Any other Barefooters out there? - Page 35

[sweetpeppers]

I don't like five fingers. They feel weird. I don't like having my toes separated. But what I love to do in the winter is to buy sheepskin boots (used off ebay), and slice off most of the sole with my bandsaw, so they are soft soled boots! You could probably do this with any shoe too.

[Magelet]

sooooo... I guess this isn't really a "barefoot" question, but it's sort of related.  I have to wear shoes at work (work in a commercial kitchen) and am thinking about going to nursing school (where I would also need shoes, and be on my feet all day.)  I have danskos, which did help with my lower back pain from standing all day, but I beleive the heel (it's not that big, but it's significant) is causing me problems, and also how firm the shoe is.

Does anyone have any suggustions for shoes that are sturdy tops (the vibrams wouldn't protect against hot spills, knives, needles, or blood), good for standing in all day, and no heel?  preferably something close to barefoot as possible.  any other otherwise barefoot cooks or nurses?

[tsfairy]

Vivo's would fit the bill. They have a wide toebox and very thin flat sole (with a removable foam insert.)  Some of the styles have a stiff leather upper. 

Originally Posted by Magelet 

sooooo... I guess this isn't really a "barefoot" question, but it's sort of related.  I have to wear shoes at work (work in a commercial kitchen) and am thinking about going to nursing school (where I would also need shoes, and be on my feet all day.)  I have danskos, which did help with my lower back pain from standing all day, but I beleive the heel (it's not that big, but it's significant) is causing me problems, and also how firm the shoe is.

Does anyone have any suggustions for shoes that are sturdy tops (the vibrams wouldn't protect against hot spills, knives, needles, or blood), good for standing in all day, and no heel?  preferably something close to barefoot as possible.  any other otherwise barefoot cooks or nurses?

[Toolip]

most nurses and kitchen workers that I know wear crocks

[A_Random_Phrase]

Wouldn't real earth shoes or birkenstocks have shoes that would do this?

[a13xandra]

Hello, I'm new to Mothering.com, and this is my first post, but I'm not new to barefooting.  I'm an everyday everywhere barefooter, and have been a member of the Society for Barefoot Living since 2004.  I even named my business Earthshod.com to celebrate bare feet.  If anyone lives near me in Renton, Washington state and wants to hang out with another barefoot mama, I'm happy to make friends.  There used to be a barefoot hiking group around here, but I think we all got lazy!  Now to figure out my Mothering.com profile so that I can make sure people who see this post can somehow contact me.

[A_Random_Phrase]

Well, I have finally read through post 532. There is so much info in this thread! I've been wearing socks to get my feet readjusted to being barefoot. I don't know if I'd dare go completely barefoot, but I was at Walmart with my sil a couple of days ago and my lower back was hurting, so I took my shoes off and walked barefoot until my feet got cold (I was surprised that their floor was cold). It sure helped my back feel better.

It's so awesome to read how many foot problems went away because of going barefoot. Also, I love the idea of barefoot sandals. They look so simple to make. Someone mentioned making their own shoes on this thread. I would sure like to know how to do that. I did come across a website about doing that, but they were regular-type shoes, though I did come across instructions about making your own out of cardboard and duct tape, good if you don't mind something between your toes (like flip-flops). I, personally, don't care for them.

Around here, it's the cold after dark in the winter and the hot summers during the day that would make it difficult to go barefoot all year round, but I'm game to go as far as I can.

Thanks for this great thread and all of the priceless info, links, etc.

[A_Random_Phrase]

When I said I “wore shoes”, I meant mostly sandals. Shoes bother me very much – too loose in the heel and they squeeze my toes “to death”. For years, I wore sandals in the winter when I lived in a place that snowed, sometimes pretty bad. My feet were mostly fine, but I got tired of having cold feet when it was slushy snowy (I gave in to peer pressure at church, I guess), and was able to get some flat boots from Land's End. Where I live now, though, I'd have to get used to the meltingly hot summers.

When I was a child, I lived in a hot place and moved farther north. I thought it was so strange that the children who lived near me couldn't handle pavement as hot as I could. I would show off, thinking they were wimps. I was used to going barefoot in temps over a hundred degrees farenheit (but no longer).

[A_Random_Phrase]

I hate to keep making new posts, but the site won't let me edit.

Anyway, this link might be interesting. The photo of shoes painted on feet is pretty interesting. At first, I thought they were selling toe-shoes. http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/

[AuNaturaleMama]

A funny little story:

My sister and I grew up in Mississippi and were barefoot 95% of the time. We ran up and down our long gravel driveway like it was carpeting. When I moved to CT in high school at least ten times a day for the first month of school someone would ask me if people wore shoes where I came from. I answered as truthfully as I could and said " of course they wear shoes but I don't. Barefoot is much more fun!"

It was kinda my "thing" to take my shoes off as soon as I sat down in my seat. I even spent most of my time in the photography darkroom wandering around barefoot.

[bcblondie]

Oh hey! A more recent barefoot thread. Can I join? I'm new to this whole concept but I love it already.

I walk around in socks all day at home and my feet don't get sore. Do you think that's just the socks/carpeting? Once I get over this cough I'm going to start running barefoot. :)

I'd definitely like to learn how to make my own minimalist shoes. My googling hasn't given me much.

[A_Random_Phrase]

bcblondie, I think the socks protect the feet. I'm getting back into barefoot living and I find that wearing socks is making the transition easier.

[bcblondie]

Yeah I've always been a "socks inside the house" type of person. My feet get cold and I hate when crumbs stick to them lol. I don't think socks ruin our walking. :)

I love that painted-on shoe. I saw in my running forum, a guy had a picture of his running sandals. I was going to ask what kind they were until I clicked to enlarge and realized they were drawn on with a sharpie. LOL. Totally going to draw on flip flops to trick the eye, if I go somewhere I'm scared someone will comment.

[bcblondie]

This!!! I have this problem!! I thought it was just me and my very thin (not flat but thin) foot. I always feel like I'm straining in some way to keep them on. Def gonna get some ballet shoes...

On a related note, I went grocery shopping in my socks today. LOL. Don't think anyone noticed or cared. I thought my socks would be black after but they weren't. :) Floor was cold in the frozen aisle though. lol.

I also find it interesting what shoes other barefooters choose for their must-be-shod occasions. e.g. A few people have mentioned flip flops, but I can't stand flip flops. To keep them on, one must use their toe muscles in a certain way, usually not with any conscious effort. The constant use of those muscles the entire time the thing is on my foot causes me a lot of pain in a very short period of time. I would rather wear a regular shoe, which doesn't cause that strain.

 

[A_Random_Phrase]

Stores can be pretty cold. The socks I wear for outside and such are white, so they stand out. I thought about getting some black ones. I think the darker colors aren't noticed by people as not being shoes.

I have the same feeling about flip-flops. When I was a kid, the center part that goes between one's toes gave me blisters every spring. I thought that it just had to be that way, unless I was going barefoot (which I did a lot). Much later, I realized that I had to tense my toes to keep the things on. I'd prefer socks.

I think it would be fun to have someone paint shoes on me. I don't have confidence that ones I painted would look real. It would be great!

[bcblondie]

Yeah I feel like if someone realized those painted on or fake sandal things weren't real shoes I'd look extra stupid. Like if you're gonna go barefoot just OWN it. Dont' be afraid or ashamed. But at the same time I understand that most people just want to avoid confrontation.

[A_Random_Phrase]

Originally Posted by bcblondie 

Yeah I feel like if someone realized those painted on or fake sandal things weren't real shoes I'd look extra stupid.

Exactly! Though if it were an outside activity, like a town's Fourth of July celebration or something, I could just laugh it off as something fun.

[a13xandra]

When I was first starting to be a full time barefooter, I was really anxious about confrontation as well, and had quite the selection of barefoot sandals.  But over time I got used to it, and the cold crumb-covered floors as well.  Now my feet don't feel any colder than my face when I'm out and about, and I'm shocked when anybody confronts me, but I feel more bad for them than for me!  My advice to y'all, if you're afraid of confrontation, is to just carry some flip-flops secretly in a purse and go boldly barefoot with a big smile on your face to anyone who looks your way.  That way, if you are confronted, you can hastily end it by producing the flip-flops and donning them, however, you'll find out just how rare such confrontations are. In doing so, you'll get used to barefooting and start developing more confidence if somebody eventually does confront you.

Incidentally, I'm writing a book about spirituality and barefooting, so if any barefooters here have a spiritual component to their practice and are willing to sign a document so that I can quote you in my book, shoot me an email or a message so that I can ask you some questions. alexandra @ earthshod . com

[mosomers]

This is an old thread, but if any of you are still reading it, maybe you can help me out. Barefooting sounds great to me--right up my alley as far as idealism goes. The problem is that I like how shoes feel! I hate walking in my kitchen which is always in need of a sweeping and having crumbs stick to my feet; I hate walking outside and having gravel and rocks jab me (part of the reason I'd like to go barefoot more--toughen them up!); shoes keep my feet warm; I hike a lot; it snows here and I hate the cold; I could go on, I'm sure. So my questions is, how can I break free of my shoe dependence and embrace the crunchiness of going barefoot?

[a13xandra]

@mosomers - Well, after reading your love of shoes, you may not want to, and that's okay!  We all wear gloves when we want to, also, not because we have to.  You can just have an open mind about barefooting and assess as  you go, checking in with yourself when you see a beach full of soft sand, or a lawn of soft grass to see if it is time to free your feet. 

If you are determined to push your boundaries though, I'd suggest starting by just giving yourself a few minutes a day to be barefoot.  Switch it up a little, so that maybe your minutes one day are just on your couch in a warm blanket, while your minutes another day are scampering out to the mailbox in the rain!  Your feet will get a little more tough than they are, and your brain will be less shocked at interesting new sensations.  You may even begin to enjoy the intense massage of the gravel, or the delicate crunch and invigorating chill of the snow someday.