Questions & Answers

Hello everyone, I am new to this website and this is my first post. I am looking to buy minimalist everyday shoes and I am looking at both feelmax and sole runner. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with both that might help me choose. Thank you, Owen

I see you recommend going minimal with ultralight hiking, would you wear a low-top trail minimal shoe with a 50 pound pack on your back as well?

i need some recommendations for a good leather shoe that i can dress up in. i'm new to being barefoot this month.....but i was quickly hooked. i'm all in at home, but my feet are not happy at work and it's only monday. Help!

Hi! I'm looking for a wide minimalitic shoe. I have KSO, which works ok. And Merrell embar glove which is a bit narrow. I bought the corecttoes large and love to spread out my toes, but i can't find a shoe that allow full movement.

How to i meassure the width of my feet? I'm from Sweden and are note familiar with the american widht system, 2E, 4E etc. From side of my big toe the widest part on the other side i meassure 11cm, and heel to toe 26cm.

I'm actually looking for two pair of shoes. One summer shoe width very good ventilation and a more covered version for spring and autumn which stands a light rain and wet ground. Any tips?

Thanks in advace, Toesalad is awsome

Does anyone have any experience of the Camper Pue range? They look good and flat and bendy, but I haven't actually seen a pair in the flesh and was wondering if they are worth the money? Pretty shocking price tag after all! Thank you.

I have a pair of Merrell Proterras that have been on their way out for quite a while. These are hands down the most comfortable all purpose shoes I have ever had. I cannot find a suitable replacement for a minimal drop but fairly hardy shoe. Does anyone know of anything that could be a fit replacement?

Hello there! I've been looking for a good pair of 'sandals' to wear for a boat that will keep me moving efficiently, but still give me comfort and grip. I ended up thinking about the ToeShoes after not having a lot of luck with standard closed toe sandals. After some looking at the Vibram's TrekSport sandals, I ended up trying on the KSO EVO's and found them really comfortable and mostly affordable. Anyone else think they'd be good for boating or no?

I personally think that the zigzag patterned treads will fit in well with the boats fiberglass 'grit' that is built into the boat to help with traction. Please let me know! Thanks guys! (And gals!)

Hi!

At work I am required to wear shoes or boots with a safety toe. I was wondering if there is a company that makes a minimalist steal toe shoe or at least one with a zero drop and wide tow box

Thanks! Mike

I read the blog here by googling the BIOM Lite and then I realized that I am entering a new world. I am now so interested of becoming a barefoot walker. My feet and legs are not strong. If I stand in the subway car for more than 30mins, my feet will feel pain. I want to practice my feet. Will you please recommend a pair of shoes as my first minimalist shoes? On my way to the work, I have to walk for about 20 mins and then take 40 mins subway, mostly stand in the car. Do you think it is a good idea to ware a shoes like that? e.g. the BIOM Lite/Grip or OTZ300GMS? thank you for your help.

Is there a particular brand/type that you would recommend for someone new to minimalist footwear? I'm not looking for anything for running as I have another injury. I'm looking for something that would be good for every day use and a few short walks a week.

I climb for the electric company and we are required to weara bout that has a very high heel and metal shank for support when climbing. But I have been wearing my kso's and vivo and love it my question is will wearing these boots 40 hrs a week and my minimalist shoes the rest of the time cause any health problems for me/my feet?

I work in a warehouse environment and am looking for a good shoe to wear daily. I have previously purchased a pair or Lems/Stems and the sole began to come apart from the shoe only after two weeks of wearing them for normal daily activities. They were kind enough to send me a replacement pair, but they did the same thing.

Looking for info on a wide shoe that offers a decent casual look but won't fall apart while standing still. I've never owned any Vivo shoes, are they pretty durable?

I am looking for a closed toe minimalist shoe that i can wear at work (a kitchen) and also at my martial arts dojo where they require shoes. May i please have your opinion on the matter? I am thinking; something that looks pretty casual, a good grip would be a plus, wide toe box, durable enough the kick wooden dummies repeatedly (and secure enough not to slip off), laces (or something equally flat on top so nothing digs into my foot while kicking), and a thin sole. So far i like the (look of) Feelmax Aapa and Lems Primal. Any advice/suggestions would be most appreciated. Thank you!

Greetings all!

I'm currently in the Afghanistan and I'm looking to pick up a pair of minimalist boots but I have no idea how the sizing runs for the two brands. My Merrell Trail Gloves and Barefoot Life Radiuses both fit perfectly in size 9 - perfect width and pleny of room in the toe bed. I'm looking at the Kuuva 2s and the Bellville 102 Mini-mil. I would greatly appreciate any input as to how the merrell sizes would translate to the Kuuvas or Mini-mils (other boot recommendaitons are welcome, too!)

Thanks,

Chris

http://oldesoles.com/shop/

Yes, they are renfair shoes. But several of the styles are perfectly normal for daily wear and are made of daily wear. They have a few that women could get away with in most offices, plus one short boot called the Villager that men could wear on most occasions. Also another one called the buckle boot that men could wear to nearly every thing.

What can men wear when running shoes won't do? Women can usually find some variation of ballet slipper without too much work, but its different for men. A man's work shoe is hard to find.

They will let you have your choice of soling, including just plain leather because they make to order.

I intend to buy from them very soon.

I'm a stream ecologist, and wear Simms stockingfoot waders for my field work. There's a lot of hiking up and down streams, and bushwhacking, and the wading boots I wear over the waders just kill my feet. Frankly, they're dangerous - they're so stiff that I can't tell what I'm stepping on and I've had some close calls.

I'd love to have something lighter and more flexible. Any suggestions? They need to keep dirt out; I don't want bits of grit getting in and chewing holes in my expensive waders! At the same time, water needs to be able to drain out of them. Also they need laces to hook gaiters onto; more keeping gravel out.

I considered neoprene kayaking booties, but the wader feet are neoprene - I don't really fancy hiking with two layers of neoprene over my feet! They're warm enough as it is. The gaiters are neoprene as well. Fantastic for cold-season work (which I do quite a bit of) but not so great for hiking into a site on a hot day.

To sum up my requirements: Light -- Flexible -- Dirt-proof (preferably over-ankle) -- Laces for gaiter attachment -- Will fit over neoprene stockingfoot wader

Thanks for any and all suggestions!

Does anyone have experience with theses

http://www.bellevilleboot.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=97

Thans, Jack

I have a hike coming up in July that will require me to do a lot of cross country. This will be a mix of hiking over boulders, some scree, 4 passes that are not on traIl, and possibly some Glissading.

I'm looking for a minimal shoe that I can wear, but I don't want to bruise the bottom of my feet while I'm climbing over boulders or dreddging through scree, this is only my second season wearing minimalist shoes, and probably only my 3rd hike using them, I do wear them all day at work, but I also do a lot of drving, but over all I think my feet are conditioned enough now for backpacking I just want to make sure I don't hurt anything on this trip.

As of now I own Merrell Bare Access, New Balance Minimus, Brockes Cascadia 7, New Balance M730, and a pair of Altra Lone Peak.

If one of these will work, great, but I don't mind buying another shoe to do what I need for this hike.

Thanks, Jack

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and I was wondering if someone could give me advice on the Felmax Kuuva2

I want to order a pair for a hike I have coming up in July, but I'm not sure of the fit and I don't want to order the wrong size.

Right now I wear a Merrell Bare Access in a size 13 us, this gives me plenty of wiggle room for thick socks, I can wear a size 12 us, but since I've switched over to minimalist shoes it seems like my feet have grown, or maybe I'm just like the extra space for my feet to do what they need to do.

I also wear a New Balance Minimus in a size 12 us, but not much wiggle room here, I don't wear thick socks with these. Felmax only offers the Kuuva2 in a size 46=12 us my question is will these be big enough for me?, does anyone own the same shoes I have plus some Kuuva2's to compare the fit against the Kuuva2

Thanks, Jack

Hello, Toe Salad people.

Just wanted to drop in and say hi. I'm from Canada and have in recent months become enamoured of less=better footwear. The final straw was a pair of expensive, American-made work boots whose heels, narrow toe-box and curved shank changed my gait so much that I twisted my ankle walking on slightly uneven ground.

Even a costly resole job to a wedge sole made them only slightly more tolerable, and from then on began my little quest for healthier feet and footwear.

Nice to be here.