Tag Archives: Barefoot

Minimalistic shoes part 7: Vibram FiveFingers Bikila

Henri Henell | August 25, 2011 - 11:56 am

Despite the negative writing on VFF Classic earlier, I have almost falling in love to my Vibram FiveFingers Bikila. VFF Bikila suits to my foot like a glove in the hand. My lovely wife dig it’s too (not mine, but her own pair of Bikilas)

But now back to my experience with VFF Bikila:

Comparing the press with Classic: No press at all – seam fits better, and the Bikila feels more like glove in my feet (Classic is like cabriolet in the rainy weather).

One good point to VFF is that shoe is washable and airdries pretty fast (washing in the evening and morning I can wear the shoe).

Bikila has been pretty good shoe to my training in those times when I’m not barefoot. It doesn’t inhibit a lot of the movements on my feet. Still it’s lacking flexibility downwards on toes (in Women Jaya LR, which my wife also has – have a pretty good flexibilty also “downwards” with toes).

Outdoorliving and spesially on the beach I prefer Bikila a lot. It doesn’t matter if you go to water or stay on land – the feeling is good. With swimming Bikila be little heavy – but not so much than “regular shoe”. And when you do water-activity you don’t feel that Bikila will go off your feet.

Pros:

  • Suitable
  • Washable
  • Trainable
  • “beachable”
  • fancy color
Cons:
  • Sweaty – need regular washing
  • Lack of groundfeeling
  • Too thick sole
  • Not enough flexible downwards from toes
  • fancy color (not suitable to everyone)
Posted in Barefooting, Training | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Minimalistic shoes part 6: Feelmax Kuusaa

Henri Henell | June 16, 2011 - 8:39 am

In this part 6 of minimalistic shoes, I’m telling about  Feelmax Kuusaa.

…Feelmax Kuusaa is more like slipper than a shoe and I have used it mostly as “casual” occasions than  in training – It is really easy to spark my foot in and go – and when I’m using it longer time I put the heel up.

It has also the newer 1.1 mm Contitech outersole – very durable – and flexible. Over part is «mesh» which would believe to breath good, but I feel really fast sweaty with Feelmax Kuusaa – I mostly not use socks on my feet, while I’m using Feelmax Kuusaa.

Feelmax Kuusaa  has a «knob» with rubber band – which you can make shoe to fit better – I don’t personally use this rubber band and “knob” – and I feel it’s a little on way, while I’m training.

… The knob is on way – especially when sitting on my ankle… and pressing my foot.

Shoe is really light – easy to put on and take off… you can actually put it in your pocket and wear it when you are not allowed to be barefoot.

Pros:

  • light
  • durable
  • relatively good ground feeling
  • easy to put on and take off
  • casual – can use the places where is not allowed to be barefoot
  • easy to carry with

Cons:

  • sweaty – I wash it in the machine.
  • The knob is on way while training
Posted in Barefooting | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Running barefoot – My way…

Henri Henell | May 13, 2011 - 5:51 am

This is a summary on my travel and interest to barefoot living.

Running barefoot – I should maybe wrote “running”, because I’m not very keen on running at all… more like average Joe, who runs in a while – then it might go long time not to run at all – couch-potato? Oh, no – not at all. I train every single day and keep me fit – but purely running has never been the major thing to me.

Running barefoot – or generally barefooting (including using minimalistic footwear) – has been a huge interest to me last couple of years – so, do I feel myself quite a rookie on this area, oh no, no at all…

It’s time to take little flashback to my journey with barefooting.

First Steps…baby steps

… As physiotherapist since 1996 I have had a big interest on feet – the major base – actually two bases:  right and left foot -  which carry us and secure contact to the ground (most of the time… hopefully).

At school, I  took extra courses about the feet – and interest has been there since that time – more or less latent during my career

Darkness or at least little bit shady…

The interest to shoes increased a new amounts in 2005. I was in one seminar and saw MBT-shoes at the first time – LOL, that looked like strange… I got the chance to try these shoes – I was feeling like a seasick, but somehow it felt good in the funny way – when I put my regular shoes on my feet again – I felt like a go on concrete barefoot!!! And it hurt like a… This was not right – how come these rare shoes could feel so good to have on my feet … I started to sell MBT-shoes and used those daily coming four years.

Footbalance orthotics

 

Couple of years later I invested in Footbalance machine to make insoles – to tune up shoes individual. Luckily insoles were/is functional (what ever that mean). It should not inhabit movement to feet and allow activity with muscles… actually – good alter to those who use regular shoes ;-) .

After I have often thought my choices:

* MBT-shoes should remind us to go barefoot? Why use them – just take them off and go bare foot!

* Footbalance insoles: What is normal  foot ? what’s not, when and why not let the nature form our feet? – do we really need insoles?

See the light...

Feelmax Panka

The biggest thing happened in the Summer 2009, when a friend of mine was visiting me. He had Feelmax Panka shoes – and I tried those! Oh, my holy cow – what a hack of the shoe this was. My training with CST (Circular Strength Training) needs a lot of free movements on my feet – every single shoe I had tried was on my way – and when I tried train outdoors barefoot – I had to concentrate all feelings from my feet and couldn’t keep the focus on training. But Feelmax Panka allowed me to train without inhibition! I got my pair of Panka same Summer (and actually I’m still using that same pair of the Feelmax Panka)…That was a huge turning point on my life… Autumn 2009 I did 8 hours hike on the mountains (1500 m over sea level) with my Panka – and that experience reinforced  my believe to barefooting/minimal footwear.

“IT HAS TO BE MORE NATURAL NOT TO USE SHOES THAN USE SHOES!!!”


I started to surf on net and found out more about barefooting – commented on forums around the world and here in Norway. At Spring 2010 I was with a seminar here in Norway as “barefooter” – lot’s of media writing about me and my journey – my plan was to “spring totally barefoot in Summer 2010″… how I have manage that?

Well, changes happens not so fast – I run with my Panka and Osma (which shoe I’m also using at my Floorball training).. and couple of tours totally barefoot – Okay, Panka has 1 mm sole, but the difference to take off that 1 mm was huge!!! I managed to ran on concrete 2 km (1,25 miles)… when normally running 10 km (6,25) with Panka was no problem at all!

What now…

I feel that barefoot running has something right – actually a lot of right. Here in Norway we have four seasons and in the Winter time I have used Feelmax Kuuva (nowadays retired) and VivoBarefoot Aqua and VFF Bikila (review on writingdesk)…

My interest has been bigger and I have found more good information and made new friends like Dr.James Stoxen and his Human Spring Approach and Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton for a mention someone.

Luckily weather has been better and now it’s easily  to go barefoot. Our culture don’t  accept to go barefoot everywhere and that’s why I’m using minimalistic footwear (when it’s needed). Lately I have not run at all – trained a lot with kettlebells, clubbells and my own bodyweight, but I feel like start to run a bit more – good motivation is the newest book I got on a while a go: Barefoot Running Step by Step by Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton… maybe this is the next big step what I need to be more barefooter?

Posted in Barefooting, Training | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Minimalistic Shoes Part 4: Feelmax Kuuva

Henri Henell | January 23, 2011 - 8:52 am

Feelmax Kuuva is one of the minimalistic shoes which I have used most. I got pair of Kuuva in the early Autumn 2009. It looks like no-typical minimalistic shoe, more like a boots, but it fills all requirements to be called  a minimalistic shoe. Kuuva is incredibly comfortable. The lining is soft and the minimal padding is located in just the right places. The laces allows you to adjust tightness as you like.

Properties: Waterproof, 2.1 mm rubber sole (like Feelmax Osma) – co-operated with Continental, Light on weight – only 223 gram, colour  brown, thin insole, which is glued on toes – easy to remove. No arch support.

Use:

In the Summer time – I’m not use Feelmax Kuuva so often – I prefer other kind of minimalistic shoes – but when it’s raining,  I might take Kuuva despite of rubber boots.

At Winter/Autumn/Spring… when weather gets colder or it’s not warm enough -  I start to use Kuuva in my daily living. I still can feel the ground, as I do with other minimalistic shoes I ware – or those times when I’m unshod.

At the first time, when I was using Kuuva in the snow, I had my concerns about “coming cold-freezy-experience”, but to my big surprise: I didn’t froze with Kuuva more than any prefer winter shoe I used to wear. When I am standing – I naturally feel the cold ground on my feet, and standing long enough, I start to freeze – but the biggest differ with “casual-winter-shoes” is, when I start to go again – I get warm in my toes really fast… and the simple reason for that is: I’m using my muscles on my feet and circulation starts immediately, and feet feels warm again.  This phenomena I have never experienced with any other winter-shoes. The only way to get rid of freezing in feet and toes is to go inside. During the winter and the coldest -10 of Celsius and under, I use wool sole inside the Kuuva to keep my feet warmer – it works great.

One thing which surprised me was the grip – Kuuva has incredible grip on any surfaces! I have tested in different kind of underground and I have to say – the grip is better than any other shoes I have wear ever.

Durability:  After 1.5 year use!!!

Plus:
* Light
* Barefoot feeling
* Waterproof
* Durable
* Grip
* Flexible – suits also on training

Concerns:
* I’m not the biggest fan of the color … good gossip – it will be only in black 2011!!

On this video you can see Feelmax Kuuva in daily use.

Posted in Barefooting, Training | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Minimalistic shoes part 3: Feelmax Osma

Henri Henell | January 6, 2011 - 10:23 am

Barefoot running has lately grown to be as cool just like any millenia-old activity can be. The best-selling new book “Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super athletes, plus the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen” gave the action feet, featuring its representation with the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico striding easily all day not using shoes or in light-weight sandals.

Up until now, barefoot runners would discover shoes created for other functions and choose them for running, but there are now a couple of companies producing shoes specifically made barefoot runners. One of the shoe which I have tested during last year is Feelmax Osma.

Feelmax Osma with 2.1 mm outersole and 120 g weight is the minimal running shoe I like and  that still looks like shoe styling without extra weight or sacrificing performance.  The upper is really lightweight and breathable.  The shoe fits on the foot, and with lacing you can control the snugness.

I’m not any “running – maniac”, more like hobby-runner… Sometimes it might go weeks without runningtour – and an other week 3 – 4 small tour “on the road”. Comparing to Panka and running – I prefer absolutely Osma. Maybe my little miles with running – I like “thicker” sole (1.3 mm from Panka comparing 2.1 mm Osma). I read on runningandrambling Osma review that “…If you can feel the functional difference in 0.8mm, you’re way more tactically aware than I am.” I have to admire that I can feel the difference!

Most I have used Feelmax Osma on my floorball training indoors – It suits perfect the fast changing on directions, sprints and fast stops. I feel that I have a full control on my training.The foot has 26 bones. All these bones need to move individually while you move.  Feelmax Osma allows my feet  to move more naturally. It lets me moving like I were barefoot, even when you have my shoes on.

Conclusion:

++ light weight
++ breathable
++ fits on my feet
++ can use on running and indoors-sports

– colour is not the most fancy… good rumours on way – it might come on black in 2011

Posted in Barefooting, Training | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment