I am looking to buy a pair of shoes for running. I want to try closer-to-barefoot running experience. I have not used those kind of shoes yet.
I am a very average running with range of 6KM-12KM, twice a week run. I am considering New Balance Minimus MT 10 / 20.
I have looking into the 2010 thread but I suppose as this is an emerging trend things have changed a lot since then. So any one with first hand experience with any of these kind of minimal / Close to Barefoot running shoes? Kindly share your experience or recomandation.
At the extreme end, you take everything off and go proper barefoot. In between you:
Vibram 5-fingers (V5F) - which will take you down to 4-8mm depending on the show - Komodo is arguably the best all-rounder.
Luna Sandles - if you want to go without an upper
Vivo - as low as a V5F but with a more conventional upper. They also do a trail version which is excellent
Merrell - I was unimpressed with the shape after trying V5F
Inov-8 - variety of shoes from zero drop (difference between front and rear cushioning) to 12mm. If you are just hitting the road and what an extremely light and fast shoe try the 155 Road x-lite. The 195 F-Lite is a great all-round. There are trail shoes with more aggressive soles.
I tend to run in 195s on light trail and road. 155s for road only. V5F or Vivo if I want a more genuine barefoot run. The Vivo trails or inov-8 212s for more grip - the latter is a genuine star. And finally I have Inov-8 333 Mudclaws for snow (so good you can run down (and up) ski slopes).
IMHO avoid the mainstream natural shoes (Harrori, Free's and their ilk). Ideally you want low and flat - and with minimal cushioning.
Once you have the shoes you'll need to know how to run in them!!
Sounds like you have quite an impressive shoe collection DK, welcome to Barefoot and the Forest, a twisted version of Sex and the City.
I wouldn't dismiss the mainstream natural shoes so quickly, at the least they're good for a smooth transition to more minimalistic variants. I'm using Nike 3.0 and they're a perfect fit for my foot: feeling very light and adapting to the shape of my foot almost like a sock. And -since you mentioned the "drop"- 4mm doesn't sound much to me.
I think the bare foots are for more natural running surfaces... running on concrete (man made) with them is not recommended.... rough on your body. Too bad everywhere is man made surfaces :-). Maybe in a Vita Parcour.
And ease into them. Your running form should change.
I skimmed this article but it looked pretty informative:
For trail stuff - the Baregrip or any of the X-Talons are superb - but they are more extreme
195s are "fitness" shoes and "the" shoe for cross-fit.
I tried the Terrafly last time I was in London - it is a good shoe for a typical trail (but I don't find the 195s struggle much). It isn't as extreme as the Talons - and it won't offer much more grip than a normal shoe. It isn't particularly low - 2chevron = 6mm - but does have a wide toe box - good for natural toe movement.
IMHO you can run barefoot/pose style in thing soled shoes on ANY surface - sand, grass, trail, rocks, concrete - if you can't, then you are doing something wrong. There is no doubt that concrete is very hard - but tarmac is softer - and I'd take tarmac over the baked surface that kenyan runners will run on!!!
The most important part of adjusting to a different style is learning the technique, practicing - and building up the distance slowly. It will take approximately 1 year of running to go from your current pace with heel-strike to the same pace/endurance with a forefoot strike.
Opting for a low and flat shoe encourages you NEVER to land on your heel.
Near where I live the joggers use a running track that is lined with wood chips. Super soft and most of the joggers run with bear feet. No shoes. It's a pity there arn't more of said tracks around. I suppose it can be a bit boring though running around in circles...
Listen to the DodgyKen dude - him and I share a common interest in natural running and have run a bunch of trails and mountain paths as well as woodland and sidewalk courses together.
My favorite shoes are the Inov 195s , I have 3 pairs of them for general running, casual wear and Crossfit.
If you're running woodland or gentle trails, I'd recommend the Inov X-Talon 190 . More serious trails (especially snow covered ones or off-trail), the Inov Mudclaw 333 (or earlier 330 model) is as solid as you can get without resorting to a heavier duty sole, but they're too chunky if you get to concrete surfaces without snow or mud.
When I get a choice, I'd recommend Luna Sandals . My favorites are the Leadville or Equus . Running in sandals is about as natural as you can get without actually running properly barefoot. Your whole foot spreads more naturally without physical constraints and it's the easiest way to run in the correct Pose style.
If you'd like some help running in Pose style, check out Hillseeker's courses which he runs in Zürich, the next sessions start May 30 at the Saalsporthalle opposite SihlCity. Coach Jeff is the best there is if you're looking to start running properly and avoid all those niggling injuries associated with poor running styles like heel-striking.
I recently purchased a pair of Vibram FiveFingers (Bikila LS model) and I love them. I have been building up the distance gradually because your calf muscles ache a lot more than they do with normal running, but yesterday I managed 15km. I have also tried going completely barefoot a few times.
Newton Running make an interesting guidance trainer called the Newton Sir Isaac and these are meant to help you transition from heel striking to more efficient midfoot striking. I also run in these whenever I am not running barefoot or in my VFFs.
I've been barefoot running for just on two years now, starting with no shoes, and then moving to minimalist shoes for winter. One thing I have to say is that you need to start gradually - perhaps take your normal shoes with you in a backpack at first. You run differently, typically landing more on the ball of your foot, and then using the muscles and tendons in the foot and calf to absorb the impact so that the heel plant is much softer. This does mean that your feet and calves work much harder than if you are wearing shoes with padded soles, and you need to build them up. Here are some links that could be useful:-
All sorts. I run with the Hash House Harriers, and we typically start of in town next to a tram stop or station, but then most often end up in forest or riverside runs. Zürich is very compact, and we are often in the countryside within about 10 minutes of starting. Last couple of months, it's been on snow, and up in the surrounding hills. I'm using a pair of minimalist shoes specific for this kind of weather, and they're fine as long as you keep moving. I might go back to a bit of no-shoe running in the summer, but shall stick to smoother surfaces for that - I know that a lot of hard-core barefoot runners in the USA do pretty rough terrain, and if you look in the video links posted earlier, you will see that there is snow on the ground when Dan Lieberman is running.