The Case for Minimalist Footwear - Video Seminar [TCFMF]

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Note: I recently launched a new minimalist community site called Toe Salad. It includes a comprehensive directory of minimalist footwear products, as well as user reviews and forums. I encourage you to check-it-out, it includes a lot of great information that can't be found anywhere else.

This post is the final part in a series called The Case For Minimal Footwear (TCFMF). This is a video recording of the seminar I gave which is based on the previous 6 parts (QuickTime required). To learn more about the series and it's goals as well as find links to the other parts, please see the Introduction page. Enjoy!

Click here to watch the video.

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Comments

This was a GREAT series,

This was a GREAT series, Damien. It took me three days to finish the video, and I enjoyed it very much. I posted a link to your series in my Definitive Guide to Going Barefoot on this page of my site:
http://johnsifferman.com/blog/the-definitive-guide-for-going-barefoot/

You and I have a similar story leading up to an injury history, and we both arrived at the same conclusions of going barefoot as often as possible. Funny how that works, eh? That's just even more confirmation piled on top of all the research and anecdotal evidence that going barefoot is best for a lot of reasons, not just for health.

It's interesting noticing some of the reactions from the people attending your presentation. Based on their comments, I can tell that it was well-received by some, and for others, met with a little bit of hesitation.

Do you find that people are generally open to the idea of going barefoot as often as possible?

Best regards,

John Sifferman

Thanks!

Thanks John, I am glad you enjoyed it! Thank you very much for posting the link, I really appreciate it!

Yes, there definitely are mixed reactions when it comes to suggesting that barefoot is the way to go. Society has been told for so many years that more is better, that when someone tells them that the opposite is true, some become suspect.

I find that suggesting minimal footwear is in some cases easier than telling people to go completely barefoot. They are generally used to having something on their feet and will feel less awkward/naked that way. Only after having bought-into minimal footwear, will some begin to appreciate having no shoes on at all.

Perfect timing..

A recent entry over on http://artofmanliness.com re-sparked my idea to investigate barefoot walking. It was completely unrelated to being barefoot, but it jarred my memory, so I started my own "experiment" process just this morning...

http://www.markmushakian.com/index.php?/archives/234-These-Feet-Were-Mad...

I rechecked the Art of Manliness entry, and found that a friend of yours, "bobm," had responded with a link to this site. It's hilarious that you finished this series a few days before I decided to start my own venture. It was great to read through (and watch), so thank you :)

Timing

Yeah, I have discovered that the timing of this series seemed to coincide well on a number of levels for many different people. Funny how that happens, since all I was trying to do was meet the seminar deadline. Good luck with your barefoot experiments!

well done

Awesome presentation, man. I'm directing all my friends to your blog. I really think this idea can do a lot of good.

So in the video, you said in the next week you would have tested the new Feelmax shoes. Have you? Where's the blog? :)

Thank you!

I am glad you enjoyed it! I still haven't received the shoes yet, so I haven't had the chance to try them out. I should probably email them again just to see if there might have been a problem in transit.

I just ordered a pair from

I just ordered a pair from their website. Hopefully I won't have the same problem you have. Were they sending you a test pair or did you buy a pair? Hopefully, mine should be here in about 2 or 3 weeks :)

Test pair

They were sending me a test pair. I just confirmed that they still plan on doing so, but had some delays that prevented them from shipping them to me yet.

Thx!

Thanks Damien for all the work that you put into your blog posts and presentation. I just finished reading and watching them--they're really informative and interesting. You nicely summarize the arguments for barefooting and almost barefooting.

I just got a pair of Feelmax Neisa from Extreme Outfitters. I've gone on a couple of runs with them so far. They felt great. I feel like I can feel more of the ground surface in them, than when I tried on the Vibram Fivefingers and walked around the store.

Greetings from Germany

Hi Damien, I just finished watching your presentation. My name is Thorsten and I am the so called Master Agent for Feelmax minimal footwear in Germany.
I can underline 100% what you are saying. I personally made the same experiences 3 years ago. At this time we used to be the Master Agent for Five Fingers as well and due to the negative reaction we have got thru our bottleneck -the retail- we startet our own online shop www.barfusslaufen.com in Germany.

As an (online) shop we also have the responsibility to look right and left and follow the market so we extend our range also with Earth Footwear or Softclox. Honestly speaking Feelmax is the best running product in our shop and I forecast a great future for this product. As an online shop owner and as an Master Agency.
Compare to Five Fingers its easy to wear for everyone, for young and old (we start @ european size 22 which is for VERY young kids and I hope we will get size EUR 47 (13? in 2010.

I am so positive about Feelmax minimal running because
#1 I am the Master Agent;-)
#2 We have a very positive reaction from medical Doctors, Physiotherapists,medical Centers, podiatrists, a.s.o. They use Feelmax also for anastasis in their rehabilitation therapy. For the patiients Feelmax is much easier to use.

I am happy to see that you tested Kuuvaa already. I do trekking tours only with Kuuva since the boot is in our market.
Our Swiss collegue was wearing the prototype of the Kuuvaa already last winter up to minus 10°C which is approx 14°F?

Together with Feelmax functional Socks like Coolmax Outdoor or Merino wool its no problem to wear them also in cold conditions so I hope you found your winter shoe.

I can also recommend walking with Feelmax Niesa, Panka etc in a gorge or a river bed. Its fun and safe and a great experience.

One of my last experience with Feelmax Kuuva I like to share: We visited a marathon 2 weeks ago. We presented Feelmax minimal running shoes (look out for the new OSMA!) in an outdoor stand and have had many goods discussion with runner. BTW most of them still think as more cushioning as better it is.

After a while unfortunately it started raining for the whole afternoon.
We really had cold, wet weather conditions.
After the race everybody wanted to get fast to the cars which we parked in the meadow.
To get there we need to climb a little dirty escarpment. All the runners with their running shoe with grip outsole struggled because of the dirt which lay into the profile and destroyed the grip. (Sorry if I used the wrong wording but I hope you get the point)
With my Feelmax Kuuvaa I could "grab with my toes" thru the outsole into the ground and so I had a more stable climb than the runners with their shoes.

Enjoy your Feelmax Minimal Footwear!
Thorsten

Welcome

Hello Thorston,

Welcome, and thank you for the great comment. I love Feelmax shoes as well, in fact they are my current favorite. Although I really like my FiveFingers, I find the Feelmax a little more versatile because I can wear them to work. I also like the great ground feel they offer. I also have a pair of Earth shoes that I was sent for review... you have reminded me that I better get around to writing that soon ;-)

Thank you so much for you series

I stumbled on your blog in my search for information about minimalist footwear. My story seems to be different than many others. I'm completely sold on a barefoot lifestyle. I have always felt most comfortable without shoes. As a stay-at-home mom, I'm able to go shoeless much of the time. When I do have to wear shoes for an extended period of time, I end up with sore feet. My husband is a long-distance runner, so at his recommendation, I've invested money in "high-tech" (read expensive) athletic shoes, which do not alleviate the problem.

Just this weekend, I had an epiphany. If my feet do best without shoes, I need to be looking for shoes that are closer to barefoot. Also through my husband, I have heard about barefoot running, and have seen barefoot runners on occasion in the marathons I have watched. I finally realized I needed to be looking for the shoes those athletes wear. That hunt brought me to your site.

Thanks so much for your research on the different brands of shoes available. Because it is summer and I don't have a work-imposed dress code, I'm going to order materials to make some huaraches--I think it will be a fun (and beneficial) activity to do with my children. That will give me time to research other options for this winter. I must say, I really wish Feelmax would open their whole line to the US market--they have some really nice-looking shoes. I'm also exploring the possibility of learning the art of shoe-making so I can make my own.

Again, thanks for your work. I will continue to follow your blog, not only for the footwear aspect, but all the rest as well. We are a homeschool family trying to spend as much time together as possible. I love your emphasis on your weekly hikes. What great inspiration!! Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to let you know your words have been beneficial. Keep up the good work.

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