(Also view the video here)

There’s an article I read recently on NPR that talks about how, We as Humans, Were Born to Run Barefoot. Essentially, the article concludes that we do it better without shoes. This goes against everything I’ve ever known about shoes, because all my life, I was taught that you needed to always have the proper footwear for whatever sport or activity you participated in. Like Basketball, for example: Basketball requires you to do a lot of jumping and back-and-forth/lateral movements; so you need a good shoe that can provide good cushioning for when you land from a jump, as well as providing support for your ankles when you sprint up and down the court. Basketball shoes are engineered to give you just that. And the same rings true for any other sport or activity: hiking, soccer, or what have you. So this whole running barefoot concept is kind of new to me.

I attended a convention here in the Bay Area not too long ago, and as luck would have it, I saw an Exhibitor walking around in footwear that I’ve never seen before. I had to do a double-take and ask the Exhibitor what it was he was wearing, “Uhmm. Excuse me, but are you wearing socks? What are those on your feet?”. “Vibram Five Fingers Footwear, ” he said. I continued bugging him with more questions like: “How comfortable are they?” , “What sports or activities can you wear them for?” and “Do they make your feet stink?” – until I finally realized that I wanted a pair of my own.

And guess what? Look what just came in?

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It’s a trip, ya? Alright, I’m gonna put on these bad boys and take them out for a “test” run. Oh, ya. Let me post up a foto on Facebook right quick and let me know what you think! See you when I get back…

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DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a physical therapist, nor am I a Doctor. I’m not sponsored by Vibram Five Fingers or REI. I didn’t receive any sort of compensation for this podcast. I’m just your average consumer that wants to share my experience with you all.

Let’s get right into it! First off, if you’re looking for footwear that’s gonna give you the sensation of running barefoot – Vibram Five Fingers. You also get that added “Vibram” protection for the soles of your feet. Something you don’t get running barefoot. Which, believe me, is a relief. You don’t have to worry about getting hurt if you step on anything too crazy. That doesn’t mean you should actively look for broken glass to walk on, it just gives you an assurance that if you do happen to step on something, it won’t result in excruciating pain.

Also, when you run in the Vibrams for the first time, you’ll notice right away while running, that it feels way different. I mean, I ran on concrete for a few minutes before I decided to go back home and hop on the treadmill. Reason being: the impact. I’ve never noticed it before, but like the article had suggested, when we run in shoes, a lot of the impact we take from running is absorbed by our heels. With the Vibrams, you can’t land on your heel. Cuz it starts to get uncomfortable. I literally had to adjust my stride so that the pressure I felt starting to build up in my calves, would go away. Anyways, after running for a while on the treadmill, I started to notice that my stride had the natural tendency to strike on the balls of my feet. Maybe to alleviate the pressure I felt on the calves, or maybe it was because of the shoes – I don’t know. But that automatic adjustment kinda tripped me out. After my run, I felt muscles working out I never knew I had. Kinda like snowboarding. I know I’m gonna feel sore tomorrow. But that just means that I probably have to get used to it, and build up those muscles. With that being said, you will most definetely develop a new running style after using Vibrams for a while.

At the end of the day, I will say this: If you want to give running barefoot a try, Vibrams is the way to go. Do me a favor though, if you’re just starting out, please don’t run on concrete right away. Walking is fine. But build up those muscles first before you go balls out. I know I will. For those of you wondering which style I got, its the KSO model. Ideal for running, hiking, rock-climbing, and surfing?! Looking forward to taking them outdoors, that’s for sure.

Alright, that’s all the time we’ve got for this podast on Edopeno TV. Thanks for watching! And remember: Keep it HauteAzifug. This is Ed Penano, signing off. OUS!