"Barefoot" Running Shoes - Go Retro Instead and Wear Moccasins

There are a number of shoe brands and some start-up shoe companies that are now offering a "new" nearly barefoot athletic shoe to the public, touting that their minimalist qualities are "natural" for the human body because the athletic or running shoe designs are similar to being barefoot.

Because these companies have a vested interest in their shoe, they'll make great claims and sponsor studies and athletes to support their product marketing. In reality, the trend towards minimalist footwear is a step backwards in shoe design.

Here's why some people like the minimalist shoe:

• Weight: very light and compact
• Perception: shoe buyers perceive the shoe is good for their feet and has high cool factor.
• Direct Foot Power: there is no influence of the shoe in the push off portion of the stride.
  

Here's the problem with minimalist shoes:

• Ancient Ancestry: For the tens of thousands of years humans have been walking, we've been barefoot or wearing minimal footwear. Most of those ancient steps were on natural earth, not concrete, asphalt, tile or other types of uniform hard surfaces. Historically most humans didn't live long enough to reap the results of wear and tear on their bodies. Modern middle-age until just the past hundred years or so was old-age for most of human kind.
  

• Excellent Biomechanics: Only athletes with both excellent gait technique AND bio-mechanics can excel with minimalist running shoes. Young athletes may feel fine with barefoot style shoes not realizing that they are running out of their personal biomechanical "grace period" that everybody has. When that grace period is up, wear and damage to the body sets up conditions that may lead to chronic injury and joint conditions.

If you really want to experiment with minimalist footwear shoe technology, here are my suggestions:

• Gradual Break In: Depending on the mileage you are doing, the break-in time from standard supportive athletic running shoes to barefoot style shoes could be as long as 3 to 6 months.
• Running Surfaces: Avoid ANY hard unyielding surfaces. This includes natural surfaces such as rock paths.
• Age Related Option: If you're middle age and older and want to experiment with barefoot running shoes, only run on soft beach or desert sand.
  

So, if you want to authentically go retro when buying running shoes, buy some good, North American made moccasins. North American Indians are still making moccasins like they have for thousands of years, with a few minor alterations to their technology. Though you can buy very expensive, handmade custom moccasins, my favorite moccasin company is Laurentian Chief. The Laurentian Chief moccasin company, based in Quebec, Canada still employs some workers of indigenous ancestry to make their ancient style of minimalist footwear.

Remember, if you do get biomechanical strain, see me at www.Footform.com. I've experimented with making my own moccasins and used them with and without orthotics.
www.Footform.com
541-389-4547

NOTE:Laurentian Chief does not sell direct to the public. One company I found on the web that is very invested in the Laurentian moccasin line is Get Outside Shoes in Toronto, Canada. They ship to the U.S.

If there are any other moccasin shoe companies that manufacture their moccasins in North America, let us know and we will add you to this blog entry.

Personalizing Your Footwear with Custom Orthotics

If you want luxury for your feet replace a removable shoe insert with Footform Orthotics. Most mid to high-end sport specific footwear have removable inserts. Taking that shoe insert out and replacing it with a Footform orthotic gives you a custom fit that makes your footwear the foundation of a positive experience. Whether that's in the field, on a golf green, ski slope, bike, bowling alley lane or on the dance floor. During the second half of your appointments at the Footform Performance office in Bend, Oregon, we fit the orthotics to the shoes that you either wear most often, or the shoe in which you specifically intend to use the orthotic. One of our satisfied customers, Terry Scoville, of Womens Hunting Journal, shared her experience of a hunting boot she customized with a Footform orthotic.

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Review from Woman's Hunting Journal: LaCrosse AlpahaBurley Sport Insulated by Terry Scoville

I recently spoke with a representative at LaCrosse Footwear, to find out what they'll be offering women hunters this Fall. I was surprised to learn that they are discontinuing a few styles. The good news is that the model I have they are going to continue providing. Specifically the AlphaBurley Sport Insulated 18" Realtree Hardwood HD 800 Gr. boot, style #200037 (soon to be style # 200044) as of July 2008. I bought mine last Fall and used them alot throughout the waterfowl season. Firstly, they are offered in whole sizes only, so go up to the next whole size if you wear a half size. With that said, mine are awesome and show no signs of abuse after their first season afield. I replaced the factory foot bed with my own custom orthotics http://www.footform.com/ and the fit is wonderful. I found the Alpha Burley boots to be nimble, lightweight and not cumbersome. The sole has sufficient traction and support, so as not to be flimsy in any way what so ever. The fleece lining has held up to my abuse and shows no sign of wear. There is an adjustable gusset at top back with a cam buckle if you want them snugged up, for real nasty mud. They weigh in at 5.5 lbs. per pair. I used mine for late season goose hunting and my feet were toasty warm. Even late season goose hunting in my layout blind, & on snow for 4-5 hours at a time. My backside got a bit frosty, but not my feet. In conclusion for women hunters, I highly recommend the AlphaBurley boots. Especially if you're wanting something other than hip waders or your leather field boots for hunting. http://www.lacrossefootwear.com/

Custom Shoes & Personalized Shoes: What is the Difference?

Custom shoes are not all the same. Cowboy boots are a good example. You can go to a custom boot maker and they'll trace your foot and make a boot. Sure, it's "custom" but it's not enough. People mistake being able to choose the leather colors and trims with the attributes of a comfort fit shoe. The shape of your foot is only a piece of the shoe-fit picture.

A good shoe conforms to the outline of your foot and supports the bio-mechanics of your foot, including:

1. Structural elements such as rocker-toe, heel counter, heel height.
2. Medial & lateral support.
3. Degree & type of shock absorbing cushion.
4. Compatibility with orthotics.
   

The solution for most people is a personalized shoe. At Footform Performance, we combine our knowledge with a select grouping of shoes we sell that are hard to find in mainstream shoe outlets. Personalizing involves how your foot is fitted to a shoe, considering the length, width, shims, stretching, grinding and custom orthotics. Our shoe selections offer unique features such as comfort, fit, durability, quality, function and compatibility with orthotics that other brands simply cannot provide. We pride ourselves on our ability to deliver a personalized fit that will feel like a custom shoe.

www.footform.com