did that sorta thing) who was always barefoot; summer on asphalt; in winter on ice; in fact his name as far as I knew was Bare Foot.

It feels nice to walk in friendly areas bare foot; but I do not have the toughness I did when younger when most every kid I knew could run on gravel without shoes- though we didn't do the winter thing.

Funny too while only thinking of bare footing I actually bought two pairs of vintage gokey 1 snake shoes, and one pair of knee high snake proof boots. even funnier because i am not afraid of snakes and walk around in their camps rather often long before i had these 40+ yr old boots.... oh yeah. Dual Survival: Socks On A Glacier : Video : Discovery Channel

so how do you feel about the freedom of going bare foot

Even when I was a kid, I never understood the concept of "no shirt, no shoes, no service." What is non-hygienic about bare feet? If you step in something with or without a shoe, you're still going to track it around.

I've always had a "sturdy boots" fetish.... From expedition grade hard-shell hikers to caulked chainsaw boots, CSA approved Work boots, Hiking sneakers, and closed toe sandals, the least I'll go about in are my Crocks (yard/home only).

I also love a woman in sensible shoes....

Barefoot worked, about 10 000 years ago. Since then, footwear technology has come quite a ways.

I always got a kick out'a guys who show up on the job-site wearing their "saftey sandals". Had to take one of 'em to the hospital....

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Originally Posted by Utopian

Even when I was a kid, I never understood the concept of "no shirt, no shoes, no service." What is non-hygienic about bare feet? If you step in something with or without a shoe, you're still going to track it around.

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yeah! and what's more if you step in something without shoes you're far more likely to wipe it off. most people are wearing shoes so the bare footer is the one at risk.

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Originally Posted by kevint

but I do not have the toughness I did when younger when most every kid I knew could run on gravel without shoes- though we didn't do the winter thing.

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Lol...I hear ya. When I was a kid, I was barefoot EVERYWHERE. My parents had a gravel driveway and by the end of the summers it wasn't a problem to go running through the gravel drive. Now the goatsheads were something all together different and would drop me to the ground fast to fish them out.

Dual Survivor intrigues me though. It gives me a brief glimpse of what it would be like if I hadn't gone back to school in the autumn and had frolicked around barefooted for decades at a time. Even more interesting is how he can trudge through the snow without effect...ouch. Even when I was a kid, the hot asphalt always killed me...can't imagine the snow.

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Originally Posted by wdwrx

I've always had a "sturdy boots" fetish.... From expedition grade hard-shell hikers to caulked chainsaw boots, CSA approved Work boots, Hiking sneakers, and closed toe sandals, the least I'll go about in are my Crocks (yard/home only).

I also love a woman in sensible shoes....

Barefoot worked, about 10 000 years ago. Since then, footwear technology has come quite a ways.

I always got a kick out'a guys who show up on the job-site wearing their "saftey sandals". Had to take one of 'em to the hospital....

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I am not too convinced that footwear technology is being put to proper/best use. There are some good products out there so I'm not sure what I'm saying/ Vasque sundowners were pretty good, my last pair lasted no time at all so I swore off glued together shoes

Maybe I'm just a weak, devolved human, but I like shoes. What I don't like is socks only. I also don't like sandals. For me it's shoes outside, barefoot inside. Oh, I like slippers too.

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Originally Posted by red96ta

Lol...I hear ya. When I was a kid, I was barefoot EVERYWHERE. My parents had a gravel driveway and by the end of the summers it wasn't a problem to go running through the gravel drive. Now the goatsheads were something all together different and would drop me to the ground fast to fish them out.

Dual Survivor intrigues me though. It gives me a brief glimpse of what it would be like if I hadn't gone back to school in the autumn and had frolicked around barefooted for decades at a time. Even more interesting is how he can trudge through the snow without effect...ouch. Even when I was a kid, the hot asphalt always killed me...can't imagine the snow.

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now that I think about it I would go to the mailbox in snow about 200yd round trip-- yeah they'd be burning cold by the time i got back.

goat heads never got used to them. hot asphalt only once that was not very cool

I am currently training for a 1/2 marathon 'barefoot' aka Vibram 5 fingers or Terra Plana Evo's.

Not technically barefoot, but a minimalist shoe with no padding or support...just a 3mm layer of puncture resistant rubber to keep broken glass and whatnot away from the skin.


There is a fair amount of research that indicates "normal" shoes are bad for your feet and intrinsic foot musculature. It sure makes running easier on your knees, back etc IMO.

Regardless, it takes some getting used to.

Shoes are for work - well boots actually.

I am barefoot summer & winter with my main footwear being jandals (flip-flops or thongs, depending on where you're from!) There are some places that get upset about you being barefoot so that's my solution. When people ask how I can be wearing jandals in the winter, I reply that the concrete has got a bit too cold for my feet.

Everyone knows that Fuzzy doesn't wear shoes and are surprised to see me in them. SWMBO is very understanding and as as we had an outdoors wedding there was no problem with me being married while barefoot. :)

The only time I've really had any sort of issue was visiting a mechanics workshop. Meant that having been barefoot my feet needed a good scrub before going indoors, rather than just slipping off my jandals.
The local hardware chain has a no shoes no entry policy too.

+1 for Vibram Five Fingers; I run in them every day, they are the closest thing to running correctly barefoot on the balls of one's feet.

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Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Maybe I'm just a weak, devolved human, but I like shoes. What I don't like is socks only. I also don't like sandals. For me it's shoes outside, barefoot inside. Oh, I like slippers too.

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I hear ya holli. All except for the slipper thing. I have this issue with feet though that i hate them. I think they are all ugly, including mine. I also will not wear socks twice without them being washed first, no matter how long they were on my feet (yes even for a second). Figure that one out.

Ive seen the 5 fingers and thought that a pretty cool idea. Pros sometimes i'll wear socks for 3 days; how's that make you feel on the inside.:D With wool they dont get stinky or stiff- well if i get really really sweaty i wont.

I have never liked any slippers i have been gifted and never considered buying any for myself. just wearing socks alone wears them out so i am bare foot inside

+2 to fivefingers.


I can't wear sandals or "thong" style ones either. They bug the hell outta me. I love running around barefoot because its comfortable. So all my life I looked for a "second skin" type footwear. I used moccasins till they fell apart and bought indoor soccer shoes because of the flat sole. I bought mine fivefingers through REI divended and they have lasted me for close to 4 years of constant wear and tear through the summer spring and fall. Took me about a week to get used the walking part and another week for skin above my main tendon running to my big toe to thicken up enough to wear the elastic band didn't bother me. One thing I would recommend is to buy the "sprint" version. I bought the "classic" to try them out and I wish I had that top strap to hold them on when I go swimming or work on Grandpa's boat. (They make great boat shoes.) Another thing I have noticed is that they start to reek after 2 weeks of wearing them. My solution to that is soak them in a water and oxyclean solution for 24 hours then give em' a good hand scrub followed by a run through a wash.

Just my 2 cents...

_Will

I've heard that going barefoot will help your posture and such but I almost always wear leather work boots. I wear slippers in the house and gym shoes to the gym but I have to have something on my feet. I don't know why but I can't stand walking barefoot.

I spent four summers on a hot beach as a lifeguard when I was young. I hardly wore anything but a bathing suit. By the end of the summer, my feet would be so tough I actually found myself walking on broken beer bottles one day and breaking the pieces without cutting myself. I loved the freedom of the uncovered soles.

I went barefoot a lot before I moved here. Here, we have clover and thus bees, and an abundance of gnats in the grass that will make your life itchy misery if you wear shorts and/or go barefoot.

Except when the back is acting up I tend to walk toe-heel, and have a pair of Arrow moccasins that have lasted through frequent wear on all surfaces for around ten years - all because I don't drag or scuff my feet. I've worn braintan deerskin mocs in the woods a lot (because of broken off little pine stubs hiding under the leaves which eat up my ankles and insteps), and I often go barefoot there. I avoid being barefoot where the general public travels, simply because they break bottles and throw all kinds of similarly damaging man-made rubbish around.

I don't care for flip-flops/thong sandals, but in my state you must be wearing shoes when you drive (I suppose that harkens back to the days before rubber covered pedals and power assist). I'll wear them out to the garden in case I fail to see a bee, but once I get to garden's edge I leave them behind for the trip back.

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Originally Posted by red96ta

Lol...I hear ya. When I was a kid, I was barefoot EVERYWHERE. My parents had a gravel driveway and by the end of the summers it wasn't a problem to go running through the gravel drive. Now the goatsheads were something all together different and would drop me to the ground fast to fish them out.

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Don't quote me on the spelling, but tribulus terrestris if I recall only inhabit about 10% of the US in a crescent shaped area lining the west coast states. So it may not be vital for many, but those who know it; know it with a passion for hatred. (I worked at a bicycle shop)
The rest of the world I do not know its distribution, but I know it is in Africa, southern Asia, Australia and southern Europe.

Back to the OP's original video- that guy is well, um, er, eh, let's call that unique. No shoes, ever? That's carrying it too far. But imagine how tough his feet are. They're probably shoes themselves. Now me, I am embarassed(sp?) by my feet so I don't go barefoot. Sometimes I wish I could. Just for the fun and freedom of it. Do I have a problem?? Don't answer that. But it's shoes or sandals and very often sandals with socks for me.

As kids we used to walk barefooted everywhere, and kids today still do it. I admire their ability to walk and run no matter what ground it is.

I've read that walking barefoot is healthy for circulatory system and equilibrioception (?, sense of balance), so i do it every now and then in our garden as we have only little risk of getting snake bite.

I just bought a pair of Vibram Five Fingers. I've been running for almost ten years and I am looking forward to replacing my running shoes with them. As far as going barefoot I don't know why I stopped. I use to run around barefoot everyday when I was a kid and it just slowly stopped. I still hate wearing socks and I only wear sandals unless I'm at work or working out. Nothing beats bare feet.

-Adam

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Originally Posted by joke1176

I am currently training for a 1/2 marathon 'barefoot' aka Vibram 5 fingers or Terra Plana Evo's.

Not technically barefoot, but a minimalist shoe with no padding or support...just a 3mm layer of puncture resistant rubber to keep broken glass and whatnot away from the skin.


There is a fair amount of research that indicates "normal" shoes are bad for your feet and intrinsic foot musculature. It sure makes running easier on your knees, back etc IMO.

Regardless, it takes some getting used to.

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I've been toying with this idea a bit too. To me it is very intersting just how much foot pain I can endure during a run, only to remove my shoes and jog a bit at the end. The second I take my shoe off I get relief from the foot pain. I'm in that stage where I am doing short runs without shoes simply to build up strength in my foot.

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Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I've been toying with this idea a bit too. To me it is very intersting just how much foot pain I can endure during a run, only to remove my shoes and jog a bit at the end. The second I take my shoe off I get relief from the foot pain. I'm in that stage where I am doing short runs without shoes simply to build up strength in my foot.

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Heck, I never used to run more than a few miles at a time, and not more than 2 times per week due to continuous knee pain, shin splints, back pain... and I'm not exactly old and out of shape either. I just assumed I wasn't "built" for running.

Turns out I was buying all the commercial propaganda and was looking for footwear that would FORCE me to have good running mechanics. A dumb idea in retrospect.

Once the thick, cushioney shoes came off I HAD to run correctly or it would hurt. I am still experimenting on myself, but the only probs I can see will be possible overuse injuries in my ankle plantarflexors/inverters... but 3 months in and no issues yet.:)

i love not wearing shoes, but here in iraq its not really an option so i got some vibram 5 fingers a while ago and love them, now i wear them everywhere here, not really allowed to but hey they are way more comfy than my boots.

-dan-

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Originally Posted by Utopian

Even when I was a kid, I never understood the concept of "no shirt, no shoes, no service." What is non-hygienic about bare feet? If you step in something with or without a shoe, you're still going to track it around.

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Probably less of a hygiene issue and more of a social issue. I'm guessing it's more intended to keep out degenerates and riff raff than worrying about mud on the floor.

Dang. You people are nuts! ";"

The only time my boots come off is when I'm in bed or in the shower, or if I visit someone that doesn't allow shoes to be worn in their house.

Heck I never go barefoot. I think it should be a felony offense. I even wear socks with my sandals.

Society for Barefoot Living Home Page

plenty of good reading.

Barefoot Running

We all have to consider the fact that, in this day and age, stepping on a sharp stone is the LEAST of our worries while walking barefoot.
Back when walking barefoot was "normal" there were no hypodermic needles (potentially causing AIDS or a plethora of other disease), broken beer bottles, motor oil and other car fluids that get picked up in the rain and spread around. Hell, nowadays stepping in someones spit can net you a serious resperatory problem.

I say for safety, stick with shoes.
Personally, I wear socks around my house because my shoes track in stuff from outside that I simply don't want on my feet. I vaccuum weekly and shampoo the carpets every 2 months and I still know there is stuff from outside on my carpets, it's common sense (yes, I own a carpet shampoo'er lol).

To each his own, just watch your step :)

Always wear shoes but as little shoe as possible. Low Top Chucky T's, Birkenstocks, Sanuks for summer and when the cold comes and the Chucks are not enough Ugg's in the winter. And I wear them until I am really forced to put on a dress shoe. I push the limits with when the dress shoes should be worn.

as a nanny i often go barefoot while playing with the kids in the park.. i hate the feeling of sand in my shoes.. once it's in.. it doesn't come out.. i also go barefoot from my home to our condominium's pools.. but that's about as far as it goes.. i wear low top vans mostly and keep them on.. i live in los angeles.. i wouldn't dare step on a hollywood star without something to protect me from god knows what.

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Originally Posted by Don

Always wear shoes but as little shoe as possible. Low Top Chucky T's, Birkenstocks, Sanuks for summer and when the cold comes and the Chucks are not enough Ugg's in the winter. And I wear them until I am really forced to put on a dress shoe. I push the limits with when the dress shoes should be worn.

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It appears the 5 fingers are as little shoe as possible

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Originally Posted by KarmaPolice

We all have to consider the fact that, in this day and age, stepping on a sharp stone is the LEAST of our worries while walking barefoot.
Back when walking barefoot was "normal" there were no hypodermic needles (potentially causing AIDS or a plethora of other disease), broken beer bottles, motor oil and other car fluids that get picked up in the rain and spread around. Hell, nowadays stepping in someones spit can net you a serious resperatory problem.

I say for safety, stick with shoes.
Personally, I wear socks around my house because my shoes track in stuff from outside that I simply don't want on my feet. I vaccuum weekly and shampoo the carpets every 2 months and I still know there is stuff from outside on my carpets, it's common sense (yes, I own a carpet shampoo'er lol).


To each his own, just watch your step :)

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I hardly ever concern myself with "safety". It's not that I am reckless I just try not to worry about stuff like you mentioned or act out of fear. I think we would have to be more aware of where our feet are landing when bare footing and that should be enough if you have strengthened the foot

I have no problem walking barefoot around my house, backyard or on the beach. That's about as far as I'll go, though.

Like I said, to each his own. Just remember, needles are really hard to see ;-)
I think it's good to fear disease, am I crazy?

On the other hand, those "Five Fingers" shoes are pretty sweet and I'll probably order a pair this next paycheck.

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Originally Posted by kevint

I hardly ever concern myself with "safety". It's not that I am reckless I just try not to worry about stuff like you mentioned or act out of fear. I think we would have to be more aware of where our feet are landing when bare footing and that should be enough if you have strengthened the foot

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Originally Posted by kevint

It appears the 5 fingers are as little shoe as possible

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?????? missing what you mean

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Originally Posted by Don

?????? missing what you mean

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Have you seen these? Click the pic

Attachment 45313

Oh yes very cool need to try those

On my sixth birthday my dad took me and several of my friends to the river to fish. A guy who had been swimming came out of the water bleeding like a stuck pig from a very deep and nasty cut to one of his feet, the result of stepping on a broken bottle. There was blood everywhere. Fifty years on I can still see it. I avoid going barefoot anywhere except in the house or swimming pool.

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Originally Posted by welshwizard

On my sixth birthday my dad took me and several of my friends to the river to fish. A guy who had been swimming came out of the water bleeding like a stuck pig from a very deep and nasty cut to one of his feet, the result of stepping on a broken bottle. There was blood everywhere. Fifty years on I can still see it. I avoid going barefoot anywhere except in the house or swimming pool.

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Did the same thing myself at about the same age, but playing in a field. Got to move on man...:)