Checkout our Barefoot Transition Guide for everything you NEED to safely transition to barefoot shoes while avoiding injury: www.barefootstrengthproject.com/barefoot-transition-guide
Having a wide toe box is more important than having more ground feel. When our toes are squeezed, our arches can’t get activated. With collapsed arches, reducing the cushion could do more harm than help. I’ve made that mistake myself. I wore barefoot shoes with toe boxes too narrow for me for a few years and had foot pain. Finally I realized those were too narrow for me and I replaced most of my shoes last year. Now I’m really getting the benefits of wearing barefoot shoes and recovering from years of damage from narrow toe box shoes. I don’t know if Whitin shoes were available when you made the video, but now people can spend $40 or less for a pair of wide toe box zero drop shoes, from which they can benefit a lot more than a pair of Vans.
They already are cheap on amazon from that brand Whitin and Joomra, to all these no name brands to cheap water shoes that to me feel better and less restrictive. I bought the xero Prios and I barely wear them. My most worn pair that have lasted over a year is these $20 water shoes from a no name brand called L-run.
I usually don't have expensive taste, but I don't spare any expenses for good foot health. Some things are worth paying extra for in my honest opinion.
I think the name fits much better! I grew up wearing vans 24/7, the problem I had was that while the sole of the shoes were always great, where the upper meets the midsole around where the balls of the feet are, the upper always tore off after 6-7 months. If my vivos last up to 2 years like yours then I will still come out on top instead of replacing vans twice a year!
Before I could afford a pair of Vivos I tore the insoles out of my converse. They helped me transition to barefoot. I have a narrow foot though so converse worked for me until I could afford Vivos😉
There is a much better donor than the vans...you can go with the Nike SB Check...you can just remove the inner sole and you are done...only few millimeters of rubber sole remaining
Been thinking about getting into barefoot shoes and stumbled upon this video. Instantly tried this out with my new pair of vans (which I got for only 35eur) and it made them way better. Thanks man!
Love the name change. It better reflects the content and will help people find it. Honestly, the first video I saw of yours after looking at the old name I thought it was a one-off movement vid. Completely disregarded the channel. I’m so glad I stuck around. Buena suerte, amigo!
as someone with a narrower foot, sizing up a bit has usually created wide enough toe box for my feet and as i already have the old school vans (sized up to be wide enough) this is something i will definitely try after the winter (and snow) passes
As someone who only found your channel today because of the name change, I think it's great. Spending my Friday night watching some of your videos and have to say I love the honest, semi-chaotic nature of them. Makes them feel more real and less like a sales pitch.
The new name is very fitting. Great choice. I like how it is reflection of the content you’re posting, straight forward which I like! As someone who is just starting my barefoot journey, I really appreciate having some direct insight with legit experiences! Keep up the great work!!
Two points: One, I've been seeing your focus going this way. (It's how you wound up in my Recommended) Cheering you on with the changes! And two, I would love to see what you think of Splay shoes. Simple canvas and rubber, inexpensive*, super barefoot toe box. Soles 4mm, 5mm for bigger sizes. *normally $70, I picked up mine on a sale for $50. Even though I'm used to working and hiking in my Vivo boots and my old Altras, I was surprised how many other muscles 'woke up' when I took them on my usual walk!
Thank you! I’d not heard of Splay shoes before, they look like an interesting low cost alternative. I’ll be honest, I’m not in love with their look or the velcro closing system but will definitely order a pair to try out when I’m back in the West 🙌🏽
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject There's a lace-up model, as well, the Freestyle. I like the company. They're the first I became aware of that was including & promoting kids' sizes and affordability thereof. I look forward to your impressions. But enjoy every minute you can of where you are ;~)
for something similar to the eras that are a bit wider for the toes give the era 59's a go. ive always had wide feet and been driven crazy by shoes that smoosh my toes together, once i found the era 59s they've been all ive worn for nearly a decade. i can splay out my toes nearly as wide as i can while fully bare foot without needing to size up so far that the length is wrong, but it does take a bit to get to that point. when i get a new pair they always feel a bit narrow for a while. in all my pairs the sole is attached but the last pair i purchased was at least a few years ago(still use them daily, these shoes hold up insanely well). iirc the regular eras also had attatched soles in the past so the 59's might have removable ones now too. and yeah they do start out stiff around the heel and toe but with a couple weeks of wear they break in and become very flexible in those regions as well. i found my pairs to widen around the toes after a couple weeks and sort of form to my natural toe splay. only just found out about barefoot shoes and ordered some vivos right away since they seem to be taking everything i loved about my vans and designing the whole shoe around those aspects, cant wait for them to arrive! after using eras for similar reasons for years its cool to see someone bringing them up as an option for barefoot shoe users :D
0:00 - Introduction Barefoot shoes are expensive. 0:14 - DIY Barefoot Shoes Can I make cheaper barefoot shoes at home? 0:29 - Benefits of Barefoot Shoes Argument for barefoot shoes. 0:40 - Choosing Donor Shoes Criteria for selecting cheap, accessible donor shoes. 1:16 - Vans as Donor Shoes Vans selected for conversion. 2:10 - Modifying the Vans Simple customization process. 2:34 - Channel Announcement Changing channel name to The Barefoot Strength Project. 3:59 - Weight Comparison Weight difference between Vans and Vivobarefoot. 5:33 - Sole Thickness and Flexibility Comparing sole thickness and flexibility. 10:00 - Toe Box Comparison Difference in toe box space between Vans and Vivobarefoot. 13:16 - Aesthetics and Final Thoughts Aesthetics and functionality comparison. 15:41 - Conclusion Final recommendations and discount code.
Hey John, The geo court, yes. Great shoe, very similar to the lite but with a bit more structure around the upper. Would be useful for sports with rapid turning and lateral G’s like tennis but I personally prefer the Primus lites. The gobi, not yet (bit too casual wear for me 😆) and the Primus lite knit has only just been released so also not yet!
You should check out my most recent video, ‘5 essential barefoot exercises to stay injury free’, it’s a short watch but packed with info that will help 🙌🏽
I suppose the priority is to have a wider foot space first, then thinner soles. I am all for but, the only thing that concerns me about the thin soles is for protection from broken glass etc. I am wondering if Kevlar or a similar material could be used for soles. More puncture resistant?
You can buy Kevlar insoles now so that could be an option but it’s why in an ideal world getting actual barefoot shoes like Vivos, that have been specifically designed to combine thin soles w/ puncture resistance, would be the best long term option
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject Thank you, I will purchase a pair of Vivo's, the only thing that is holding me up is sizing, Ive always had to size up because of narrow fittings, according to the Vivo app, (a4 photo) I am a 10 and I noticed that this app also suggested 11 automatically for me with certain Vivos,
@@jarrahdrum I’d trust the recommendation of the app, it’s pretty accurate and I myself fluctuate between 45 and 46 depending on the shoe. Whichever you do go for the code GT10 gets you 10% off which always helps 🙌🏽
I bought the tracker forest esc and have worn them every day for over a month but I get a welly boot noise still when walking has any one else experienced this?
I really like the new channel name, I feel like it matches the content you make, plus it makes it easier for me to recommend your videos to my friends who are against hunting. Looking forward to what you do next
That's awesome! Look forward to putting more content out for you and would love to hear what you think of my most recent video 'How To Fix Plantar Fasciitis' as a barefoot vet, super common problem for a lot of people before they get into it!
Sadly at a scientific level, rubber is a thermoset material, meaning once the material is molded it is “set” and cannot be broken down to be molded again. Thermoplastics, on the other hand, can be reformed and reset over and over again using heat so if you were to find a shoe using a thermoplastic toe box then yes I’m theory you could, but otherwise not 👎🏼. Cool idea though!
You can get VELHO movement shoes with zero drop, thin sole, and wide toe box for $33 though. So, that would probably make more sense than getting these vans.
Although I like the new name, I found the old one to look a little better. The new one might better describe the direction you're taking the channel though!
Thank you! If it’s not a stride issue (retaining your old stride technique then I would spend some more time stretching out the muscles in your calf and under side of your foot as that heel pain could turn into something else.
I know! From what I can tell it’s a distinctly western obsession, I’ve been spending some time in the tropics over the past few months and the local foot shape is completely different to ours, the perks of a lifetime barefoot 🦶
Well, I have Vivos, Van's, Xero, Doc Martens, various skate shoes of other brands. Out of my three pairs of Vivo's, two pairs had the rubber soles perish, harden like a rock and begin chunking apart after 5 years. Useless and junk now. The one good pair are about 10 years old, still functional, use a more aggressive sole of a different rubber. Vivo had zero interest examining the bad ones to see what went wrong. Lost a customer because of their I care not attitude. Plenty others out there with great barefoot minimalist shoes. Oh, the Doc Martens are over 20 years old, the soles are still flexible with no cracks, albeit getting a bit smooth on the treads. A new company, by the way, called Icarus has a very nicely styled barefoot shoe, with a very strong guarantee. They are less expensive then Vivo, look better. They come with three different insoles so you can pick the softness or decent barefoot feel. I hope they do well with a business model like that. Hopefully I can spring for a pair of those soon. Thanks for posting about the Van's. Yes, they are too narrow in the toe box. Getting hard to wear them now!
Pool shoes or water shoes from like Walmart are also a good cheap option for barefoor/sockshoes feel its really breathable from my experience durable for the price words of warning though it does feel like your not wearing shoes so it may not work for some due to the thiness of the sole
Ali express has a pretty good variety of barefoot shoes for 20-30€, even though they don't advertise them as being barefoot, they are leather, and super comfortable, only problem is that leather is very thin, so it doesn't last much longer than a year, but maybe it's because I don't use any leather care products.
I must admit I watched your content before without paying attention to the naming. This one is definitely not bad. :) did you ever try the feelgrounds? I love them. They are so stylish and so soft that you really do feel the grounds. 😎
Great vid! I do like the new name. I also love the idea of Vans as an entry point to barefoot. At this point my toes are too wide for regular shoes. Maybe I can convince my wife to start wearing Vans without insoles since I have noticed bunions on her feet.
I think anything with a tapered toe is going to be trouble for making bunions worse over time. That big toe needs to be able to go straight! edit to add: Although, the better feel of the ground could help her start walking/striding in a healthier way.
Could be a good starting option but as ChildCrone says, need that big toe out straight long term! Option could be more time barefoot at home and some toe spacers coupled with sole-less vans until she’s hooked enough to try full barefoot? 🙌🏽🙌🏽
Glad about the change of channel direction and name as I'm much more interested in barefoot strength info than hunting. Regarding customising Vans, I don't think that's a good idea because of the toebox. For anyone who wants minimal trendy shoes and doesn't mind a narrow toebox then Feiyue (Chinese originals) are quite cool, the Shaolin monks swear by them and super cheap. There's some cheap proper barefoot shoes on Amazon or 2nd hand Vivos through Revivo or eBay. No need to deform your toes to fit in with brand fashion, screw what people think and do your own thing. If this last 3 years has taught me anything it's that sheep group think can be downright stupid and destructive, people will go along with whatever bullsh!t they're told to believe. Gotta be a free thinker these days because of all the lies being pumped out all the time.
I think the purpose of this modification is for people who live in parts of the world where they don't have easy access to alternative options. I live in South Africa, we don't have amazon and the only barefoot shoes available are vivo, I've looked for everything including tabi shoes. Also I think it's kind of ignorant to call everyone stupid for going along with marketing, people are raised in society following the examples of their parents (like what kind of shoes they wear), fashion trends and also don't forget how manipulative marketing can be (just take a look at any Nike add for why you need cushioning). My point is that we must be sympathetic to the people who've fallen into this trap instead of insulting them, you catch more bees with honey than you do with vinegar
@@ThatDollLoopie if you read carefully you'll see that group think is what I said can be stupid and destructive (as opposed to reasoned, rational thought), but I take your point it does come across a bit insulting. I'm surprised you don't have access to Amazon there or anywhere online to buy minimal/ barefoot shoes, I guess most are American and European based. Sounds like a good opportunity for someone to set up a company distributing them over there.
Hit the nail on the head - I was in Indonesia at the time without access to Amazon, alternative western brands etc. What I could find however were VANS and Vivos 🙌🏽🙌🏽
As for the name change, I’m ok with I just think you should’ve made your thumbnail with something like “I’m changing my name!” in it. I spent a hot minute just staring at my phone thinking who the hell is this and how’d they get on my feed. 😂 As for the giveaway, great idea! Maybe you can consider a $200 giveaway every 2k subs, so one for reaching 2k, then 4K, 6k, 8k, and lastly 10k. A little less immediate strain on your wallet and more people get exposure to barefoot products. As for this video, I think this is a cool way to cheaply try out barefoot shoes. For me personally, I’m going to do a bit more research and just save up over the next few paychecks and hopefully get a full on barefoot shoe sometime this spring/summer. I live in nyc so I’m a bit worried about them getting dirty, but I think that’s a sacrifice I’ll just have to make.
Haha well I won't make the same mistake again! I was torn up on whether to make it it's own video or just storm it but this seems to have worked and I'm pleased you didn't miss it! I had also considered something like you suggested for the giveaway but in the end decided against as I don't want to tie the channel growth to continuous giveaways. I love my subs on the community and anything I can do to get them into barefoot, I will - but worry too many giveaways would lead to people just subbing to win something as opposed to subbing to engage with the content if that makes sense. Definitely sounds like you've got the right idea with saving some bank for some true barefoots - you won't regret it (and just buy black to avoid the NYC grime ;))
na szczescie sa tanie barefood na Temu i amazon oraz Ali ekspres, to skandal ze skarpetki z podeszwą kosztują ponad 100 $ top zwykłe naciąganie klienta
Triste que no meu país esse Vans tem o preço tão caro que equivale ao dobro do valor desses barefoot shoes no país de vocês. Aparentemente a solução é importar um barefoot shoe da China pelo Aliexpress, porque são os únicos num preço possível.
Today I created a barefoot shoe that is even better than my vans barefoot shoes that I created. I customized a pair of polo shoes. They even have a wider toe box than vans. YOU SHOULD DEFINATELY DO A VIDEO TURNING THEM INTO BAREFOOT SHOES! It worked great for me. Here a link to a video of the shoe, so you know what brand it is. ua-cam.com/video/rX6BZykZc10/v-deo.html
Video should be called UA-cam Contact maker tries to make barefoot shoes, all the waste of time watching him, figure it out how to do it. Come on man be a pro sort your shit out before you make the video and give us a concise tutorial if that’s what you’re advertising it as
But wait, you removed the insole of the Vans and call it "making barefoot shoes"?? That is NOT how you name your UA-cam videos in 2024! That will be a thumbs down from me, even though I'm very passionate about barefoot shoes and foot strength.
Checkout our Barefoot Transition Guide for everything you NEED to safely transition to barefoot shoes while avoiding injury: www.barefootstrengthproject.com/barefoot-transition-guide
Having a wide toe box is more important than having more ground feel. When our toes are squeezed, our arches can’t get activated. With collapsed arches, reducing the cushion could do more harm than help. I’ve made that mistake myself. I wore barefoot shoes with toe boxes too narrow for me for a few years and had foot pain. Finally I realized those were too narrow for me and I replaced most of my shoes last year. Now I’m really getting the benefits of wearing barefoot shoes and recovering from years of damage from narrow toe box shoes. I don’t know if Whitin shoes were available when you made the video, but now people can spend $40 or less for a pair of wide toe box zero drop shoes, from which they can benefit a lot more than a pair of Vans.
One day I hope barefoot shoes become more affordable
Hopefully! Until then it may be worth playing around with making your own or checking out lower cost options like the Revivo website, Xero etc
They already are cheap on amazon from that brand Whitin and Joomra, to all these no name brands to cheap water shoes that to me feel better and less restrictive. I bought the xero Prios and I barely wear them. My most worn pair that have lasted over a year is these $20 water shoes from a no name brand called L-run.
@@rashb3994 I just got some Aqua Store water shoes for $8 at Goodwill
Anatomics from Czechia are inexpensive and have decent quality. Way above cheap amazon stuff.
@@rashb3994 yup. I just got a pair of joomras & so far so good!
Clickbait alert!! This is NOT how to MAKE your own cheap barefoot shoes. This NOT ABOUT MAKING ANYTHING.
I usually don't have expensive taste, but I don't spare any expenses for good foot health. Some things are worth paying extra for in my honest opinion.
Couldn’t agree more!
I think the name fits much better! I grew up wearing vans 24/7, the problem I had was that while the sole of the shoes were always great, where the upper meets the midsole around where the balls of the feet are, the upper always tore off after 6-7 months. If my vivos last up to 2 years like yours then I will still come out on top instead of replacing vans twice a year!
For sure, I always live by the rule of buy cheap buy twice and I look forward to hearing how you get on with the vivos as you break them in!
would this work with converse???? bc the soles of my favorite pair just blew out but the canvas upper is still in pretty good shape
Before I could afford a pair of Vivos I tore the insoles out of my converse. They helped me transition to barefoot. I have a narrow foot though so converse worked for me until I could afford Vivos😉
Chuck taylors sans insole were my intro to "barefooting". The toebox is still super narrow though.
There is a much better donor than the vans...you can go with the Nike SB Check...you can just remove the inner sole and you are done...only few millimeters of rubber sole remaining
Been thinking about getting into barefoot shoes and stumbled upon this video. Instantly tried this out with my new pair of vans (which I got for only 35eur) and it made them way better. Thanks man!
Great to hear!
You should compare portable ballet flats with barefoot shoes. The sole is also just a few mm, def in you buy the portable ver.
Love the name change. It better reflects the content and will help people find it. Honestly, the first video I saw of yours after looking at the old name I thought it was a one-off movement vid. Completely disregarded the channel. I’m so glad I stuck around. Buena suerte, amigo!
I’m pleased you did to - thank you 🙌🏽🙌🏽
As a PT, it became very important to educate others in terms of foot strengthening with natural movements. I look forward to learn a lot more!
Couldn't agree more!
as someone with a narrower foot, sizing up a bit has usually created wide enough toe box for my feet and as i already have the old school vans (sized up to be wide enough) this is something i will definitely try after the winter (and snow) passes
I look forward to hearing how it goes!
As someone who only found your channel today because of the name change, I think it's great. Spending my Friday night watching some of your videos and have to say I love the honest, semi-chaotic nature of them. Makes them feel more real and less like a sales pitch.
That's awesome! I appreciate you taking the time to get into them and look forward to cranking out more chaos in future haha!
Just found your page and the name change makes complete sense. Helped me find you so already working
Hey Mickey,
Sorry for missing your comment but that’s great to hear and I’m glad to hear it!
Look forward to sharing more with you in future 🙌🏽
Glad to be here; great name! I wasn't around before the name change, but the name drew me to your content, so it is working!
Hey Jay, that's great to hear and I'm pleased you've found the channel!
Should the vans insert make a ripping sound when coming out or are my pair the wrong kind for this?
No - I think you have the wrong pair, this will only work on the models mentioned in the video!
The new name is very fitting. Great choice. I like how it is reflection of the content you’re posting, straight forward which I like! As someone who is just starting my barefoot journey, I really appreciate having some direct insight with legit experiences! Keep up the great work!!
Thank you Jake 🙌🏽
Two points: One, I've been seeing your focus going this way. (It's how you wound up in my Recommended) Cheering you on with the changes!
And two, I would love to see what you think of Splay shoes. Simple canvas and rubber, inexpensive*, super barefoot toe box. Soles 4mm, 5mm for bigger sizes. *normally $70, I picked up mine on a sale for $50. Even though I'm used to working and hiking in my Vivo boots and my old Altras, I was surprised how many other muscles 'woke up' when I took them on my usual walk!
Thank you!
I’d not heard of Splay shoes before, they look like an interesting low cost alternative. I’ll be honest, I’m not in love with their look or the velcro closing system but will definitely order a pair to try out when I’m back in the West 🙌🏽
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject There's a lace-up model, as well, the Freestyle. I like the company. They're the first I became aware of that was including & promoting kids' sizes and affordability thereof.
I look forward to your impressions. But enjoy every minute you can of where you are ;~)
I buy keen shoes. They look really good have squire toe box and have them in Extrawide fitting.
Hadn’t heard of them before - I’ll check them out!
for something similar to the eras that are a bit wider for the toes give the era 59's a go. ive always had wide feet and been driven crazy by shoes that smoosh my toes together, once i found the era 59s they've been all ive worn for nearly a decade. i can splay out my toes nearly as wide as i can while fully bare foot without needing to size up so far that the length is wrong, but it does take a bit to get to that point. when i get a new pair they always feel a bit narrow for a while. in all my pairs the sole is attached but the last pair i purchased was at least a few years ago(still use them daily, these shoes hold up insanely well). iirc the regular eras also had attatched soles in the past so the 59's might have removable ones now too.
and yeah they do start out stiff around the heel and toe but with a couple weeks of wear they break in and become very flexible in those regions as well. i found my pairs to widen around the toes after a couple weeks and sort of form to my natural toe splay. only just found out about barefoot shoes and ordered some vivos right away since they seem to be taking everything i loved about my vans and designing the whole shoe around those aspects, cant wait for them to arrive! after using eras for similar reasons for years its cool to see someone bringing them up as an option for barefoot shoe users :D
0:00 - Introduction
Barefoot shoes are expensive.
0:14 - DIY Barefoot Shoes
Can I make cheaper barefoot shoes at home?
0:29 - Benefits of Barefoot Shoes
Argument for barefoot shoes.
0:40 - Choosing Donor Shoes
Criteria for selecting cheap, accessible donor shoes.
1:16 - Vans as Donor Shoes
Vans selected for conversion.
2:10 - Modifying the Vans
Simple customization process.
2:34 - Channel Announcement
Changing channel name to The Barefoot Strength Project.
3:59 - Weight Comparison
Weight difference between Vans and Vivobarefoot.
5:33 - Sole Thickness and Flexibility
Comparing sole thickness and flexibility.
10:00 - Toe Box Comparison
Difference in toe box space between Vans and Vivobarefoot.
13:16 - Aesthetics and Final Thoughts
Aesthetics and functionality comparison.
15:41 - Conclusion
Final recommendations and discount code.
Fancy 💃🏼
Have you tried vivobarefoot Geo court III Gobi III and primus lite knit
Hey John,
The geo court, yes. Great shoe, very similar to the lite but with a bit more structure around the upper. Would be useful for sports with rapid turning and lateral G’s like tennis but I personally prefer the Primus lites.
The gobi, not yet (bit too casual wear for me 😆) and the Primus lite knit has only just been released so also not yet!
The Tredsafe Unisex Kitch is much wider than vans and has a similar look and costs a lot less.
The name change is awesome! Starting my barefoot journey and I'm so excited for the benefits while being prepared for the trials of the transition
You should check out my most recent video, ‘5 essential barefoot exercises to stay injury free’, it’s a short watch but packed with info that will help 🙌🏽
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject will do! Thanks so much and I look forward to more of your videos 😁
Hi, how long does BF last?
It really depends on level and type of use but I've had some of my pairs for several years with no issues
Nice contents man. I can see your passion creating your videos.
I appreciate that!
I’m here for the change!! The name suits the Chanel🙌🏼 You inspire me to make my own Chanel and create content on the barefoot life😁👍🏼
That's sick Leo! Go for it, I've loved every minute of putting content out, it's been a real learning experience
I suppose the priority is to have a wider foot space first, then thinner soles. I am all for but, the only thing that concerns me about the thin soles is for protection from broken glass etc. I am wondering if Kevlar or a similar material could be used for soles. More puncture resistant?
You can buy Kevlar insoles now so that could be an option but it’s why in an ideal world getting actual barefoot shoes like Vivos, that have been specifically designed to combine thin soles w/ puncture resistance, would be the best long term option
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject Thank you, I will purchase a pair of Vivo's, the only thing that is holding me up is sizing, Ive always had to size up because of narrow fittings, according to the Vivo app, (a4 photo) I am a 10 and I noticed that this app also suggested 11 automatically for me with certain Vivos,
@@jarrahdrum I’d trust the recommendation of the app, it’s pretty accurate and I myself fluctuate between 45 and 46 depending on the shoe. Whichever you do go for the code GT10 gets you 10% off which always helps 🙌🏽
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject cheers I will 🙂👍
I bought the tracker forest esc and have worn them every day for over a month but I get a welly boot noise still when walking has any one else experienced this?
Personally I have never had, nor heard of the issue! Are they too large perhaps?
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject thankyou for replying sir. I do have a thumb space at end of toe.i will persist as I am enjoying the width
Anyone tried the Vans and Converse in "wide"? Might be a bit better. Harder to find though.
They’re a heap better but as you say, harder to find! Think you can order them direct on the vans website though 🙌🏽
Ive had good luck with whitin, but they do wear pretty quickly
Definitely a fan of the new channel name, very fitting for your style of content and the new logo is sick.
Thank you Rian - appreciate it!
I really like the new channel name, I feel like it matches the content you make, plus it makes it easier for me to recommend your videos to my friends who are against hunting. Looking forward to what you do next
Thank you 🙌🏽🙌🏽
do the shoes still fit true to size without the insole??
Yep! You'll need to tighten the laces up a little more but there is no bunching of material or excess length at the front. 10/10 recommend 🙌🏼
Found your channel (and suscribed right away) because of the new name. Keep it up mate!
That’s awesome, thank you! Pleased to have you here 🙌🏽🙌🏽
Like the channel name change, much better. Looking forward to more content, been wearing barefoot shoes for 2 years now
That's awesome! Look forward to putting more content out for you and would love to hear what you think of my most recent video 'How To Fix Plantar Fasciitis' as a barefoot vet, super common problem for a lot of people before they get into it!
I wonder if putting a heat gun to the toe box would allow you to heat mold them to a more "footy"shape.
Sadly at a scientific level, rubber is a thermoset material, meaning once the material is molded it is “set” and cannot be broken down to be molded again. Thermoplastics, on the other hand, can be reformed and reset over and over again using heat so if you were to find a shoe using a thermoplastic toe box then yes I’m theory you could, but otherwise not 👎🏼. Cool idea though!
Great new rebrand . Captures the essence of your content
Much appreciated Andrew 🙌🏼
You can get VELHO movement shoes with zero drop, thin sole, and wide toe box for $33 though. So, that would probably make more sense than getting these vans.
Hadn’t heard of these before - I’ll try and get hold of a pair 🙌🏽
Love you content and your channel direction. Great job 👏 👍
Vivobarefoot are still my preference also.
Awesome! Thank you!
I love the new name because it reminds me of why I’m here 😊
I appreciate it bro!
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject I tried this last night and ruined my vans hahaha the stitching broke… guess I need to buy a different model to try
Love the name. Got in after the change but really like the new name.
Thank you dude, pleased you’re here 🙌🏽🙌🏽
I'm definitely going to try these on an old pair of Van's.
💯 - let me know how you get on with them!
I also just found you today, don't think I would have with the old name. This is the third video I've watched and I'm liking it so far.
Hey Joe,
That's awesome! I appreciate you supporting the channel 🙌🏼
Although I like the new name, I found the old one to look a little better. The new one might better describe the direction you're taking the channel though!
Thank you Mat - appreciate it!
It's a way better name, man! Great video!
Thanks!
I like the new name. I'm using barefoot shoes one year and my heels sometimes hearts.
Thank you! If it’s not a stride issue (retaining your old stride technique then I would spend some more time stretching out the muscles in your calf and under side of your foot as that heel pain could turn into something else.
Thanks
People just need to get over the flipper-look thing. Feet are supposed to be flipper-shaped!
I know! From what I can tell it’s a distinctly western obsession, I’ve been spending some time in the tropics over the past few months and the local foot shape is completely different to ours, the perks of a lifetime barefoot 🦶
@@TheBarefootStrengthProject Yep, I find them beautiful
Well, I have Vivos, Van's, Xero, Doc Martens, various skate shoes of other brands. Out of my three pairs of Vivo's, two pairs had the rubber soles perish, harden like a rock and begin chunking apart after 5 years. Useless and junk now. The one good pair are about 10 years old, still functional, use a more aggressive sole of a different rubber. Vivo had zero interest examining the bad ones to see what went wrong. Lost a customer because of their I care not attitude. Plenty others out there with great barefoot minimalist shoes. Oh, the Doc Martens are over 20 years old, the soles are still flexible with no cracks, albeit getting a bit smooth on the treads. A new company, by the way, called Icarus has a very nicely styled barefoot shoe, with a very strong guarantee. They are less expensive then Vivo, look better. They come with three different insoles so you can pick the softness or decent barefoot feel. I hope they do well with a business model like that. Hopefully I can spring for a pair of those soon. Thanks for posting about the Van's. Yes, they are too narrow in the toe box. Getting hard to wear them now!
When I was in primary school I used to wear pumps for PE, they were like barefoot shoes, minimal sole. Wish they did them in adult sizes.
Dope new name, prefer it tbh
🔥🔥🔥🔥
Pool shoes or water shoes from like Walmart are also a good cheap option for barefoor/sockshoes feel its really breathable from my experience durable for the price words of warning though it does feel like your not wearing shoes so it may not work for some due to the thiness of the sole
wish they could make some more stylish barefoot shoes. aaand just straighten and widen the vans some.
That would be very helpful!
The content king
Thank you bro!
I love the new name
Thank you Holly 🙌🏽
Ali express has a pretty good variety of barefoot shoes for 20-30€, even though they don't advertise them as being barefoot, they are leather, and super comfortable, only problem is that leather is very thin, so it doesn't last much longer than a year, but maybe it's because I don't use any leather care products.
Good to know!
I must admit I watched your content before without paying attention to the naming. This one is definitely not bad. :) did you ever try the feelgrounds? I love them. They are so stylish and so soft that you really do feel the grounds. 😎
Great vid! I do like the new name. I also love the idea of Vans as an entry point to barefoot. At this point my toes are too wide for regular shoes. Maybe I can convince my wife to start wearing Vans without insoles since I have noticed bunions on her feet.
I think anything with a tapered toe is going to be trouble for making bunions worse over time. That big toe needs to be able to go straight! edit to add: Although, the better feel of the ground could help her start walking/striding in a healthier way.
Could be a good starting option but as ChildCrone says, need that big toe out straight long term!
Option could be more time barefoot at home and some toe spacers coupled with sole-less vans until she’s hooked enough to try full barefoot?
🙌🏽🙌🏽
Skip the Vans, Muki Shoes and Splay Athletics both make a sub $100 canvas style barefoot shoe.
The vivos look way better than the vans ❄️🙏
I agree!
I love the name change!!
Thank you Derek!
Good new name, best of luck ....
Thank you 🙌🏽
Like the name change!
Thank you Dave 🙌🏽
This is great!!
Thank you - pleased you enjoyed it!
Glad about the change of channel direction and name as I'm much more interested in barefoot strength info than hunting.
Regarding customising Vans, I don't think that's a good idea because of the toebox.
For anyone who wants minimal trendy shoes and doesn't mind a narrow toebox then Feiyue (Chinese originals) are quite cool, the Shaolin monks swear by them and super cheap.
There's some cheap proper barefoot shoes on Amazon or 2nd hand Vivos through Revivo or eBay.
No need to deform your toes to fit in with brand fashion, screw what people think and do your own thing.
If this last 3 years has taught me anything it's that sheep group think can be downright stupid and destructive, people will go along with whatever bullsh!t they're told to believe. Gotta be a free thinker these days because of all the lies being pumped out all the time.
I think the purpose of this modification is for people who live in parts of the world where they don't have easy access to alternative options. I live in South Africa, we don't have amazon and the only barefoot shoes available are vivo, I've looked for everything including tabi shoes. Also I think it's kind of ignorant to call everyone stupid for going along with marketing, people are raised in society following the examples of their parents (like what kind of shoes they wear), fashion trends and also don't forget how manipulative marketing can be (just take a look at any Nike add for why you need cushioning). My point is that we must be sympathetic to the people who've fallen into this trap instead of insulting them, you catch more bees with honey than you do with vinegar
@@ThatDollLoopie if you read carefully you'll see that group think is what I said can be stupid and destructive (as opposed to reasoned, rational thought), but I take your point it does come across a bit insulting.
I'm surprised you don't have access to Amazon there or anywhere online to buy minimal/ barefoot shoes, I guess most are American and European based. Sounds like a good opportunity for someone to set up a company distributing them over there.
Hit the nail on the head - I was in Indonesia at the time without access to Amazon, alternative western brands etc.
What I could find however were VANS and Vivos 🙌🏽🙌🏽
I subscribed to your channel
Thank you!
As for the name change, I’m ok with I just think you should’ve made your thumbnail with something like “I’m changing my name!” in it. I spent a hot minute just staring at my phone thinking who the hell is this and how’d they get on my feed. 😂
As for the giveaway, great idea! Maybe you can consider a $200 giveaway every 2k subs, so one for reaching 2k, then 4K, 6k, 8k, and lastly 10k. A little less immediate strain on your wallet and more people get exposure to barefoot products.
As for this video, I think this is a cool way to cheaply try out barefoot shoes. For me personally, I’m going to do a bit more research and just save up over the next few paychecks and hopefully get a full on barefoot shoe sometime this spring/summer. I live in nyc so I’m a bit worried about them getting dirty, but I think that’s a sacrifice I’ll just have to make.
Haha well I won't make the same mistake again! I was torn up on whether to make it it's own video or just storm it but this seems to have worked and I'm pleased you didn't miss it!
I had also considered something like you suggested for the giveaway but in the end decided against as I don't want to tie the channel growth to continuous giveaways.
I love my subs on the community and anything I can do to get them into barefoot, I will - but worry too many giveaways would lead to people just subbing to win something as opposed to subbing to engage with the content if that makes sense.
Definitely sounds like you've got the right idea with saving some bank for some true barefoots - you won't regret it (and just buy black to avoid the NYC grime ;))
me who cant even afford £20 shoes watching him cut up a $100 pair of shoes
noooooo why cut them in half??? why not just buy a pair of calipers to use to measure thickness???
Well… 1) I didn’t think of that, 2) brute force and ignorance is way more fun 😅
To be fair once i saw how squished your toes were inside I thought yeah fair enough, cut em up! @TheBarefootStrengthProject
No, totally different toebox also you can get good barefoot shoes for 40- 50 dollars!!
converse all star
na szczescie sa tanie barefood na Temu i amazon oraz Ali ekspres, to skandal ze skarpetki z podeszwą kosztują ponad 100 $ top zwykłe naciąganie klienta
Triste que no meu país esse Vans tem o preço tão caro que equivale ao dobro do valor desses barefoot shoes no país de vocês. Aparentemente a solução é importar um barefoot shoe da China pelo Aliexpress, porque são os únicos num preço possível.
Doesn't solve the problem of the narrow toe box
No it doesn’t! But for a beginner, it’s a good starting point 🙌🏽
They have wide options
Whitten shoes are way cheaper then doing this!!!!
Correct! They weren’t out when I filmed the video though 😆
Flat base doesn’t make it barefoot, true BF’s are wider to not pinch your feet
Did I miss something? Looks like you just cut off the toe?
The first half of the video by the sounds of it!
Today I created a barefoot shoe that is even better than my vans barefoot shoes that I created. I customized a pair of polo shoes. They even have a wider toe box than vans. YOU SHOULD DEFINATELY DO A VIDEO TURNING THEM INTO BAREFOOT SHOES! It worked great for me. Here a link to a video of the shoe, so you know what brand it is. ua-cam.com/video/rX6BZykZc10/v-deo.html
That's awesome! How did you do it - simple case of removing the insole or something more complex?
Just buy some barefoot shoes it's not worth the hassle
Video should be called UA-cam Contact maker tries to make barefoot shoes, all the waste of time watching him, figure it out how to do it. Come on man be a pro sort your shit out before you make the video and give us a concise tutorial if that’s what you’re advertising it as
But wait, you removed the insole of the Vans and call it "making barefoot shoes"?? That is NOT how you name your UA-cam videos in 2024! That will be a thumbs down from me, even though I'm very passionate about barefoot shoes and foot strength.
You didn't show how to make a barefoot shoe... you just cut it open