How to think like a shoe company

You know the saying “when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail”? Well, it’s true for shoe companies, too. When all you have is padding and motion-control, everything looks like it pronates and lands too hard! Check out this video about the “secret” Adidas development center. Especially watch at the 2:10 […]

Barefoot in Asia – Regev’s Review

I just realized that I have a strange history with barefoot running, barefoot walking, and minimalist shoes. First, like most of us, I spent a lot of time barefoot as a kid in the Summer. I went to a camp in the Pocono Mountains (Camp Shohola just in case any readers also went there) and […]

Barefoot Sandals – the best minimalist running shoes

Every now and then, someone will smugly say to me: “Barefoot Sandals is an oxymoron. If you’re barefoot, you’re not wearing sandals, and if you’re wearing sandals, you’re not barefoot!” Yes, technically, that’s true. Barefoot is barefoot and shod is shod. And, I’ll admit, I’m normally a stickler for grammar. I hate when people say […]

Barefoot Running Sandals vs. Running Shoes

A barefoot running vs. running shoes “infographic” I’m get all geeky over well-presented information, and the graphic about barefoot running and regular running shoes from XRayTechnicianSchoools.net is a pleasure. Whenever someone says to me “Barefoot running can cause injuries” I remind them of the fact in 1/3 of the infographic: 90% (I heard 80%) of […]

The little lie of barefoot running

As the barefoot running boom continues to explode, it’s important that we debunk the mythology that’s sprung up and face some facts. And perhaps the most obvious fact is this: If you run with anything between your skin and the ground, you are not barefoot runner. Let me say that again. If you wear Vibram […]

5 Common Stride Missteps

Let us guess, you ditched the cushioned clodhoppers only to find a new host of issues to deal with. Blisters on the bottom of your feet? Sore hips? Calves aching so much you can’t walk? Soak in some Epsom Salt and give yourself a break. No one said changing a lifetime of running habits overnight […]

How NOT to start barefoot running

I was on a panel discussion about barefoot running a while back. At one point, someone in the audience asked, So how do I transition to barefoot running? NOTE — even if you’re not a runner, this story is still relevant and important for you… okay, back to the story… Before I could respond, a […]

Comparing Barefoot Running Shoes – Nike Free vs. Xero Shoes

I bought my first pair of Nike Free about 6 years ago, soon after they came out. I LOVED them. The flexible sole really let me feel the ground in a whole new way and they quickly became the only shoe I wore. Once I had the chance, I went to NikeID and made a […]

Orthotics vs. Barefoot Running

The only time I’ve worn anything other than my huaraches or my sprinting spikes in the last 16 months has been the 3 times I put on my old running shoes… so I could shovel snow. Those shoes have my $200 orthotics in them. And each time I’ve put them on, I have the same […]

Can you really run in huaraches?

When you’re used to hanging out with barefoot runners or, at least, with people who’ve read Born To Run, you forget how “normal people” think. One of the questions I’m most asked by non-barefoot people is: “Can you really run in those?” What amazes me about this question is not how people have forgotten that, […]