Terra Plana Shows Off VivoBarefoot 'Ultra' and 'Achilles' Lines for 2011 Release

UK-based shoe maker Terra Plana is beginning to show off what it has in store for it's Vivo Barefoot brand of footwear in 2011. Park City Television, an independent broadcaster in Utah, interviewed Terra Plana head designer Asher Clark in August at the Outdoor Retailer summer expo held in Salt Lake City. He showed off two previously-unseen lines of Vivo Barefoot footwear: the Ultra, a vented shoe that looks like the love child of the company's Evo and a Crocs sandal and the Achilles, a sandal that looks like Terra Plana's Dopie sandal with some covering and a reconfigured strap.

The Ultra

Though not intended for release until sometime in 2011, FitnessFootwear.com actually has a listing for this model. Their posted description: "The Vivo Barefoot Ultra is the first fully molded, amphibious, barefoot running shoe.With functional plug-in tongue and laces for maximum fit and performance, the Vivobarefoot Ultra is lightest amphibious barefoot running product on the market. Made with eco friendly EVA, the Ultra is ideal for beach side runs or splashing through trail streams."

As I mentioned earlier, the Ultra looks like an Evo made of the same material as Crocs sandals. Clark said of the shoe, "It's just impossibly lightweight" and "a great and legitimate running shoe in it's own right," but that it's also good for activities around the water because it easily lets water in and out. A laced shoe, the Ultra is also somewhat convertible. The wearer can choose to don it by itself or also with either a removable tongue or mesh "sock" (pictured above) with puncture-resistant sole.

Clark announced no pricing for the Ultra, but Fitness Footwear's listing had it listed for £59.95, roughly $95 USD. There was also no word on color options that will be available. While Clark showed off a white model, it's reasonable to assume that multiple colors will be available at release.

The Achilles

The Vivo Barefoot Achilles will be replacing the Dopie sandal in North and South America in 2011 according to email correspondence I've had with Terra Plana's Sabra Ellingson. She pointed out that because the Dopie isn't on the Vivo Barefoot sole and has some arch support, they wanted to "do better" at making a minimalist sandal. Enter the Achilles.

The Achilles shares the same unique split-toe characteristic of the Dopie, but the similarities pretty much end there. Clark mentioned it's made out of a "fully molded" soft-compound TPA material, but it appears that the sandal also has an inner sole made out of Terra Plana's infamous puncture-resistant material for greater protection. It has a few new design characteristics as well as new compounds. As you can see from the photo, there is material that comes over the top of the foot similar to the way a flip flop's straps would, but it remains to be seen how that translates into the feel or function of the sandal. A unique strap looks like it loops through either side of the Achilles before going over the top of the foot and around the back of the heel.

Clark said the Achilles is inspired by the "Tarahumara running sandal" but brings it into the 21st century. The strap, according to Clark, "locks your foot in place" for more effective running.

There was no mention of a price for the Achilles and I was unable to find any online retailer that had it listed as of this posting.

Now, the video (discussion of the Ultra and Achilles begins at about 1:45):


Conclusion

The Ultra and Achilles look like interesting new products for the Vivo Barefoot line in 2011. While they seem more than adequate for just "kicking around" in them, I'm curious to see how they hold up with running. More importantly, I'd be curious to get other runners' reactions to how the models treat their feet over long distances. It would be nice if the Achilles was a little more "minimal" than they appear to be, but I fully understand that Terra Plana would design the sandals for a wider audience than just the die-hard barefooters like myself.

I *should* be getting a pair of Achilles to review when they're released. If I do, I'll be sure to let you know what I think.

What do you think of these new models from Terra Plana's Vivo Barefoot line? Would you be interested in wearing them? Do you think they are "minimalist" enough to be an adequate shoe for barefooters? Please let me know in the comments below.

An Interview with a Podiatrist and 'Barefoot Advocate,' Dr. Steve Bloor

While there are many of us lay people out there who embrace unshod living, it's rare to find people in the medical profession who are supportive of such activity. Medical providers like podiatrists and sports orthopedists tend to have a very shoe-centric way of thinking about the role of feet and our locomotion.

A while back I ran across the Twitter account of Steve Bloor, DPodM, SRCh, HPC, a podiatrist in the United Kingdom. Using the Twitter handle @NaturalFeet, Dr. Bloor was posting "tweets" that promote barefoot activity as a way to have healthy feet. How refreshing! After getting to know him a bit, I asked if he'd be amenable to an interview on this blog. He graciously accepted.

The following are his responses to my questions. I think they offer an interesting insight into the field of podiatry and how it approaches feet and barefoot activity. (Note: Responses in large type are emphases added by me.) Enjoy:

Tell us a little about yourself, your education, certifications, etc.

I am 46 years old and been in Podiatry for 25 years. I am married to Liz and we have 4 children. Two boys and two girls. Our oldest is 18 and youngest 10 and they keep us young. I trained to degree level back in the mid-80s and after graduating in Podiatric Medicine specialized in Musculo-skeletal Podiatry dealing with orthopaedic lower-limb and back problems associated with poor biomechanics. About 12 years ago a Podiatry colleague and friend, Andy Horwood, and I were the lead designers of a range of customisable foot orthoses which are widely used in the UK and also other parts of the world. We both regularly lectured and taught workshops, throughout the UK, on the biomechanics of lower-limb function and the prescription and fitting of functional foot orthoses. As founder members of the British Podiatric Biomechanics Group we helped to set-up what is believed to be the first Masters Degree programme in the world in Clinical Podiatric Biomechanics. Andy went on to become one of the main lecturers on this Masters Programme which runs at Staffordshire University, England. I continued to lecture around the UK as guest lecturer for Healthy Step UK and Bailey Instruments who are major suppliers to the British Podiatry Profession. Our customisable foot orthotic devices are now used by over 80% of UK NHS Podiatry Departments as well as many private practices.

What made you want to get into the field of podiatry in the first place?

My initial interest in Podiatry as a profession came through my own personal experiences with running injuries. I realized that my own legs and feet were extremely important to my running career and since I was injured I could empathise with injured athletes. So it became a personal mission to help other athletes to run without injury and help injured athletes overcome their injuries wherever possible. I became fascinated in the single most complex human activity - human gait. Of course I also enjoyed treating non-athletes too. I developed my clinical practice to the point where I could specialise exclusively in Musculo-skeletal Podiatry; one of the first to do so in the UK.

In your schooling and training, what was the general philosophy behind the practice of podiatry? What role did feet play in the body's overall health?
In my schooling as a podiatrist and at post-graduate level there was, and is, a general understanding that our role in foot medicine and surgery is to help the patient ambulate, in footwear, without pain. To assist the body to function in gait as near to the optimum norm as possible. Normal gait is always considered to be with footwear.

Although we knew that our job was to negate the damaging effects of shoes, never once did it occur to me, nor was it ever discussed, that the patient could ever choose between barefoot and shoes.

Our goal was to advise the patient to choose "sensible shoes" so as the foot could work at its optimum. We also believed that at least 70% of the world's population had poor bio-mechanical function of their feet and legs and therefore needed our podiatric foot orthoses. That most people are born with "broken feet". That evolution/creation made a big mistake and we function best in footwear. Never once did we consider that the human foot could cope on its own. We believe that we, as podiatrists, have the answer to most people's foot and lower-limb problems. One eminent paediatric podiatrist even went so far as to openly advise that all children should wear foot orthoses to optimise foot and ankle development. We believed that the foot developed better if supported in a correct alignment by foot orthoses and supportive "sensible" shoes. It is believed that only a few very special people have "perfect biomechanics" of their feet and legs, and these are the only ones who can run without supportive running shoes, the majority of us needing stability shoes and orthoses in order to prevent injuries. We believed the foot cannot and should not support itself or it would suffer long-term damage. Amazingly, we never studied true natural, barefoot, primal gait. We only ever studied shod gait or the barefoot gait of people who have always worn shoes, which I now realise is different from true natural gait.

Our medical philosophy is based around the foot playing a very important role in the health of the rest of the body because of its unique position as the first and only part of the body to hit the ground. It is therefore believed that like a tall building, whatever the foundations do affects the rest of the body. So every part of the body is affected somewhat by the foot due to its mechanical function as the structural foundation. We acknowledge also the fact that other structures distant from the foot can likewise affect the foot. So abnormal muscle function farther up the leg and back can cause compensatory motion in the foot. We assess the mechanical function of the pelvis and lower-limb joints and muscles all the way down to the foot joints looking for abnormalities. We assess stance and gait looking for structural and functional abnormalities and their compensations. Of course, we also assess neurology and circulation to the lower-limb as well as checking the health of skin and nails.

Would you consider yourself a barefoot-friendly podiatrist? Why or why not?

I now consider myself not just a barefoot friendly podiatrist, but a Barefoot Advocate. I now believe very strongly that most feet, given a chance, can support themselves. That feet function best without the hindrance of shoes. I believe that every shoe compromises foot function and that with chronic, long-term wear they damage the muscles, joints, nerve pathways and other structures within the foot. I now believe that supportive shoes, and orthotics when worn, create a dependency which worsens with time. I now advocate, and actively promote, barefoot walking and running as a preventative as well as a rehabilitative tool. I am proud of being a Barefoot Podiatrist, both in action and word. I promote barefoot walking and running to my patients by a "Barefeet Welcome Here" sign in the clinic window, folders of Barefoot news articles and research papers in the waiting room as well as copies of The Barefoot Book by Daniel Howell for patients to read whilst waiting for their consultation. I sell The Barefoot Book and the book Born to Run as part of the treatment advice to patients. I teach rehab exercises to strengthen the feet and ankles and have a barefoot website www.naturalfeet.co.uk to give my patients further advice and encouragement. I also sell 'Minimalist Footwear' for those patients who will not, or cannot go the whole way to becoming completely barefoot. I sell therapy products for bare feet like moisturising creams and rough skin files to smooth any rough dry skin on heels. And finally I walk and run barefoot 24/7 to set the example (apart from at church where I cover my feet out of respect for my church leaders' requests).

Have your approaches to podiatry and the way you treat patients changed over the years? How so and why?

My approach to treatment has changed dramatically over the last few years as I have incorporated more rehabilitation into the treatment programmes and not relied so much on orthoses for continued postural and functional control. However, over the last 6 months that change has become a massive paradigm shift in thinking as I now believe the foot is well designed for supporting itself and the rest of the body if it is given a chance to do so without being hindered by footwear.

I also believe that most people do not have significant bio-mechanical mal-alignments, but rather weakened muscles and poor postural control due to over-reliance on footwear.

Most osseous bio-mechanical problems are irrelevant in barefoot walkers & runners. So I now place most emphasis on rehabilitation rather than orthotic control and also encourage my patients to walk & run barefoot as much as possible. I will often mobilise or manipulate stiff joints to improve foot and leg function then teach patients exercises to maintain and increase that movement, along with barefoot exercise. Sometimes I will tape the feet to encourage better function. As we live on a beautiful peninsula jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean I prescribe barefoot beach walking and running to strengthen weak foot and leg muscles and to mobilise stiff joints. I also refer patients to our clinic physiotherapist and personal fitness trainer where needed to aid rehabilitation. I still prescribe foot orthoses sometimes, though only temporarily when tissue stress relief is required to aid healing the injured structures and to re-educate the muscles by improving postural alignment.

How do your patients react when you recommend barefoot activity? Do they embrace it well or are many hesitant to bare their feet for better health?
Surprisingly, quite a few patients (mainly over 40 years of age) used to walk barefoot as children and are very accepting of the concept. Because we live in a coastal area with lots of seaside resorts and beaches most people here are okay with barefoot walking in these areas and around their houses and gardens. Most do not want to walk barefooted in public areas in town or shopping centres. I have very little problem persuading patients to go for barefoot walks up & down the local sandy beaches as part of their rehabilitation exercises. The majority of my patients are really excited to discover that they won't have to wear orthotics for the rest of their lives if they strengthen their feet. Some prefer to wear minimalist shoes like Vibram FiveFingers and Vivo Barefoot shoes to help with strengthening the foot during walking and running. None have become barefooters to the extent they go out in public except at the beach, though in time that may happen as a few people have been keen enough to buy Daniel Howell's The Barefoot Book and Born to Run. I have only been practicing Barefoot Podiatry for about 4 months. It took me a couple of months to come to terms with barefoot walking being better than shod and rethinking all my old podiatric bio-mechanical theories of gait. During that time I had many sleepless nights whilst I adjusted my thinking. Some days I even began to believe I would have to give up working in my profession because it didn't fit with my new beliefs about barefoot gait. I have now become comfortable with my new Barefoot Podiatry paradigm. And am excited to have a new professional focus. I feel I am on a mission to help other health professionals understand the barefoot gait paradigm. At the end of this month I will be lecturing to podiatrist in our county and in November I am lecturing for 7 hours at the British School of Osteopathy on Barefoot Podiatry.

If someone were interested in more barefoot activity, what recommendations do you have for them to get started?
When a patient is keen to do some barefoot walking or running I tend to start them off with foot strengthening exercises first, because most of my patients are already injured (I reckon 90% of patients attending podiatrists' clinics are injured by the chronic wearing of shoes). I warn them to be cautious about getting carried away with enthusiasm and advise a slow, careful transition into barefoot activities by going for short walks at first and gradually increasing the time spent barefoot walking. I also prescribe barefoot beach walking or running, and encourage them to walk barefoot around their home and garden. If they are amenable to the idea of barefoot hiking I get them to do that too. Some of my patients buy The Barefoot Book &/or Born to Run and I advise them to use my naturalfeet website to learn more about barefoot activity. For those patients who believe in the barefoot concept yet won't or can't go barefoot, I advise and sell them Minimalist Footwear.

What role do you believe footwear should play in our lives, if any?
I believe footwear should play an important, but infrequent role in our lives for protection just like we use gloves for our hands. And just like gloves we should remove the footwear as soon as the purpose for them as been achieved. There are times when we need to protect our feet from extremes of cold and heat just like when our ancestors first started to wear leather shoes thousands of years ago. And of course when carrying out jobs where there is a risk of physical injury to our feet. Some people, though not needing them for physical protection, wrongly will need to wear shoes for their employment due to cultural expectations of their employer or clients. In these cases I would advise they wear minimalist shoes to reduce the negative effects on their feet and of course go barefoot whenever they can. In saying that shoes may be needed for protection, I believe this is actually very rare. Most barefooters become more aware of their physical surroundings by being barefooted and so are naturally more careful. It seems that the sensory perception of the surrounding environment is enhanced by being barefoot so most of the risks of physical harm are never actually realised, just like we don't routinely hurt our hands during the day even though we may place them at risk of harm during the course of our work or recreation. So I actually think most people could go barefoot more than they at first believe. I believe the biggest barrier to barefoot activity is psychological!

Are there any types of people for whom you believe barefoot activity is inadvisable or a lost cause?

The biggest barrier to barefoot activity is psychological! Some people will never enjoy barefoot activity because their minds cannot or will not accept it. On the other-hand there are sadly a few people who would like to enjoy barefoot activity, but cannot or should not try to walk barefoot much or at all, especially outdoors. These few people would find it difficult or impossible because of physical disabilities within the foot and leg. Some of these disabling problems are minor & others more serious. There are some people who have weakened or damaged their feet so much through chronic overuse of shoes that their feet have become dependent on footwear. Some of these problems include atrophy (thinning) of the plantar fat pad , arthritis of the foot joints (particularly mid-foot joints) & damaged muscle tendons through chronic flat-footedness. Other people may have muscle disease which affects their ability to rehabilitate, or a neurological disease which inhibits their tactile sensory perception, like diabetic neuropathy. I would like to make the distinction here between those who have diabetes mellitis with no sensory neuropathy and those with damaged nerves in their feet; the former are perfectly safe to carry out barefoot activities whilst the latter are obviously at risk.

Many podiatrists seem very hesitant to recommend barefoot activity due to concern over liability if patients end up cutting their feet or otherwise getting hurt by it. There are also arguments that recommending barefoot activity goes against "best practices" and that there's no scientific evidence to back up such a recommendation. How would you respond to that?
In the UK patients are not as litigious. They view barefoot activity as a risk they take upon themselves. When I explain how we are evolved/created to walk and run barefoot and I explain some of the anatomical features which make barefoot activity natural, they see the logic in it and they can very easily understand and believe it. Very few see the logical need for shoes, though most are reluctant to walk barefoot in public due to social stigmas and cultural expectations. As far as being in compliance with best clinical practice, in the UK currently the vast majority of podiatrists preach that supportive shoes are required, but there is no 'Best Practice' policy of which I am aware. I would have no qualms about defending myself if anyone did take issue with me preaching the barefoot line.

There is more than enough scientific research to back up our barefoot position and very little if any to back up the shod position as being healthy!

You just have to look at the references in Professor Howell's book to see that. In fact, I believe it is the podiatrists who preach that shoes are required for maintaining healthy feet that are in a difficult scientific position. This is part of the reason I have taken my barefoot stance because I was unable to defend that position any more. Rather like the Tobacco industry should have been more open about the risks of cancer from smoking cigarettes, I feel that as a podiatrist I need to warn my patients about the risks from shoes. I believe in doing what is right and letting the consequences follow!

Finally, as well as believing that natural barefoot gait should be the norm I tried the experiment myself. I was challenged by a physiotherapy friend to do what I believed. So in July I did. I have been barefoot 24/7 ever since (apart from a couple of times at church out of respect for my church ministers wishes -- but he now understands and is more accepting -- and also when I perform nail surgery in order to protect my feet from blood and chemicals). I am now barefoot at work in my clinic, out hiking through the woods and on the cliff paths. I have also started running again after 20 years, this time barefoot. I have run up to 3 miles so far, with none of the problems which stopped me running when I wore running shoes. The personal experiment has worked for me and is working for my patients too. What is so satisfying is having the ability to heal my patients from injuries which have resisted treatment with orthotics and shoes prior to introducing barefoot strengthening exercises, but now they are doing well.

Final thoughts?

The future is exciting for barefooters. It is wonderful to see the growing acceptance of people in our modern shoe-oriented Western Societies beginning to realise the fallacy and misuse of footwear. It is great to see some enlightened shoe manufacturers starting to make shoes which allow more of the natural function of the feet with minimalist footwear. The ball has been cut and is rolling, it is gathering speed and cannot be stopped. It is a blessing to be involved in this great cause! To be able to improve people's health through enlightening them of the dangers of the overuse of shoes. For the first time in my 25 year career I feel I really understand the cause of foot problems and now have a tool to cure people. Primal Gait! Let's sound the warning cry to the world to "Eschew Shoes!"

I thank Dr. Bloor for his enthusiastic willingness to participate in this interview and his very interesting, informative responses. Please understand, however, that his answers should not be used as medical advice and Dr. Bloor and I waive all liability from your use of the information in his responses. I personally recommend that my readers seek out medical advice from their own medical providers to make sure that you are physically fit enough to begin barefoot activity and to rule out any other diagnoses that otherwise could complicate or detract from a barefoot lifestyle -- or even be aggravated by going barefoot.

What do you think of Dr. Bloor's responses? Does this give you a new outlook on barefoot activity? What, if anything, have your medical provider(s) said to you about barefoot activity? Please leave your responses in the comments section below. Thanks for reading.

My Achilles Heel: Transitioning & Balancing

I went to the doctor today for a four-week followup in the wake of being diagnosed with a calcaneal contusion and stress fracture in my left foot. It was caused by poor training choices while preparing for a 5K race. It's been more than six weeks since I began feeling pain.

I didn't actually see my doctor. He was out of town to support a U.S. Men's Volleyball tournament in Denver. I saw his associate, a very nice gal who also specializes in sports medicine.

After getting caught up on my condition and how my ankle is feeling, she recommended that I begin water physical therapy. It will be for the purposes of building up my leg muscles again while my heel finishes its recovery. If my insurance won't pay for that, I'll do "regular" PT.

As far as weight bearing and using the boot, she feels I should be in the mode of "weight bearing as tolerated." That means that if it hurts to walk on it, don't. She didn't give me any hard and fast numbers of how many more weeks to stay off of it or wear the boot. I should gauge for myself what I think is best. She did mention, however, that she'd like to see me walking around some at home "in a shoe."


Pain is the real guide here. She doesn't want to order any images if it seems like pain is slowly going away; on the flip side I shouldn't do anything that causes a lot of pain. She did share that most of the pain I've felt likely came from the contusion in the heel and not necessarily the fracture itself. The fracture is likely healing, but the contusion will take a long time to fully go away.

Because of that and all the walking I do with my job, she feels that wearing more of a "walking shoe" or cushioned shoe at work from now on would be best. She understands my preference for minimal footwear, and I understand her points, so it may be that I'll wear the insoles that came with my Terra Plana VivoBarefoot shoes and maybe even an additional cushioned heel cup for a while. Split the difference, in other words.

So we'll play it by...er, foot, and see what happens. I'm looking forward to PT, because that tells me I'm on my way back to an active lifestyle and running. I have another followup with my regular doctor again in two weeks. We'll see what happens between now and then. As always, I'll keep you posted.

I welcome your comments below. Have you ever dealt with a foot injury? I'd be interested to hear your experience in the comments section, too.

Why A Women's Running Shoe for 'That Time of the Month' Makes Sense...and Why You Still Shouldn't Buy It

An online friend of mine (thanks, @bareminimalist) today posted to Facebook information about a new running shoe made by Asics. They're called the Gel-Kayano 16 (pictured). The special thing about these shoes is that they're designed to adjust to a woman's changing arches during her menstrual period.

According to the original article in The Mail Online, "When oestrogen is high, and a woman is at her most fertile, the arch drops. Later in the month, when she is menstruating, levels of the hormone are low but her arch is raised." The Gel-Kayano 16 has three layers of material in the arch that automatically adjust to this bio-mechanical change, theoretically providing the perfect amount of arch support as needed.

At first, I approached the announcement of these shoes from an incredibly cynical point of view. If it's not springs in the soles or thick, rounded soles for a more "barefoot" gait (see previous blog post), it's some other "gimmick" to make a buck. I was about to repost to Facebook the above-linked story. I was going to say how ridiculous it was to have a shoe that adjusts to your foot when your foot adjusts to itself already and -- wait a tick.

If you subscribe to the idea that our feet need shoes for running, these shoes are quite brilliant! High arch? The shoe knows. Low arch? The shoe adjusts. That's actually really cool and a great feature that lots of other shoes should have built in.

Everyone from doctors to running magazines give the advice that each runner needs to have the right shoe for their individual feet. Not all feet are made the same, so not all shoes should be made the same. Shoes can vary in arch support, cushioning, width and any number of other aspects. That's why there's so many different kinds of running shoes when you look up at the wall of your local sporting goods store or shoe retailer. Shoe companies say that they make different kinds of shoes to get the right fit for each person's bio-mechanics. This shoe might truly be the best one out there.

But there's a catch.

It's still a shoe.

With barefoot running there's no product to buy to adapt to your foot. Your foot just does its thing. If you want some kind of protection on your feet, wear something like Vibram Fivefingers or Terra Plana's VivoBarefoot shoes that have no kind of arch support and, inherently, let your foot be a foot.

You might say, "But Michael, isn't running without arch support bad?" Not if you properly train your foot to be strong and support its own arch.

Our feet are capable of amazing things if we let them be feet. Closing them up inside a shoe, no matter how adaptive to our foot they may be, is not the best option for most people. Sure, a shoe that adapts to our foot may prevent injury to some extent, but encourages weakness in structures of our body that are meant to be strong.

Barefoot running is generally best. Period.

(pun intended)

I welcome your comments below.

Shoe store image: Walker's Clothing and Shoes
Running in Vibram Fivefingers image: Photography on the Run
(The above recommendations for minimalist footwear are based solely on the author's use and personal endorsement of the products mentioned. Barefoot Michael has received no sponsorship or monetary compensation from said companies.)

Listen to My Thoughts on Barefooting

Want to hear my thoughts on barefooting beyond what you read here? The good folks over at Living Barefoot have released their ninth episode of The Living Barefoot Show. It's the recording of the live call-in show in which I participated back in October. Hear my thoughts on what makes a "barefooter," why I don't go barefooted everywhere and more. Check it out at the following link or download off of iTunes (search for "The Living Barefoot Show"). My participation begins at about the three-minute mark.

The Living Barefoot Show Episode 9 - LIVE Call-In Show from Oct. 2009
"An Ode to Baby Wipes," the blog post I referenced in the show.

Image from Sagworks

Bootfoot and Ungrounded

Somehow or other I managed to tweak my left foot at home the other day. I was walking around barefooted -- like I always do at home -- and noticed a burning, tight feel in the arch of my foot. It's continued to bother me when I flex my foot a lot, so I made the difficult decision to wear "normal" shoes to work today. More specifically, I'm wearing boots.

The footwear du jour.

(Aside: You should know that I otherwise exclusively wear minimalist footwear if I'm not barefooted. Away from work they're Vibram Fivefingers. At work I wear one of my two pairs of Terra Plana VivoBarefoot shoes.)

My reasoning was that I figured the stiffer shoes would essentially "cast" my feet, allowing me to walk around without so much flexion and movement. Hopefully that rest will help my foot return to normal sooner. After all, isn't that essentially what doctors are going for when the prescribe a brace for an injured joint?

I've noticed some interesting things today while wearing shoes more typical of the general populace. These are things I've experienced before, but since I haven't worn normal shoes in about 3 1/2 months I've forgotten a lot of this. Having greater sensation in minimalist shoes, the following observations are also made more apparent:

I was right. They're like casts.
Man, my feet sure aren't moving much. It's really amazing what a difference minimalist shoes and going barefooted make. I'm so used to my feet flexing and moving about that I forgot how restrictive regular shoes can be.

Boots are heavy!
I don't know how much these American Eagle Outfitters boots weigh, but I can tell you that it's a whole lot more than my minimalist shoes. Each step while wearing these takes a little more effort on the part of my legs.

I feel like I'm walking above the floor.
This is a weird sensation. I'd gotten so used to feeling the floor beneath my feet and minimalist shoes that having a much thicker heel really amplifies the distance between the floor and our feet. That said, a similar sensation is that...

I can tell I'm taller with these on.
It's really quite interesting, but even about 1 1/2" of extra height is noticeable. Door knobs, various buttons and other things around me are a little bit lower than normal. I bet this is nothing new for many women who wear heels after wearing flats for a while.

I can feel my feet slanting forward.
Just the little decline from the back to the front of these boots is apparent. I feel my feet pointing downward slightly and my ankle is at a different angle than I'm used to. While it's certainly nothing like what women would experience wearing heels, it's a bit strange not to have my feet parallel with the floor.

I feel so bad for everybody else.
This kind of sucks. After going exclusively barefooted or minimalist footwear for more than three months now, I have rediscovered the hell that most people put their feet through every day of their lives. I wouldn't want to do this everyday and hopefully this is the only day I'll do this. This reminds why I need to keep pressing on with the good news of going barefooted.

Please, do yourself a favor and take your shoes off if you don't need them on. Flex your feet for a little while and let them be what they are supposed to be: unrestricted and happy.

'Man v. Wild' Host Wears VivoBarefoot on 'Conan'

Bear Grylls, host of the Discovery Channel's "Man v. Wild" was spotted Friday evening wearing Terra Plana's VivoBarefoot minimalist shoes on NBC's "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien." His brown suede Aqua-style shoes coordinated well with his blue jeans and brown shirt. No mention was made of the shoes during the show.

Grylls (second from left) looks on as Conan speaks to singer Tony Bennett.

Since Grylls embraces nature as a profession, Terra Plana's "green" approach to shoe construction would likely be appealing to him. Being a survivalist takes a good deal of efficiency and critical thinking, so it's fair to see why Grylls would wear minimalist shoes. The Aquas are a stylish take on sneakers while providing a very thin sole and wide toe box which allow for a more barefooted feel.

Grylls stands to greet singer Tony Bennett.

The brown suede VivoBarefoot Aquas as pictured on Terra Plana's Web site.

I Don't Think Those Foot Gloves Are Normal

I've realized something recently that signals a sea change for me as a barefooter. You have to realize that, as much as I tout going barefooted as a great thing, I wore shoes for a LONG time before I became a barefooter. Since I decided to pursue an unshod lifestyle, going barefooted has been a treat. I've loved doing it whenever I could but it always felt different in some way. My mind and my feet had been so used to shoes for so long that the sensations and freedom of barefooting seemed abnormal, no matter how much I liked it.

Think about the concept of wearing winter gloves. We're so used to our hands being bare that covering them when it's cold out is different. We can still generally use our hands and the gloves serve a purpose, but there are many moments when we realize that our hands are gloved. Grabbing a particular object or touching a particular button on the dashboard makes us think, ever so briefly, "Hmm, gloves." Later, when we get back inside and warm up, the gloves come off.

Where bare hands are the norm for so many people, so are covered and/or shod feet. For so many of us, it is normal to put on shoes for our daily living. We might go barefooted around the house sometimes, but we generally put on shoes in the morning when we leave home and keep them on until late into the evening. Sure, there are times when we remove our shoes for specific activities. People who do yoga often go barefooted. You see few people walking around a swimming pool with shoes on -- though many wear flip flops to and from the facility. Almost no one wears footwear into the shower, especially at home. But wearing shoes is generally normal for most of us.

My perception of what's normal for my feet has shifted 180 degrees. Just as it is normal for so many to wear shoes, it is normal for me to not wear shoes. It's now different to wear shoes, like wearing gloves on my feet. The key thing is that I don't notice it anymore when I'm barefooted.

Anymore, it's all the same to me.

I get lots of reminders when I have shoes on. There are so many moments throughout the workday -- I'm required to wear shoes to work -- that I think to myself, "Hmm, shoes," because I try to flex my foot or toes and they are confined. If I must wear flip flops into a store or restaurant I am constantly reminded that my walking gait is altered.

The thing that really signaled this shift to footwear feeling odd was how I now feel wearing my Vibram FiveFinger Sprints (VFFs). Not too long ago, I was quite satisfied wearing them as an alternative to going totally unshod. I even blogged/tweeted/mentioned to others that they felt like a "second skin." One day I realized that, as much as I like VFFs compared to normal shoes, I still feel so shod with them on. They aren't second skins anymore. They've become toe shoes with an emphasis on "shoes." This is no knock on Vibram Fivefingers in the least. I still love them and they serve a wonderful purpose when necessary, but they now live in a category with winter gloves called "Different."

This shift in what's "normal" is so marked that it is no longer second nature for me to throw on shoes when leaving the house. Depending on where we're going, I may simply ask myself if I'll need any footwear more than the backup flip flops underneath the driver's seat of each of our vehicles.

Even with winter settling in I will only wear closed-toed shoes outside if it's cold enough (right now, that means less than about 28F/-2C), otherwise the flip flops will do. The bare feet can tolerate those temps for the short time going in and out of stores and other places. My philosophy: Just as my hands sometimes need warm coverings to combat the cold, so will my feet and that's okay. But if I can generally go without gloves, my feet don't need anything on them either. In fact, I'm finding as winter progresses that my bare feet are able to handle colder temperatures than my bare hands.

That can't be normal. Or can it?

Camping in Bare Feet & Minimalist Footwear

Last weekend I had the opportunity and privilege to go camping with my son at Wallace State Park here in Missouri. We joined my sister and her family for a couple of days of food, relaxation, hiking, fishing and most importantly...s'mores!

While there, I continued a lifestyle of going barefoot or wearing minimalist shoes. Although I wanted to go barefoot most of the time, the gravel and acorns covering the ground of our camp sites made it uncomfortably prohibitive to go barefoot with any speed or efficiency. That said, I did manage to go barefoot some of the time, walking around our sites a little bit and doing some barefoot hiking on one of the trails. A significant majority of the time I wore my Vibram Fivefingers Sprint (VFFs) footwear, but on the last morning I caved to the 39F/4C temperature and wore socks with my Vivo Barefoot Dharma (Vivos) shoes. All in all, I'd say I wore my VFFs about 80% of my awake time while going barefoot about 15% and wearing the Vivos the final 5%:

Mmm, pie...charts.

I also took my Terra Plana Trip Clips with me. After getting them "dialed in" just right they worked well at keeping my jeans cuffs off of the ground. That was very helpful since barefooting and wearing minimalist shoes like the VFFs and Vivos usually keeps my cuffs low enough to rub the ground as I walk. I will certainly be doing a review later on to offer additional thoughts and tips on how best to use the clips.

Some more thoughts on barefoot/minimalist footwear camping:

• Your active feet quickly get used to cold temperatures. Even in the early morning my feet did generally well barefoot or wearing just the VFF Sprints. I only wore the Vivos for the first couple hours of the coldest morning because I wasn't very active yet. If I'd started off with a run or hike or lots of walking around then the VFFs Sprints would have been enough.
• Vibram Fivefingers, compared to bare feet, provide just enough sole protection to guard against uncomfortable gravel and acorns on the ground. I could feel the surfaces pretty well with them on, but it felt more like a foot massage instead of discomfort.
• Terra Plana's Vivo Barefoot shoes, for all of their wonderful qualities, really don't provide anywhere as close of a "barefoot" feel as Vibram Fivefingers. This really became apparent on the camping trip. On smooth surfaces the differences are much less noticeable. On gravely, rocky surfaces the flexibility of the Vibram Fivefingers really shines. Not only that, but Vivos are much more loose on the foot and I would be hesitant to go hiking in them.
• Hiking barefoot on non-gravely trails is spectacular! Nothing makes you feel more connected with nature and the earth like walking through the woods with your bare soles on the ground. Definitely try it if you get the chance. Yes, your feet will get a bit dirty, but it's worth it.

As a side note, my nephew Austin also took some opportunities to go barefoot during the trip. While he didn't hike barefoot, he did kick off his shoes a couple of times. Once, at the end of a trail as we walked back on paved roads to our sites, he went barefoot and stayed unshod for quite a while. I'm proud of him.

Overall, camping barefoot and in minimalist footwear was wonderful. It helped me feel so much more connected with the ground below and the trees above. At no point did I feel a sense of danger for my feet, even when walking over rocks in the dry riverbed or up some steep trail inclines in my VFFs. The trip got me even more interested in learning more about and exploring the concept of MovNat, which is kind of like parkour in nature. The trip was refreshing for body and soul and I can't wait to go back and do even more things barefoot. It certainly makes me want to get outdoors more and enjoy whatever nature is around me.

Quick Review: Terra Plana Vivo Barefoot Aqua

Author's Note: I've been debating with myself for the past few weeks about how I want to approach reviews on this blog. With such good reviews coming from a site as robust and well-maintained as Living Barefoot, I've been struggling with the idea that any review I write here would be redundant and irrelevant compared to theirs. Additionally, they have achieved a position that they can review products much earlier than myself. Except for my review of the Vivo Barefoot Dharmas (which I won in Living Barefoot's contest), I must pay for any shoes I would review and personally use, so the extent of my reviews is automatically limited. I've decided that I'm going to buy whichever shoes I want to buy and wear whichever shoes I want to wear. My "reviews" will be short and quick, covering what I see are the pros and cons. If a shoe company wishes to have me try out their footwear I'd be more than happy to do so, but I will leave the long reviews to Al and Tina over at Living Barefoot.

I had the opportunity to start wearing my first two pair of “minimalist footwear” shoes nearly simultaneously. The shoes in this review, the Aqua style of Vivo Barefoot shoes from Terra Plana, arrived a few days after my Dharma-style shoes.

Style

The Aquas look like a very wide sneaker, almost hearkening back to the 80s. While not overly stylish, they work with any casual clothing and some "business-casual" attire as well.

Quality

Like I said of the Dharmas, it’s easy to tell that greater care went into making these shoes than your run-of-the-mill sneakers. From the sturdy materials, to the hand stitching, to the focus on impacting the environment as little as possible, these shoes are very nice.

Compared to standard shoes, the Aquas and Dharmas are much higher quality.

Cost

Like I said with the Dharmas, the price of these shoes is pretty steep. Had I not been given a significant discount code for these shoes (in the box with my Dharmas) I likely wouldn't have bought them. I would expect that these shoes would be more expensive than your average pair of sneakers because of their build quality, however $150 USD seems really high. I put Vivo Barefoot shoes in the same category as other "green" products: The price is prohibitive for encouraging widespread adoption.

I’ve got to think that you could find a high-quality sneaker with a thin sole for less. Granted, they may not have as much of a “barefoot” feel or be as kind to the environment, but your wallet would thank you.

Fit/Comfort

While the Aquas are still incredibly comfortable, I found that I needed to be careful how tightly I tied the laces. If they were too tight my feet didn’t feel as able to flex, move and breathe the way I wanted. In fact, following the first time that I wore them, the top of my right foot in line with the big toe had a very sore spot. After quite a bit of pain and worry over weather I'd given myself some kind of stress fracture somehow, I realized that the first loophole on the Aqua had been tight enough to create a very uncomfortable pressure point for a long period of time. I've since begun keeping the laces more lose to avoid such an issue, which has resolved the problem. Overall, I would say the Dharmas still feel a bit more comfortable than the Aquas because the Aquas are laced up.

Barefoot Sensation/Movement

Going barefoot so much before wearing minimalist shoes spoiled me. Nothing can replace the feeling of bare sole on the ground below, so I have to take a mental step back and review these on their merits: a flexible shoe with an ultra-thin, puncture-resistant sole.

The large toe box on the Aquas was certainly adequate enough to prevent my toes from feeling “confined.” The Aquas have so much space that I could almost make “fists with my toes” wearing them (ala Bruce Willis in the movie Die Hard) while the Dharmas afford much less luxury. For the barefoot enthusiast who wants a shoe with lots of wiggle room for their toes, this shoe is heaven.

Wearing the Aquas without the removable insole does help the foot feel as if it’s walking on the ground with bare feet. Vivo Barefoot shoes certainly remove the problem that many other shoes cause for our feet. There is no thick heel sole. There is no cushioning. They force the wearer to adjust his/her gait in order to avoid a hard heel strike, which can only relieve the amount of pressure going up through a person’s legs and into the rest of the body.

Interestingly enough, the removable insole in the Aquas feels softer and "squishier". While the Dharmas feel pretty firm with or without the insole, the Aquas feel much softer while using the “cushiony” insole. This might all be best explained with equations:

Dharmas:

• Shoe – Insole = Firm
• Shoe + Insole = Less Firm

Aquas:

• Shoe – Insole = Firmer
• Shoe + Insole = Least Firm

What I like best about both the Aquas and Dharmas is that my arches always felt much more free to flex compared to normal shoes. I was impressed at how much more movement the Vivo Barefoot shoes gave my feet overall. That makes me believe that these shoes are far healthier for my feet.

The Final Words

When shoes are necessary, I like the Terra Plana line of Vivo Barefoot shoes very much. The certainly feel better on the feet than a "normal" pair of shoes so long as the laces aren't too tight. The sticking point about them, however, is their price. In the end, if you are not concerned about the cost and/or you find that the high quality of materials and workmanship warrant it, the Aqua line of Vivo Barefoot shoes from Terra Plana is certainly worth a look and feel.

On the Web: http://www.terraplana.com/

Twitter: @Terra_Plana and @VivoBarefoot

Weak, Misshapen Thinking

I always get a kick out of it when I hear some podiatrist talk about how our feet need arch supports or that some shoe is going help with pronation, supination or some other nation. The general message is that our feet are weak. Who cares that we were born without shoes? We cannot live effectively without our feet being supported, right?

Well that got me thinking about newborn babies, neck braces and these women:

(From chimerachronicle.wordpress.com)

Now what do you suppose would happen if this woman suddenly removed all of the metal rings from around her neck? I'm guessing her head would flop over uncontrollably, possibly breaking her neck and paralyzing her. She might be able to hold up her head, but her control over it would be pretty terrible.

But why would that happen? After all, you and I can hold our heads up just fine, right? Shouldn't she be able to?

Oh, but wait, there ARE perfectly good people who don't have rings around their necks that can't hold their heads up. They generally look like this:

(This is my baby girl Katherine, less than a day old in this pic)

So what's the difference? The first has a strong neck and weakens it over time by restricting its movement. The second has a weak neck and strengthens it over time by allowing it to move freely.

We never say that babies need neck braces or metal rings for the rest of their lives. We know that over time they will become strong enough, that their necks will do what they were born to do.

But there are times that we injure ourselves. Sometimes, then, doctors even put a part of our body in a cast or brace to facilitate healing. We've all seen someone's leg after they've had a cast or brace removed. It's usually smaller than the other leg, atrophied from lack of use. In those cases, doctors either recommend physical therapy to restrengthen the leg or reassure the patient that the leg will get back to normal over time.

We essentially place a cast on our feet every time we put on shoes. While not as restrictive as a cast, shoes greatly limit the amount of flexion in our feet. Our feet may not atrophy like they do when placed in a cast, but it's reasonable to assume that when placed in shoes on a regular basis they are not as strong as they could be. But let's take it to the extreme.

For approximately 1,000 years, some women in China were subjected to the practice of foot binding. It was believed that a small foot on a woman is a beautiful foot. In an attempt for women's feet to be more "attractive," their arches would be broken, tightly bound and crammed into shoes that were way too small for any normal foot. Over the course of their lifetimes, these women would develop permanent disabling deformities, leaving their feet looking like anything but something human:

(from neatorama.com)

The gap in her foot is where her arch used to be. More disturbingly, I think, are her toes. Do you see them? They're curled up underneath the foot, just in front of the arch.

"But Michael," you may say, "our society isn't like that. We don't torture anyone to make their feet look better. Our shoes certainly don't cause deformities like that." Oh don't they?


The very blog entry from which I got that photo is about high heels: what to wear and what to avoid. These shoes are listed as what to wear. Now imagine wearing shoes like this 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for a roughly 45-year career. While not as extreme, I've got to think they'd do something to your foot.

We've all seen them. They're the older ladies with the orthopedic sandals. If you dare look down at their feet, you might see something like this:

(from WatkinsFootCenter.com)

That sure is attractive, isn't it? While men's shoes don't typically restrict the toes as badly, we have it pretty bad too, guys.

Folks, we're killing our feet with every stupid good-looking, malformed shoe that we put on! Whether it's making our feet weaker or flat out deforming them, we have trained ourselves to be unkind to the southern end of our bodies. Even athletic shoes and non-pointed dress shoes restrict our feet.

"It's good for toddlers to go barefoot because it helps their feet develop," many people say. I've heard it a lot when I've shared my barefooting story with them. But then those same people will say that we adults shouldn't go barefoot everywhere. If bare feet are good for toddlers, why aren't they good for adults? If we believe that shoes can be bad for a kiddo's foot, why do we adults insist on wearing them when we really don't have to? Protection?


Obviously there are instances in our society where shoes are necessary. Whether it be for protection or other means, some footwear is good once and a while. And fortunately, there are companies that make "minimalist" footwear such as the Vibram FiveFingers or VivoBarefoot shoes. This footwear has been designed to let our feet be as flexible and free as possible while still adding a layer of protection. I heavily promote this stuff as a good go-between if someone is unwilling or unable to go unshod.

But our feet are meant to be bare. We were born that way and our feet should stay that way as much as possible. It builds strength, flexibility and avoids deformity. Sure, cute shoes are fun. Sure, many find feet unattractive. But feet can be fun, too. Our feet can remain attractive if well maintained.

In the end, are we really willing to sacrifice a part of our bodies because we're concerned about fashion or even a little dirt, or are we willing to embrace a neglected part of our bodies and enjoy even more of our world by living barefoot whenever possible?

Review: Terra Plana Vivo Barefoot Shoes - "Dharma"

I’ve had the opportunity to start wearing my first two pair of “minimalist footwear” shoes nearly simultaneously. The shoes in this review, the Dharma style of Vivo Barefoot shoes from Terra Plana, arrived a few days before my Aqua-style shoes (Quick Review here). Whenever possible I’ll try to compare the Dharmas to bare feet, “normal” shoes, and the Aqua shoes in an attempt to accommodate each reader wherever they’re at.

Style

First off, the Dharmas I received for review were the green color. It pleasantly reminds me both of a pine tree and guacamole. It’s not at all muted, but also doesn’t demand attention.

The design of these shoes is very simple. They look like basic loafers with a seam down the top of the shoe. They even have the typical elastic sections at the sides like most loafers do to ease slipping the shoe on and off.

Overall, the Dharmas look like any other loafer out there with a slight impression of higher quality.

Quality

Speaking of quality, it’s easy to tell that greater care went into making these shoes than your run-of-the-mill loafers. From the sturdy materials, to the hand stitching, to the focus on impacting the environment as little as possible, these shoes are very nice.

Compared to standard shoes, the Dharmas and Aquas are much higher quality.

Cost

For what you get out of these shoes, the price is pretty steep. I would expect that these shoes would be more expensive than your average pair of canvas loafers because of their build quality, however $140 USD seems really high. I could possibly see a justification for the leather version of this shoe reaching that price point, but I believe it’s asking too much for a canvas shoe.

I’ve got to think that you could find a high-quality loafer for less. Granted, they may not have as much of a “barefoot” feel or be as kind to the environment, but your wallet would thank you.

Fit/Comfort

Let’s be clear: These shoes are very comfortable. The first time I wore them to work I tweeted, “Walking the office shouldn’t be this comfy. Feels like house slippers!” And they do. It almost felt wrong for my feet to not be confined in some tight shoe while working. While putting them on, I did wish that I had a shoehorn, as they don’t flex at the opening very freely. This certainly isn’t a big deal, though.

Hands down, Vivo Barefoot Dharmas win over regular shoes. The Dharmas feel like a soft glove wrapped around my feet compared to even the most comfortable sneakers. Comparing them to the Aquas, the Dharmas are slightly more comfortable around the foot. While the Aquas are still incredibly comfortable, I found that I needed to be careful how tightly I tied the laces. If they were too tight my feet didn’t feel as able to flex, move and breathe the way I wanted. Each and every time I wore the Dharmas, however, they never felt confining.

Barefoot Sensation/Movement

I must say that going barefoot so much before wearing these shoes spoiled me. Nothing can replace the feeling of bare sole on the ground below, so I have to take a mental step back and review these on their merits: a flexible shoe with an ultra-thin, puncture-resistant sole.

First off, the toe box on the Dharmas was adequate enough to prevent my toes from feeling “confined.” While I would have liked a little more space to wriggle my toes up and down, the space provided wasn’t a problem and was certainly more than 99% of regular shoes out there. Compared to the flexible suede of the Aquas, the Dharmas provided my toes with far less vertical space. Where the Aquas have so much space that I could almost make “fists with my toes” wearing them (ala Bruce Willis in the movie Die Hard), the Dharmas afford no such luxury. As for toe box width, my foot seemed to fit perfectly from side to side. In Aquas of the same size, my foot actually felt a little narrow for the toe box.

Wearing the Dharmas without the removable insole does help the foot feel as if it’s walking on the ground with bare feet. While the ultra-fine sensations of texture and temperature are not there – and never will be – the Vivo Barefoot shoes certainly remove the problem that many other shoes cause for our feet. There is no thick heel sole. There is no cushioning. They force the wearer to adjust his/her gait in order to avoid a hard heel strike, which can only relieve the amount of pressure going up through a person’s legs and into the rest of the body.

Interestingly enough, the removable insole in the Dharmas feels firmer than the Aquas’. The latter’s insole seems made of either different materials or in a different manufacturing process, thereby making it feel almost like memory foam. While the Dharmas feel pretty firm with or without the insole, the Aquas feel much softer while using the “cushiony” insole. This might all be best explained with equations:

Dharmas:

• Shoe – Insole = Firm
• Shoe + Insole = Less Firm

Aquas:

• Shoe – Insole = Firmer
• Shoe + Insole = Least Firm

What I like best about both the Dharmas and Aquas is that my arches always felt much more free to flex compared to normal shoes. I was impressed at how much more movement the Vivo Barefoot shoes gave my feet overall. That makes me believe that these shoes are far healthier for my feet and I look forward to wearing them more.

While both styles are Vivo Barefoot shoes, I didn’t feel like my feet were quite as flexible in the Dharmas. I get the impression that the Dharmas are a “version 1.0” style in the line and that the Aquas are “version 2.0” or greater. Not only are the Dharmas a bit less flexible, but I felt like the materials between my feet and the floor were a little thicker. I got less of a sensation of the ground below wearing the Dharmas. The difference is slight, but I felt less shod overall wearing the Aquas. Don't get me wrong, though. Compared to regular footwear, the Dharmas are still far more flexible and give much more of a barefoot feel.

The Final Words

When shoes are necessary, I like the Terra Plana line of Vivo Barefoot shoes very much. The Dharma style feels very comfortable around the foot, provides a thin sole to help our feet take over with a more natural gait, and is made of quality materials to boot. While I prefer the Aqua style because of its increased flexibility and barefoot feel, I would pick the Dharmas over regular shoes any day. The sticking point about them, however, is their price. In the end, if you are not concerned about the cost and/or you find that the high quality of materials and workmanship warrant it, the Dharma line of Vivo Barefoot shoes from Terra Plana is certainly worth a look and feel.

On the Web: http://www.terraplana.com/

Twitter: @Terra_Plana and @VivoBarefoot