Thread: 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....

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.

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.

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.

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.

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....

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.

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.

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.