Mostly-rational commentary, information, stories and advice on the world as I see it. Keep your shoes off and get grounded. Authored by Michael Buttgen, the "Barefoot Voice."
The sound of heads shaking is echoing throughout the barefoot/minimalist community after news of Vibram's settlement of a class-action lawsuit accusing them of making baseless claims that their Fivefingers line of minimalist footwear could reduce injury and strengthen foot muscles. Now the company has put aside $3.75 million dollars to pay back customers who didn't see such results.
This is what happens when you sell products, folks. If you're going to be taking people's money, you'd better be darned sure that what you claim it can do is scientifically valid. When it comes to footwear, we've seen this before with Sketchers Shape-up line of shoes and FitFlop's sandals.
I'm sure so many podiatrists are laughing about all of this. The most vocal of them take great pleasure in getting on their anti-barefoot-running Websites, their Twitter accounts, and other outlets to essentially say, "See?! The evidence isn't there that minimalist shoes are good for you! We've been saying it all along!"
I totally get it. It's academically dishonest to make claims that using a product aids the feet in reducing injuries and getting stronger when there's no evidence. That makes sense.
As I type this, I'm wearing one of my FOUR pairs of Vibram Fivefingers. Why? Because I have to wear closed-toe shoes for my job. Otherwise I'd be barefoot.
Bare feet are the human condition. Let's all keep remembering that. We were born with bare feet. People have lived for millenia with no shoes and done fine.
In everything we do, going barefoot should be the baseline and any shoes should be added only as necessary. Any claims about what those shoes or orthotics or braces or whatever can do should be based around improving the human condition and they should be backed by evidence.
So instead of:
"Vibram Fivefingers strengthen the feet and reduce injuries" (compared to standard shoes) ...
The claims should be:
"Vibram Fivefingers increase traction on many surfaces and protect the feet while preserving most of the foot's natural function."
See the difference? It's easy to get into legal hot water with the first statement -- obviously, because it happened. It's a lot harder with the second.
I wear Vibram Fivefingers, among other brands of minimal footwear, when I need something on my feet for protection, warmth, or to fulfill a policy when it's not okay to challenge the system. I wear them because they add little to the feet -- NOT because they are so much less bulky or injurious than normal shoes.
As the Barefoot Alliance says in it's main hashtag, #BarefootIsHuman. Let's stop making baseless claims that hurt the underlying intent of the barefoot/minimalist movement and start behaving as if shoes add to the feet instead of barefoot being the subtraction of shoes.
First there was Vibram Fivefingers. Then there was Fila Skeletoes. Now, the second-largest athletic shoe company in the world has announced that they are releasing their own version of toe shoes: The Adidas Adipure Trainers.
The Adidas Adipure Trainer (men's)
In response, the folks at MyFiveFingers.com asked via Twitter, "So what does everyone think of the just announced Adidas 'copycat' version of FiveFingers?" They posted a page on their site about the Adipure Trainers saying, "Another FiveFingers (sic) knockoff. Oh great."
Actually, yeah. It IS great!
The Vibram Fivefingers Jaya
Listen folks, just because Vibram was the first to develop shoes with separate toe pockets doesn't mean they are or will be the end-all, be-all toe shoe manufacturer. Heck, my response to all this is is, "What took everybody so long?!"
How long have we had gloves with individual finger pockets for our hands? Did the second company that made gloves with finger pockets get called a "copycat" or "knockoff?" I don't know, but you don't hear The North Face or any other glove manufacturer getting called those names today.
It makes sense for shoes to have individual toe pockets. It's how our feet are built, after all. That way of making shoes really should be the rule more than the exception.
I think it's great that more shoe manufacturers are coming out with toe shoes because it drives innovation, competition, and public acceptance. That's only good news for people who like to wear minimalist shoes AND it's only good news for the barefoot movement.
The Fila Skeletoes
I'd like to see someone make a better toe shoe than Vibram, because then that would push Vibram to make Fivefingers even better than they already are. I hope the Adipure Trainers are better than Skeletoes, because then maybe Fila will improve their abysmal product.
The competition between manufacturers will naturally force DOWN the prices of these shoes and make them more accessible for the general public.
If a bunch of shoe companies release their own brand of toe shoes, more and more of the public will see minimalist toe shoes and, I believe, see them as a good and acceptable thing. "Heck," they'll think, "if all these companies are making toe shoes then they must know something I don't know." Minimalist, foot-conforming footwear could become -- gasp! -- commonplace?
Maybe, just maybe, people will then take the next step and realize that they can just take off their toe shoes and bare their actual toes by living barefoot. It could happen - and ultimately, I hope it does.
Like I said in the subject line: Bring on the toe shoes! The more, the merrier!
As Founder and Chief Primalfoot Officer of The Primalfoot Alliance, I've planned a couple of organized activities in my hometown for Your Day Without Shoes this Saturday, June 11. Supporters and advocates of barefoot activity from around the midwest are welcome to come together to eat, play, enjoy the outdoors and show their barefoot independence in...Independence, Missouri.
The shoeless activities will start at 11:30 a.m. with a picnic (bring your own food) and barefoot time at Waterfall Park behind the Bass Pro Outdoor World on the southwest corner of I-70 and I-470 in Independence. The park is a unique space, set up next to a large man-made lake and with paved trails leading throughout a natural setting. There is also lots of space for kicking a ball around or throwing a frisbee. For kiddos, there's a large playground area set up with a climbing rock and customary jungle gym. The playground surface itself is very barefoot friendly, composed of a rubbery wood-chip-like surface.
Independence Center Mall
After that, we'll make our way to the nearby Independence Center on 39th Street, just east of M-291 highway, a uniquely cavernous shopping mall with stores ranging from Macy's to Radio Shack. While there, we can window shop, make any "necessary" purchases, grab an orange julius from the food court and/or have the kids play in the large play area of the mall.
Participants are then encouraged to continue the day on their own while barefoot. Whether it's shopping or dining elsewhere, taking in a movie or countless other activities, I encourage everyone to bare their soles and continue experiencing the world without shoes for the rest of the day.
I should point out one thing: Some of our plans, whether for this organized event or on our own throughout the rest of the day, may get sidetracked due to discrimination from management or security at the places we go. That's part of the reason for Your Day Without Shoes. We want to begin educating others and advocating for our feet. We want to begin changing the tide away from misinformed policies that keep people from living in a way that they find healthy and comfortable -- and that is perfectly legal.
Make sure to visit YourDayWithoutShoes.com to read up on how to make it the best day possible. Print off a bunch of the informational fliers on the Resources page. When people push to make you wear shoes, push back with respectful information that can help others understand that we're not just a bunch of troublesome hippies.
It's Your Day Without Shoes, and the more support we get, the better.
Since you can't turn on the TV, visit a Web site or read a magazine at this time of year without seeing some recap of the year that was, I thought I'd follow suit, look back and share the top 10 ways that bare feet or going barefooted made an impact in 2010. In this second year of creating this list, some are news items while others are trends or products. You may not have heard of some of the things on my list. Quite honestly, you may not agree with what I've selected or the order in which I've put them. What's important here is that the list is comprised of 10 ways that bare feet became more pervasive and made a name for themselves this year, not necessarily how the public saw them as a whole -- and not necessarily good. The list, in ascending order:
Honorable Mention: The Primalfoot Alliance Begins I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that The Primalfoot Alliance began this year. My brainchild -- but the work of a number of people -- began the process of "Taking Our Feet Back" and advocating for those who choose to go barefoot...even in public. There's a lot more on the horizon for this group. Keep an eye out in 2011.
10. Tiger Woods Likes Them Naked -- His Feet When Practicing, That Is On the heels of Tiger's respectable #2 finish in my rankings last year for his widely-publicized post-vehicular-crash shoeless nap, he made it known this year that he often practices his golf swings sans footwear. Of his coach Sean Foley, Tiger wrote in a PGA blog, "Sometimes he has me hit shots barefoot, just to work my balance." Cool! So cool, in fact, that there was much speculation ahead of this year's Ryder Cup in early autumn that Tiger would even compete barefoot. Alas, that wasn't meant to be, but kudos to him and his coach for seeing the light shining down on the benefits of barefoot activity.
9. Serena Williams Misses U.S. Open After Cutting Feet in Restaurant
Some barefooters took notice when news broke in July that tennis star Serena Williams cut her foot on a piece of broken glass in a restaurant. As you're likely aware, the threat of broken glass is a common reason for restauranteurs to deny barefoot patrons. This could have ended up as fodder for barefoot-unfriendly folks to continue such discrimination. So was Serena going barefoot at a restaurant? What happened? Ms. Williams told USA Today that details of the entire event are a bit of a mystery, but that she does know that both of her feet got cut by broken glass while she was wearing sandals and exiting the establishment. She's all better now and back to playing, but the scare left her with a lacerated tendon and a number of stitches. Wow. It goes to show you that sandals won't even protect against some things, even while they are considered adequate "protection" compared to bare feet by so many naysayers. I think it also is a testament to how footwear "dumbs down" the feet and cuts off some of our senses. I wonder if this would have happened if she were barefoot. Would she have been more aware of her surroundings and, therefore, avoided the glass?
8. Groups Set New Records Sans Shoes If there's something worth doing, somebody will think it's worth doing more than anyone has ever done it. That applied to bare feet this year as records were made and broken for both walking and running without shoes. Unfortunately, no one in the Western world managed to pull it off...for long.
The Guinness World Record for Largest Barefoot Walk was set in China in 2010.
In June, The Barefoot Runners Society made a "run" at the Guinness World Record for Largest Barefoot Race. They set it in early May when 140 of their closest friends ran around an indoor facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Their accomplishment was eclipsed in December, however, when 306 runners in Mumbai, India, took part in a barefoot half marathon organized by the Barefoot Runners of India Foundation. Those who preferred a slower form of shoeless locomotion set their own records this year, too. First, it was 1,141 barefoot people in Chengdu, China, who walked one kilometer to set the Guinness record for Largest Barefoot Walk in September. The event was organized by Infinitus (China) Company Ltd. as part of their World Walking Day. Not long after their stroll, however, another group of more than 1,900 attempted to break that record in Andhra Pradesh, India, in November. It, however, has not been certified by the folks at Guinness as of this writing.
7. Sesame Street Tells Kids: "Set Your Piggies Free" Kids love to take off their shoes...and so does Ziggy Marley! The good folks at the Sesame Workshop released a music video on their flagship PBS program "Sesame Street" this year. In short, it reminds kids that shoes don't need to be worn all the time. Aside from a nitpick I have about their implying that bare feet and pavement aren't friendly with each other, it's a cute song. Here's hoping that it helps bolster an army of children who don't fear bare feet on themselves or others as they grow older (and become managers at stores and restaurants). Hey, a barefooter can hope, can't he? Take a look:
6. "The Barefoot Book" Released by a "Barefoot Professor"
If ever barefooters around the world wanted an instruction manual on the benefits of going barefoot to share with friends, anatomy professor and barefooter Daniel Howell, PhD, released it this year.The Barefoot Book came out in the summer and started making waves in national media by the fall. Within months, Howell began giving interviews with the likes of The Washington Post, MSNBC, NBC, WGN Radio and numerous other outlets. While many of the interviews largely ignored the substantial contents of the book, Howell put a legitimate face on barefoot living and backed it up in writing. I'm excited to see how things progress as Howell continues the interviews in 2011 and The Barefoot Book becomes more widely known.
5. Taylor Swift Performs Barefoot at the VMAs (and Other Celebs Kick Off Their Shoes)
One of the hottest names in music this year was Taylor Swift, and she made waves online when she performed barefoot at the MTV Video Music Awards in September. Her song, seemingly sung to Kanye West, lended itself well to a shoeless performance since going barefoot is often considered a symbol of humility. Afterward, Twitter lit up with all kinds of comments about her lack of shoes. While some were supportive and thought it was cool, many panned her for being so gross, blah, blah, blah. You can read more and see the performance at my blog post about the whole thing. When Miss Swift wasn't baring her soles, other celebrities made headlines here and there in 2010 for going barefoot, too. They included Michael Franti, Pamela Anderson, Thomas Jane, Diana Vickers and Isabel Lucas, to name a few.
4. Rex Ryan's Foot Fetish Fallout I was done putting this list together when this bombshell fell out of the sky and I had to bump all the earlier stuff down a notch. Apparently the New York Jets' head coach and his wife like to play "footsie" with each other...and record it...and post it to the Internet. Once the media got wind of it, the Internets lit up with the term "foot fetish," and Ryan had some a'splainin' to do -- or not. "I know you need to ask and all that stuff, but it's a personal matter and I'm really not going to discuss it, OK?" he said in his response to reporters' questions. So sports media folks didn't get any answers and pretty much dropped it. Over and done with, right? Not quite. The media loves a good story and NFL head coaches' foot fetishes make for titillating material, so what's the best way to keep this thing alive as long as possible? Ask sex therapists what they think! Talk about it on The View! And that's just what they did:
Now I'm very clear that I don't consider myself a foot fetishist, but this falls into the "to each his own" category for me. I know that there are many in the barefooting community that DO have foot fetishes, but there are also those who are staunchly opposed to them. I like what the therapist in the aforementioned link said, "It's only defined as a problem when the person or couple define it as a problem." Fair enough. Let's move on.
3. "One Day" Throws the Barefoot Baby Out with the Bath Water Who doesn't love a great cause to get behind? Nobody! Okay, so there are people throughout the world who don't have any shoes and need access to them sometimes -- emphasis on "sometimes." I can admit that. It's good to have a pair available. Along comes TOMS Shoes to organize "One Day Without Shoes," encouraging people to nobly go barefoot for a day in April to understand what it's like to live sans footwear. And while you're at it, you can buy a pair of their for-profit footwear and they'll donate a pair to needy children. Huh. Well, fair enough. TOMS claims they knew of more than 250,000 folks who bared their soles for the day for the cause. The theme for this year's "One Day" of bare feet? "It's Hard Without Shoes." Wait, what?
It turns out that to effectively promote your cause of selling shoes to the charitable masses, you have to demonize bare feet -- even though it's the best way to live and most people really can get away with it most of the time. And demonize they did. Folks tweeted and blogged all over the 'Net about how much their feet hurt (which makes sense because their feet aren't used to it) and how they were getting kicked out of some places because of it. Welcome to the barefooters' world, friends. Well, I guess with respect to the last point, it IS hard without shoes...to shop or dine in this country, but I digress. I'll avoid getting into the nitty gritty details of how many things are misguided about TOMS campaign, but will say that it doesn't help the cause of promoting barefoot activity when a company that makes its money from selling shoes can rally so much support for a campaign that primarily is meant to sell their shoes. On the plus side, at least one young lady decided it wasn't so hard without shoes that day. She's kept a barefoot lifestyle going since that day. At least there's some hope.
2. Lieberman Study Data Takes "Barefoot" Running to the Next Level What could get supporters of barefoot running even more hyped about the sport following the success of Christopher McDougall's book Born to Run? (#1 on my list last year) Proof! And that's just what they got in the results of the Harvard study,"Biomechanics of Foot Strikes & Applications to Running Barefoot or in Minimal Footwear" published in Nature in January. In a nutshell -- help, I'm in a nutshell! -- Daniel Lieberman, PhD, et al showed evidence that running with a forefoot strike ala barefoot running creates less force on the body.
Yours truly running barefoot in the Hospital Hill 5K in Kansas City, June 2010.
What happened next eclipsed anything we'd seen from Born to Run. Media outlets everywhere picked up on the results and fitness folks all over were talking about it. Podiatrists came out of the woodwork stressing caution. The term "barefoot shoes" started to permeate everyday culture. Enough Vibram Fivefingers got out there that most people had at least seen or heard of them -- possibly through a friend who had a pair.
One event that made waves among the barefoot community was the first ever New York City Barefoot Run, a pilgrimage of sorts. About 265 barefoot runners from all around the U.S. and world, including many of the most well-known, converged on The Big Apple for the event. Though I didn't go, I heard that a great time was had by all. We can expect to see it a second year, and many more similar events spring up all over the place in the years to come.
The barefoot running movement and research on the sport will continue for a long time after 2010. In early December, not one year after the study started making waves, another leading researcher announced that she was leaving her school to conduct research alongside Lieberman. Irene Davis, PhD, a barefoot runner herself, left the University of Delaware to help launch a running center at Harvard Medical School. I think it's safe to say that we've only scratched the surface on what we know about running without shoes. What's more, we should see more studies coming out in the next few years to empirically back up what many of us already know about the benefits of running barefoot.
1. The "Barefoot Bandit" Gets Nabbed
He fought the law, and the law finally won.
(Cue the "Real Men of Genius" music) Here's to you, Mr. "Barefoot Bandit" Colton Harris-Moore. You jumped all the way from #5 on last year's Top 10 list to the prime spot in 2010. And boy, did you do it in style -- and completely barefoot. (He ain't got no shoes on!) You nabbed our hearts while the police nabbed you in The Bahamas. Nobody else could have evaded authorities for more than a year while robbing places and snatching airplanes on the joy ride of a lifetime. (The BALLOON BOY has nothing on YOU!) While we barefooters just try to avoid getting a talking to from security at the local mall, you tried to see what kind of Cessna was available to steal undetected from the closest airport. (I'll TAKE the one in RED!) Now, we don't condone the illegal things you did... (You can STILL fly as a JAILBIRD!) .. but we have to admit that we admire that you often did it without shoes. That's...pretty...cool. (Mr. "Barefoot Bandit" Colton Harris-Moore!) All right. Enough antics. Man, can you believe that kid? He started his spree in 2008 and wasn't caught until July of 2010. What's more, he got all the way across the country in that time! He made such an impact in the news this year that Time Magazine even named him #4 of their "Top 10 Fleeting Celebrities" of the year. That's why he definitely deserves the top spot here. It remains to be seen what impact his barefoot adventures had on society's perceptions of bare feet, but one writer tried to quickly cut off negative views at the knees by writing a post called, "Not all 'barefooters' are bandits." It actually is worth a read, highlighting a few barefooters of notoriety. We'll see what happens to Harris-Moore. Maybe he can share with his fellow inmates all the benefits of going barefoot...in the shower...with soap on a rope. :-\
So what do you think of this list? Was there something that you think was a huge omission? What struck you as the top impacts on bare feet -- good or bad -- this year? Please leave your comments in the section below.
Today is a huge day in the United States as voters go to the polls for "mid-term" elections. Voters will decide on all members of the U.S. House of Representatives and 1/3 of the Senate as well as countless state and local candidates and ballot issues. That got me thinking. What if there were a campaign for your feet...
"Senator Shoe sure talks a good talk, but does he walk a good walk? NO! He promises greater comfort and health year after year, but painfully lets us down by promoting Big Fashion and siding with President Ignorance on bunions, corns, fungus, ingrown nails, hammertoes and fallen arches! He says he's making our lives better, but they just get worse and we stay isolated from positive relations with the ground below. Isn't it time for REAL change in Walkington?
"Bare Feet is for less footwear and more freedom. He thinks you should keep more control of your own health and comfort. During his time in the Summer, Bare Feet consistently voted for healthier skin, straighter toes, stronger muscles and giving control back to your own body. He consistently listens to feedback from the ground instead of cutting off communications. If you vote for him this November, Bare Feet will fight for better temperature regulation instead of leaving you out in the cold.
"Bare Feet. Less Restrictive. Healthier. More Comfortable.
"The Take-Back-Control-of-Your-Own-Body Fund is responsible for the content of this advertisement."
Now, I'm no fan of negative ads, but I think this does a good job of illustrating just what feet are up against. Shoes really are NOT in the best interest of our feet. Going barefoot is really the best way to let our feet take care of themselves and ward off all the nasties that are caused -- or at least perpetuated -- by shoes.
Vote for Bare Feet! The more that we go barefoot, the more that society will see it's okay and not harmful to ourselves or others. The more that we advocate for our natural right to keep our shoes off, the more people will see that it's not right to discriminate against feet and force us to wear shoes.
And yes it is getting colder, but if you acclimatize yourself to cooler temperatures then you can go barefoot outdoors in above-freezing temperatures and certainly indoors. For more info. on that, see my previous blog post, "Don't Get Cold Feet About Bare Feet As Cooler Months Approach."
What do you think of this analogy of our feet in an election against shoes? What other campaign promises does "Senator Shoe" make and not keep? Please leave your comments in the section below.
As a Christian, I couldn't help but smirk at this comment left by "Barefoottrailrunner" at an article on the Washington Post Website about my friend and fellow barefooter, Daniel Howell, PhD. So, so true:
God: Moses, take off your shoes. You are on holy ground.*
Moses: But God, do I have to? I mean, what if I step on something icky? Or a fire ant nest? Or a nail, or broken glass? Aren't there health codes? What if I get plantar fasciitis? What if people think my feet look funny?
God (shakes head ruefully): Silly humans. Why, oh why do I bother?
I just had a fleeting thought and wanted to write a quick post about it. It boggles my imagination that people think that there's SO MUCH broken glass around that threatens anyone that dare go barefoot. Why is this? Honestly, if people just stop and think for just a moment, they'll realize that this isn't true. But then I got to thinking about one of the most popular action movies of all time.
In 1988's Die Hard, John McClane (played by Bruce Willis) saves the Nakatomi building and all its hostages while totally barefoot. He'd taken his shoes off to release stress by making "fists with his toes," and by the time he realized that major (expletive) was going down, it was too late to go back for footwear.
In the film, he cuts his feet up something fierce. He has to when the bad guys shoot up an office area full of glass partitions in order to intentionally cause harm to him. It's an incredibly memorable part of the movie.
Maybe too memorable.
Has society's fear of stepping on broken glass developed partially from a fictional action story? Do people have an unconscious fear of broken glass in part from this famous flick? What say you, Mr. McClane?
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.
I recently ran across a curious paragraph in an article reporting on the decision of a library board to uphold their policy prohibiting bare feet. While they predictably chose to continue discrimination against bare feet, one of their reasons for doing so left me scratching my head. The paragraph:
"Board member Jameson Campaigne pointed out he researched the subject, finding that bare feet could increase floor cleaning costs."
REALLY? I've heard the excuse that bare feet make a floor dirtier than shoes -- partially because of our own natural oils that are allegedly transferred from our skin -- but I've never seen that excuse extrapolated out to the costs of cleaning the floors. And where did he research this?
I don't deny that bare feet could deposit dirt or even bodily oils onto the floor, but I hardly believe that there's nearly enough prevalence of barefoot patrons to make this a real problem above and beyond what shoes already do to the floors. In fact, I'd imagine that bare feet generally do less damage to floors because feet are cleaned more regularly and are not as harsh on surfaces like shoes are to carpet.
Honestly, haven't we all seen how faded and worn carpet gets in high-traffic areas of businesses? I know I can see the "tracks" where people regularly walk along the carpeted corridors of my workplace.
Are bare feet a real threat to floors? If so, are there enough potential barefoot patrons to be concerned that they would raise cleaning costs? Sound off and let me know what you think about this being a partial reason for the library board denying patrons without shoes. Please leave your comments in the section below.
A viewer didn't have to look too closely at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards to see that Taylor Swift performed barefoot. Swift wore a white dress and no footwear to seemingly portray "innocent" forgiveness of last year's speech-crashing hip-hopper Kanye West.
While I am always for barefoot activity -- and celebs like Joss Stone who regularly perform sans shoes -- Twitter lit up with negative vibes following Swift's performance. The responses were mostly retweets of user @Lord_Voldemort7 who has north of 220,000 followers. His negative and stereotype-perpetuating tweet?:
"Taylor Swift walked across the VMA stage barefoot. Poor decision making. Bieber fever is the tamest of the diseases she's about to get."
It's too bad that bare feet continue to get such a bad rap and that so many people think going barefoot is so unhygienic. Here's hoping The Primalfoot Alliance can help remind people how great going barefoot can be.
What do you think of Taylor Swift's decision to perform barefoot? Have you ever considered going barefoot when/where you normally wouldn't? Please leave your comments below.
Want to see her performance? Your wish is my command:
Dr. Scholls, a company known for their wide range of foot products, has introduced a line of light, thin, rollable footwear for women called Fast Flats. In an video advertisement on their Facebook page, they promote the slippers as "flats in a flash" -- an option for women who are tired of wearing their heels. They reportedly go for $12.99 USD and are available at Walgreen's stores (and likely others, too, but Walgreen's tends to be barefoot friendly).
I've heard of footwear like this before, but they were distributed by vending machines in Europe. I've been hoping that a company here in the U.S. would release something like it, and it looks that time has come.
While I'm still a staunch proponent of people going barefoot first, there are times when minimal footwear is a better idea. This especially applies in situations like the workplace where shoes are often required. Fast Flats seem like they might fit the bill.
I'm going to buy a pair of these for my wife, Glenda. She likes to go barefoot, but is prone to wear some kind of footwear in public. I'd like to get her opinions on how well they fit, their durability and overall effectiveness as a minimal shoe option.
It's disappointing that there's nothing like this for men. Here's hoping Dr. Scholl's or someone else comes up with something. For now, at least the better half of the population can get some relief from regular footwear.
What do you think of this product? Ladies, would you buy these? Please let me know in the comments section.
Active.com asked on their Facebook page, "How many of you have tried barefoot running?" As you may know, barefoot runners just like me believe it can lead to fewer injuries and greater enjoyment due to the mechanics of landing with a mid/fore-foot strike and the increased sensory awareness from having bare sole to the ground. But there's others that strongly feel the opposite: That barefoot activity can be nothing but harmful.
I couldn't help but notice some amazingly ironic (and sometimes humorous) comments left by Active.com's fans, however:
"I have enough injuries thank you."
"no no no i like my feet thank you"
"not barefoot but without socks !!! OUCH !!! and i got the pictures to prove it,couldnt run for about 2 weeks,i tried after 1 wk blisters would just open up!!! so i'll pass on the barefoot. lol"
"Tried it - loved it - been doing it since - oct 2009 - in Vibram Five Fingers"
"Can you say, plantar faciitis?"
"the last marathon I ran I saw a women running barefoot and she wasn't looking so good."
"I really wanted to be a "barefoot" runner in my Vibrams, but I keep getting blisters on my heels every time."
"Running in shoes tears up my pedicures enough! No thanks to the bare feet!"
"I know so many runners who get injuries from either running barefoot or in those horrid slippers with the toes. Modern man is not designed for this. Stick to what keeps you injury free and trotting down the road. Like good supportive shoes!!! Gimmicky fad shoes are not the answer to running issues."
"I did 6 miles years ago barefoot...Never again. No blisters but feet were red and hurt for a day or two."
"You bare foot runners are going to have some really bad backs in years to come ...."
"No it makes feet DISGUSTING"
"I have tried it and my feet were so sore. I figure running shoes were invented for a reason. We no longer get a "bonk" on the head with a frying pan before surgery, so I don't think we should revert back to running barefoot either."
"To you all who think God intended us to run barefoot? He also intended for us to run naked but that wouldn't go over very well either ;)"
And those were just a few from the first 170 or so comments! We in the barefoot community have a LONG way to go to dispel a lot of myths. But then again, there's lots of people out there who are very close-minded and will never hear of barefoot activity as long as they have feet.
What do you think of these comments? Have YOU tried barefoot running? Have you tried any kind of barefoot activity outside your home or the swimming pool? What do you think about the state of barefoot running in our culture? Is it a fad? Just another way for shoe companies to make a buck? Please sound off in the comments section below.
The biggest hubbub in the world of barefoot living lately has been the release of The Barefoot Book by L. Daniel Howell, PhD, Associate Professor of Biology at Liberty University in Virginia. Dr. Howell recently completed a book tour across the Eastern U.S.A. that covered 20 states in 21 days. I was interested in hearing how the book tour went, and he was kind enough to answer a few questions via email:
L. Daniel Howell, PhD
Thanks so much for being willing to answer these questions. First, as you chose locations for your book tour, how did management at those places first react to the idea of your book and barefoot lifestyle? I did not actually talk to the “management” until I arrived at the venue as the arrangements were actually made by my publicist at Hunter House Publishers. I would have loved to have heard, however, the conversations between my publicist and the shoe stores I visited on the tour (Luke’s Locker in Dallas and Houston). Surprisingly, those shoe stores were the most successful events with respect to turnout and book sales.
You mentioned on your blog that the library in Columbus almost refused you because of your lack of shoes. Could you comment on those circumstances and what eventually happened? Less than one hour before my presentation, my publicist received word that I was expected to wear shoes at the Upper Arlington Library in Ohio (which has a shoe rule). I had no shoes with me and so wore none to the library, but nothing was said to me when I arrived and I gave my presentation without incident.
Libraries and book stores are very low-risk places for bare feet to be. What reasoning did the various locations give you for requiring shoes of their patrons if they have such a policy? The only place I visited with any mention of a shoe rule was the library in Ohio, however, they welcomed me barefoot when I arrived. After my presentation, my host mentioned the library’s shoe rule, but gave no reason for it. She confessed that libraries were relatively safe places for bare feet. I’m told that Barnes & Noble has a shoe rule (I don’t know this for sure), but no Barnes & Noble I visited on the tour – either as an author or as a customer – ever gave me any hassles for being barefoot. At each venue (except the library in Ohio), the management fully expected me to be barefoot! Indeed, the head librarian at the Emmet O’Neal Library outside Birmingham attended my event barefoot and commented that she often kicks her shoes off at the library. After my presentation she declared she would even start coming to work barefoot (leaving her shoes at home). I followed up with her on that and she indeed goes to work barefoot now.
If these establishments allowed you to be barefoot against their own rules, did they allow anyone else to come barefoot to your book signing or presentation? A member of the SBL (Society for Barefoot Living) attended my talk (barefoot) at the Upper Arlington Library in Ohio without any problems. All other venues welcomed me barefoot as well as all customers/attendees.
Were you pleased with the volume of turnout for your book signings and presentations? What feedback did you get from those audiences about your book and barefoot lifestyle? Overall I was pleased with the interest in my book (and barefooting). Interestingly, the bookstores were the worst venues with respect to turnout and the shoe stores were the best. I had 30-70 people attend the shoe store events and 25-40 attend most library events. At one bookstore no one at all showed up! That is the nature of book tours, however, so that was to be expected. Without doubt, the greatest interest in barefooting and barefoot running were in Texas and Arkansas. Those were the only states where media interest was high as well. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
Any theories as to why those two states were more receptive to barefoot activities? The warmer climate in the south? A more relaxed social culture? I really don’t know why Texas and Arkansas were so receptive. Of course, Arkansans have a reputation for going barefoot, but I do think the social attitudes are more relaxed in those states. I would’ve liked to visit the west coast for that reason; maybe I’ll do a west coast tour next summer.
What was the single most common thing you heard from people while on the tour? People were most interested in how to safely start spending more time barefoot, especially running. Interestingly, people were not very concerned about the myths (health codes, etc.). I think most people want to increase barefoot time, but aren’t ready to push the social envelope yet (i.e., they’re not really planning on going out to dinner barefoot). Nonetheless, I’m confident that the more people go barefoot, even just at home or on a trail, the more socially acceptable barefooting will become.
Did you meet a lot of other barefooters? What was their feedback regarding your tour and the book? I met a number of barefooters, most of them SBL members. In general, SBL members were the only ones to attend my presentations/signings barefoot. The only others to attend barefoot were those who ran barefoot with me following my presentation at Luke’s Locker in Dallas (we ran two miles, about 25 people ran, maybe half of them barefoot and most others in fivefingers) and the store employees at Left Bank Books in St. Louis. At least two employees of that bookstore were barefoot the entire time I was there; one became a self-proclaimed barefooter after reading my book. Also, the head librarian at Emmet O’Neal Library. The feedback I’ve received from barefooters has been very positive. In fact, I’ve not received any negative feedback from a barefooter, which I take as the greatest compliment of my work.
Were any of the locations willing to relax their permanent anti-barefoot policies after your presentation? Except for the Upper Arlington Library, all the other venues appeared to be barefoot-friendly. I left a book with the librarian at Upper Arlington and asked her to read it and reconsider their shoe rule, but I have no idea what will come of that.
You mentioned on your blog that you had no shoes on the trip. So you stayed barefoot the entire tour? What reactions did you get from places you went outside the realms of the book signing locations (hotels, restaurants, other stores, etc.)? I took no shoes at all on the tour; I was barefoot the entire time. I had only a few negative reactions to my bare feet while on the book tour. Three barefooters joined me at Jimmy Buffet’s restaurant outside Chicago following my presentation. The management first told us we would need to leave, but after some discussion they decided to let us stay. The only other reaction I got was in a grocery store in St. Louis. The management there was absolutely vitriolic; they would *not* discuss the legality or health benefits of barefooting and called security on me. (The store had a sign stating bare feet were prohibited by state law). I was told never to return to the establishment (Schnucks). During the 21 days I was on the road I visited many restaurants, stores, malls and markets without any problems at all. I had a particularly wonderful experience at one restaurant in Arkansas, as discussed on my blog.
About the Schnucks in St. Louis: Was their sole reason for refusing your bare feet the sign saying it was against state law or did you get any other impressions of their reasoning? I think the “state law” sign at Schnucks merely reinforced the already-existing negative attitude towards going barefoot. The manager seriously reacted as if I were stark naked in her store. There would be no discussion of the law or anything else: ‘Get out and don’t come back’ was the only message she had for me. (Literally, that’s what she said.)
Tell us a bit about the TV interviews you did. Any interesting stories about those experiences? I was honored to give three television interviews on the tour (one in Dallas and two in Little Rock); I also spoke with newspaper reporters in Dallas. THV anchor/reporter Stefanie Bryant was fascinated by the topic and so I gave her a book. I had to wake at 4am to be at the studio in time for the live morning show with Alyson Courtney. The TV interviews definitely boosted attendance at the book presentation & signing. Although the presentation was at lunch time on a Friday, the room was overflowing.
Howell on KTHV in Little Rock, Arkansas:
Now that you're back home and have had time to think about the tour, what do you take away from it? How do you feel about the prospects for your book and the barefoot community getting a "toe-hold" on changing people's negative perceptions of feet? I am extremely optimistic about the future of barefooting in America. The success of (Christopher McDougall's book) Born To Run and the phenomenon of barefoot running have definitely opened the American mind to going shoeless. Everywhere I traveled people had already heard about the benefits of barefoot running. Already introduced to the idea that shoes are harmful when running, it’s not a big leap to conclude shoes are also harmful when walking and standing. Going barefoot is healthier and ‘greener’ than wearing shoes and Americans are all about healthy and green right now. I truly believe we will start to see more people going barefoot in the next few years and this will have a snowball effect (except perhaps in Missouri). ;-)
What's next for The Barefoot Book and for you? Any plans on writing another book about bare feet or foot health? Although the tour is over, I will continue to do events for at least the coming year. Hunter House is committed to publicizing the book heavily for 12 months, and we will focus on what works and what we learned from the tour (for example, more shoe stores and running events). I am already scheduling speaking engagements at universities and medical schools. I have plans to meet with a large Korean news agency in September; that should be instrumental in promoting the book (and barefooting) to the Asian market. As for another book… we shall see. :-)
Blogger's Note: I am currently in the process of reading The Barefoot Book and can tell already that it will be a fantastic resource for advocating for bare feet. When I'm finished I will publish a full review here.
Did you get to see Dr. Howell on his book tour? Have you read The Barefoot Book? If so, what were your impressions. Overall, what's your perspective on the future of barefoot acceptance? Please leave your comments below.
I've added a new way for my readers to receive content from me. Facebook users may now "Like" my new page at the 500-MILLION-user service. As I post new entries on my site, those posts will automatically be shared on the Facebook page.
More exciting than that will be the other stuff I share on Facebook. When I find interesting articles about barefooting, running, health or other topics, I'll be sharing them at the page as well. I'll try to post various photos of my barefooting adventures (as feasible), and we'll see what else I can come up with.
As this content is all posted to the page, it will also show up in Facebook users' timelines, meaning that they don't have to travel to my blog for new content. My content will conveniently show up where they already are.
To "Like" my new Facebook page and get a preview of it, check out the box below.
Today I want to talk about a very natural activity that some people do in public but that many others find objectionable. For whatever reason, something so natural has become taboo. What once was practiced regularly without issue now leaves those who do it feeling very self-conscious. Many don't even try -- even though they'd like to -- because they don't want to embarrass themselves or make anyone around them uncomfortable. There's no laws against it, but that doesn't matter. The stigma is there and it has permeated throughout society.
While the above statement describes barefooting to a 'T,' it also applies to something else: Breastfeeding.
Bear with me, here.
Not only am I the father of three wonderful children, but I also work in a children's hospital. Through these experiences I've learned a great deal about what's best for children. Experts throughout the world agree that breastfeeding is best. Studies have shown numerous health benefits for babies who are breastfed versus taking formula. What's more, the longer a baby breastfeeds, the more health benefits they'll see down the road. It's really a no-brainer. If a mother is able to breastfeed, she should for so many reasons. Our kids were all breastfed exclusively for at least the first six months of their lives.
While it's a bit of a stretch to compare the two, you could also make an argument that going barefoot has numerous benefits, too. The more you do it, the stronger and more flexible your feet will be. Avoiding shoes also helps prevent the growth of fungal infections on the foot and keeps away smelly feet due to sweating. Your toes also feel better to live free and without restriction from shoes. Going barefoot really is so good.
Unfortunately, however, breastfeeding and going barefoot in public are both thought of by many people as this weird, inappropriate thing. While a woman may want to breastfeed her baby in public, she may resort to pumping ahead of time and feeding her child with a bottle in order to avoid people's mean or uncomfortable glances. While someone may want to go barefoot while they're shopping, they may just resort to wearing flip flops to avoid confrontation or simply strange looks.
Let's be clear about a few things concerning breastfeeding and going barefoot:
Both are natural. We were born for these things to take place. As this topic heading states, both breastfeeding and going barefoot are perfectly natural things that our bodies have been designed to do. Denying ourselves the privileges and rights to do both would be a travesty.
Both are perfectly legal in public. One thing that I find interesting are the laws related to these. In all but three states of the U.S., laws protect a woman's right to breastfeed her baby in public -- even if it makes others uncomfortable. No state in the union addresses going barefoot in public, for or against the issue. It would, then, be reasonable to assume that that right is reserved for the people.
Both have numerous health benefits. Even though this has been proven for breastfeeding by numerous scientific studies, here's a staggering statistic: Only 43% of babies are still being breastfed at six months of age (Doctors recommend that babies be exclusively breastfed for at least the first six months of life). What's more, studies have also shown that breastfeeding can help protect nursing mothers from developing breast cancer later. Although the complications of returning to work are likely a big part of the decision to stop feeding in that way, I have to wonder if women just give up partially because they're too embarrassed to publicly breastfeed. If that's the case, how sad. Going barefoot, though hardly scientifically researched, improves sensory awareness, flexibility and strength in the feet and usually has a positive overall impact on a person's health and psyche. Getting out of shoes with a raised heel has been shown to improve people's posture. I have already shot down on this blog the concerns about safety risks while barefoot. They just aren't legitimate in most situations -- including shopping and dining in public.
Both are often taboo in society. No matter how natural, legal or even healthy going barefoot or breastfeeding babies are, this is the sticking point for both of these lifestyle choices. They have become areas of contention. For whatever reason, societal norms on both of these issues have drifted away from centuries of natural precedent to twisted ideals of what's "appropriate." No matter what benefits breastfeeding can have for babies and mothers or what going barefoot can do for our health, we have begun to reject these practices because it shows skin or we have misguided concerns about safety risks. I think it's unbelievably sad that societal pressures have led to this.
Don't think breastfeeding in public is taboo? I was fascinated by a story on ABC's TV news magazine "What Would You Do?" A scenario was acted out where a store manager (an actor) was discriminating against a breastfeeding mother (an actress with doll). How would the store patrons react? From the video below, you can see that many came out in support of the mother. Some, however, sided with the manager. Take a look:
We, as a society, need to stand up for and be okay with what's right. We need to stop allowing discrimination against activities which are perfectly natural and healthy. There's nothing inappropriate about a mother breastfeeding her baby in public, even if some skin or -- God forbid -- a nipple is briefly exposed. Likewise, we were born barefoot and feet are exposed all the time when people wear sandals. Who cares if someone just doesn't want material between their soles and the ground? In both breastfeeding and going barefoot, let people make the decision that is most natural and right for them without the pressure of prudish, paranoid or uncomfortable onlookers.
I started The Primalfoot Alliance as a way to begin the process of reversing the steady flow of discrimination against those who want to free their feet in public. Maybe, at least, we can tackle one of these issues while others address the other. Both need attention.
What are your thoughts on this? Am I off base in comparing breastfeeding and going barefoot? What will it take to change society's perceptions of breastfeeding or going barefoot in public? If you are a mother, have you breastfed in public? How were you perceived and how did you feel? If you're a barefooter who has been discriminated against in public, how did that feel? Please share your comments below. Thanks!
