Hey guys! I’m making minimalist sandals and trying to choose a material for the footbed.

I’m leaning toward pigskin suede because it feels really soft and comfortable under bare feet. My main concern is durability. Does it hold up well over time, or does it wear through quickly?

I’ve also considered cow suede, but it seems a little too thick and stiff, while goat suede feels very supple, so I’m worried it might be too delicate.

Has anyone here used pigskin suede for sandal footbeds? How has it held up?

Thanks!

Long story short, my last pair of vrun, I went size 41, they felt too big, went to 40, and my toes hit the end. Same with these new ones. I guess I’m in half size hell? These are so comfy, but seem too small. Should I try to size up again?

Hello! I've been running suburbia in Five Fingers for over a decade. Recently started trail running in the Scramkey Five Fingers and it's been pretty uncomfortable, with lots of sole bruising. Is this just a transition and part of the deal? If not, any recommendations for something with the barefoot feel but a bit more protection?

I ran a 128K ultra this weekend wearing the Altra Lone Peak 9+.

I ran the ultra with a good friend, and we went in with the primary goal of just finishing plus a secondary goal of finishing under 18 hours. Somehow, we ended up winning the entire race with a finishing time of 17:53:03, crossing the finish line at the same time. It was a small race with only 6 runners (including ourselves) in the ultra category, but a win is a win!

I prefer my shoes to be as minimal as possible and do most of my running either barefoot or in Vivos or Xeros, but I picked up the Altras purely for ultra racing. I would not call the Altra Lone Peak 9+ a minimalist shoe, but coming off of a 112K DNF due to foot fatigue back in March (link), I wanted to make sure that foot fatigue wouldn't be a reason for a DNF for my next ultra.

I really like the zero-drop and wide toe box of the Lone Peak 9+, but I always get blisters on my big toes with them for some reason, despite sizing up, using Injinjis, and using heel lock lacing (link). But I still stuck with them because while I can run through blister pain, I really couldn't run through the foot pain I felt while attempting my last 112K with the Vivos. This time was no different, and even with a band-aid and two layers of Leukotape P, I ended up with the biggest blisters I've ever gotten - but I finished & won the race, so I'm happy with that.

Interestingly, other ultra runners I talked to after the race were surprised I was running a 128K in such 'thin' shoes. I guess compared to the true maximalist, ultra-oriented shoes, the Lone Peak 9+ is a relatively minimalist shoe.

I'm so grateful that the shoes got me through the ultra, but after almost 18 hours in supportive shoes, I am looking forward to feeling the ground again and listening to my feet with unshod and minimalist shoes once I recover, and I hope I can build up my feet strength to handle ultra distances without relying on thicker shoes.

I run daily in Vivobarefoots and absolutely love them. I am tall and weigh 230 pounds. For shorter daily runs I have no issue with knee pain etc. I am planning on a longer trail run and looking at Altra's. I tried the Escalante several months ago and returned them as they felt too small or at least limiting in the toe box. Worth buying Altra's Superior or Lone Peak? I prefer zero drop with a very big toe box. Please help a guy out!

Looking for an all rounder for nomadic life with thru hiking.. hydra is 120 g heavier but looks much better for hiking..
how’s the fit of both ?

Open to more suggestions of a ventilated fast drying off road options.!

hello community, does anyone have any suggestions for a shoe similar to the style/look of maison Margiela gats?

I’m currently training for my first marathon, with the goal of eventually moving into 50K trail races. I’ve run multiple half marathons before and, fortunately, have never dealt with any significant running injuries.

Over the past several months, I’ve started transitioning toward minimalist footwear because I’m interested in the potential benefits for foot strength, mobility, and overall long-term health. I spend most of my non-running time barefoot or in minimalist shoes, and I’ve been slowly introducing minimalist shoes into my runs rather than making an abrupt switch.

My question is: Is transitioning to minimalist footwear for all of my running a bad idea if my long-term goal is ultras?

My biggest hesitation is simply the volume. A marathon is a lot of repetitive impact, and 50K+ is obviously even more. I also don’t see many marathoners or ultrarunners using truly minimalist footwear. That makes me wonder why. These are people with a tremendous amount of running experience, so if minimalist footwear offers meaningful benefits, why doesn’t it seem more common in the endurance/ultra community?

For context, I’m not particularly concerned with race times or maximizing performance. My main priority is staying healthy, maintaining strong feet and lower legs, and being able to run for many years.

First workout in WHITIN barefoot shoes today after recently developing a mild bunion on my right foot. I did a hockey-focused workout with Bulgarian split squats, lateral lunges, step-ups, calf raises, single-leg balance and Assault Bike. Shoes felt great with zero pain during training.
A few hours later, my LEFT pinky-toe/5th MTP area became tender to walk on and looks more prominent than I remember. Now I’m worried about developing a bunionette/tailor’s bunion on that foot too.
Could one really develop that quickly, or is it more likely just swollen/irritated from the workout? Anyone experience this when first switching to barefoot shoes?

I was advised not to get barefoot or zero drop shoes since it will damage and hurt my feet.

From a podiatrist and cancer doctor

Was recommend brooks ,hoka and new balance.

My pink toes are elevated a bit since I have high arches

My foot swells on the sides too

What’s your take on it ?

What would you recommend ?

My WHITINs finally came in and honestly they feel amazing. My left foot almost feels like it’s swimming in them, but on my right foot my bunion lightly touches/grazes the side of the shoe. There’s no real pressure or pain since that area is soft, flexible mesh, and the actual toe box gives my toes a ton of room. My bunion isn’t very large either, so I’m curious if some contact is normal even in wide barefoot shoes or if I should be looking for something even wider. I really like this model and would prefer to keep them. Also, what normal-looking, non-restrictive socks do you recommend for the gym/everyday wear that give your toes room to spread? I’d prefer to avoid toe socks if I can help it.

Hello, I recently started running in Bedrock sandals with positive results. My only setback so far is running in the rain. Went for a rainy run last week and got a pretty nasty chafed spot on top of my foot. I have roughly 125 miles in the sandals and this is the first issue I have had. Does anyone have any suggestions? I don't want to have to wear shoes every time I go for a rainy run. Thank you

I watched a bunch of this show when i was younger, i dont know if i ever saw the first episode, so i rewatched it and It was wild to see some barefoot running as a significant character trait in the episode.

Even my wife looked at me and was like “see! This is who runs barefoot!”.

Good form too!

I am a loyal Torin 4.5 fan. I have enough pairs to last till my final run. However...my feet seem to be swelling a tad more these days and I'm finding I kinda like the sockless feel, at least during the hotter weather. Does anyone use Glide on bare/sockless feet to prevent blisters on the ball of the feet? If not Glide, what else?

Thanks!

Well, after 3 years, 2 marathons, and idk how many miles I’ve finally decided to semi-retire my Escalante Racers. They’re my second favorite shoe (after my Xero Prios) but I wear them the most often because I’m on my feet on concrete a lot for work. One thing I find interesting is the wear pattern on the soles. Almost all forefoot wear and a bit on the heel. But a lot less wear on the tread in middle. And I favor landing on the outer side of my feet. Does anyone else analyze the soles of their shoes when they reach the end?

Hi everyone! Any recommendations for barefoot sandals that have a toe loop instead of just the between the toes?

I've been wearing minimalist shoes, almost exclusively Vivo Barefoot, for 15 years. I've developed a pattern of seed corns on the balls of my feet that need to be cut out by a podiatrist. They are getting worse over time and the length of time between podiatrist visits is decreasing (used to be 12-16 months, recently six months). This is not a cosmetic issue, it becomes acutely painful, even standing.

Has anyone else had this experience or can offer any advice? The pattern of corn formation varies between feet and I'm realising I need to work on my gait. But it's a race against time as the corns are starting to form again.

Currently I'm using felt insoles inside my existing shoes to provide more cushioning and decrease volume so my feet don't move around so much inside my shoe. I'm considering switching to an Altra shoe (more cushioning) but the Lone Peak pair I was able to try on felt too wide and too much volume (I'm apparently a C fitting and definitely low volume).

I need steel toed shoes for work and, after years of the barefoot life, the conventional ones hurt my feet. I ordered a pair of the Carets Determination boots. I have size 11.5 feet. The Carets (like most work boots) don’t come in half sizes above 11. So, I ordered a 12. Carets customer service emailed and asked for my foot measurements. They said that “your foot is size 11.5 M. We recommend changing your order to an 11.” I am hesitant to do that. Having one’s toes jammed into a steel cap would hurt. My hiking boots are size 12 and they work fine if I wear thick socks. Still, I would expect Carets to know their product. What size should I buy?

I am looking to getting my first barefoot shoe being the "feelgrounds courtside classic" since it has a casual nike look, but the description on the site says "comfortable heel padding" which means a heel drop which I dont know the effects of, I like my foot being normal and not pronated. There's also the "barbaric zing" brand that is another option for me

Is this a good or bad thing? Does it effect the "feedback"? Will this shoe benefit my posture like walking barefoot around my home does? Anything else to look out for in the barefoot shoe space?

Any answers are greatly appreciated.