Is less .... more? - Pilgrim footwear

[gerardcarey]

Is the proposition relevant to Pilgrim Footwear, we being walkers not runners?
Place our forefoot before our heel?
Regards,
Gerard

 

[peregrina2000]

Up late last night, sleepless in Illinois, dithering around and ordering several more pairs of shoes, I came across this video. I am no physio, obviously, but I think that some of the most salient points about how running shoes turn the foot strike into a damaging heel-first-rigid-leg impact are probably not too relevant to walkers. One of the main points I took from this was that the most natural running gait has a much less jarring foot strike, with the ball of the foot striking ground first. But even when I walk barefoot, I still have a heel-first strike. I did take the “less cushioning and less structure is better” advice to heart, though.

Continuing on my quest, thanks for this informational piece. Wonder what our forum shoe experts think about this?

 

[VNwalking]

But even when I walk barefoot, I still have a heel-first strike.

Me too.
But that was eye-opening, nonetheless.
Thanks, @gerardcarey !

 

[trecile]

But even when I walk barefoot, I still have a heel-first strike.

That's because walking is different than running.

Walking 101: How to Walk Barefoot (or in Minimal Shoes)

www.softstarshoes.com

 

[koilife]

I can just smell the class action suit against Nike . . .

 

[wayfarer]

That's because walking is different than running.

Walking 101: How to Walk Barefoot (or in Minimal Shoes)

www.softstarshoes.com

View attachment 67639

As someone who went barefoot as a child from May 1st to the end of Sept. all week with the exception of Mass on Sunday I never knew there was such science involved.

 

[koilife]

As someone who went barefoot as a child from May 1st to the end of Sept. all week with the exception of Mass on Sunday I never knew there was such science involved.

From Clarke's Three Laws: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Perhaps the magic is in how we lived before we got these technologies . . .

 

[wayfarer]

Perhaps the magic is in how we lived before we got these technologies . . .

And it was a magic time.

 

[NicP]

The "no shoes"advice might be great for a young person who is still in good shape, but what about us slightly older and worn out people, who have already damaged knees and spines and other bits and pieces (possibly from years of wearing these shoes).... it seems to me that the cushioning in the shoes that might have contributed to the damage, is something I'm now dependent on (and addicted too?) .... the pain I get when I wear thin soled dress shoes on even a moderate length walk is not great!

 

[Goyo]

Los Tarahumaras have been running barefoot or with little foot support since waaay before la conquista, and continue to do so despite the cultural encroachment of the behemoth del norte and all that that entails. And the people of Kenya? Perhaps longer, I don’t presume to know. But it does make one wonder; quizás menos es más (might less be more) for those of us who walk? I would be interested to hear what more knowledgeable caminantes have to say…

 

[VNwalking]

I would be interested to hear what more knowledgeable caminantes have to say…

I'm not more knowledgeable but will say we humans have been running barefoot since before we were humans. And I have an anecdote from direct experience:

I grew up barefoot and could mostly stay unshod until I was in my mid 20s. I used to run and hike barefoot, but can no longer imagine it - the thick caluses necessary for that are long gone. But for people who can manage it, barefoot is completely fine.

"no shoes"advice might be great for a young person who is still in good shape, but what about us slightly older and worn out people, who have already damaged knees and spines and other bits and pieces

This is hardly inevitable. Where I am now people wear slippers and walk barefoot into advanced old age - like their 90's. Damaged knees, hips, and spines notwithstanding.

 

[Pelerina]

But even when I walk barefoot, I still have a heel-first strike.

Laurie, from the little I know, I think that’s a good thing … and the proof is in the pudding with the amount of walking you’ve done.

Back in 2010, thé year before my first camino, I was training for a 100 km charity walk. I couldn’t get past 7-10 kms without all kinds of pain in my feet and ankles. There was no way I was going to be able to do 100 kms. A friend suggested a podiatrist - I’d never been before. . She got me to walk on a machine that created a 3 D pressure map of how my foot was striking the ground. Sure enough, I was walking ball to heel. And had probably been doing that for decades. Who knew?

She built an orthotic for me - it took a few weeks to produce - to correct my walking gait. The method she was aiming for was akin to the diagram from @trecile. It took a little while to get used to walking with the orthotic but slowly, slowly … and just a few months later I walked the 100 kms in 29 hours.

The next year I walked my first camino … and I’m still going. I’ve noticed that I now walk heal to toe naturally and I’ve begun to wonder whether I even need the orthotics now … as I’d like to try a zero drop shoe. hhmmm

PS. Ooh I’ve just noticed this thread is from Dec 2019, and only resurrected today. Still … was interesting to see the video and read the comments

 

[Bob Howard]

In Argentine tango, the essence of the dance is simply walking. There is a style of Argentine tango that employs a forefoot landing. It looks, feels and is unnatural. But most importantly, the forefoot strike is a running thing. Simply has no applicability to walking.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

grew up barefoot and could mostly stay unshod until I was in my mid 20s. I used to run and hike barefoot, but can no longer imagine it - the thick caluses necessary for that are long gone. But for people who can manage it, barefoot is completely fine.

Ditto, I only wore shoes once, up to the age of six, for my confirmation and I thought that shoes were very odd and uncomfortable and couldn't understand why anyone would want to wear them.

Also, growing up in ANZ I played rugby barefoot and remember well one game that we won by default because there was a hard frost on the ground and the other team refused to take the field barefoot.

 

[jjev]

Great thread!

Last June I have purchased Z-Trek Xero sandals. Why? They are 204 grams only. Perfect for my needs, because I do not hike in flipflops and other sandals weight a lot more.
I knew nothing that time about "barefoot" footwear.

First time I tried walking in Xero was madness. I felt everyting under my feet. Smallest pebble, stick, stone was bringing pain.

I was hitting ground with my heel so hard, that I felt vibration in my brain every step I made. Crazy.

After roughly 5 months of constatnt use, I cannot imagine myself wearing something differernt.
I started to walk differently, my knees feel better after long-distance walking. It just feels right.

However, there is a huge downside. Half of the footwear I own became small. Because my feet became wider. I had to let go several pairs.

Yesterday I've ordered Vivobarefoot shoes. Lets see how it goes.

To sum up: you should definetly give "barefoot" footwear a try. I think they are like Marmite: you love them or hate them.

 

[OZAJ]

I have noticed over the past few summers here in NSW that barefoot walking has become more common, particularly among young people.

 

[AZtor]

So has anyone actually done any decent length of a camino in barefoot shoes?

I just started using them and am adjusting well. I think it's because as an Asian who has lived some of his adult life in Asia I'm fairly used to doing a lot of walking in flip flops and am always barefoot at home.

All that said, I'm not sure if it's wise to use them for my upcoming camino in May... I'm thinking that I need to get a lot more kms underfoot doing local hikes before doing a camino in them.

 

[Former member 92300]

Once upon a time I might have considered going barefoot... but living in Florida for 10 years cured me of any interest in going barefoot outside. Not just for rocks/shells etc... but there were these little "sandspurs" which were tiny thorn-balls that were so painful even when you didn't "step" directly on them...

 

[Former member 92300]

So has anyone actually done any decent length of a camino in barefoot shoes?

I just started using them and am adjusting well. I think it's because as an Asian who has lived some of his adult life in Asia I'm fairly used to doing a lot of walking in flip flops and am always barefoot at home.

All that said, I'm not sure if it's wise to use them for my upcoming camino in May... I'm thinking that I need to get a lot more kms underfoot doing local hikes before doing a camino in them.

I use zero sandals which are supposed to be like "barefoot" sandals. They are very minimalistic. I do like them a lot. And they were my evening/spare shoe last year on the Camino. I didn't "hike" in them, but I did wear them all around town - and they were constantly worn during my post-Camino vacation. I don't think would use any minimalist shoe all day while hiking though...

 

[jpwu]

I saw a pelgrim who did the frances with vivobarefoot trackers wthout problems. I also walk with barefootshoes almost 15 years. It is important to get used to it.