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Minimalist Flexible Boot Thread

fwafwow said:
For those of you who wear minimalist shoes or boots, what was your transition process? I’ve read some stuff online and it is described as pretty long and drawn out.
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Take you awhile to get acclimated. Like I tell people, you'll curse me for the first 4-5 months. Your feet will be sore because for the first time you'll be using your whole foot. To sound redundant, you need to get a pair of Prios and wear the hell out of em. Work out with them. Treadmill whatever. You'll be totally amazed how strong your feet can be. Jumping back and forth laterally. Started wearing them after my second knee replacement. Doing my physical therapy in them. People think you have to have these special inserts and raised heels etc. Do I sound like I'm a fan??? :^)
 
fwafwow said:
For those of you who wear minimalist shoes or boots, what was your transition process? I’ve read some stuff online and it is described as pretty long and drawn out.
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I started in 2009 with five fingers and the first edition Altras and haven’t looked back. I was a runner at that point and took it VERY slowly. I’m talking like, first day I jogged 400 meters, took a day off, jogged 600 meters, day off, etc.


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Thanks. I think I'm going to take it slow. For better or worse, due to Covid I've been working from home 90+% of the time, even after it has been "over" (at least from a "return to office" standpoint). That means I'm in bare feet all of the time I'm home. BUT that also means that I'm not active, so I doubt being in bare feet without any exertion "counts" very much towards strengthening my feet. To that point, I think I need to get a pair of Prios (or similar) AND start to do more active things.

I'm always tinkering with methods and gear, and trying to do two things at the same time (go minimalist for foot health and to be able to reduce weight in an upcoming cold AF stand sit) is probably asking too much.
 
Nobody has the skele-toes or 5finger shoes?....man, they are fugly and weird but I bet they make for great spot and stalk footwear....I got a couple more months of wear on my Crocs but when they done I'm really tempted to get some of those foot glove type shoes

Edit: Oopppss....I need to read before posting.... @mtsrunner u like those 5fingers?
 
Wirrex said:
I just placed my order on the new boulder summits that came out today. They look halfway decent. I hope they perform well.
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I came very close to buying them too, even though I’ve not yet worn minimalist shoes or boots before and realize there is a transition to go through
 
Weldabeast said:
Nobody has the skele-toes or 5finger shoes?....man, they are fugly and weird but I bet they make for great spot and stalk footwear....I got a couple more months of wear on my Crocs but when they done I'm really tempted to get some of those foot glove type shoes

Edit: Oopppss....I need to read before posting.... @mtsrunner u like those 5fingers?
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Yep. It takes a minute to get used to putting them on, but it becomes second nature. Not for cold weather, though.
 
Wirrex said:
I have been wanting to try out some minimalist boots for hunting. I hate stiff boots! Outside of work, I live that barefoot life as much as possible. It must come from my martial arts days but I like the freedom. Most boots seem to be designed for people with ankles built out of popsicle sticks and old rubber bands. I have honestly never rolled an ankle. What do you guys have experience with?

Qualities I’m looking for in order of relevance:

-Flexible sole
-Available in wide sizes
-Uninsulated
-6” height
-Muted color
-Durable
-Light
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I like these. Uninsulated 8“ not 6"
Rocky Outback Gore-Tex Waterproof Hiker Boot https://a.co/d/3l2tF6e
 
Another option for an insole for minimalist shoes are the Naboso insoles. Highly stimulating. They look as if they'd be uncomfortable. Nope, they're amazing!
 
I like the Duo insoles. They have two sides. Active and Participate. The Active side is bit larger ( the nodes). I like the Active side. Functioning medicine people are enthused with these advances. And, of course, the Duos are more expensive. :^( . Another beauty of these insoles is they look like they'll last for years. Lastly, they can be put in your dishwasher when they need a freshen up.
 
Thanks
Swampwalker said:
I like the Duo insoles. They have two sides. Active and Participate. The Active side is bit larger ( the nodes). I like the Active side. Functioning medicine people are enthused with these advances. And, of course, the Duos are more expensive. :^( . Another beauty of these insoles is they look like they'll last for years. Lastly, they can be put in your dishwasher when they need a freshen up.
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Thanks. As I sit in my cubicle wearing dress shoes I’m wishing I had something like that in my shoes
 
Lems Boulder Summit First Impressions:

I received these boots last night and have only wore them inside the house. They appear to be very well constructed despite being made in China. It’s a fairly good looking boot as well, which isn’t easy to say about most minimalist foot wear. They look like a cross between boots and leather dress shoes. You can tell some care was put into the boots and packaging.

I was surprised to find that these soles are stiff. They don’t feel as “minimalist” as I expected. This might not be a bad thing for a hunting boot where rough terrain is a concern. The climbing techniques we use can be hell on your feet and a more substantial sole like these should ease the pain. Don’t get me wrong they aren’t hiking boot stiff. I would compare them to typical tennis shoes in flexibility. Most footwear in this category are lacking in the grip department. The grip on these summits look fantastic!

It feels like there will be some breaking in necessary which will undoubtedly change the stiffness I’m feeling. They are very tough for me to slide my foot into. I hope that changes overtime as well. I wear a 9.5 EEE and ordered a 9.5 which seems about perfect. The geometry is right for my feet and I am excited that these may be as close to perfect as I can find.

E70189D1-C148-47E4-AB51-C7964BF256B3.png
 
Wirrex said:
Lems Boulder Summit First Impressions:

I received these boots last night and have only wore them inside the house. They appear to be very well constructed despite being made in China. It’s a fairly good looking boot as well, which isn’t easy to say about most minimalist foot wear. They look like a cross between boots and leather dress shoes. You can tell some care was put into the boots and packaging.

I was surprised to find that these soles are stiff. They don’t feel as “minimalist” as I expected. This might not be a bad thing for a hunting boot where rough terrain is a concern. The climbing techniques we use can be hell on your feet and a more substantial sole like these should ease the pain. Don’t get me wrong they aren’t hiking boot stiff. I would compare them to typical tennis shoes in flexibility. Most footwear in this category are lacking in the grip department. The grip on these summits look fantastic!

It feels like there will be some breaking in necessary which will undoubtedly change the stiffness I’m feeling. They are very tough for me to slide my foot into. I hope that changes overtime as well. I wear a 9.5 EEE and ordered a 9.5 which seems about perfect. The geometry is right for my feet and I am excited that these may be as close to perfect as I can find.

View attachment 74954
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How are they for width?? And do you have a standard width? If there is such a thing.
 
I have pair of UA Dawn boots that I tried on a whim - I love them so far. Little drop, good rubber soles, light, feel like tennis shoes. I bought them a size big and I’ve been wearing Wiggy’s boot socks with them. So far, I have nothing but great to say about them.


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