Barefoot or minimalist hiking?

[upnorth]

For serious hiking, you need footwear that will protect your feet. A twisted ankle or even a stubbed toe can ruin your hike. I prefer well broken-in leather boots, well waxed, with a good toe protection.

And I learned personally to get boots with good ankle support. After several days\weeks of picking my way through a jagged shoreline the ache began. No matter how careful I was, the varied rocks\boulders invariably turned my ankles, over and over again. No matter how confident you are of yourself, the extreme terrain will win eventually.

 

[Bob W]

My six-year-old has been wearing some kids-size "work" boots from WalMart for hiking. (Can't find any real hiking boots around here for kids.) The boots have been working well so far until... This week he stepped on a cholla branch and the needles went entirely through the boot sole into his foot.

So hike barefoot? Forget that.

 

[gadgetgeek]

I use my fivefingers for some stuff, did the spartan sprint in calgary in them. I like them, but they are not magic. Personally i wouldn't wear them on a heavy hike, but even my heavy boots give fairly good ground feel (I'm not a fan of fully rigid boots) I've done some scrambles in them that I would not have been able to do in boots, so they can be kinda good for that, but kicking things hurts like hell! I mostly use mine for beach fishing as they handle soft sand better than sandles (no boat anchor effect)
I think some folks get wrapped up in the barefoot "religion" and take it overboard. feet need some cushioning either from soft ground, or from shoes. walking on rocks all day is going to be hard on your feet, no matter who you are.
Use what you like, but don't feel like you can't change your opinion. I love my fivefingers but there are some times that they are just not practical.

as for climbing shoes, there are some that are flat enough to be alright for short hikes I guess. Mine are in the middle of the spectrum and they are fine for walking around the gym, but I'll take them off for long belay sessions. Mine don't curl in much, just clamp my toes together mostly, but there is a bit of curl to them.

 

[Outsoul]

I have put a solid effort in to wearing nothing or next to nothing on my feet.

Two years later and I love it. I wear boots in the winter, duh. Or when I fire up a chainsaw. Otherwise, I wear homemade sandals or nothing at all.

My muscles in my legs are well developed and my toes are as well. I like barefoot for a few reasons. I walk for pleasure and for wonder of the natural world, I like feeling the ground under my feet. Every squish, crunch, spongy spot, thorn, acorn, etc.

Barefoot is slower going than shod walking. I wouldn't say I watch the ground when moving, but my feet don't fall so much as they are placed in to steps. I regularly go through rough areas, gravel, broken glass, and it's navigable. You have to pay attention.

I encourage everyone to try it. With moderation, to start, and slowly ramp up.

Oh! I'm also finding my socks don't get soaked. And left over snow in the spring is highly entertaining.


You may all now consider me crazy. Carry on.

 

[sasha]

I done lots of hikes in my Vibram five fingers.. Pros- great feel of the trail or where you walk. I feel that on some trails where there are lots of cracks and the trail is not flat. I feel better as I don't twist the ankle, I can feel the ground before I put my weight all the way down. I can feel the burn in the calf at the end of the long hike. It seems that I walk very quietly as many time people cant hear me comming, Walking on the ball of the foot does it. I'm as flat footed as the come. It seems my foot don't hurt as much at the arches. Cons- big thing if you walk on a trail with rocks your feet would hurt bad at the end of a long hike. The worst are the small sharper rocks they are a killer after 5 -6 miles. I done over 10 miles with the max of 13 in them and I were limping back to the car. Wait till you have a bruised heel where the bruise is the size of a silver dollor with 4-5 miles hike back to the car. Sandy trails or trails with large flat rocks are cake walk.. If you go with a group you would find your self in the back of the group cause you walk slower then anyone else, Must watch where you put your foot down so you won't hurt your self. Mind you its not the one or two times you step on the sharp rock, Its all those sharp rocks you step over the 5-10 miles hike that would do you in. Also pay attention on how you walk. If you walk heel first you tend to walk faster then if you walk ball of the foot first. Also when its very cold outside your feet would get very cold. Oh yea don't forget if you wear them you would get the monkey feet thing often lol.. They tend to smell more. Great to pick flowers while you are walking. Flowers get stuck between your toes while walking so do twigs.
I love wearing my five fingers but I dont wear them on every hike, I pick and chose which hike I go with them.
besides all the nostaliga of going bare foot. There is a reason why when shoes are hard to get by they are always stolen first and held at high trade value when shoes are hard to get.. If I go backpacking it would be the hiking shoes/boots. Camp site I would put the vibram 5toes or for short hikes around the camp site they would be great.
There are also some models with 2mm soles and some with 4mm soles and the diffrence on how it feels on rough trails is huge..

Sasha

 

[ROCK6]

We just did the Merrell/Suburu Down & Dirty mud run (the 5k loop) and I wore my Merrells, my son wore his Vibram Five-Fingers and my wife was wearing her New Balance minimalist runners. We had a great time, and there was a portion of the route that was all rock...my Merrells allowed me to haul-butt and actually sprint across the rock. I really didn't notice the rocks on the trail, but you do have to make sure you miss the big ones. Another good aspect is that I did the last couple miles with my Merrells wet, and no issues at all. Very pleased...

ROCK6