Al Gauthier
Jambu Bath-Barefoot Review
As a minimalist shoe reviewer, it is wonderful when we’re given the opportunity to review multiple products from the same manufacturer and extremely validating when the shoes improve over time. This is the case with Jambu products. The first Jambu shoe Living Barefoot reviewed was the Barefoot Vegan and I found it to be somewhat narrow in design and included a truly non-minimalist insole. The latest Jambu shoe provided for review has a much wider, more comfortable fit and the insole design has been updated and improved as well. The result is that the Jambu Bath-Barefoot is an attractive and comfortable leather casual sandal fit for any spring or summer urban adventure.
VIVOBAREFOOT Achilles Review
There are few truly minimalist women’s sandals on the market with decent ground feel if you’re looking for more than a piece of rubber underfoot and the Achilles delivers with plenty of proprioception. Although I don’t find them that comfortable for my feet for long periods, that doesn’t mean they won’t be my go-to, slip-on sandals for short trips this spring and summer. They’re more than comfortable enough for quick trips to the store, lunch with a friend, or other places you wouldn’t want to go barefoot and want to wear a light, airy sandal. They are well worth their price in versatility and durability. If you love their unique style, which reminds me of a futuristic flip flop, they’re well worth a try. I do, however, highly recommend trying them on before you buy them so you know they work for you and your feet.
VIVOBAREFOOT Aqua Lite Review
VIVOBAREFOOT has grown over the past two years from an innovative company producing great footwear to an innovative company producing some of the best minimalist footwear available. The Aqua has evolved into a refined, stylish, versatile, and comfortable shoe. Another winner from VIVOBAREFOOT!
Vibram Fivefingers Trek LS Review
Overall the Fivefingers LS is a great looking, functional, fun, breathable, and comfortable Fivefingers option. It’s difficult to judge if the leather between the toes is an issue that is unique to our sample pair, or if the issue is more widespread. In an online search, I was unable to find anyone else who had the same complaint, but I must review the product as I experience it. As with all Fivefingers shoes, the best way to purchase them is to try them on first, or buy from a retailer who offers a good return option.
New Balance Minimus Trail Zero Review
The Minimus Trail Zero is the best minimalist shoe NB has made to date and the best model so far of the big brand shoe companies’ forays into minimalist shoe design. I doubt this level of greatness could have been reached without the lessons learned from their original Minimus models released in previous seasons. The Minimus Trail Zero is beyond lightweight, exceptionally wide, fantastically flexible with great ground feel. The futuristic style and materials make for an eye-catching shoe. Although perhaps not well suited for extreme trail terrain, they work well on light trail and incredibly well on road. NB has reset the bar for minimalist running shoes and I can only hope the other big brand shoe companies take note and follow suit. Congratulations New Balance!
The Living Barefoot Show Episode 44: An Interview with Asher Clark and Lee Saxby
We interview Lee Saxby and Asher Clark.
Asher Clark, the head designer at Terra Plana and Vivobarefoot, tells us about his career path, shoe design, and gives some hints about the product we can expect in the coming months and even years. Lee faces a challenging question about whether Vivobarefoot training clinics are a conflict of interest. We discuss recent Harvard study results and the effects these results have on both Lee and Asher’s work. See and Asher give their predictions for the future. Join us for this frank and interesting interview.
Vibram Fivefingers Bikila LS Review
Review of the Vibram FiveFingers Bikila LS – The Evolution of Toe Shoes By Al Gauthier No other shoe company has developed such a loyal following or developed such an iconic brand as Vibram FiveFingers. They started with a few employees years ago and have turned into an incredible success with a large team [...]
The Living Barefoot Show – Barefoot Banter ::Session 3::
We explore: the loose use of the word “Barefoot”, whether kids should be allowed to go to school barefoot, and the settlement against Reebok for False Advertising.
‘Toe Girl’ Tina’s Barefoot Alternative Adventures: New Barefoot and Minimalist Running Research
‘Toe Girl’ Tina’s Barefoot Alternative Adventures: New Barefoot and Minimalist Running Research: “New Barefoot and Minimalist Running Research Two new papers have been ePublished ahead of printing in the Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise journal out of Dr. Daniel Lieberman’s lab at Harvard University. Effects of Footwear and Strike Type on Running Economy [...]
We Interview Adam Janke on The Living Barefoot Show
Adam shares his view as a Pedorthist on barefoot running and the transition process from running in traditional shoes to barefoot running and running in minimalist footwear.
VIVOBAREFOOT Off Road Mid Men’s Boot
VIVOBAREFOOT has brought us some amazing shoes this year. Anyone looking to fill every niche with a VIVOBAREFOOT product, the Off Road Mid boots come close to being a great fit. There is, disappointingly, some room for additional improvements to make these boots great. A wider last would be first on my list of improvements, especially given the width of the typical VIVOBAREFOOT shoe. A repeat VIVOBAREFOOT customer might be surprised to find such a narrow fit. A slightly more flexible upper would allow a more natural fit and more comfortable movement.
Best Shoe of 2011 – By Living Barefoot
Made from ultra-light materials, the Ultra feels as though it is barely there – a great feature for a true minimalist product. The included insert, combined with the hole-filled upper allows the wearer to use the ultra in situations that range from the wettest river crossing to the hottest desert day. You have complete control over the warmth and protection you need – all in one shoe. They wide, flat, and ultra flexible. They even have fantastic ground feel.
Great VIVOBAREFOOT Holiday Packages – Great Deal with Free Shipping!
Great VIVOBAREFOOT Holiday Packages – Great Deal with Free Shipping! VIVOBAREFOOT is offering a great package for anyone interested in barefoot activity. They are offering two exclusive holiday packages, available for a limited time. [...]
Barefoot Banter: Session 2
What are our responsibilities as barefooters? Do we have a responsibility as “ambassadors”? How to respond to comments and questions made by the public. Strike patterns – how do they differ between barefooters and minimalist shoe wearers. Defining the word “minimalist”. What are the benefits and difficulties of creating a standard definition. Is the loose use of the word “barefoot” causing problems?
Stem Footwear Survival Origins (Women) Review
Review of the Stem Footwear Survival Origins – A Comfortable, Casual Lace up for Any Woman By Tina Dubois We had the opportunity of getting a sneak peek at Stem footwear during their pre-production development. Now that their development is complete and the first pairs of production shoes are rolling out, we’ve been given the [...]
We Interview Inov-8 on The Living Barefoot Show
An Interview with Gina Lucrezi, representative from Inov-8 Tina interviews Gina about the Inov-8 lineup of minimalist shoes. Learn the Inov-8 phillosophy behind minimalist products as well as more about what is currently on offer and what is coming up! Learn a little about about Inov-8 products from the [...]
Eddie Izzard planning 1,100-mile barefoot run through Africa – mirror.co.uk
I just read this article: Eddie Izzard planning 1,100-mile barefoot run through Africa – mirror.co.uk While I commend Eddie for his enthusiasm, I want to be sure that I clearly communicate my perspective on this type of barefoot running. Let’s step back. Eddie has decided that he is going to run barefoot through Africa, a distance [...]
VIVOBAREFOOT and Terra Plana going their separate ways!
VIVOBAREFOOT Just released the following statement: This is to announce that Terra Plana and VIVOBAREFOOT are going their separate ways. For the foreseeable future terraplana.com will be re-directed to vivobarefoot.com. Terra Plana created VIVOBAREFOOT in 2003, and over the years many iterations of the barefoot shoe revolution have been developed. Today the VIVOBAREFOOT patented, ultra-thin, [...]
The Living Barefoot Show – Introducing: Barefoot Banter
Barefoot Banter – Episode 1 Episode 39 Originally released November 2nd 2011 Join us in this exciting new show format – our very first Barefoot Banter episode! A new and exciting addition to The Living Barefoot Show, Barefoot Banter is a casual sharing of ideas and important topics between [...]
The Living Barefoot Show: Learn about the New adidas Adipure Trainer
We interview Michael and find out about the purpose of the new five-toed adidas training shoe. Aimed at professional athletes, the Adipure Trainer is the first adidas product that enteres the minimalist market in our definition. Learn about the shoe, it’s uses, and the future of the Adipure lineup.
Review: New Balance Minimus Road
It is very difficult to know where to place any shoe that falls into the transitional category. The New Balance Minimus is a high quality shoe that is on the right path towards a minimalist product but with key features missing all together. There is significant debate among manufacturers, researchers, and bloggers about the need or usefulness of a transitional product. Some feel they are an important step and may help to avoid injury; others believe they are a pointless product designed to pull more money out of the pockets of trend followers.
Review: GoLite Tara Lite
The GoLites Tara Lite is a shoe we have been asked to review by a number of our readers and so, while this is not a minimalist product to our definition, we are reviewing it specifically for our readers. The Tara Lites is a fascinating product whose purpose is one that we don’t understand. It is a performance product with some unique features, one in particular that has never been seen in an enclosed shoe to our knowledge. The shoe’s concept is that of a sandal with a “second skin stretch upper”. In other words, the shoe is based around a thong sandal, one that has an upper and a protective toe guard. A strapping system provides more refined fit. Is this a viable design? Read on…
Review: New Balance Minimus Trail
The Minimus Trail is a good all-round shoe designed for light trail activity and everyday use. Designed for narrow to mid-width feet, the fit is snug yet the toes have ample room for natural movement. The strapping system desperately needs adjustment points for versatility, but so long as your foot feels snug and comfortable inside the Trail, these seem to be a good choice.
Review: VIVOBAREFOOT Ra – Perhaps the Perfect Minimalist / Barefoot Dress Shoe
VIVOBAREFOOT has grown over the past two years from an innovative company producing great footwear to an innovative company producing some of the best minimalist footwear available. The quality, style, and comfort of these shoes is top-notch and indicative of the exciting things to come from VIVOBAREFOOT. These stylish business appropriate shoes not only tick all the boxes but do so with the refined quality of a company who really knows what they are doing and where they are going. If you suffer at work, don’t waste any time and get your feet into a pair of these great shoes! They are, after all, the only truly minimalist business appropriate men’s oxford. Finally someone has filled this niche, and filled it well. READ MORE…
Steve Jobs is Dead
This may be the only post that I ever write that is so completely off-topic. The death of Steve Jobs can not go unmentioned. For me he has been one of the most significant figures in life. When I first fell in love with computers, it was on a Mac Plus back in 1987. Over [...]
Barefoot or Minimalist Running: Not as Simple as Ditching your Cushioned Shoes
Barefoot or Minimalist Running: Not as Simple as Ditching your Cushioned Shoes by Tina Dubois Barefoot and minimalist shoe running is gaining increasing attention from the media and runners alike but is it as simple as ditching your shoes completely or switching to a minimalist shoe with no [...]
Review Merrell Sonic Glove
Merrell Sonic Glove Shoe Review By Al Gauthier Interestingly, this shoe is almost identical to the Trail Glove except for a switch of the upper material and some small adjustments to the last. With a side-by-side comparison, and thorough testing, we could find few difference in the performance of the Sonic other than the waterproof nature of the Sonic’s upper [...]
Reebok to Pay $25 Million in Refunds to Consumers
Reebok International Ltd. has reportedly agreed to pay $25 million in refunds to consumers to settle allegations by the Federal Trade Commission that the company falsely claimed that its toning shoes and other products strengthened muscles. What’s the take-home message from this? Understand why you buy the things you buy before you buy them! READ MORE…
The 6 Key Features of a Minimalist / Barefoot Shoe
Minimalist / barefoot shoes are now being made by most of the major performance brands. How do you know what is really a minimalist shoe and what is just marketing? There are 6 key features to look for. If the shoe you are looking at doesn’t have all 6, then it’s not a minimalist shoe.
RUNNERS WANTED FOR RESEARCH STUDY
RUNNERS WANTED FOR RESEARCH STUDY THE EFFECT OF HABITUAL BAREFOOT RUNNING ON THREE DIMENSIONAL BIOMECHANICS AND OTHER PREDICTORS OF CHRONIC INJURY IN ENDURANCE RUNNING. We are looking for barefoot runners who are/have: 1) running barefoot or in a modified barefoot shoe at least 20km per week 2) free of orthopedic injury for at least 1 [...]
Review: Kigo Drive
Kigo has done a magnificent job of listening to customers and reinventing an already good product into an excellent product. These are excellent every day shoes with a wide last and a loose fit. They are well made and look great too. They provide good grip while providing good ground feel and natural movement with a thin and flexible sole. Rather than providing another technical performance product, Kigo has managed to make a shoe that is perfect for the everyday. Put on a pair of stylish Kigos. READ MORE
We are Looking For SoundBytes! Want to be Famous?
We are looking for short SoundBytes from you!!! Yes YOU! Really! If you listen to The Living Barefoot Show, or read our site, we want to hear from you. Call our Toll Free Line (Us and Canada) +1 877 888 3518 and record a quick message. We want to hear: – What you think [...]
We Interview Damien Tougas, Blogger, Owner of ToeSalad, Barefoot Hiker – Listen Now!
Damien was our first guest on The Living Barefoot Show in 2009! We welcome Damien back to see what he’s been up to – and he has been busy. Damien has started a review site called ToeSalad.com and continues to share his experiences on his personal blog. Damien loves the outdoors and joins us today to give us his perspective on proper barefoot technique while Hiking.
Review: TheShu by AnabelFitness
There are many wonderful minimalist products that are comfortable and functional that I would recommend above these shoes. It should be noted that when The Shu contacted us, we were very clear that we did not guarantee that we would provide a positive review. We gave them every opportunity to read our reviews to determine whether this product fit well in terms of the type of footwear we tend to recommend. We do not go looking for product to review poorly, but we are happy to review products at the request of a company that fit into the minimalist category. These shoes could be a great idea with a serious redesign. They would need to be shaped like a foot and have a better fit overall. A comfortable, ultra light and compact shoe would be great if function followed form.
Vibram Fivefingers are getting more and more popular with Hollywood!
When you have Danny Glover attending an awards ceremony in Fivefingers you know that your product has hit a new level of cool – as if that’s really news anymore! Still, these wonderful but funny looking shoes would have never made it into the public eye like this years ago so it’s great to see [...]
New Balance is Releasing a Zero Drop Minimalist Shoe – Finally!
It will come as no surprise to all of you that New Balance is releasing a zero-drop version of the Minimus line of shoes called the Minimus Zero!. As New Balance says itself “Zero wouldn’t have been possible without the first round of NB Minimus product. “We definitely learned a lot in the process of [...]
Adidas Joins the Minimalist Shoe / Barefoot Shoe Club – Releases The adiPure Trainer
In a surprise move Adidas has created their own version of “toe-shoes”. Looking similar to Vibram Fivefingers and Fila Skeletoes the Adidas adiPure is a 5-toed minimal shoe designed not for running but specifically for training in the gym. We love seeing what people come up with to get into the barefoot shoe / minimalist [...]
Accidental Sneak Preview of Episode 37
Dear Fans of The Living Barefoot Show, Today we released our interview with Caity McCardell. But in a little technical glitch you might have downloaded our interview with Damien Tougas which isn’t going to be released until September 30th, 2011. We wouldn’t want anyone to miss our great interview with Caity however so here are [...]
Episode 36 – The Living Barefoot Show – We Interview Caity McCardell
Episode 36 – The Living Barefoot Show – We Interview Caity McCardell Caity McCardell is an athlete and a fellow podcaster. She is also a blogger and best of all, she is a strong female voice to help balance out all those men who seem to dominate the barefoot world. [...]
Living Barefoot Coaching Clinics Coming Up in Alberta
This article was originally published on: ‘Toe Girl’ Tina’s Barefoot Alternative Adventures http://toegirltina.blogspot.com/ Living Barefoot Coaching Clinics Coming Up in Alberta: “Calling all Alberta Barefoot/Minimalist Runners! I have a couple of Living Barefoot Coaching Introduction to Natural Running Clinics coming up this week in Calgary and Edmonton: MEC in Calgary on August 23, 2011 at [...]
Barefoot Running Instructors Map | Barefoot Runners Society
This article was originally published on: Barefoot Running Instructors Map | Barefoot Runners Society: “Barefoot Running Instructors Map Find a Barefoot Running Instructor near you.” (Read the full article here: Barefoot Running Instructors Map | Barefoot Runners Society)
Google Plus Invites
Al Gauthier of LIving Barefoot has some Googe+ invites to give away. Email us using our contact page if you want to join the fastest growing social network in history. It’s a great service and can only get better as more people use it. Join up!
Living Barefoot Coaching Clinic in Las Vegas
This article was originally published on: ‘Toe Girl’ Tina’s Barefoot Alternative Adventures http://toegirltina.blogspot.com/ Living Barefoot Coaching Clinic in Las Vegas: “Earlier this week, I held my first ever international Living Barefoot Coaching Clinic in Las Vegas, USA. The staff at REI Las Vegas-Boca Park were fantastic: so friendly and helpful. The clinic was a small [...]
Spring 2012 Vibram FiveFingers
This article was originally published on: Vibram Five Fingers News, Reviews, and Fan Forums – Birthday Shoes http://birthdayshoes.com/ Spring 2012 Vibram FiveFingers: “ Birthday Shoes has once again done a great job of getting the scoop of things to come from Vibram FiveFingers. The Sprint 2012 collection is on feature here today. It must be [...]
Participate in a study to help Barefoot and Minimalist Running Research!
Participants needed for world first study! Through Murdoch University, Australia, we are conducting a world first: a pilot study on the injuries that occur in barefoot running. To be eligible for this study you: Must be over the age of 18 years old Run more than 80% of your weekly mileage in barefoot or minimalistic [...]
We Interview Steven Sashen – Owner of Invisible Shoes
We Interview Steven Sashen – Owner of Invisible Shoes Tina talks to Steven, owner and creator of Invisible Shoes, about his exciting new shoe design, barefoot running, and how he became involved in making minimalist running sandals. They talk about what a minimalist shoe should be defined as, [...]
Special Event – Meet Tina Dubois in Las Vegas – Introduction to Natural Running
Special Event – Meet Tina Dubois in Las Vegas – Introduction to Natural Running Introduction to Natural Running Coming to Las Vegas! A two-hour clinic introducing natural running form for experienced and non-experienced runners. Whether you want to run completely barefoot or in minimalist footwear, this clinic will teach [...]
Vibram (FiveFingers) Sues Fila (Skele-Toes) for Patent Infringement
This article was originally published on: Vibram Five Fingers News, Reviews, and Fan Forums – Birthday Shoes http://birthdayshoes.com/ Vibram (FiveFingers) Sues Fila (Skele-Toes) for Patent Infringement: “ Vibram (left), the originator of the FiveFingers toe shoes, has filed suit against Fila Skele-toes (right), a maker of a four-toed varietal of toe shoes that hit the [...]
Living Barefoot Coaching coming to Las Vegas
This article was originally published on: ‘Toe Girl’ Tina’s Barefoot Alternative Adventures http://toegirltina.blogspot.com/ Living Barefoot Coaching coming to Las Vegas: “What better way to travel is there than mixing business with pleasure? I’m going to Las Vegas in a few weeks for a friend’s wedding and thought it would be great if I could present [...]
We Interview Andrew Rademacher – Owner of Stem Footwear
Episode 34: We Interview Andrew Rademacher from Stem Footwear We interview Andrew Rademacher, owner and CEO of Stem Footwear. Learn about what’s coming from Stem Footwear in August 2011 and for 2012. 0 Hour, 17 Minutes, 49 Seconds
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