Very good point that’s why I actually think that barefoot sandals ultra thin ones I do all my road running in zero aqua clouds and super thin. Really let your foot be really as close as possible to barefoot where the shoes are kind of restrictive, even real, barefoot ones because you got a sidewall and you know you got all the stuff And thing I like about sandals cause there’s an older runner on not always adapted running barefoot on heart services but I can slip my sandals off in a second and go run a quarter of a mile half a mile a mile barefoot and then just go put my sandals back up and run like that for a while and I go back-and-forth. Oh, so I actually think barefoot sandals are the perfect Transition or maybe going for regular shoes, the barefoot shoes, then jumping into the barefoot sandals, and friend of mine at a foot doctor said he thought zeros biggest mistake that financially, for the company was actually making the shoes. He said they stuck with the sandals, and they really developed those, they would have the best thing for people feet but they’re quite the company now, so but yeah I love mine wouldn’t on roads and light trails. Wouldn’t think of it running in anything else get a little protection
The American thing of wearing shoes at home is crazy to me. I grew up in the states with a Swedish mother and we always took our shoes off at home. Now I live in Sweden and here everyone removes their shoes when they enter a household.
That's what really drives me mad about the whole barefoot discussion. Just take you fing shoes off. I don't get the narrative that people are always wearing shoes. You get everything so filthy when you wear your shoes indoors.
I wouldn't call it an American thing. Maybe as related to suburbs and cities. I grew up rural and I've never worn shoes when I don't have to, suburbs or otherwise. Those things are off as soon as I get home or anywhere shoes aren't mandatory. (Don't tell the boss but I've kicked my shoes off and have been walking around in heavy black socks all morning 😁) Keeps the wood floors and carpets at home cleaner, too.
@@kcampbell3045 Most of my young childhood i was shirtless and shoeless. i lived in a pretty rural area though and was homeschooled. i don't think it's exactly an American thing. I almost never wear shoes at home, maybe i will when i am cooking and dont want my feet getting wet. Otherwise they come off at the door.
Not sure if it’s an American thing, or it was just a thing where you grew up. Whenever we hung out at my house or a friends house growing up everyone always took their shoes off. It was way more comfortable and it helped keep the house clean. If anything it’s pretty unusual to keep your shoes on.
I came to barefoot shoes because something changed in my foot and no conventional shoe any longer fit my foot. I always liked being barefoot and so would've gladly given up on shoes entirely. But Iowa winters aren't kind to bare feet. I happened to be in Oregon where I visited the Softstar workshop. Those were the first barefoot shoes I tried and they fit me perfectly. They probably have the widest toe box in the entire barefoot shoe industry. I don't know what I would've done if I didn't find a shoe that fit my foot. For some of us, barefoot shoes are a necessity, not a choice. But any opportunity I have, I simply go full barefoot. I love the feel of the earth directly against the sole of my foot.
I have been wearing barefoot shoes for a couple years now and one thing I wish more barefoot companies would do is offer decently flexible wide toed shoes but with reasonable cushioning as an entry level option. I know the barefoot community can fixate on the connecting to nature part since most of these companies founders are outdoorsy (or being as barefoot as possible) but repetitive stress injuries are a thing and walking almost barefoot on pavement all day (especially with heal striking) negates a lot of the benefit so it removes the incentives for most everyday people. This is also why you see a lot of people quit when first trying. I think that as more people become aware of how brainwashed marketing tends to be they will put current trends aside and adopt healthier foot wear. I don't think it will happen fast if the water get muddied by things like electrical grounding, re learning how to walk, and feeling the ground. All very fair points but that stuff just scares people away and makes them think it falls more in line with pseudo science or some sort of hippy mind set they think isn't applicable to their life. In my opinion the first and most important thing about barefoot shoes is letting your toes and foot regain their original shape and I feel like the only company that does this is LEMS but they don't exactly have an entry price point. I would really like it if barefoot shoe companies focused on making more gateways for people. To clarify this isn't a criticism about this video I really enjoyed it. As you mentioned your issue with barefoot shoes messaging it got me thinking about mine. My hope is that one day people start to realize how greed in these industries has negatively effected their lives, allowing them to live healthier and longer lives as a result of this awareness.
Realfoot, probably the widest shoes out there, offer some models with a 6mm insole, giving an overall stack height of 1cm. Lems Boulder Boots with the insole in are even thicker, and there are other well-cushioned examples from them. But part of the problem you're talking about is the difficulty of unlearning heel striking, which is really in a large measure a problem of certain key muscles in the foot and leg having become weak through neglect when wearing trad shoes. I've found Emily Splichal's book 'Barefoot Strong' hugely helpful with this.
Try altras or lems they provide a similar feel but with options for cushioning in the shoe itself a great other while in situations you have to run or walk on hard surfaces ALL day
I loved your message at the end. It was a more wholistic explanation on how barefoot shoes are a gateway towards minimalism. The World does like to promote the idea that adding more to your life will solve things, which causes a consumeristic culture that leads to more products being sold.
Being barefoot is only safe inside home, outside anything can cut, stab or burn your feet, so barefoot shoes is necessary if you want to go barefoot outside
Yes, this is very true. Things like glass would not be good to get in your feet. But, there are safe places to be barefoot (especially grass) and not only does it feel great, it also is an important part of our foot health to be barefoot as much as possible. So you just have to find that balance. Thanks for watching!
Not true. When you are in the habit of going everywhere barefoot, four things happen: 1) the skin on your soles becomes thicker (callused), so that hotter pavement, greater abrasiveness of the pavement, and smaller sharp items become non-issues in many cases; 2) you develop the ability to rapidly shift your weight from one part of your foot to another, so that if you start to step on something uncomfortable, you automatically take your weight off of it, reducing the likelihood of it piercing your skin; 3) when walking on surfaces strewn with small debris, you develop a habit of brushing the sole of your foot on your opposite leg or on the ground when something adheres to it, without even breaking stride, also reducing the likelihood of the object being driven through your skin on your next step. 4) when in unfamiliar surroundings, you develop a habit of scanning the ground for anything dangerous. I went for an extended period (close to a decade) living in the SF Bay area and going barefoot anywhere that they would let me, including riding the public buses and trains, going to work, going shopping, and of course, going on hikes with barefoot hiking clubs. I never had a serious foot injury from any of that and never got a foot infection from it. I did finally quit walking barefoot in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco, because people defecate on the sidewalks there, and there was some building construction going on with metallic debris sometimes making its way to the sidewalk. When I moved to southern California, I had a job where closed-toe footwear was required and I was driving everywhere and generally spent a lot more time indoors -- so I lost my calluses, and hence the ability to walk more than a short distance on hot pavement. Which is a pity, because the pavement and even the dirt are much hotter here than in the SF Bay area. Now I'm mostly barefoot in and near my house, around my neighborhood, at the beach, and sometimes on walks with my friend. But I can still walk on gravel or broken glass, as long as the glass pieces aren't too big.
this is 100% wrong. your feet will develop their own souls. once developed you can literally walk and small glass shards with no injury or rocks or anything else that you could walk on with normal shoes.
Except that is not true at all. For some people might be, i do wear barefoot shoes for many activities and regular shoes for others (with a nice toe box in mind of course). The balance is the key not going from one extreme to the other.
Great video. One point of contention I have is that the Vivos I have owned, one pair is four years old, are really well made and have lasted well with almost daily wear.
I was having problems with sciatica recently, about two months but I noticed that when I was barefoot in morning the pain was a lot less. I’d been wearing some Nike Pegasus trainers pretty much every. Anyway one morning I put on some old flat Clark’s that I found and the pain was reduced by around 50%. Then it found some other Clark’s that had a huge thick bouncy insole but quite a big toe box. Took the insole out and noticed that now had a shoe with a soft flexible o drop sole. I am now on my way to pain free and a much more relaxed state of being it seems. I have four pairs of the exact same shoe so I’m hoping they will do for now. Great video ❤
We were meant to be barefoot in the wild, unfortunately concrete, glass, nails, other man made objects make it hard for me to understand why I would be barefoot in a world where being barefoot would result in far more injuries than just wearing shoes
But I just really wish they would make shoes with actually wide toe boxes and shaped in the form of your foot. Because I have naturally wide feet And there's been no shoe that I found that has actually been wide enough.
And "the removal of something" makes them more expensive! Can't understand why when less technology, less material, less cushioning is used. Barefoot shoes can be seen as cheap shoes - now being called "minimal". I have 2 pairs they are great - bought from China though costing less than traditional shoes!
What a wonderful mindset you are sharing with us in this video, thank you to make me put again my feet on ground before buying all these wanted barefoot shoes. I love the way of your thinkink.
Voltage is only half the equation. Current is also important. And grounding is also completely unprovent and disprovent you arguing for the thing that is supposed to protect you from the outside world actively conducting electricity.
"Grounding reduces pain and alters the numbers of circulating neutrophils and lymphocytes, and also affects various circulating chemical factors related to inflammation." -National Library of Medicine article here: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4378297/ just look around there is plenty of research around the topic
Maybe before the electrical infrastructure and wireless radio beam infrastructure was built, it wasn't an issue. The whole earth is a electrical organism and so when man was created to function on earth, man's electrical system of brain signals and muscular nerves and cells had to be compatible with the earth's electrical system. But when EMF and EMR from the infrastructures are blasting our bodies all the time and from everywhere (unless you're far from a nearby city or grid, or series of radio towers), your body acts as an antenna. Also who's familiar with the fact the body can collect positively charged ions (such as rubbing an inflated latex balloon in your hair, or holding your hand on a Van de Graaff generator) and discharges when touching a grounded object? Perhaps there's been no in depth and conclusive studies into this issue because the corporations looking to protect and increase their electrical infrastructures don't want any potentially negative publicity. There are a few standards in place, but those mostly have to do with EMR exposure strong enough to affect cell thermal heating. What about interference and disruption of the nervous system (voluntary and involuntary nervous functions throughout the body, including all organs and biochemical processes)? Many people never touch skin to the ground. They wear insulated shoes, dwell in insulated houses, drive insulated cars, and finally when going to bed, their bare feet are still never contacting anything grounded to the earth.
I don’t wear barefoot shoes. But all my toes are spread out and healthy because I never wear shoes in the house (or outside) and the only other times I get out of the house that’s not my workplace is the MMA gym. All my athletic endeavours are barefoot. So yeah, even if I have safety boots on at work 8 hours a day, I’m barefoot enough in physical activities to not get adversely affected by conventional footwear.
For many, walking barefoot is simply not viable. Where I live, its too cold for that even in the summer. Plus, some people need compression socks due to cardiovascular issues. Having the choice to be barefoot or not is truly a privilege.
I've been looking into the barefoot thing and this video was one of my favorites so far. I have suffered from knee pain since 16 yo and at around 24 I got a pair of nike frees and started working on my running dynamics. It was very impressive to see myself dealing with less pain while using less shock absorption. Eventually I started running shoeless and it was the best feeling ever. It actually feels light, fast and nimble. My only problem was the asphalt eating my feet sole. I've been always looking for more minimal shoes since them, just for abrasion and temperature protection but I totally resonate with what you said here.
Anyone in a trade requiring standing/being on foot for 8-10 hours daily on hard surfaces would be terrified of the idea of not having any cushioning. Walking on grass/soil is natural cushioning, any soft materials implemented in shoes are just the same effect IMHO.
I want to go barefoot in public all the time but recently i went to a botanic gardens and my shoes were rubbing wrong, so i contemplated taking off my shoes. We walked a couple more minutes up the path, CRAZY beetles and ants were swarming the pathway and i thought thank god i didnt take them off lol But i still support this message
Ya going barefoot is good (for indoors imo), but I dont understand this whole "we should just always try to be barefoot" Even ancient peoples wore foot protection because as intelligent creature we realized "wow, it is quite nice to have a bit of sole protection between sticks and thorns, and biting bugs and parasites!" Such footwear could have been as simple as cloth wraps, but it did the job. I think this new push for anatomically accommodating footwear is wonderful, but lets not forget that footwear itself also has great purpose.
That's amazing!! I never thought about this before!! we are actually grounded in an electrical way!! I only heard and understood that in a spiritual way before. thank you for enlightening me!
9:50 You earned a subscriber. Forget the shoes, forget the video topic... you just said something extremely insightful, something basic but essential for us all. Modern society feeds you lies from the day you are born - it makes us feel like this human being is inadequate, primitive, lacking behind... when in reality the human being is something to behold, man was made with everything he needs.
Great video! Being barefoot or using barefoot shoes are both major improvements to standard shoes. I've been using Earthrunners for about 3 years now - great company and best shoe decision I ever made (other than going barefoot). Always enjoy the lifestyle videos you put out (such as sleeping on the floor).
Any grounding means there's zero voltage in a system after a short amount of time, which is to say no potential difference between the object and ground. So all grounded circuits will measure zero voltage. How easily the circuit equalizes that difference, ie loses its charge, upon being grounded, relies on resistance between object and ground.
Cade, another awesome video! I learn so much everytime you upload. I appreciate you being so open about yourself and real. Your videos are amazing and a lot of people could learn so much. Anyway, be well, Cade
Having what I assumed was Plant-the-fasting-itis I used extra insoles which gave me a lift of about an inch of lift from back to front. For sure, my feet soon felt better just after a short time with them. During the summer, I also hit golf balls with the same shoes, simultaneously took up pickleball. As fate would have it, I had 3 cheaper drivers that all needed shaft replacement. I since started using an old persimmon wood to practice with, and would have a strong slice. I started experimenting and lo and behold did I discover something fascinating. I took out my add on insoles, and placed them toward the toe of my shoes to gave my feet a flat zero lift. Not only was this old 50 year old driver, was extremely easy yo hit straight, I am now looking at my other activities like pickleball, and am going to experiment with zero lift and am going to assume that there is going to be less stress on my knees.
It was an awkward transition for me too but I think not rushing it is key, because your body is figuring out to adjust to using different muscles and gait. Like I realized working out the arch muscles in my feet almost completely eliminates the heel pain. Which means I can’t just walk on flat surfaces, I need texture and elevation to walk or run on occasionally. (cushioned shoes really made my heels hurt, but flat shoes made my back hurt, and heeled shoes weren’t good for my knees and hips, so that’s why I got into barefoot shoes, and I’ve been really happy with the results; slow results but totally worth it)
You're right, just being barefoot is the best thing. Why i will always have a Fivefingers' KSO model in my life. The best shoes i ever had in terms of full freedom.
I think the message here is good. I've worn barefoot shoes almost everyday for the past year and my feet have become way more mobile and flexible than ever before. I have high arches and walk on concrete in vivo barefoots. I have the primus trail fgs. And they are super durable and have held up super well and going strong with daily wear. No disintegration in my experience with these models. I use to wear Nike pegasus and those things would give me knee and hip pain. I think doing foot yoga and lower body lifting does wonders as well.
Hi my friend, messaging you from the uk. Ive been barefoot since sept 22, full time apart from barefoot shoes at work as i work in a nursing home. All four seasons, all weathers including snow and ice. I also do a form of cold exposure where i go walking barefoot in a running vest and thin shorts, whatever the weather, as low as -8 c so far. That is another way of keeping me well at age 54! Your video was great thank you. People in the UK just stare because i go barefoot everywhere! Only 1 or 2 actually ask what its about. Hopefully people are a bit more open in the usa! I follow barefoot sue, shes great. 😊
Hey Cade, love your video on Barefoot and barefoot shoes. Even as someone who’s selling barefoot shoes, I have the same feeling that the best option out there is still to go barefoot Keep up with the quality content. Great to see your channel growing
I had this innate sense about what you were going to say and I totally agree too. My preference is bare feet, with my Earth Runners in my bag for the moments I need them (concrete, big gravel, supermarkets, etc.). Some days I take my ERs on and off a million times in one day. Barefoot shoes; my preferences are: 1) Earth Runners, then 2) Freet, then 3) Feelgrounds and then 4) Vivobarefoot last too - they just don't last long. Although my Feelgrounds soles wore smoothly far too fast too! Yay for getting the feet out despite society having issues, still today, with seeing our beautiful feet. It's mad when they're such an amazing feat of evolution really. Shoes are screwed up! Anyway great made video Cade x
I know a few people who run in barefoot shoes and sometimes get irritated by how smug they are. Then I remember how much faster and injury free I am than them in my Vaporflys and Metaspeeds 🤷♂
barefoot runners are some of the fastest in the world. they also has WAY WAY less injuries then people who wear padded shoes. this is an undisputed fact.
Great video! I have many pair of shoes that are always compromises because of injuries from sports, martial arts, etc. over the years. I wanted to try a barefoot/minimalist shoe because the only time my foot doesn't bother me to some degree is when I'm barefoot because there is no compression. I didn't want to spend so much on Vivo's since I wanted to see what they were like first. I ended up buying a pair of Whitin's for like $40, and after wearing them for a couple of weeks, I ordered 2 more pair as they are by far the most comfortable shoe I've ever worn. I don't care what they are called - barefoot, minimalist, pseudo, etc. - or how they are branded, they are excellent as it feels like I am barefoot. I use them for walking, hiking, martial arts, and even around the house where I never wear shoes. I've been a minimalist for years, and the shoes represent less is more. Yes, going completely barefoot is better, but it's not always practical.
As Spanish living in Ireland, believe me, I would love to go barefoot at least 6 months or almost. Dude here its impossible, cold and rains won't make it appealing. So.. barefoot shoes its the reight option. And not easy to convince other people either because the weather.
Grew up in Hawaii, so my brother and I were often barefoot. Slippers or sandals or flip flops as people call them on the mainland USA, were what we wore most often when we wore shoes. Even to this day, shoes come off once I get home from work and I’m barefoot. I even drive without shoes and have been told this is a no no here on the mainland.
I've been a barefoot shoe wearer for the best part of 18 months. Before this I had terrible ankle problems from soccer injuries. This would lead me to turn my ankle on the tiniest pebble. Since wearing barefoot my ankle hasn't rolled, has strengthened and leaves me more confident as I move around. The expense does get to me, but nobody begrudges paying £100, $100 plus for their Nike, Adidas etc. Great video, I love the idea of being shoeless but even on grass you can end up treading in or on something dangerous or disgusting.
Why do people keep saying that Vibram Five Finger shoes are ugly. They look like feet. Wtf is the problem with shoes that look like feet? I love my five finger shoes anyway and they are my go-to shoes for 90% of my activities as long as it’s not pouring rain. I guess I don’t give a F*^k if people think my feet are ugly.
I thought this was going to be a well thought out perspective and I seriously thought you were joking when you were measuring conductivity between yourself and the ground. I've taken a look at the "research" you have posted to the other commenters and all I can say is that it's probably some of the worst research I've ever read and I can't believe it was ever published. No reliable citations, all extremely hypothetical, no proper mechanism proposed, studies without proper control groups and absolutely no proven theories. I'm not judging anyone, just please, if you're reading this try and be sceptical and get your scientific information from a viable source. And if you don't have an education in science, please take care when trying to interpret published studies. Listen to experts in their fields and their interpretations of the research - they've spent their lives understanding complex subjects and know the field. Make sure they have a proper scientific background and always be aware of both your own and others' biases.
barefoot shoes on concrete = pain and stiffness thorough your whole body barefoot on grass = good feeling of the ground and pleasure from walking good pair of running snickers on concrete = good adaptation to gait cycle, no pain
Funnily enough i am constantly using barefoot shoes to run on concrete and i feel so loose and bouncy since you are forced to use good running technique. I did use barefoot shoes walking for about a year before running though so my feet are strong enough to absorb the shocks. I can definitely see if you transition too quickly it hurting.
Honestly, I hate ALL shoes. I do get in trouble at work when I'm running around the nukes barefoot though. LOL - I have a pair of Earth Runners sandals that took a long time to get used to (think no skin left on my 2nd toes) but now I like them.
I completely agree that being barefoot is better. And you know, there is also now company who does grounding barefoot shoes. For those who are curious the company is called Bahé. Although I prefer to be completely barefoot when possible, those can be a great friend, but NEVER a replacement to being barefoot
I played baseball throughout my childhood and always had stress fractures in my feet and shins and I’ve just started wearing a starter 4mm drop sneaker and I’m so mad that no one makes a 4mm drop cleat for every sport with a wider toe box
I am coming out with a video on this in 2 weeks. As I actually disagree with some of the "grounding" arguments people make. So stay tuned! A brief explanation is that throughout history, most people spent the majority of their day in contact with the ground, which allowed them to match the electrical charge of the earth. However, in modern times, humans often go without grounding and do not discharge that electrical charge from their bodies. This is believed to be potentially harmful, as studies have shown it can affect inflammation, sleep, the immune system, and other aspects of health. And checkout study PMC4378297 on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing. (this study is CRAZY) "Accumulating experiences and research on earthing, or grounding, point to the emergence of a simple, natural, and accessible health strategy against chronic inflammation, warranting the serious attention of clinicians and researchers. The living matrix (or ground regulation or tissue tensegrity-matrix system), the very fabric of the body, appears to serve as one of our primary antioxidant defense systems. As this report explains, it is a system requiring occasional recharging by conductive contact with the Earth’s surface - the “battery” for all planetary life - to be optimally effective." Checkout PMC10105021 on blood and heart health/inflammation. "Grounding or earthing is virtually harmless while having incredible health implications at the same time. Blood pressure lowering, supportive HRV, and blood thinning are significant contributions in reducing cardiovascular risk including sudden cardiac death." If you agree that most humans were barefoot in the past and therefore were almost always grounded, you could conclude that the consistent use of shoes and spending most of our time indoors, without being grounded and losing that electrical charge, introduces an inconsistent variable that could potentially cause harm.
Great video! I completely agree that going barefoot offers the most natural experience most of the time. However, during colder months or when venturing into urban areas and stores, I prefer a bit more protection. For very rough terrains, I use Skinners. They are easy to roll up and fit in your pocket, and they offer the closest feeling to going shoeless. During winter and in city environments, I use Vibram Fivefingers for that extra layer of protection. You don't need to be constantly grounded.
I sell barefoot shoes! Completely agree with you … a barefoot shoe is just a better healthier option of a shoe but nothing beats being completely barefoot and I feel the difference from any barefoot shoe to barefoot
I prefer full barefoot as well, but only in natural settings(grass, forest, beach). When Im in human places(stores,city,public indoor areas) I would rather just wear barefoot shoes.
I agree that we should just be barefoot as much as possible because thats how we were designed to live, but barefoot shoes are perfect for example to work or to school where there is no way to be barefoot, and you are still engaging all the muscles and nerves in your feet. And now they even make stylish leather shoes to office.
I never thought about the fact that when you're barefoot you're literally grounded electrically ! We have a barefoot household no outdoor shoes allowed. And I train martial arts barefoot. I use barefoot shoes whenever I leave the house.
Great video, I have flat feet and has caused issues. Looked into barefoot shoes shocked at price. For now barefoot best option, don’t like dirty feet though. Adjusting slowly!
I agree years ago I started with barefoot shoes and that lasted a few months before I went barefoot running. I never have pain when running and walking barefoot
Definitely be careful people! I wore some for just two days and fractured the bottom of my foot, going all-in seems is definitely not the way to go haha.
Going in gradually is always the best way. But it probably depends on the person. I started walking outside on hard ground going on long walks and didn't have any problems. It may be because I already spend most of my time barefoot, because I work from home and don't wear shoes. But it really depends on the person, and we should always be careful
you were walking incorrectly or your foot muscles were really really weak. you should have known better. this is common sense. next time i would suggest you use some.
It's good to promote being just barefoot, reason we are buying barefoot shoes is mostly that we can't go barefoot on society. There is a nice subreddit about that. However, being grounded is just not true. Grounding is just not true, being grounded does not facilitate or impede any of our electrochemical reactions, the charges stay out of our internal organs! The voltage should also be measured in DC, not AC, since with AC you are messing up with the body capacitance. Another reason is that when working on electrical components you'll see grounding straps everywhere, but you won't see any of them in a biochemical lab.
Good to know, I used to work in the aeronautics industry - assembly soldering smd or trough-hole - (sensors or probes for copters and planes) and absolutely no one was wearing an esd wrist band, not even the engineers. Thanks for the tip and with biochem- labs, never heard about that and I like to learn new stuff, cheers
I injured myself running in super cushioned shoes and developed severe chonic peroneal tendinopathy. The doctors talked about surgery and corticosteroid infiltration, but no one looked at what kind of shoes I was wearing. I noticed last week, after seven months of being unable to walk in shoes, that... the only time I felt like I had a brand-new functional tendon was barefoot... Just putting my feet back in a shoe kills my tendon. Barefoot, I feel like I could run a marathon. When I looked at my old shoes, I realized that they were all cracking at the ends, around my little toe, which had turned purple from being crushed against the outer wall. I was prescribed expensive insoles that “support my arch”, and Hoka shoes. I've never been in so much pain, and I feel that my tendon is functional at... 20 %. I wouldn't dream of running or even walking. When I go barefoot, I feel like I'm at 80% functionality, and that the more time I spend barefoot, the stronger my tendon becomes, just by walking slowly and doing a few simple barefoot exercises. I work as a biomechanical engineer, and I learned just the opposite. I'm glad to see that nature is well done.
Up and till recently I’ve started walking barefoot at home on my laminate floors which was uncomfortable at first for sometime, especially in the heel area, but now it feels more comfortable walking around. I’m also wearing correct toe spacers while walking barefoot which help to keep my toes splayed. Stretching a lot more in general to keep my calf muscles, ankles and feet more flexible and stronger. My only gripe about doing this, autumn is here now and winter is on its way, so walking barefoot for considerable amounts of time while at home can cause discomfort in my joints, unless I’m constantly stretching them to keep warm. Although I have switched from conventional socks to toe socks, so I can wear those or toe spreader socks. I’m also looking for barefoot slippers which are warm, and I’ve found Charcoal Bamboo Wool Slippers made by KOW but I’m concerned clothes moths will eat them unless they are constantly stored away in resealable bags or plastic storage containers when not in use. Earth runners look good, I’ll definitely get a pair of those for spring and summer at home.
I want to share my opinion on Vivo Barefoots not lasting: My vivos have lasted me 5 years so far. RA II's. I'm highly surprised because the sole is thin and the first thing I did was take them to a forest fire area in portugal. Not wearing them too often now but they are some of the most durable shoes I've ever had. This is an "N=1" scenario, but so is your mention of them in the video. Thanks for the vid, I agree that barefoot is best. I like barefoot shoes because they are more socially acceptable than being barefoot, and also more practical when it's cold out or rough.
Now as much as i wanna agree with you, I live in norway, it is insanely cold here. Summer barefoot sure, rest of the year, is rain or snow… i wish i was able to walk around barefoot more outside. Love your message though👍 Any bare feet shoes recommendations for cold or rainy days?
Thanks, your title did scare me I thought you were going to give me some reason lol. I to prefer to be barefoot when possible. Earth runners favorite! Once you get used to them they are incredibly comfortable. Good to know about vevo. So far in my experience they are well made, other than the sole is thin so I almost wore through my pair of boots after some years of use. Thanks
Having worn Five Fingers shoes for a couple of years I unearthed my old, but still newish, Barefoot shoes to "look respectable" for an occasion. Wearing them for just two days, with five toed socks, I noticed that I was developing blisters on the tops of my toes. I'm back into Five Fingers, now, shocked to realise that barefoot shoes restrict my toes. I will continue to wear Five Fingers shoes, even though they attract attention all the time, as, otherwise, only going barefoot will give me the same freedom of movement. I like to use my toes. I explain, to those who ask why I don't wear shoes that look like shoes? it's like the difference between wearing mittens or gloves, Mittens certainly keep your hands warm but try playing the piano or typing a letter with them on.
I purchased my first pair of Barefoot shoes, and decided on Vivobarefoot Primus Lite as I liked the style enough to be confidant to wear in public. I've had them less than 2 years, and I agree with the comment that they just fall apart. The built quality appears "Good" until you start to wear them, then you notice how bad they are made. Designed to fail so you buy more.
I only walk barefoot most of the days. It’s only when it is very hot or very cold that I wear socks. If i require shoes in the fall and winter months, I wear barefoot shoes to give me some warmth. Otherwise, I am barefoot the majority of my walks outside.
I didn’t know earth runners are grounding! I have the brand Zero shoes and sandals. My Zero sandals on the toe area have started to get roughed up and peel off so that’s disappointing because like you said they were expensive. Less is more! I’ll go barefoot more often now but also looking into earth runners! Thanks for your video, super informative and interesting 😊
Yes! They were ahead of their time, as they were aware of the potential benefits of grounding and made a design effort to incorporate that. They have also lasted me 4+ years (thanks to the Vibram sole) and only had to change out the laces. Thanks for watching!
Xero shoes are amazing and that’s practically all I wear. I’ve had a couple issues here and there and I am happy to say they stand behind their product. They’ve sent me brand new replacement shoes when I’ve had any issues.
@@CadePriorFilms they no longer use the Vibram sole unfortunately. Switched to Walkbase. I have both versions so im currently testing to see the difference.
I walk barefoot for some six to seven years now and only started wearing barefoot shoes after I found that people around me have a problem with that. Stores, work, stuff like that. I can understand that people don't like others walking without shoes, it's the sad truth, so in those cases I ware shoes. Other than that, I try to always walk barefoot. There is no replacement for walking barefoot. No shoe can do the job.
Walking or running barefoot (no shoes) does cost something. I tried that many years ago for several months but ended up spending close to $300 clinical treatment. Use barefoot shoes instead.
I agree with going barefoot if you can. The only thing I'd like to add is, none of this brings completely automatic benefit on its own. We've all been conditioned to walk and run in trad shoes and it's hard to unlearn that. I strongly recommend Emily Splichal's book 'Barefoot Strong' for help doing that and strengthening the necessary muscles.
I used to have ankle and knee pain a lot, ended up going the heritage boot route, ever since I started wearing all lesther construction footwear bo more pain and I can keep on my feet and do stuff after work. Recently a hand made boot company (jim green) made a "zero drop" last that I've been interested in just as a way to give my feet something new. Think overall keeping them I. The rotation may bring even more benefits.
If you have serious foot problems then go to a podiatrist and see if you are walking unbalanced. Have your gate analyzed. Get a proper workout to fix these issues then figure out what shoes you should wear. You should be only in zero drop shoes or only Hokas. Get different shoes for different things
I'm barefoot whenever I can, then I use barefoot shoes when I cannot, like going to work for example--it would be pretty weird to show up barefoot, and likely get me in trouble :)
I am sorry, but this title was a complete click-bait. The content was good, well made. But your "chagne of mind" is just that you should go barefoot instead. I was thinking based on the title "Oh oh, maybe he have learned that we nmust go back to cushion shoes".
Cushioned shoes are horrible for you which is why you don't really see many videos on how people went back to them. You can automatically assume those titles are clickbait.
Curious about the grounding section of this video? Checkout my new video on the science of earthing! ua-cam.com/video/OV-eEeW9MM0/v-deo.html
Pretty crazy when I think how poor kids in 3rd world countries can’t afford shoes and now developed countries have people wanting to go bare foot.
Haha, that's true. Def a first world problem...
And then charities be like "Oh no these poor kids, let's give them more problems!" And gives them modern westernised footwear.
We wear flip-flops. Better than these corporate shoes. There's really no need for a shoe.
Same way people in 3rd world countries are dying hungry and Americans are dying from diabetes and heart diseases.
Very good point that’s why I actually think that barefoot sandals ultra thin ones I do all my road running in zero aqua clouds and super thin. Really let your foot be really as close as possible to barefoot where the shoes are kind of restrictive, even real, barefoot ones because you got a sidewall and you know you got all the stuff And thing I like about sandals cause there’s an older runner on not always adapted running barefoot on heart services but I can slip my sandals off in a second and go run a quarter of a mile half a mile a mile barefoot and then just go put my sandals back up and run like that for a while and I go back-and-forth. Oh, so I actually think barefoot sandals are the perfect Transition or maybe going for regular shoes, the barefoot shoes, then jumping into the barefoot sandals, and friend of mine at a foot doctor said he thought zeros biggest mistake that financially, for the company was actually making the shoes. He said they stuck with the sandals, and they really developed those, they would have the best thing for people feet but they’re quite the company now, so but yeah I love mine wouldn’t on roads and light trails. Wouldn’t think of it running in anything else get a little protection
The new vivo add says “Vivobarefoot for when you can’t be barefoot” something like that, and I think it’s great that they’re pushing the right message
The American thing of wearing shoes at home is crazy to me. I grew up in the states with a Swedish mother and we always took our shoes off at home. Now I live in Sweden and here everyone removes their shoes when they enter a household.
That's what really drives me mad about the whole barefoot discussion. Just take you fing shoes off. I don't get the narrative that people are always wearing shoes. You get everything so filthy when you wear your shoes indoors.
I wouldn't call it an American thing. Maybe as related to suburbs and cities. I grew up rural and I've never worn shoes when I don't have to, suburbs or otherwise. Those things are off as soon as I get home or anywhere shoes aren't mandatory. (Don't tell the boss but I've kicked my shoes off and have been walking around in heavy black socks all morning 😁) Keeps the wood floors and carpets at home cleaner, too.
@@kcampbell3045 Most of my young childhood i was shirtless and shoeless. i lived in a pretty rural area though and was homeschooled. i don't think it's exactly an American thing. I almost never wear shoes at home, maybe i will when i am cooking and dont want my feet getting wet. Otherwise they come off at the door.
imagine you were barefoot all the time. you would get everything dirty anyway inside your house.
Not sure if it’s an American thing, or it was just a thing where you grew up. Whenever we hung out at my house or a friends house growing up everyone always took their shoes off. It was way more comfortable and it helped keep the house clean. If anything it’s pretty unusual to keep your shoes on.
I came to barefoot shoes because something changed in my foot and no conventional shoe any longer fit my foot. I always liked being barefoot and so would've gladly given up on shoes entirely. But Iowa winters aren't kind to bare feet.
I happened to be in Oregon where I visited the Softstar workshop. Those were the first barefoot shoes I tried and they fit me perfectly. They probably have the widest toe box in the entire barefoot shoe industry.
I don't know what I would've done if I didn't find a shoe that fit my foot. For some of us, barefoot shoes are a necessity, not a choice. But any opportunity I have, I simply go full barefoot. I love the feel of the earth directly against the sole of my foot.
I have been wearing barefoot shoes for a couple years now and one thing I wish more barefoot companies would do is offer decently flexible wide toed shoes but with reasonable cushioning as an entry level option. I know the barefoot community can fixate on the connecting to nature part since most of these companies founders are outdoorsy (or being as barefoot as possible) but repetitive stress injuries are a thing and walking almost barefoot on pavement all day (especially with heal striking) negates a lot of the benefit so it removes the incentives for most everyday people. This is also why you see a lot of people quit when first trying. I think that as more people become aware of how brainwashed marketing tends to be they will put current trends aside and adopt healthier foot wear. I don't think it will happen fast if the water get muddied by things like electrical grounding, re learning how to walk, and feeling the ground. All very fair points but that stuff just scares people away and makes them think it falls more in line with pseudo science or some sort of hippy mind set they think isn't applicable to their life. In my opinion the first and most important thing about barefoot shoes is letting your toes and foot regain their original shape and I feel like the only company that does this is LEMS but they don't exactly have an entry price point. I would really like it if barefoot shoe companies focused on making more gateways for people.
To clarify this isn't a criticism about this video I really enjoyed it. As you mentioned your issue with barefoot shoes messaging it got me thinking about mine. My hope is that one day people start to realize how greed in these industries has negatively effected their lives, allowing them to live healthier and longer lives as a result of this awareness.
Realfoot, probably the widest shoes out there, offer some models with a 6mm insole, giving an overall stack height of 1cm. Lems Boulder Boots with the insole in are even thicker, and there are other well-cushioned examples from them. But part of the problem you're talking about is the difficulty of unlearning heel striking, which is really in a large measure a problem of certain key muscles in the foot and leg having become weak through neglect when wearing trad shoes. I've found Emily Splichal's book 'Barefoot Strong' hugely helpful with this.
Splays are a good option and affordable
Try altras or lems they provide a similar feel but with options for cushioning in the shoe itself a great other while in situations you have to run or walk on hard surfaces ALL day
I bought mine from China and replaced the insole for some cushioning
Excellent comment! Based on my own experience, I completely agree.
I loved your message at the end. It was a more wholistic explanation on how barefoot shoes are a gateway towards minimalism. The World does like to promote the idea that adding more to your life will solve things, which causes a consumeristic culture that leads to more products being sold.
Thank you! We usually need less not more!
Being barefoot is only safe inside home, outside anything can cut, stab or burn your feet, so barefoot shoes is necessary if you want to go barefoot outside
Yes, this is very true. Things like glass would not be good to get in your feet. But, there are safe places to be barefoot (especially grass) and not only does it feel great, it also is an important part of our foot health to be barefoot as much as possible. So you just have to find that balance.
Thanks for watching!
Not true. When you are in the habit of going everywhere barefoot, four things happen: 1) the skin on your soles becomes thicker (callused), so that hotter pavement, greater abrasiveness of the pavement, and smaller sharp items become non-issues in many cases; 2) you develop the ability to rapidly shift your weight from one part of your foot to another, so that if you start to step on something uncomfortable, you automatically take your weight off of it, reducing the likelihood of it piercing your skin; 3) when walking on surfaces strewn with small debris, you develop a habit of brushing the sole of your foot on your opposite leg or on the ground when something adheres to it, without even breaking stride, also reducing the likelihood of the object being driven through your skin on your next step. 4) when in unfamiliar surroundings, you develop a habit of scanning the ground for anything dangerous. I went for an extended period (close to a decade) living in the SF Bay area and going barefoot anywhere that they would let me, including riding the public buses and trains, going to work, going shopping, and of course, going on hikes with barefoot hiking clubs. I never had a serious foot injury from any of that and never got a foot infection from it. I did finally quit walking barefoot in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco, because people defecate on the sidewalks there, and there was some building construction going on with metallic debris sometimes making its way to the sidewalk. When I moved to southern California, I had a job where closed-toe footwear was required and I was driving everywhere and generally spent a lot more time indoors -- so I lost my calluses, and hence the ability to walk more than a short distance on hot pavement. Which is a pity, because the pavement and even the dirt are much hotter here than in the SF Bay area. Now I'm mostly barefoot in and near my house, around my neighborhood, at the beach, and sometimes on walks with my friend. But I can still walk on gravel or broken glass, as long as the glass pieces aren't too big.
this is 100% wrong. your feet will develop their own souls. once developed you can literally walk and small glass shards with no injury or rocks or anything else that you could walk on with normal shoes.
Resuming. Normal shoes are bad. If you are forced to wear shoes then wear barefoot shoes. And when you can, be barefoot!
Thanks a lot man
Except that is not true at all. For some people might be, i do wear barefoot shoes for many activities and regular shoes for others (with a nice toe box in mind of course). The balance is the key not going from one extreme to the other.
Thank you!
Great video. One point of contention I have is that the Vivos I have owned, one pair is four years old, are really well made and have lasted well with almost daily wear.
I was having problems with sciatica recently, about two months but I noticed that when I was barefoot in morning the pain was a lot less. I’d been wearing some Nike Pegasus trainers pretty much every. Anyway one morning I put on some old flat Clark’s that I found and the pain was reduced by around 50%.
Then it found some other Clark’s that had a huge thick bouncy insole but quite a big toe box. Took the insole out and noticed that now had a shoe with a soft flexible o drop sole. I am now on my way to pain free and a much more relaxed state of being it seems. I have four pairs of the exact same shoe so I’m hoping they will do for now. Great video ❤
We were meant to be barefoot in the wild, unfortunately concrete, glass, nails, other man made objects make it hard for me to understand why I would be barefoot in a world where being barefoot would result in far more injuries than just wearing shoes
But I just really wish they would make shoes with actually wide toe boxes and shaped in the form of your foot. Because I have naturally wide feet And there's been no shoe that I found that has actually been wide enough.
And "the removal of something" makes them more expensive! Can't understand why when less technology, less material, less cushioning is used. Barefoot shoes can be seen as cheap shoes - now being called "minimal". I have 2 pairs they are great - bought from China though costing less than traditional shoes!
What a wonderful mindset you are sharing with us in this video, thank you to make me put again my feet on ground before buying all these wanted barefoot shoes. I love the way of your thinkink.
100% agree, nothing comes close to running actually barefooted. and earth runners are great.
You are right! Nothing compares!
Voltage is only half the equation. Current is also important. And grounding is also completely unprovent and disprovent you arguing for the thing that is supposed to protect you from the outside world actively conducting electricity.
"Grounding reduces pain and alters the numbers of circulating neutrophils and lymphocytes, and also affects various circulating chemical factors related to inflammation." -National Library of Medicine article here: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4378297/
just look around there is plenty of research around the topic
Maybe before the electrical infrastructure and wireless radio beam infrastructure was built, it wasn't an issue. The whole earth is a electrical organism and so when man was created to function on earth, man's electrical system of brain signals and muscular nerves and cells had to be compatible with the earth's electrical system.
But when EMF and EMR from the infrastructures are blasting our bodies all the time and from everywhere (unless you're far from a nearby city or grid, or series of radio towers), your body acts as an antenna. Also who's familiar with the fact the body can collect positively charged ions (such as rubbing an inflated latex balloon in your hair, or holding your hand on a Van de Graaff generator) and discharges when touching a grounded object?
Perhaps there's been no in depth and conclusive studies into this issue because the corporations looking to protect and increase their electrical infrastructures don't want any potentially negative publicity. There are a few standards in place, but those mostly have to do with EMR exposure strong enough to affect cell thermal heating. What about interference and disruption of the nervous system (voluntary and involuntary nervous functions throughout the body, including all organs and biochemical processes)? Many people never touch skin to the ground. They wear insulated shoes, dwell in insulated houses, drive insulated cars, and finally when going to bed, their bare feet are still never contacting anything grounded to the earth.
I don’t wear barefoot shoes. But all my toes are spread out and healthy because I never wear shoes in the house (or outside) and the only other times I get out of the house that’s not my workplace is the MMA gym. All my athletic endeavours are barefoot. So yeah, even if I have safety boots on at work 8 hours a day, I’m barefoot enough in physical activities to not get adversely affected by conventional footwear.
For many, walking barefoot is simply not viable. Where I live, its too cold for that even in the summer. Plus, some people need compression socks due to cardiovascular issues. Having the choice to be barefoot or not is truly a privilege.
Free the feet! What a great video! Interesting to learn more about the grounding piece + cool that earthrunners integrated that into their design
Thanks for watching ❤️
Yeah but the point is we live in a society of no shoes no service we have to wear shoes to work or shopping ect so barefoot shoes are much appreciated
Very true, and that's why I love barefoot shoes. The perfect modern day footwear for when we can't be barefoot!
The Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit was the best barefoot shoe ever made IMO. I even take out the insole to make it even more zero drop.
Yes! Grew up barefoot. Barefoot choose are the only thing that keeps me from having severe back pain.
I agree . Love being barefoot. That is probably why I didn't have a problem transitioning to barefoot shoes.
I've been looking into the barefoot thing and this video was one of my favorites so far.
I have suffered from knee pain since 16 yo and at around 24 I got a pair of nike frees and started working on my running dynamics.
It was very impressive to see myself dealing with less pain while using less shock absorption. Eventually I started running shoeless and it was the best feeling ever. It actually feels light, fast and nimble.
My only problem was the asphalt eating my feet sole.
I've been always looking for more minimal shoes since them, just for abrasion and temperature protection but I totally resonate with what you said here.
Anyone in a trade requiring standing/being on foot for 8-10 hours daily on hard surfaces would be terrified of the idea of not having any cushioning. Walking on grass/soil is natural cushioning, any soft materials implemented in shoes are just the same effect IMHO.
I want to go barefoot in public all the time but recently i went to a botanic gardens and my shoes were rubbing wrong, so i contemplated taking off my shoes. We walked a couple more minutes up the path, CRAZY beetles and ants were swarming the pathway and i thought thank god i didnt take them off lol
But i still support this message
Ya going barefoot is good (for indoors imo), but I dont understand this whole "we should just always try to be barefoot"
Even ancient peoples wore foot protection because as intelligent creature we realized "wow, it is quite nice to have a bit of sole protection between sticks and thorns, and biting bugs and parasites!"
Such footwear could have been as simple as cloth wraps, but it did the job.
I think this new push for anatomically accommodating footwear is wonderful, but lets not forget that footwear itself also has great purpose.
That's amazing!! I never thought about this before!! we are actually grounded in an electrical way!! I only heard and understood that in a spiritual way before. thank you for enlightening me!
9:50 You earned a subscriber.
Forget the shoes, forget the video topic... you just said something extremely insightful, something basic but essential for us all.
Modern society feeds you lies from the day you are born - it makes us feel like this human being is inadequate, primitive, lacking behind... when in reality the human being is something to behold, man was made with everything he needs.
Great video! Being barefoot or using barefoot shoes are both major improvements to standard shoes. I've been using Earthrunners for about 3 years now - great company and best shoe decision I ever made (other than going barefoot). Always enjoy the lifestyle videos you put out (such as sleeping on the floor).
Yes, a major, MAJOR improvement from modern shoes. Thanks for your support on all my videos! I have seen your comments before! :)
For grounding (for whatever reason), you have to measure resistance, not voltage!
Any grounding means there's zero voltage in a system after a short amount of time, which is to say no potential difference between the object and ground. So all grounded circuits will measure zero voltage. How easily the circuit equalizes that difference, ie loses its charge, upon being grounded, relies on resistance between object and ground.
Cade, another awesome video! I learn so much everytime you upload. I appreciate you being so open about yourself and real. Your videos are amazing and a lot of people could learn so much. Anyway, be well, Cade
Such kind words! Thanks for your support!
Having what I assumed was Plant-the-fasting-itis I used extra insoles which gave me a lift of about an inch of lift from back to front. For sure, my feet soon felt better just after a short time with them. During the summer, I also hit golf balls with the same shoes, simultaneously took up pickleball. As fate would have it, I had 3 cheaper drivers that all needed shaft replacement. I since started using an old persimmon wood to practice with, and would have a strong slice. I started experimenting and lo and behold did I discover something fascinating. I took out my add on insoles, and placed them toward the toe of my shoes to gave my feet a flat zero lift. Not only was this old 50 year old driver, was extremely easy yo hit straight, I am now looking at my other activities like pickleball, and am going to experiment with zero lift and am going to assume that there is going to be less stress on my knees.
It was an awkward transition for me too but I think not rushing it is key, because your body is figuring out to adjust to using different muscles and gait. Like I realized working out the arch muscles in my feet almost completely eliminates the heel pain. Which means I can’t just walk on flat surfaces, I need texture and elevation to walk or run on occasionally. (cushioned shoes really made my heels hurt, but flat shoes made my back hurt, and heeled shoes weren’t good for my knees and hips, so that’s why I got into barefoot shoes, and I’ve been really happy with the results; slow results but totally worth it)
You're right, just being barefoot is the best thing. Why i will always have a Fivefingers' KSO model in my life. The best shoes i ever had in terms of full freedom.
i can’t go to work barefoot though.
I think the message here is good. I've worn barefoot shoes almost everyday for the past year and my feet have become way more mobile and flexible than ever before. I have high arches and walk on concrete in vivo barefoots. I have the primus trail fgs. And they are super durable and have held up super well and going strong with daily wear. No disintegration in my experience with these models. I use to wear Nike pegasus and those things would give me knee and hip pain.
I think doing foot yoga and lower body lifting does wonders as well.
Hi my friend, messaging you from the uk. Ive been barefoot since sept 22, full time apart from barefoot shoes at work as i work in a nursing home. All four seasons, all weathers including snow and ice. I also do a form of cold exposure where i go walking barefoot in a running vest and thin shorts, whatever the weather, as low as -8 c so far. That is another way of keeping me well at age 54! Your video was great thank you. People in the UK just stare because i go barefoot everywhere! Only 1 or 2 actually ask what its about. Hopefully people are a bit more open in the usa! I follow barefoot sue, shes great. 😊
That's awesome friend!
Hey Cade, love your video on Barefoot and barefoot shoes. Even as someone who’s selling barefoot shoes, I have the same feeling that the best option out there is still to go barefoot
Keep up with the quality content. Great to see your channel growing
Thanks man! Stoked to hear you're selling barefoot shoes! You're making a difference in the world!
I had this innate sense about what you were going to say and I totally agree too. My preference is bare feet, with my Earth Runners in my bag for the moments I need them (concrete, big gravel, supermarkets, etc.). Some days I take my ERs on and off a million times in one day.
Barefoot shoes; my preferences are: 1) Earth Runners, then 2) Freet, then 3) Feelgrounds and then 4) Vivobarefoot last too - they just don't last long. Although my Feelgrounds soles wore smoothly far too fast too!
Yay for getting the feet out despite society having issues, still today, with seeing our beautiful feet. It's mad when they're such an amazing feat of evolution really. Shoes are screwed up!
Anyway great made video Cade x
I know a few people who run in barefoot shoes and sometimes get irritated by how smug they are. Then I remember how much faster and injury free I am than them in my Vaporflys and Metaspeeds 🤷♂
Speed doesn't matter at all when it comes to running as an exercise (and not competatively of course)
@@gaborkrausz5402 Do explain as it does seem that speed does correlate with energy spent (for the same bodyweight) and body's aerobic capability.
barefoot runners are some of the fastest in the world. they also has WAY WAY less injuries then people who wear padded shoes. this is an undisputed fact.
Great video! I have many pair of shoes that are always compromises because of injuries from sports, martial arts, etc. over the years. I wanted to try a barefoot/minimalist shoe because the only time my foot doesn't bother me to some degree is when I'm barefoot because there is no compression. I didn't want to spend so much on Vivo's since I wanted to see what they were like first. I ended up buying a pair of Whitin's for like $40, and after wearing them for a couple of weeks, I ordered 2 more pair as they are by far the most comfortable shoe I've ever worn. I don't care what they are called - barefoot, minimalist, pseudo, etc. - or how they are branded, they are excellent as it feels like I am barefoot. I use them for walking, hiking, martial arts, and even around the house where I never wear shoes. I've been a minimalist for years, and the shoes represent less is more. Yes, going completely barefoot is better, but it's not always practical.
I almost thought you were going back to traditional shoes 😭 Barefoot is definitely the way to go 🙌
Spot-on! Very well produced and delivered. 100% percent agree.
As Spanish living in Ireland, believe me, I would love to go barefoot at least 6 months or almost. Dude here its impossible, cold and rains won't make it appealing. So.. barefoot shoes its the reight option. And not easy to convince other people either because the weather.
Grew up in Hawaii, so my brother and I were often barefoot. Slippers or sandals or flip flops as people call them on the mainland USA, were what we wore most often when we wore shoes. Even to this day, shoes come off once I get home from work and I’m barefoot. I even drive without shoes and have been told this is a no no here on the mainland.
I've been a barefoot shoe wearer for the best part of 18 months. Before this I had terrible ankle problems from soccer injuries. This would lead me to turn my ankle on the tiniest pebble. Since wearing barefoot my ankle hasn't rolled, has strengthened and leaves me more confident as I move around. The expense does get to me, but nobody begrudges paying £100, $100 plus for their Nike, Adidas etc. Great video, I love the idea of being shoeless but even on grass you can end up treading in or on something dangerous or disgusting.
Why do people keep saying that Vibram Five Finger shoes are ugly. They look like feet. Wtf is the problem with shoes that look like feet? I love my five finger shoes anyway and they are my go-to shoes for 90% of my activities as long as it’s not pouring rain. I guess I don’t give a F*^k if people think my feet are ugly.
I thought this was going to be a well thought out perspective and I seriously thought you were joking when you were measuring conductivity between yourself and the ground. I've taken a look at the "research" you have posted to the other commenters and all I can say is that it's probably some of the worst research I've ever read and I can't believe it was ever published. No reliable citations, all extremely hypothetical, no proper mechanism proposed, studies without proper control groups and absolutely no proven theories.
I'm not judging anyone, just please, if you're reading this try and be sceptical and get your scientific information from a viable source. And if you don't have an education in science, please take care when trying to interpret published studies. Listen to experts in their fields and their interpretations of the research - they've spent their lives understanding complex subjects and know the field. Make sure they have a proper scientific background and always be aware of both your own and others' biases.
Checkout this, see if it changes your mind ;) ua-cam.com/video/OV-eEeW9MM0/v-deo.htmlsi=C0AtrFHq4I7gRCnE
barefoot shoes on concrete = pain and stiffness thorough your whole body
barefoot on grass = good feeling of the ground and pleasure from walking
good pair of running snickers on concrete = good adaptation to gait cycle, no pain
Funnily enough i am constantly using barefoot shoes to run on concrete and i feel so loose and bouncy since you are forced to use good running technique. I did use barefoot shoes walking for about a year before running though so my feet are strong enough to absorb the shocks. I can definitely see if you transition too quickly it hurting.
Glad to see you back!!
Glad to be back! Thanks for your support.
Honestly, I hate ALL shoes. I do get in trouble at work when I'm running around the nukes barefoot though. LOL - I have a pair of Earth Runners sandals that took a long time to get used to (think no skin left on my 2nd toes) but now I like them.
I completely agree that being barefoot is better. And you know, there is also now company who does grounding barefoot shoes. For those who are curious the company is called Bahé. Although I prefer to be completely barefoot when possible, those can be a great friend, but NEVER a replacement to being barefoot
I played baseball throughout my childhood and always had stress fractures in my feet and shins and I’ve just started wearing a starter 4mm drop sneaker and I’m so mad that no one makes a 4mm drop cleat for every sport with a wider toe box
Check out Altra FWD is drop 4mm.
I just bought my husband the Hykes Element barefoot shoes and he loves them and I have the Hykes Pinnacle, best shoes I have ever owned.
I could use some further clarification on whole grounding thing. Why does Cade Prior think it is important?
I am coming out with a video on this in 2 weeks. As I actually disagree with some of the "grounding" arguments people make. So stay tuned!
A brief explanation is that throughout history, most people spent the majority of their day in contact with the ground, which allowed them to match the electrical charge of the earth. However, in modern times, humans often go without grounding and do not discharge that electrical charge from their bodies. This is believed to be potentially harmful, as studies have shown it can affect inflammation, sleep, the immune system, and other aspects of health.
And checkout study PMC4378297 on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing. (this study is CRAZY)
"Accumulating experiences and research on earthing, or grounding, point to the emergence of a simple, natural, and accessible health strategy against chronic inflammation, warranting the serious attention of clinicians and researchers. The living matrix (or ground regulation or tissue tensegrity-matrix system), the very fabric of the body, appears to serve as one of our primary antioxidant defense systems. As this report explains, it is a system requiring occasional recharging by conductive contact with the Earth’s surface - the “battery” for all planetary life - to be optimally effective."
Checkout PMC10105021 on blood and heart health/inflammation.
"Grounding or earthing is virtually harmless while having incredible health implications at the same time. Blood pressure lowering, supportive HRV, and blood thinning are significant contributions in reducing cardiovascular risk including sudden cardiac death."
If you agree that most humans were barefoot in the past and therefore were almost always grounded, you could conclude that the consistent use of shoes and spending most of our time indoors, without being grounded and losing that electrical charge, introduces an inconsistent variable that could potentially cause harm.
So we need to literary "touch grass"😂@@CadePriorFilms
Great video! I completely agree that going barefoot offers the most natural experience most of the time. However, during colder months or when venturing into urban areas and stores, I prefer a bit more protection.
For very rough terrains, I use Skinners. They are easy to roll up and fit in your pocket, and they offer the closest feeling to going shoeless. During winter and in city environments, I use Vibram Fivefingers for that extra layer of protection.
You don't need to be constantly grounded.
Great point! I do the same and agree 100% in the cold months I wear barefoot shoes and feel great. Thanks for watching!
@@CadePriorFilmsits -1 celcius here in Northern Canada and Im still rocking the Earth Runners. Only gonna put them away when it snows! 🥶
My vivos didn't last as much as they advertised. Same situation as you. Pretty interesting video. Thank you!
I sell barefoot shoes! Completely agree with you … a barefoot shoe is just a better healthier option of a shoe but nothing beats being completely barefoot and I feel the difference from any barefoot shoe to barefoot
I prefer full barefoot as well, but only in natural settings(grass, forest, beach). When Im in human places(stores,city,public indoor areas) I would rather just wear barefoot shoes.
I agree that we should just be barefoot as much as possible because thats how we were designed to live, but barefoot shoes are perfect for example to work or to school where there is no way to be barefoot, and you are still engaging all the muscles and nerves in your feet. And now they even make stylish leather shoes to office.
I am new here but I was worried that the message was not to buy barefoot shoes all-along… instead… perfect message!
I never thought about the fact that when you're barefoot you're literally grounded electrically !
We have a barefoot household no outdoor shoes allowed. And I train martial arts barefoot. I use barefoot shoes whenever I leave the house.
When its warm enough I walk in the mountains barefoot 🙃
Excellent experience.
Went into this video expecting to hear repeated information, but I was well impressed 👏
Great video, I have flat feet and has caused issues. Looked into barefoot shoes shocked at price. For now barefoot best option, don’t like dirty feet though. Adjusting slowly!
Great last Message brother.
I agree years ago I started with barefoot shoes and that lasted a few months before I went barefoot running. I never have pain when running and walking barefoot
Crazy right! The irony of that!
Definitely be careful people! I wore some for just two days and fractured the bottom of my foot, going all-in seems is definitely not the way to go haha.
Going in gradually is always the best way. But it probably depends on the person. I started walking outside on hard ground going on long walks and didn't have any problems. It may be because I already spend most of my time barefoot, because I work from home and don't wear shoes. But it really depends on the person, and we should always be careful
you were walking incorrectly or your foot muscles were really really weak. you should have known better. this is common sense. next time i would suggest you use some.
It's good to promote being just barefoot, reason we are buying barefoot shoes is mostly that we can't go barefoot on society. There is a nice subreddit about that. However, being grounded is just not true. Grounding is just not true, being grounded does not facilitate or impede any of our electrochemical reactions, the charges stay out of our internal organs! The voltage should also be measured in DC, not AC, since with AC you are messing up with the body capacitance. Another reason is that when working on electrical components you'll see grounding straps everywhere, but you won't see any of them in a biochemical lab.
Good to know, I used to work in the aeronautics industry - assembly soldering smd or trough-hole - (sensors or probes for copters and planes) and absolutely no one was wearing an esd wrist band, not even the engineers. Thanks for the tip and with biochem- labs, never heard about that and I like to learn new stuff, cheers
I injured myself running in super cushioned shoes and developed severe chonic peroneal tendinopathy. The doctors talked about surgery and corticosteroid infiltration, but no one looked at what kind of shoes I was wearing. I noticed last week, after seven months of being unable to walk in shoes, that... the only time I felt like I had a brand-new functional tendon was barefoot... Just putting my feet back in a shoe kills my tendon. Barefoot, I feel like I could run a marathon. When I looked at my old shoes, I realized that they were all cracking at the ends, around my little toe, which had turned purple from being crushed against the outer wall. I was prescribed expensive insoles that “support my arch”, and Hoka shoes. I've never been in so much pain, and I feel that my tendon is functional at... 20 %. I wouldn't dream of running or even walking. When I go barefoot, I feel like I'm at 80% functionality, and that the more time I spend barefoot, the stronger my tendon becomes, just by walking slowly and doing a few simple barefoot exercises. I work as a biomechanical engineer, and I learned just the opposite. I'm glad to see that nature is well done.
Up and till recently I’ve started walking barefoot at home on my laminate floors which was uncomfortable at first for sometime, especially in the heel area, but now it feels more comfortable walking around. I’m also wearing correct toe spacers while walking barefoot which help to keep my toes splayed. Stretching a lot more in general to keep my calf muscles, ankles and feet more flexible and stronger. My only gripe about doing this, autumn is here now and winter is on its way, so walking barefoot for considerable amounts of time while at home can cause discomfort in my joints, unless I’m constantly stretching them to keep warm. Although I have switched from conventional socks to toe socks, so I can wear those or toe spreader socks. I’m also looking for barefoot slippers which are warm, and I’ve found Charcoal Bamboo Wool Slippers made by KOW but I’m concerned clothes moths will eat them unless they are constantly stored away in resealable bags or plastic storage containers when not in use. Earth runners look good, I’ll definitely get a pair of those for spring and summer at home.
I was considering moccasins for similar reasons. They look very warm and fluffy inside but are also barefoot
I want to share my opinion on Vivo Barefoots not lasting: My vivos have lasted me 5 years so far. RA II's. I'm highly surprised because the sole is thin and the first thing I did was take them to a forest fire area in portugal. Not wearing them too often now but they are some of the most durable shoes I've ever had. This is an "N=1" scenario, but so is your mention of them in the video.
Thanks for the vid, I agree that barefoot is best. I like barefoot shoes because they are more socially acceptable than being barefoot, and also more practical when it's cold out or rough.
Now as much as i wanna agree with you, I live in norway, it is insanely cold here. Summer barefoot sure, rest of the year, is rain or snow… i wish i was able to walk around barefoot more outside.
Love your message though👍
Any bare feet shoes recommendations for cold or rainy days?
You can get barefoot wellies now.
Thanks, your title did scare me I thought you were going to give me some reason lol.
I to prefer to be barefoot when possible.
Earth runners favorite! Once you get used to them they are incredibly comfortable.
Good to know about vevo.
So far in my experience they are well made, other than the sole is thin so I almost wore through my pair of boots after some years of use.
Thanks
Great video Cade! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 🙌Nothing is better and more beneficial as being barefoot 👣
I thought that this was going to be pure click bait, but I was pleasantly surprised by some good info and things to consider.
Aah, the red spot on a body part -thumbnail
Having worn Five Fingers shoes for a couple of years I unearthed my old, but still newish, Barefoot shoes to "look respectable" for an occasion. Wearing them for just two days, with five toed socks, I noticed that I was developing blisters on the tops of my toes. I'm back into Five Fingers, now, shocked to realise that barefoot shoes restrict my toes. I will continue to wear Five Fingers shoes, even though they attract attention all the time, as, otherwise, only going barefoot will give me the same freedom of movement. I like to use my toes. I explain, to those who ask why I don't wear shoes that look like shoes? it's like the difference between wearing mittens or gloves, Mittens certainly keep your hands warm but try playing the piano or typing a letter with them on.
This episode reminds me of the athletic career of Abebe Bikila. Who won marathons both barefoot and shod.
a brilliant man and super video! thank you for sharing, friend.
Same to you Mills, thanks brotha!
Excellent Video, thank you!
I purchased my first pair of Barefoot shoes, and decided on Vivobarefoot Primus Lite as I liked the style enough to be confidant to wear in public.
I've had them less than 2 years, and I agree with the comment that they just fall apart. The built quality appears "Good" until you start to wear them, then you notice how bad they are made. Designed to fail so you buy more.
I only walk barefoot most of the days. It’s only when it is very hot or very cold that I wear socks. If i require shoes in the fall and winter months, I wear barefoot shoes to give me some warmth. Otherwise, I am barefoot the majority of my walks outside.
I didn’t know earth runners are grounding! I have the brand Zero shoes and sandals. My Zero sandals on the toe area have started to get roughed up and peel off so that’s disappointing because like you said they were expensive. Less is more! I’ll go barefoot more often now but also looking into earth runners! Thanks for your video, super informative and interesting 😊
Yes! They were ahead of their time, as they were aware of the potential benefits of grounding and made a design effort to incorporate that. They have also lasted me 4+ years (thanks to the Vibram sole) and only had to change out the laces.
Thanks for watching!
Xero shoes are amazing and that’s practically all I wear. I’ve had a couple issues here and there and I am happy to say they stand behind their product. They’ve sent me brand new replacement shoes when I’ve had any issues.
@@CadePriorFilms they no longer use the Vibram sole unfortunately. Switched to Walkbase. I have both versions so im currently testing to see the difference.
I walk barefoot for some six to seven years now and only started wearing barefoot shoes after I found that people around me have a problem with that. Stores, work, stuff like that. I can understand that people don't like others walking without shoes, it's the sad truth, so in those cases I ware shoes. Other than that, I try to always walk barefoot.
There is no replacement for walking barefoot. No shoe can do the job.
Bahé are now offering a barefoot version of their grounded running shoes.
In some parts of the world you can get skin boring parasites that enter through the foot. That would make me nervous.
Walking or running barefoot (no shoes) does cost something. I tried that many years ago for several months but ended up spending close to $300 clinical treatment. Use barefoot shoes instead.
Maybe you could also use leather soles instead of rubber , since our feet are made of leather too
Am I too literal? That grounding thing is a joke, right?
Unscientific esoteric Bullshit
I agree with going barefoot if you can. The only thing I'd like to add is, none of this brings completely automatic benefit on its own. We've all been conditioned to walk and run in trad shoes and it's hard to unlearn that. I strongly recommend Emily Splichal's book 'Barefoot Strong' for help doing that and strengthening the necessary muscles.
I agree. Transitioning takes time. Slowly does it. Unconditioning eh...
I used to have ankle and knee pain a lot, ended up going the heritage boot route, ever since I started wearing all lesther construction footwear bo more pain and I can keep on my feet and do stuff after work. Recently a hand made boot company (jim green) made a "zero drop" last that I've been interested in just as a way to give my feet something new. Think overall keeping them I. The rotation may bring even more benefits.
Also you can always wear converse 4 sizes too big for you if barefoot shoes are too expensive!
If you have serious foot problems then go to a podiatrist and see if you are walking unbalanced. Have your gate analyzed. Get a proper workout to fix these issues then figure out what shoes you should wear. You should be only in zero drop shoes or only Hokas. Get different shoes for different things
Stellar video with a much needed point 🥳🤘🏾
I'm barefoot whenever I can, then I use barefoot shoes when I cannot, like going to work for example--it would be pretty weird to show up barefoot, and likely get me in trouble :)
Great video.
I am sorry, but this title was a complete click-bait.
The content was good, well made. But your "chagne of mind" is just that you should go barefoot instead. I was thinking based on the title "Oh oh, maybe he have learned that we nmust go back to cushion shoes".
yeah that's how you generate money from youtube 😂😂
Cushioned shoes are horrible for you which is why you don't really see many videos on how people went back to them. You can automatically assume those titles are clickbait.
That’s kind of the same message the xero ceo says
great message...thanks buddy
7:56 not understood the experiment, can u explain the final conclusion?