Thanks to a cold wintery blast of air, we got a nice heavy snowfall here in the Ouachita mountain region of SW Arkansas, which gave me the opportunity to try out my newly found love of barefooting in the snow....I've been living a barefoot lifestyle since June, and this was the first time in my life I went walking in the snow in bare feet. All I can say is "I loved it".....the snow was far softer and more cushy then I ever expected, and not near as cold as I thought it was gonna be. I even found that I had a flat tire on my truck this morning and went outside and changed my tire in 24 degree temps and 4" of snow....Took me about 30 minutes I suppose, not counting the time I was visiting with my neighbor about the fact I was barefoot on such a frozen day, but I was fine...my feet were fine, and I loved the feeling. I wear shoes when I must, but barefoot is the best way to go.
Snowfooting for the first time.
F1_Cobra 7
Answers and Replies
Damien Tougas 953
F1_Cobra 7
Don't get me wrong, I didn't stay out my first time for 30 minutes....I think about 5 minutes was my first adventure...then 10, then 15....you get the point....Acclimation is the key to the whole barefootin thing......It may also be the key to switching from thick soled shoes to minimal shoes without causing injury. Its been amazing to see how fast my feet have gone from a tenderfoot that never took his heavy workboots off, and when I did, I could bearly walk across a manicured lawn at a snails pace, to a guy that can walk down the gravel road behind my home without much trouble....The human foot is really alot tougher then I think we give it credit for.
zabala 82
Hey folks I tried it today. We just had an inch of wet snow so I took a stroll on my cement walkway. As you said F1 it felt very different then I expected. Like memory foam but cold. Speaking of which I could not take more then maybe 2mins. The pain was in the arches more then the rest of the foot and went straight up to my knees. I tried going farther each time I was out to the BBQ but it sure would take me a long time to get acclimated to it. Something else I felt was that the traction was not good. The warm of the foot glazes the snow when compressed so any side force would cause slippage. An experience like when I went ice diving but not something I wish to do often.
angelina 2
My first time running barefoot barefoot on ice and snow was about 90 seconds worth of tolerance then me running back inside to get some socks and minimalist cross country racing flats.
I fare longer and better when I have Invisible Shoes on (barefoot-plus running walking yoga etc sandals... 4mm protection of vibram cherry but still TRUE barefoot feel opposed to minimalist pretend close to barefoot feel). www.InvisibleShoe.com Check them out, they definitely make winter more bearable for barefoot winter running!
zabala 82
I'm not a runner but I could see using those on cleared roads or sidewalks in the winter would work but on snow or packed snow and ice are they not slippery. I think for winter wear in this area which can see from 3 to 6 feet of snow I will want more coverage. LOL
Wow, you are much braver than I! I have never spent much time at all in the snow barefoot... maybe I will have to give it a try some time. But first I guess we would need some snow :-(