My journey into barefoot/minimalist shoes - Feel free to share yours

[Schmo]

I know there are many other threads regarding barefoot/minimalist shoes, but I wanted to start this thread to hopefully help someone else. I know many of you also wear barefoot/minimalist shoes, so if you’re willing, please post with your transition into, and experiences with this type of footwear.

I’m not super far into my journey, so I don’t have a ton to post about yet, but maybe it will help someone else who has questions.

I had been a boots guy for several years. I preferred boots over athletic footwear. I didn’t like feeling gravel and stuff under my feet. I wanted a good boot that took all that feeling away. I wanted to be able to kick stuff if needing (trailer jacks, stubborn latches, demo in construction, etc). So I was pretty opposite of the minimalist style. My first pair of western hunting boots were Kenetrek Guide Ultras. If you don’t know, they’re a super stiff leather boot. Also, for the past 2 years or so, I’ve had plantar fasciitis. The Kenetreks were actually pretty comfortable for me, for a while anyway. I heard the Form Friday podcast about barefoot shoes, and read a bit of the Vivo Tracker ESCs on here. It was something I wanted to try out. So in May or June of this year, I ordered a pair of Altra Lone Peaks to experiment with. A lot of people would say that a zero drop, low stack shoe isn’t compatible with plantar fasciitis, that your foot needs the proper “support”. What I found is that the Lone Peaks were probably the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn, and I’ve bought quality shoes for quite awhile now. I pretty much cold turkey jumped into the Altras. I have been building my own house this year, in addition to my work, which is also in the construction repair industry. So I was in them 6 days a week. My house is on the side of a hill, so for the exterior work, I was sidehilling, going up and down the hill, on a ladder, etc. I had some foot muscle pain due to that muscle not being used with other shoe types. However, that went away as I consistently wore the Altras. I know Altras aren’t barefoot, but they are minimalist. I believe they are an excellent shoe to transition with. Only downside is durability isn’t great. This summer, I ordered a pair of true barefoot shoes. I’ve worn them a fair amount, but not near as much as the Altras. However, they are surprisingly comfortable for almost zero cushion, and no foot support. It may seem counterintuitive to some, but as I’ve stayed consistent with the minimalist and barefoot shoes, my plantar fasciitis has been less and less of an issue. It’s going away. When I was hunting in Montana just a few weeks ago, I hunted a day in my Altras. We did 6+ miles of plains and coulees, with a 2+ mile pack out with a 70-ish lb pack on. My feet were tired, but no other issues.

So, I’m extremely happy with what this type of footwear has offered me. Stronger feet/ankles than when wearing boots, and plantar fasciitis that it going away. Also, you have less knee strain than when wearing stiff boots. I’m going to stick with it. It’s helped my feet a lot. I plan to get a pair of the Vivo Tracker ESCs. I no longer need a stiff mountain boot. I did the rest of my Montana hunting in a pair of Danner hiking boots, and they were plenty adequate. I would have done it in Vivos, but I knew my feet weren’t quite ready for that yet. However, I’ll be ready for that by next season. Hopefully this will help answer some questions for others. Thanks for reading!

 

[Big_wals]

Yep, I wish more people would try minimalist footwear for at least a few weeks to a couple months before just writing it off as a fad, or saying you need more support for in the mountains, or whatever other reason. I know it changed my life when I switched. Growing up I had back pain for as long as I could remember, from a little kid into my teens. I always got told I was too young to have a sore back, just suck it up, yada yada. I was also the guy that twisted an ankle nearly every time I went hiking, regardless of the boots I wore.

Bought my first pair of zero drop shoes ten years ago, and I couldn’t be happier. I literally don’t think I’ve twisted or sprained an ankle since I switched, if I have it’s been long enough ago I can’t remember. Back pain is gone (other than when I overdo it at work or something of course). I work construction, am on my feet all day every day, and am pretty much 100% minimal/barefoot except rubber boots as needed and pac boots in the winter.
I’ve spent the last two years working in Vivo Primus low top shoes for as much of the year as weather allows.

 

[hereinaz]

Thanks. @Bluumoon and @mxgsfmdpx got me considering them.

So, just this week I started wearing cheap Amazon zero drop shoes. Calves and knees feel it and walking feels funny.

Gonna give it a go for a couple months at least.

I am not sure I could go minimalist in most of AZ with the way rocks grow around here. I have a pair of approach shoes that are close to zero drop and I can feel rocks way too much for my feet right now. But, I am gonna toughen up I guess.

Wearing muck boots in Alaska shows me I didn’t need the ankle support I thought. Was way easier walking tundra in that than Kenetreks the time before.

 

[Big_wals]

Thanks. @Bluumoon and @mxgsfmdpx got me considering them.

So, just this week I started wearing cheap Amazon zero drop shoes. Calves and knees feel it and walking feels funny.

Gonna give it a go for a couple months at least.

I am not sure I could go minimalist in most of AZ with the way rocks grow around here. I have a pair of approach shoes that are close to zero drop and I can feel rocks way too much for my feet right now. But, I am gonna toughen up I guess.

Wearing muck boots in Alaska shows me I didn’t need the ankle support I thought. Was way easier walking tundra in that than Kenetreks the time before.

Altra sells a rock guard for their shoes, just a thin stiff plastic plate that goes underneath the insole. I’ve never needed them, but know a guy that used to run on gravel roads a lot and he swore by them ‍♂ might be worth a try. Obviously doesn’t help with getting cactus thorns thru the side of your shoe. Really sucks when you kick a little cactus while hiking in the dark. (Still worth wearing minimalist shoes tho IMO)

 

[hereinaz]

Altra sells a rock guard for their shoes, just a thin stiff plastic plate that goes underneath the insole. I’ve never needed them, but know a guy that used to run on gravel roads a lot and he swore by them ‍♂ might be worth a try. Obviously doesn’t help with getting cactus thorns thru the side of your shoe. Really sucks when you kick a little cactus while hiking in the dark. (Still worth wearing minimalist shoes tho IMO)

Indians figured it out back in the day in Arizona, so it must be possible. Don’t know if it applies to a fat old dudes like me, lol.

The rock guard sounds helpful.

 

[liv3mind]

Been in barefoots outside of the office for years, mostly Merrells, it's been fantastic, if you need a good boot check out the tr105, very close to perfect after a hard break in. I used the 103 in service and it was great, the 105 is a worthy and better successor.

 

[justinspicher]

I started with Merrill’s and now wear Lems for daily use. I like to be barefoot when working out but if I’m outside I’ll wear my vibram 5 fingers.

 

[SurfAMHuntPM]

Very interesting, take.
I also primarily use Kennetrek as my bombproof - do most things boot. They’ve been great but on long hunts they start to get hot spot prone and they are heavy.

also tried Altra Lone Peak RSM and while originally for trail training , I hunted quite a bit in them.( with rock guard inserts)
Was not impressed with durability, although a few repairs and they lasted a long time. Definitely an early season boot and were perfect for a few day bow hunts in temps above freezing & hot weather.
No sore knees on descents unless I overdid mileage in mountains

I am now trying inov8 Roclites after reading about them here and Form suggesting them as a gateway boot to Vivo.
Honestly- $50 options from online stores make it a no brainer.

My hesitation on Vivo is cost vs longevity and I’m doubtful for rockslide country / thorn and cat claw type hunts

I’ll pick some up eventually as Vivo and rei guarantee them .

*kind of burnt out on $210 MSRP, not very durable boots and base layers by imported / vc backed company’s vs non hunting / lifestyle options

 

[BoilerBowHunter]

I've also had quite a journey with footwear after having a few issues....

My wife and I have both transitioned to wide toe box, low stack (~4mm) running shoes. It's done wonders. My wife is an avid runner and had significant foot issues including plantar fasciitis. To the point where she had a release surgery on both feet in Fall '24. The surgery didn't seem to help, and of course the podiatrist put her in super expensive, custom orthotics. Long story short - the orthopedic people cost us a ton of money and solved zero issues. Fast forward to now and between consistent stretching of the calves/posterior chain and running in wide toe box, low stack shoes my wife is back running 3 days a week with zero issues. My issues were not as extreme, but I battled plantar fasciitis on/off, and I also had an Achilles issue that drove me to PT and kept me from running for 3-6 months. I moved to TopoAthletic low stack, wide toe box shoes (Phantom 3) and have been great ever since. They take some time for your body to get used to when running, but now anything else feels awkward. Low cushion also seems to help as my foot feels more stable than when it's being propped up at weird angles by "supportive" shoes. We both plan to run a half marathon in the spring.

I am a boot guy in the fall/winter, and this year I am wearing the LEM Boulder Boot. They have been fantastic so far. I like the idea of a leather boot that I can have re-soled and will last for years, but I'm not willing to sacrifice foot health for it. That was a mental hurdle to get through. I have a pair of Oboz Bozeman shoes that have also been good to my feet for casual wear. In the summer I mainly wear flip flops, but I also got a pair of Astral Loyaks this year for more casual wear.

Moving forward, I will only be wearing a lower stack height, wide toe box shoe with exceptions made for special occasions (dress shoes, certain cowboy boots, etc.)

I would encourage people to Google Dr. Irene Davis on this topic. She was on the Peter Attia podcast (#128 I think), and I found another 1-2 she was on. Lots of articles out there as well. I really liked the way she covered this topic on the Attia podcast.

 

[NMNomad]

Moved out west to New Mexico in September of 2021. I quickly realized that running shoes were not going to get the job done in these mountains in comparison to the mountains back east. I wore steel toes for 13 years for work, and they destroyed my feet in the process. So, anytime I am not required to wear a sturdy boot, I have gravitated away from it. So, enough back story. I truly started with vibram five fingers in the early 2010's. The Plantar Fasciitis was present way back then and it was a long grueling experience. Those shoes were out of desperation and were a harsh transition into the barefoot variety. But, during that period, if I wasn't working I was fishing on the Florida coast. So, they kind of blended in, in flip flop country. When we arrived out west, I knew I needed more traction for the steep mountains. But, after that miserable experience with Plantar Fasciitis I had no desire to return to a boot. Therefore, I bought my wife and I a pair of Altra lone peak 5's, and we hiked them flat in a couple years. I then Bought the 7's, and they did not hold up like the 5's. Which was discouraging. But, after tons of research, I came to the conclusion that if I wanted trail runner comfort out in the mountains. I just wasn't going to be able to get the durability of a boot out of a shoe. Fair enough. Since, then I alternate back and forth between Altra zero drop shoes and Topo shoes with about a 5mm drop. This does my feet well. For a boot, I have the Jim Green barefoot African Rangers. Which work well for me as three season boots. These are my most comfortable boots. They are, for me, absolutely warm weather boots. Anything below 25 degrees and especially stationary, my feet get cold in them. YMMV. From there I move to Crispi's. Lapponia light works well for me down to about 10 degrees. Then I switch over to the Shimek. I prefer a leather boot over a rubber boot for waterproofing, which is just my personal preference. So, for someone who has been on the hunt for a better boot / shoe since 2009. My experience has been that you need to alternate good shoes / boots that properly fit YOUR feet. Every person's feet are different. If you go down this rabbit hole, prepare to spend thousands. The perfect boot / shoe does not exist. But, if you spend a lot, you can get close.

 

[Jimbee]

I had a fairly easy transition into barefoot shoes. I started with some vivo tracker escs. Now I have a couple pairs of Jim Green boots, one custom with a steel toe for work. I have noticed less back aches and pains and less leg and foot soreness after running. I started running late in life and kept trying different running shoes/insoles to alleviate knee and shin pains. All these ailments seemed to disappear after using zero drop footwear for a few years.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Thanks. @Bluumoon and @mxgsfmdpx got me considering them.

So, just this week I started wearing cheap Amazon zero drop shoes. Calves and knees feel it and walking feels funny.

Gonna give it a go for a couple months at least.

I am not sure I could go minimalist in most of AZ with the way rocks grow around here. I have a pair of approach shoes that are close to zero drop and I can feel rocks way too much for my feet right now. But, I am gonna toughen up I guess.

Wearing muck boots in Alaska shows me I didn’t need the ankle support I thought. Was way easier walking tundra in that than Kenetreks the time before.

I just thrashed around down by the border in my forest trackers again the last 7 days. You know how that country is and we covered some good miles for day packing from a big base camp.

Blood, sweat, and tears (tears from thorns and cactus not tears from crying haha).

 

[WyldGoose]

I’ve always had wide flat-ish feet. Just turned 46 and spent most my life wearing Vans and Chuck Taylors…which are essentialy “zero drop/minimalist” footwear, so there hasn’t been any transition issues.
Last year I tried the Vivo Winter Tracker 2’s….not bad but they were too warm for me. Plus they tended to smell even though I only wear merino socks.
Right now my daily are the Lems Boulder Summit Waterproof. So far they’ve been great for town and light hikes with the dog, haven’t pushed em beyond that yet.
Looks like Lems is starting to use Vibram soles in some models which is nice. Next week they’re releasing an 8 or 9 inch “tactical pro” boot with Vibram sole I may try for next year during warming months.
Haven’t tried the Vivo Forest ESC’s yet, I need to get over the futuristic look.

 

[hereinaz]

I just thrashed around down by the border in my forest trackers again the last 7 days. You know how that country is and we covered some good miles for day packing from a big base camp.

Blood, sweat, and tears (tears from thorns and cactus not tears from crying haha).

View attachment 979192

You are not as fat and old as me, lol. Or as soft…

Those are what I intend to work up to for sure. I prefer feeling the ground over stiff Kennetrek, but some things I like, such as being lazy with foot placement…

 

[chindits]

I tried some xero running shoes. Was just starting out jog walk intervals on dirt roads. It was a while ago so maybe 1x1:00s or 2x2:00s just getting in to it so probably 4 sets no real distance. I got Achilles tendinitis and a blood clot in the same calf. It kind of set me back. I’m not saying the two were related but it happened the same time in the same area of my calf so it’s not a coincidence in my mind. I still use those shoes for work and house stuff.

Since I don’t give a crap about ground feel just toe room, I switched to Topo trail shoes. Plenty of room in the toe box on the big toe side but not so much on the little toe side like most shoes. No mercy for flat feet. I can run in them fine and do hill bounding repeats with poles for Nordic ski training no problem. I backpack all summer in them and have done a drop stalk on some mulies down a super rocky avalanche chute and helped on one elk pack out in the snow. There good to go, but not for our winters. I tried one shooting session in zero weather and I didn’t shine to that.

I’m currently testing some Freets (chamois I think). I added a wool felt insole for cold weather and I’m trying a flexible rock plate cut out of one of those flexible cutting boards. Maybe a little too much ground feel for my liking after rolling a rock on a steep off trail descent and my heel hitting first on another rock below it. I was able to walk out but it stung for a moment or two. I’ve been hiking 2-4 times a week in them and they’re doing alright on month 2. I think the leather is super thin on these type of shoes to make them flexible so the leather wets out in short order. Two or three weeks ago I was setting up a target at 420 meters, by the time I got back to my shooting point I couldn’t see the target because of the heavy snowfall and my range finder wouldn’t range anything past 37 meters. So I went back and pulled the target. Maybe 1 km walking in wet snow and the leather appeared to be wetted out. My feet were still dry because they’re goretex lined but it makes me wonder how they’ll manage in that usual transition snow during rifle season. I haven’t made up my mind on them yet. So far I have replaced the laces and one application of nikwax nubuck/suede leather treatment. I then decided to go smooth leather so I probably have 6 coats of snowseal on them. The snow is too cold and dry now for them to get wet unless we get a thaw. I’m still testing but it’s ski season now, so not much time for shooting or hiking.

 

[dtrkyman]

I went straight into Vivo, trainers and Magna leather. zero issues and the Magna are the best pair of footwear I have ever had!

I have worn the Magna in the desert, the high country and Midwest on and off trail, crazy amount of miles and they are just now starting to show some serious wear. I did add some Keen insoles to them from their ultra light boots on top of the Vivo cork to take up some volume, the Vivo are slightly large but it has been a non issue.

Debating on my next pair, probably forest trackers?

I still wear Altra for running but they are zero drop, running paved trails so I want the cushion.

I really like the ground feel from the Vivo, I live in New Mexico so lot's of rock and cactus, really not an issue for me, I wouldn't suggest stepping on a goat head cactus but I have only had a few poke through at the archery range which is a cactus nightmare! I set targets and shoot every Wednesday all summer into September.

One thing that stood out to me on log days my feet may still get sore but the next morning they are good to go, they seem to recover much better than before! I wore my old Asolo 520 a couple rainy days and it was like wearing bricks on my feet!

I have a pair of waterproof socks for wet conditions!

 

[iwearshorts]

I also went straight into the Forest Esc without any issue. It felt strange at first but after a few hikes they were great. Then I got the Tundra Esc and they are by far the best winter boot I’ve ever worn. For daily wear I have some cheap barefoot shoes from Amazon. Always had trouble with shoes and the issue wasn’t length or width it was always the toe box. It took me years to figure out I needed foot shaped shoes. My feet have never been more happy.

 

[Watcher of the Woods]

I started wearing barefoot/minimalist shoes around 10 or 11 years ago. My first pair were some of the original Merrell trail gloves. From there I tried quite a few other brands as well. Now my feet do not fit into "normal" shoes. I can only wear wide toe box and zero (up to 2 mil) drop. There is a gal named Katy Bowman who is a Biomechanist and total guru with this stuff. She's got some amazing books that talk about functional movement and I'd highly encourage people to check them out. Here's where I landed on some of the brands:

Xeros: Often ugly as sin, but their designs are getting better and the build quality actually seems to be improving. I wear their HFS for work and the Alpines are my go to winter boot for snowshoeing or hiking. Nothing too rugged, but they do the trick and keep my feet warm. They also have a great warranty on their shoes which I've used several times before when I felt they wore out too early.

Altras: Their shoes have changed over the years and most of the time I now find them too constricting. They do sell their Lone Peaks in wide and that has been my go to hiking shoe for the last 3-4 years. The Mid isn't a bad boot either.

LEMs: I currently wear a pair of their waterproof boulder boots as my back country footwear. I've been all over Idaho and Utah in them and never felt like I needed more. They do have a 2 mil drop which is noticeable after being in zero drop for so long, but overall they're a solid boot. I've been wearing my current pair for the last 3-4 years. Gonna look at their newest boulder boot as my next pair I think.

Vivos: I've yet to have a pair of their shoes fit me well. I wanted the Trackers to work so badly, but they just didn't.

Bedrocks: This is my go to for everything but off trail. I wear their sandals all summer (including multiple 8-10 mile bushwhacking adventures that my feet weren't super happy about, but they made it). They are perfect for every day, paddling, fishing, etc. great tread and they really grip. Also not uncomfortable when wet which is huge for me. Their mountain clogs are also great. Once it gets cold I throw on socks and wear these as my every day instead of the sandals.

There are definitely some other options out there as well. I want to check out the Jim Green African Ranger boots as they seem to be pretty well made. I've owned some zero drop tactical boots from Belleville and found them uncomfortable. I also spent around $400 and had some custom Russel Mocs made which were the most uncomfortable boots I've ever had. My wife measured my feet 3 times per their instructions and we sent it in. Months later I got back these leather torture devices for my toes which I returned after trying to have them adjust them twice.

My .02 is this. It takes time to make the transition. Once you do though, you won't ever want to go back. I don't roll my ankles, the bottoms of my feet don't hurt, because my body is used to this and has strengthened. Seriously, check out Katy Bowman's books or her Move Your DNA podcast and you'll become a convert too.

 

[elkhunter505]

Used to wear a lot of Crispi/Kenetrek type boots. This came after doing field work in some nasty bighorn sheep country where everyone said you needed stiff boots. Before that I wore danner pronghorns for about 6 years and then a set of Rocky SV2 that my brother picked up at the thrift store. Not sure why I thought I needed stiff boots as I was doing field work in the SV2s that year. Fast forward about 7 years and I read the vivo thread during one of my impulsive buying streaks and I ordered a pair. Long story short, I will never go back to a stiff boot. Even with doing some hunting in SW and Eastern Montana where there is a lot of cactus that you don’t notice, I still have not felt over my skis with the barefoot shoes. I wore Vivo Forest ESCs almost exclusively since February. My first hunt with them was a Turkey hunt in April which ended up being a 6 mile round trip hike and my calves and feet were really sore the next day. Now in October and November, I’ve done multiple long distance pack outs with them on and have had nothing but good experiences. As others have mentioned, I’ll be sore at the end of a real long day (10+ miles) but by the next day, my feet are ready to go again. Picked up a pair of Winter Tracker SG 2s and have been pretty satisfied over the last couple of weeks. I’m sure I will end up getting a set of Tundras for those years where the cold is unbearable especially during field work, but at this point the Winters are treating me well enough.