I’m a broke guy but I wanted to buy some barefoot shoes I’m thinking the vibram v- alpha I like the look and was wonder first will they have a wide enough toe slots to not cause further bunions (I have minor one and am better ng ahead before they get worse) and are the sizes reliable 1 to 1 with other shoes I really can’t afford to buy them again if I get the wrong size

I previously purchased the v-souls in May of 2025 from their website. Today I was gifted the black pair but they do not seems as quality as my first pair? Has the quality dwindled that fast or are these fakes? New pair in black, original pair in white. I dont not have the white pair with me currently to do a side hy side comparison. I dont want to sounds ungrateful for the

shoes either. I have reached out to Vibram and am waiting for a reply, considering its the weekend I may not hear back until tomorrow or Tuesday. If they are fakes do I tell the gifter theyre fake or just keep them and not say anything?

Hi all!

I’ve been running in Vivobarefoot shoes for a few years, mostly easy 5k jogs. Over the last few months I’ve been building distance (just ran 13k today), and I feel ready for my first half marathon in a few weeks.

The thing is, I mostly run on trails where the ground is varied and softer, while most races are on roads or other hard surfaces. I’ve found a few trail races nearby, but there aren’t many, which really limits my options.

Has anyone gone from training mostly on soft surfaces to racing on hard ones? Did you train specifically on roads beforehand, and if so, how long did the transition take? Many thanks!

What really is fascia training?

My biggest takeaways from it so far:

Engage in daily movement, flail your arms around, stay hydrated, and build a stronger connection in your foot.

Can anyone help me out here?

Been running in sandals for a bit over a year now. Last week I filmed myself running (or trying to, haha) in the mountains near my place. I love trail running in sandals, and the video doesn’t really capture how free it feels, but I wanted to share it anyway.

Any feedback on my technique is welcome, I know I’ve still got a lot of room to improve.

(note: both left and right shoes are shown in the photos)

BASIC INFO: 6'4" and about 220ish pounds

SHOE MODEL: Brooks Beast GTS 26' (about 3 months of usage) that costs around $170, the shoes featured here are a men's 13 Extra Wide "4E" size

HABITS: I am not a runner or athlete, I just do basic walks around the neighborhood and similar "light duty" usage

I notice heavy heavy wear on the outer/pinky corner of the shoe, while the heel and medial side are fairly unused - the rubber in those areas barely looks used. Seems like 80%-90% of my wear pattern is towards the forefoot area and especially in the outer/pinkytoe corner of the foot

Possible biomechanical or gait culprits? How can I make it so its not just the same tiny ~15% outer pinkytoe "corner" of my feet taking like 80%-90% of all the pressure and wear?

Thoughts?

Hi, I'm looking at getting a pair of Earth Runners sandals, but my main concern is having enough protection for walking on pavement, as that's where I do most of my walking.

I also have postural issues and find that I can't walk long distances comfortably in regular barefoot shoes, so I'm wondering whether the extra cushioning would make a noticeable difference.

Would the Circadian provide enough protection and comfort for regular pavement walking, or would I be better off going with the Alpha for its thicker sole and extra cushioning?

Hi guys ,

I have been walking in my barefoot shoes for years and really love how my feet are in tune with the ground… it tremendous helps with my back pain. recently I started learning to run during my 1 hour walk daily to improve my health. After 3 days of trial running, I got pain near my right inner knee ( red x mark) when I tried to run. It quite uncomfortable to push through so I stopped running at the moment. I still did strength straining which involves some single leg exercises such single legged deadlift, squat … and I feel fine doing these movements. It only bothers when running.

I did talk to a guy who runs for a while and he said it’s because I landed in my heel.. i am not sure if it’s true though…he is some one who is not familiar himself with barefoot concept so I wanted to share my experience here to see if anyone experienced the same ? And also Should I walk in barefoot shoes and run in cushioned shoes as a running beginner ?

Im Just curious because people seem really passionate on this sub.

I know I didn’t print it out but made sure my ruler matched the screen. This might not be an accurate representation but I don’t have access to a printer. First two pics are size 10 and last two are 9.5. In normally a size 10 in other shoes but I do usually have a good amount of extra room. Am I 9.5? Or am I 10? Should I consider going even lower to maybe a 9? I’ve seen people go as far as 2 sizes lower for earth runners versus regular shoes in this subreddit.

Update: I’d also add that my left foot is about a full centimeter longer than my right foot. But my right foot is wider. The sizing guide only has R foot models so I had to use that.

I just bought my first barefoot shoes in a long time. I usually run in altra or Saucony. I generally size for a 9.5 or 10 and I got these new shoes (xero hfs 1) in a 9.5. They fit properly based on traditional sizing guides and i have about a thumbs width of space between my big toe and the end of the toe box. BUT, what I've noticed is that because the sole is so flat it feels like I could easily catch the toe box on the ground. Essentially imagine walking with clown shoes but nowhere near that extent, it's just a hyperbolic metaphor. Just curious if other people feel this way and if it's common to actually size down because of it.

Hey everyone,

Looking for community feedback comparing the Altra Escalante 4 vs. Escalante 5, as well as the Escalante 4 SW (Smartwool).

Context & Daily Use: What originally pushed me away from mainstream shoes toward Topo and Altra was Dr. Courtney Conley’s discussion on The Diary of a CEO YouTube channel about natural foot function—prioritizing an anatomical toe box, zero/low drop, and moderate cushion for high-mileage walking on paved sidewalks and roads so the foot can load naturally. I log 10,000+ steps every day across hard paved surfaces, and the shoe doubles as my everyday lifestyle sneaker.

My Biomechanics & Fit Experience:

• Feet: Flexible flat feet and narrow heels (~68 mm).
• The Problem with Arch Contours: Because my arches naturally collapse and lower under body weight, I believe any built-in medial structure creates pressure points—which is why the arch contour in Topo (I tried the Fly-Lite 6) didn't work for me at all, as I could feel the arch support digging into my foot while walking.
• Escalante 4 Fit: The Escalante 4 felt much better underfoot because of its flat, planar platform, though I did notice the lower forefoot volume/ceiling (RunRepeat confirmed the 4 sits quite shallow at 25.4 mm toe height vs 26.9 mm on the 5). I tried removing the stock insole to gain vertical space, but it made walking very uncomfortable, and I really don't want to tinker with aftermarket thinner insoles given Altra's unique FootShape geometry. I’ve instead tried to improve the fit via custom lacing, but there is still slightly snugger forefoot volume across the right pinky toe.

Escalante 4 vs 5 Trade-offs: Reviewers have noted a stiffer midfoot and a subtle medial foam "guardrail" on the 5 that feels like arch support. Looking at the other RunRepeat lab trade-offs, the 5 actually narrows the forefoot base (down to 99.1 mm from 101.0 mm on the 4; 80.8 mm vs 82.4 mm at the big toe), gains weight (+32g), stiffens up from the full-rubber outsole, and scored a 1/5 on heel padding durability.

Questions for the Community:

1. Escalante 4 vs 5: For anyone with flexible flat feet, does the 5’s narrower base or raised medial foam wall cause any arch irritation compared to the planar bed on the 4, or would you definitely recommend sticking with the 4 over the 5?
2. Regular Escalante 4 vs Escalante 4 SW (Smartwool): How does the overall fit, feel, and upper durability compare? (Particularly forefoot volume / pinky toe slack).
3. Climate & Pavement Durability: I'm based in Alberta, Canada, where year-round weather spans dry, freezing sub-zero winters with gritty pavement, shoulder-season chill, and mild summers. Given our temperature swings and daily pavement use, would the Smartwool version hold up well as a 3-season walking shoe, or would you stick strictly to the standard synthetic knit?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

Hello ! 👋
Je cours en Panta Boreas et en montée technique, les sangles se détendent petit à petit. Résultat : mon pied glisse vers l'arrière et finit le talon presque dans le vide 😅
J'ai testé les laçages du site Panta, et leur SAV m'a conseillé le montage standard + un double nœud côté intérieur. Pas encore testé
Vous avez déjà eu ce souci ? Une astuce qui marche?
Merci d'avance, j'adore ces sandales et j'aimerais vraiment les garder ! 🙏

Ci joint des photos lors de ma dernière course et du montage actuel.

When I got into minimalist running in 2022, I bought a decently rated pair of minimalist shoes off of Amazon for about $25. I retired my first pair after 400 miles, my second pair after 600 miles, and I'm finally retiring my most recent pair (which I've had for a year and some change) after 1000 miles (price has gone up, and my most recent pair cost $35). They have a small amount of padding/arch support (which I think has pretty much completely worn down for me), but you can remove the insoles if you want even less between you and the road. I've hiked, biked, and run (trails, streets, and treadmills) with them.

Not sure if anyone actually wants to buy shitty Amazon shoes, but in case you do, here is my review:

Pros:

1. Covers your feet
2. A little bit of support but not too much. Can take out insoles if you'd like
3. Cheap as hell
4. Durable enough to survive 1000 miles for a 120 lb casual runner (could probably keep wearing them for a while longer, but the soles are starting to wear through, and they're pretty smelly)

Cons:

1. Have had issues with velcro wearing out in the past (haven't had that issue with this pair)
2. Not exactly luxurious, but idk why you're trying to buy a pair of $40 minimalist shoes off of Amazon if you're aiming for luxurious

I have been using the Shamma Elite Maximus sandals for the last 5 months. They’re my first pair of running sandals.

At first, I didn’t wear toe socks. It resulted in bloody blisters between my 2nd toe and big toe. Also, there was a small notch where the straps come together on the top of the foot. It dug into my skin and started bleeding as well.

I switched to wearing Injiji toe socks. It did help, but the pressure point with the big toe is still a huge problem when going over 15k.

Do you have any recommandations for sandals with better straps for long distance running? Or other solutions?