Minimalist shoe/boot - transition process

[*zap*]

You need to pay attention to landing on the ball of your foot. The minimal footwear will make heel strike more noticable depending upon how minimal they are. Most of the time since covid started I have worn very minimal Merrell's. No issues.

 

[fwafwow]

Here's your zero drop comfy dress shoes.

Nine2Five | Men's Minimalist Zero Drop Dress Shoe | Lems

Lems Men's Nine2Five dress shoe features a zero-drop, wide toe box and minimalist design which offers a lightweight and comfortable experience. Shop our barefoot men's dress shoes available in black and brown leather. Shop Now >

www.lemsshoes.com

As far as shorts/casual, what are you looking for?
Lots of zero drop tennis shoe styles out there that look 100% normal for everyday casual wear.

Thanks for the tip. That pair, at least to me, reminds me of orthotics or shoes at a retirement home. I’d love the Trackers II with low cut. Or some of the Lems that are boots but low cut.

Yeah the tennis shoes aren’t as bad and I may get the Geo Court III from Vivo or Tolos Archetype.

Clearly I’m just too picky

 

[fwafwow]

You need to pay attention to landing on the ball of your foot. The minimal footwear will make heel strike more noticable depending upon how minimal they are. Most of the time since covid started I have worn very minimal Merrell's. No issues.

I have noticed and changed. Now when I wear “normal” shoes I still focus on not using the heel to land first, but it still take some conscious thought

 

[Formidilosus]

I've given up on finding minimalist dress shoes. The Carets are very close, but having black rubber soles doesn't equate to a work/suit dress shoe - for me.

Have you looked at Courteney Boots? Specifically the Vellie. Not as true minimal as some, but quite good. Not much/any padding, generally flat inside, etc.

 

[ARK_Ginger]

Russell Moccasin should be make you a minimalist dress shoe. I was about to order a pair of their minimalist boots before I got the vivo tracker esc.

 

[CaliWoodsman]

I’m on day 2 of wearing Vivo Gobi III. The toe room is incredible, but man the bottoms of my feet are sore and definitely feeling it in the muscles in my feet and lower legs as well. The bottoms of my feet have often been sore after long hikes with a heavy pack, so hopefully wearing these every day will toughen up my desk-bound feet.

 

[Formidilosus]

I’m on day 2 of wearing Vivo Gobi III. The toe room is incredible, but man the bottoms of my feet are sore and definitely feeling it in the muscles in my feet and lower legs as well. The bottoms of my feet have often been sore after long hikes with a heavy pack, so hopefully wearing these every day will toughen up my desk-bound feet.

Be cautious here. If your feet are sore at day two, wear your regular shoes for a day or two. People really underestimate how weak their feet are and it leads to injury.

I would suggest you wear your regular shoes for a day or two until your feet don’t feel sore. Then, wear the Gobi’s for the first half of the day, and your regular shoes for the second half. Continue for a couple weeks like that. Then slow add another hour or so per day with the barefoot shoes. It should probably take you a couple months to fully transition to the barefoot shoes all day every.

Then you need to do the same with running or hiking.

 

[ProStaffSteve]

Just purchased these Solomon’s. I had their lighter cousin, did hurt the ball of my heel while out on a casual hike without weight. But I’m not too afraid as I got lots of miles from them. Never been a big boot guy, so hopefully I’ll find a similar equivalent that works for hauling pack. Using these for summer/spring backpacking. Ideally I’d love to find a pair a bit more beefy than these. Unfortunately most similar shoes look really stupid, especially in baggy hunting gear.

 

[fwafwow]

View attachment 527299
Just purchased these Solomon’s. I had their lighter cousin, did hurt the ball of my heel while out on a casual hike without weight. But I’m not too afraid as I got lots of miles from them. Never been a big boot guy, so hopefully I’ll find a similar equivalent that works for hauling pack. Using these for summer/spring backpacking. Ideally I’d love to find a pair a bit more beefy than these. Unfortunately most similar shoes look really stupid, especially in baggy hunting gear.

Hard to tell from the picture, but are those minimalist boots?

 

[CaliWoodsman]

Be cautious here. If your feet are sore at day two, wear your regular shoes for a day or two. People really underestimate how weak their feet are and it leads to injury.

I would suggest you wear your regular shoes for a day or two until your feet don’t feel sore. Then, wear the Gobi’s for the first half of the day, and your regular shoes for the second half. Continue for a couple weeks like that. Then slow add another hour or so per day with the barefoot shoes. It should probably take you a couple months to fully transition to the barefoot shoes all day every.

Then you need to do the same with running or hiking.

I appreciate the input! After Day 1 yesterday, I brought regular shoes to work with me to swap out. But the timeline is helpful, as I would have probably tried to transition faster than that.

 

[ProStaffSteve]

Hard to tell from the picture, but are those minimalist boots?

I… think they would be considered very bulky ultralight trail running shoes. But in purchasing them I was looking for light boots.

 

[carsonkeys]

If a guy wanted to wear something like vivos on a daily basis, but hunt in a a pair of kenetrek, schnees, crispis, etc. would he run the risk, due to his feet “splaying out”, of no longer fitting into a “normal” hunting boot?

 

[SouthPaw]

Be cautious here. If your feet are sore at day two, wear your regular shoes for a day or two. People really underestimate how weak their feet are and it leads to injury.

I would suggest you wear your regular shoes for a day or two until your feet don’t feel sore. Then, wear the Gobi’s for the first half of the day, and your regular shoes for the second half. Continue for a couple weeks like that. Then slow add another hour or so per day with the barefoot shoes. It should probably take you a couple months to fully transition to the barefoot shoes all day every.

Then you need to do the same with running or hiking.

I'd also like to fully transition but I'm in a weird spot in that I wear regular shoes for daily wear and regular boots for heavy hiking, but zero-drop Altras for all of my trail running and lightweight hiking. I run trail marathons/ultras in those and have no foot issues, and sometimes wear those shoes around for extended periods without discomfort. Would you suggest a different transition schedule than you did above if my goal is to reach full time everyday minimalist wear?

I'm sure changing my walking form in everyday zero-drops is going to be the main driver of discomfort/soreness more than anything.

 

[fwafwow]

I… think they would be considered very bulky ultralight trail running shoes. But in purchasing them I was looking for light boots.

That's what I was guessing. Others know more than I do, but I believe minimalist refers to shoes/boots that have zero drop (no heel) and a wide toe box. I believe they are also often light, but perhaps as a result of the first two factors.

 

[Brontosaurus]

If a guy wanted to wear something like vivos on a daily basis, but hunt in a a pair of kenetrek, schnees, crispis, etc. would he run the risk, due to his feet “splaying out”, of no longer fitting into a “normal” hunting boot?

I think so, my dad has worn Xero shoes almost exclusively for the past couples months and struggles with wearing normal shoes for any extended period of time. But I will say he hasn't regretted it at all.

 

[CaliWoodsman]

If a guy wanted to wear something like vivos on a daily basis, but hunt in a a pair of kenetrek, schnees, crispis, etc. would he run the risk, due to his feet “splaying out”, of no longer fitting into a “normal” hunting boot?

I’m a little worried about this as well. The main thing I’m looking for is more room in the toe box which is impossible to find in shoes that I can wear to the office. (Actually thinking about trying some superfeet insoles in my Vivos, but don’t tell the barefoot fanatics. )

 

[BBob]

If a guy wanted to wear something like vivos on a daily basis, but hunt in a a pair of kenetrek, schnees, crispis, etc. would he run the risk, due to his feet “splaying out”, of no longer fitting into a “normal” hunting boot?

I still wear Scarpa Zodiac Plus‘s for some things. They would be considered a narrow ish boot and I have no problem going back and forth. I wear Vivo’s far more often day to day. I also stuff my feet into tight climbing shoes regularly too.

 

[Mtnmilsurp]

If a guy wanted to wear something like vivos on a daily basis, but hunt in a a pair of kenetrek, schnees, crispis, etc. would he run the risk, due to his feet “splaying out”, of no longer fitting into a “normal” hunting boot?

I don’t think an adult can reshape their foot to a natural shape to the point that “normal shoes“ don’t fit. I’ve been trying for a decade and I think my feet permanently conformed to Nikes in my youth. Ive rebalanced my muscles for proper running form and still benefit a lot from minimalist shoes but have utterly failed to reshape my feet. I have no problem living in kenetreks (hardscrabbles) during the hunting seasons.

 

[Formidilosus]

I'd also like to fully transition but I'm in a weird spot in that I wear regular shoes for daily wear and regular boots for heavy hiking, but zero-drop Altras for all of my trail running and lightweight hiking. I run trail marathons/ultras in those and have no foot issues, and sometimes wear those shoes around for extended periods without discomfort. Would you suggest a different transition schedule than you did above if my goal is to reach full time everyday minimalist wear?

No, not really. Let your feet tell you when. Altras are zero drop, but quite padded. The lack of padding underfoot seems to be the largest issue for most.

 

[Formidilosus]

If a guy wanted to wear something like vivos on a daily basis, but hunt in a a pair of kenetrek, schnees, crispis, etc. would he run the risk, due to his feet “splaying out”, of no longer fitting into a “normal” hunting boot?

Depends on the person. Most that I’ve seen do get wider feet when they completely switch to wearing very minimalist shoes. Though I’m not sure why someone that could transition to minimal shoes would choose to wear very supportive boots for hunting. Once someone’s feet is built up sufficiently, hunting in very minimal shoes even in rough terrain isn’t an issue.