#merrel — Public Fediverse posts

Why I Switched Away From Minimalist Shoes

During the pandemic I would walk from one and a half hours per day every single day of the week for months. In that time I believe that my feet swelled, making normal shoes more and more uncomfortable to wear.

To be more specific. I found that the top of my foot, near the big toe and its neighbour, would rub the top of the shoe, causing the skin to rub raw and become painful. I tried several pairs of shoes in quick succession and each one had the same problem. I considered changing shoe size, and switched between three or four pairs of shoes before trying minimalist shoes. I experimented with the Vapor Glove 6 but it was too thin for my walking distances. The Trail Glove 7, in contrast felt excellent.

It’s because of how good the Trail Glove 7 felt that I switched from “normal” shoes to minimalist problems, and my problem vanished. For years I was happy walking with barefoot shoes until I recognised a serious downside.

Quick Wearing Out

In about three years I wore through six pairs of trail glove 7 shoes. They cost about one hundred francs per pair, and they last for about three to six months before the heels and front of the foot are worn. The problem with worn minimalist shoes is that your heel strikes the ground with increasing force, the further you walk. The result is that with worn shoes you’re risking a stress fracture.

Several times after an eight to ten kilometre walk I could feel that the heel bone was sore, and that’s an indicator that it’s time to change shoes. Usually, they’re around 97-110 CHF per pair but they can be 120-139 CHF per pair. If you’re patient you can set an alert to get them when they’re cheaper.

Normal Shoes

As I said earlier, normal shoes are much cheaper. I only shifted away from them because I suspect my feet swelled from a lot of walking. Once I took up cycling three to five times per week my feet had time to recover, to deflate, and to become “normal” again. By “normal” I mean that wearing normal shoes felt comfortable once again. This, in and of itself, is glorious. I went from having to buy “specialist” shoes online, to buying decathlon walking shoes once again, halving my shoe budget per pair, but also to some degree in wear. When shoes last several weeks or months longer, then you’re saving in two directions. Cost and longevity.

And Finally

My original reason for switching away from normal shoes is gone, so I can wear normal shoes again. I enjoy wearing minimal shoes, but I don’t like that they cost twice as much, for such a short lifespan.

And finally, aside from the shoes wearing down fast, my other reason to switch from barefoot shoes, to normal shoes for walking, and running shoes for running is that I ran a semi-marathon in barefoot shoes and I could feel that if I run at that intensity, too often, I will cause serious damage to my ankle bones. When you run 21.1 km you need cushioning, and barefoot shoes, within a short distance don’t provide any.

If barefoot shoes cost half as much, or lasted twice as long, then they would be worth their price.

Why I Switched Away From Minimalist Shoes

1. Quick Wearing Out
2. Normal Shoes
3. And Finally

During the pandemic I would walk from one and a half hours per day every single day of the week for months. In that time I believe that my feet swelled, making normal shoes more and more uncomfortable to wear.

To be more specific. I found that the top of my foot, near the big toe and its neighbour, would rub the top of the shoe, causing the skin to rub raw and become painful. I tried several pairs of shoes in quick succession and each one had the same problem. I considered changing shoe size, and switched between three or four pairs of shoes before trying minimalist shoes. I experimented with the Vapor Glove 6 but it was too thin for my walking distances. The Trail Glove 7, in contrast felt excellent.

It’s because of how good the Trail Glove 7 felt that I switched from “normal” shoes to minimalist problems, and my problem vanished. For years I was happy walking with barefoot shoes until I recognised a serious downside.

Quick Wearing Out

In about three years I wore through six pairs of trail glove 7 shoes. They cost about one hundred francs per pair, and they last for about three to six months before the heels and front of the foot are worn. The problem with worn minimalist shoes is that your heel strikes the ground with increasing force, the further you walk. The result is that with worn shoes you’re risking a stress fracture.

Several times after an eight to ten kilometre walk I could feel that the heel bone was sore, and that’s an indicator that it’s time to change shoes. Usually, they’re around 97-110 CHF per pair but they can be 120-139 CHF per pair. If you’re patient you can set an alert to get them when they’re cheaper.

Normal Shoes

As I said earlier, normal shoes are much cheaper. I only shifted away from them because I suspect my feet swelled from a lot of walking. Once I took up cycling three to five times per week my feet had time to recover, to deflate, and to become “normal” again. By “normal” I mean that wearing normal shoes felt comfortable once again. This, in and of itself, is glorious. I went from having to buy “specialist” shoes online, to buying decathlon walking shoes once again, halving my shoe budget per pair, but also to some degree in wear. When shoes last several weeks or months longer, then you’re saving in two directions. Cost and longevity.

And Finally

My original reason for switching away from normal shoes is gone, so I can wear normal shoes again. I enjoy wearing minimal shoes, but I don’t like that they cost twice as much, for such a short lifespan.

And finally, aside from the shoes wearing down fast, my other reason to switch from barefoot shoes, to normal shoes for walking, and running shoes for running is that I ran a semi-marathon in barefoot shoes and I could feel that if I run at that intensity, too often, I will cause serious damage to my ankle bones. When you run 21.1 km you need cushioning, and barefoot shoes, within a short distance don’t provide any.

If barefoot shoes cost half as much, or lasted twice as long, then they would be worth their price.

Why I Switched Away From Minimalist Shoes

1. Quick Wearing Out
2. Normal Shoes
3. And Finally

During the pandemic I would walk from one and a half hours per day every single day of the week for months. In that time I believe that my feet swelled, making normal shoes more and more uncomfortable to wear.

To be more specific. I found that the top of my foot, near the big toe and its neighbour, would rub the top of the shoe, causing the skin to rub raw and become painful. I tried several pairs of shoes in quick succession and each one had the same problem. I considered changing shoe size, and switched between three or four pairs of shoes before trying minimalist shoes. I experimented with the Vapor Glove 6 but it was too thin for my walking distances. The Trail Glove 7, in contrast felt excellent.

It’s because of how good the Trail Glove 7 felt that I switched from “normal” shoes to minimalist problems, and my problem vanished. For years I was happy walking with barefoot shoes until I recognised a serious downside.

Quick Wearing Out

In about three years I wore through six pairs of trail glove 7 shoes. They cost about one hundred francs per pair, and they last for about three to six months before the heels and front of the foot are worn. The problem with worn minimalist shoes is that your heel strikes the ground with increasing force, the further you walk. The result is that with worn shoes you’re risking a stress fracture.

Several times after an eight to ten kilometre walk I could feel that the heel bone was sore, and that’s an indicator that it’s time to change shoes. Usually, they’re around 97-110 CHF per pair but they can be 120-139 CHF per pair. If you’re patient you can set an alert to get them when they’re cheaper.

Normal Shoes

As I said earlier, normal shoes are much cheaper. I only shifted away from them because I suspect my feet swelled from a lot of walking. Once I took up cycling three to five times per week my feet had time to recover, to deflate, and to become “normal” again. By “normal” I mean that wearing normal shoes felt comfortable once again. This, in and of itself, is glorious. I went from having to buy “specialist” shoes online, to buying decathlon walking shoes once again, halving my shoe budget per pair, but also to some degree in wear. When shoes last several weeks or months longer, then you’re saving in two directions. Cost and longevity.

And Finally

My original reason for switching away from normal shoes is gone, so I can wear normal shoes again. I enjoy wearing minimal shoes, but I don’t like that they cost twice as much, for such a short lifespan.

And finally, aside from the shoes wearing down fast, my other reason to switch from barefoot shoes, to normal shoes for walking, and running shoes for running is that I ran a semi-marathon in barefoot shoes and I could feel that if I run at that intensity, too often, I will cause serious damage to my ankle bones. When you run 21.1 km you need cushioning, and barefoot shoes, within a short distance don’t provide any.

If barefoot shoes cost half as much, or lasted twice as long, then they would be worth their price.

Why I Switched Away From Minimalist Shoes

1. Quick Wearing Out
2. Normal Shoes
3. And Finally

During the pandemic I would walk from one and a half hours per day every single day of the week for months. In that time I believe that my feet swelled, making normal shoes more and more uncomfortable to wear.

To be more specific. I found that the top of my foot, near the big toe and its neighbour, would rub the top of the shoe, causing the skin to rub raw and become painful. I tried several pairs of shoes in quick succession and each one had the same problem. I considered changing shoe size, and switched between three or four pairs of shoes before trying minimalist shoes. I experimented with the Vapor Glove 6 but it was too thin for my walking distances. The Trail Glove 7, in contrast felt excellent.

It’s because of how good the Trail Glove 7 felt that I switched from “normal” shoes to minimalist problems, and my problem vanished. For years I was happy walking with barefoot shoes until I recognised a serious downside.

Quick Wearing Out

In about three years I wore through six pairs of trail glove 7 shoes. They cost about one hundred francs per pair, and they last for about three to six months before the heels and front of the foot are worn. The problem with worn minimalist shoes is that your heel strikes the ground with increasing force, the further you walk. The result is that with worn shoes you’re risking a stress fracture.

Several times after an eight to ten kilometre walk I could feel that the heel bone was sore, and that’s an indicator that it’s time to change shoes. Usually, they’re around 97-110 CHF per pair but they can be 120-139 CHF per pair. If you’re patient you can set an alert to get them when they’re cheaper.

Normal Shoes

As I said earlier, normal shoes are much cheaper. I only shifted away from them because I suspect my feet swelled from a lot of walking. Once I took up cycling three to five times per week my feet had time to recover, to deflate, and to become “normal” again. By “normal” I mean that wearing normal shoes felt comfortable once again. This, in and of itself, is glorious. I went from having to buy “specialist” shoes online, to buying decathlon walking shoes once again, halving my shoe budget per pair, but also to some degree in wear. When shoes last several weeks or months longer, then you’re saving in two directions. Cost and longevity.

And Finally

My original reason for switching away from normal shoes is gone, so I can wear normal shoes again. I enjoy wearing minimal shoes, but I don’t like that they cost twice as much, for such a short lifespan.

And finally, aside from the shoes wearing down fast, my other reason to switch from barefoot shoes, to normal shoes for walking, and running shoes for running is that I ran a semi-marathon in barefoot shoes and I could feel that if I run at that intensity, too often, I will cause serious damage to my ankle bones. When you run 21.1 km you need cushioning, and barefoot shoes, within a short distance don’t provide any.

If barefoot shoes cost half as much, or lasted twice as long, then they would be worth their price.

A Return from Trail Glove 7 to Normal Shoes

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Within the last week I tried to wear shoes that I bought two or three years ago. I tried them on because although I love the Trail Glove 7 shoes I don't like their durability. I find that they last from four to six months before being worn enough for my heel to hit the ground hard enough to become painful.

In theory I should work on my stride, to change how the foot strikes the ground, and ensure that I have a softer, more gentle foot fall. In practice the shoes feel fine until the soles of the shoes get worn beyond a certain point, and that's when impacting the ground begins to hurt, especially after walking for an hour and a half or more.

The Issues

During the COVID honeymoon, when it was great for walkers, and hikers to go on two to three hour hikes every day, I took advantage. Over time I noticed that I was wearing through shoes fast so I replaced them regularly.

Worn Inner Heel

I often put my shoes on without untying the shoelaces so the inside of the shoe, where the heel rubs the back of the shoe gets shredded over time, and eventually the plastic is exposed and this provoked blisters. That's one of the tells that I would need to swap shoes.

Worn Soles

The second tell is worn soles. I walked so much and so far that within months the tread would be gone, and eventually, when the rubber was gone, and my shoes would become wet from beneath if I stepped into a puddle, then it was time, once again to change shoes.

Rubbing the Top of my Foot

I really liked the Merrel Moab Three, or shoes with a similar shoes. They're good for daily walks and hiking, where you don't need ankle support. I walked with these for thousands of kilometres over many, many years.

Over time I noticed that the top of my foot, near the toes was rubbing against the inside of the shoe, to the point of risking blisters. Initially I thought that they had changed the design or materials of the shoes, and that was why they were more uncomfortable but now I think the conclusion was wrong.

Plenty of Cycling

This summer I have cycled a lot, especially by my standards. Usually I would cycle 1800km or less and this year I cycled five thousand two hundred and eighty. This isn't to highlight the cycling, but rather to highlight that my feet were used differently.

I went from a high impact sport like walking and hiking, two to three hours a day, to long bike rides. My feet had time to rest, recover, and I believe, to shrink again. The shoes that felt uncomfortable are now comfortable again

And Finally

I walk a lot, so I like shoes that are cheap and easy to replace. Barefoot shoes are not cheap and easy to replace. They are niche, so I order them online. If I can revert to cheap decathlon shoes, once again, I will be happy.

#barefoot #durability #merrel #price #shoes

#ketamine #consciousness #quantum #neuroscience #psychedelics #psychedelic https://psychedelicmentalhealth.net/spotlight-ketamine-and-quantum-psychiatry-jansen-1999/ #nde #obe #hameroff #faggin #lilly #merrel-wolf #jansen

#ketamine #consciousness #quantum #neuroscience #psychedelics #psychedelic https://psychedelicmentalhealth.net/spotlight-ketamine-and-quantum-psychiatry-jansen-1999/ #nde #obe #hameroff #faggin #lilly #merrel-wolf #jansen

#ketamine #consciousness #quantum #neuroscience #psychedelics #psychedelic https://psychedelicmentalhealth.net/spotlight-ketamine-and-quantum-psychiatry-jansen-1999/ #nde #obe #hameroff #faggin #lilly #merrel-wolf #jansen

#ketamine #consciousness #quantum #neuroscience #psychedelics #psychedelic https://psychedelicmentalhealth.net/spotlight-ketamine-and-quantum-psychiatry-jansen-1999/ #nde #obe #hameroff #faggin #lilly #merrel-wolf #jansen

Reading Time: 3 minutes

This Autumn is different because I have worn running, shoes, normal shoes, and Trail Glove 7 in the rain. I was very happy with the Trail Glove 7 during the entirety of the heat wave. I had no issues with them but now that we’re moving into winter I feel the need for shoes with greater ground clearance for when I walk through puddles, or streams of water running down roads while the rain falls.

A few days ago I walked in a wet forest on a rainy day with the Trail Glove 7 and although I expected to feel that they were completely inappropriate I didn’t. I found that they felt comfortable when walking through scrub, on the stony path and when they were wet.

These shoes will not protect you from thorns and other spikes. The base of the foot is safe but the top of the shoe is made of soft fabric that could be pierced. Despite this I didn’t feel as uncomfortable as I would have expected. In fact, I felt comfortable. I just had to be slightly more careful than usual, about where the top of my shoes scraped.

Avoiding Deep Puddles

The one unpleasant bit was when I was walking through deep puddles. Once or twice I felt the water rush into my shoes and wet my feet. It’s unpleasant for 20 seconds or so, until the water in contact with my feet warms up, and then it’s comfortable again.

A big fuss is made about the need for shoes to be waterproof, and in the middle of winter it will be essential. but this Autumn I feel fine, so far.

For years I have walked with waterproof shoes so I am in the habit of walking through deep puddles and I often experiment with their failure point and think “oups” as I feel water trickle into the shoes. With normal shoes puddles have to be several centimetres deep for water to run into the shoe. With barefoot shoes they need to be a few millimetres deep.

Waterproof Shoes Collect Mud

Although waterproof shoes are great in the rain they have one disadvantage. Their tread is excellent at collecting mud so although I have two pairs of shoes that are waterproof one is worn out and should be recycled and the other collects mud too easily and I think it’s at the limit of giving me blisters.

If I could walk in the mud I would be less exposed to cars. If I was less exposed to walking by cars I would not have stopped walking two or three of my favourite routes. The most enjoyable walking period was during 2020, when, thanks to lock down, roads were almost empty of cars.

Waterproof Shoes Dry Slower If They Get Wet

The problem with waterproof shoes is that you need to help them dry, if the interior gets wet. With non-waterproof shoes, if they get wet, you wear them until you get home and by the time you take them off, after a short drive, they will be almost dry, and by the next morning they will be fully dry.

I have got three pairs of shoes wet in recent weeks and I haven’t had to worry about drying any of them.

And Finally

I was pleasantly surprised to find that these shoes felt fine walking through the woods on a rainy day. I didn’t worry about the soles of my feet at all. I found that walking through scrub wasn’t more uncomfortable than with normal shoes. When rain falls vertically onto my shoes I don’t mind. It’s when I have to walk to the side of a path rather than straight through a puddle that I see the limitations of my barefoot shoes. In theory I could spend over one hundred and 50 francs to get waterproof barefoot shoes, but I can get normal waterproof shoes for 35 CHF. I have hiking boots for when it’s snowy and I have comfortable shoes for when it’s dry. It’s for Autumn and winter rain that I need to be responsible enough to wear cheap waterproof shoes.

At this time of year, especially on rainy days, when you’re forced to walk in the grass by cars, it makes sense to wear waterproof shoes, to keep feet comfortable and dry. If walking paths existed between villages and towns, rather than walking along the road side, I wouldn’t need waterproof shoes.

I could wear hiking boots but if I wear those, and I drag mud into the apartment building, neighbours will complain. I wear inappropriate shoes for the weather, because if they get muddy I can clean them in seconds, because we live in the age of drivers, and drivers never encounter mud.

https://www.main-vision.com/richard/blog/trail-glove-7-in-autumn/

#autumn #barefoot #cold #merrel #puddles #rainy #trailGlove7

Reading Time: 3 minutes

This Autumn is different because I have worn running, shoes, normal shoes, and Trail Glove 7 in the rain. I was very happy with the Trail Glove 7 during the entirety of the heat wave. I had no issues with them but now that we’re moving into winter I feel the need for shoes with greater ground clearance for when I walk through puddles, or streams of water running down roads while the rain falls.

A few days ago I walked in a wet forest on a rainy day with the Trail Glove 7 and although I expected to feel that they were completely inappropriate I didn’t. I found that they felt comfortable when walking through scrub, on the stony path and when they were wet.

These shoes will not protect you from thorns and other spikes. The base of the foot is safe but the top of the shoe is made of soft fabric that could be pierced. Despite this I didn’t feel as uncomfortable as I would have expected. In fact, I felt comfortable. I just had to be slightly more careful than usual, about where the top of my shoes scraped.

Avoiding Deep Puddles

The one unpleasant bit was when I was walking through deep puddles. Once or twice I felt the water rush into my shoes and wet my feet. It’s unpleasant for 20 seconds or so, until the water in contact with my feet warms up, and then it’s comfortable again.

A big fuss is made about the need for shoes to be waterproof, and in the middle of winter it will be essential. but this Autumn I feel fine, so far.

For years I have walked with waterproof shoes so I am in the habit of walking through deep puddles and I often experiment with their failure point and think “oups” as I feel water trickle into the shoes. With normal shoes puddles have to be several centimetres deep for water to run into the shoe. With barefoot shoes they need to be a few millimetres deep.

Waterproof Shoes Collect Mud

Although waterproof shoes are great in the rain they have one disadvantage. Their tread is excellent at collecting mud so although I have two pairs of shoes that are waterproof one is worn out and should be recycled and the other collects mud too easily and I think it’s at the limit of giving me blisters.

If I could walk in the mud I would be less exposed to cars. If I was less exposed to walking by cars I would not have stopped walking two or three of my favourite routes. The most enjoyable walking period was during 2020, when, thanks to lock down, roads were almost empty of cars.

Waterproof Shoes Dry Slower If They Get Wet

The problem with waterproof shoes is that you need to help them dry, if the interior gets wet. With non-waterproof shoes, if they get wet, you wear them until you get home and by the time you take them off, after a short drive, they will be almost dry, and by the next morning they will be fully dry.

I have got three pairs of shoes wet in recent weeks and I haven’t had to worry about drying any of them.

And Finally

I was pleasantly surprised to find that these shoes felt fine walking through the woods on a rainy day. I didn’t worry about the soles of my feet at all. I found that walking through scrub wasn’t more uncomfortable than with normal shoes. When rain falls vertically onto my shoes I don’t mind. It’s when I have to walk to the side of a path rather than straight through a puddle that I see the limitations of my barefoot shoes. In theory I could spend over one hundred and 50 francs to get waterproof barefoot shoes, but I can get normal waterproof shoes for 35 CHF. I have hiking boots for when it’s snowy and I have comfortable shoes for when it’s dry. It’s for Autumn and winter rain that I need to be responsible enough to wear cheap waterproof shoes.

At this time of year, especially on rainy days, when you’re forced to walk in the grass by cars, it makes sense to wear waterproof shoes, to keep feet comfortable and dry. If walking paths existed between villages and towns, rather than walking along the road side, I wouldn’t need waterproof shoes.

I could wear hiking boots but if I wear those, and I drag mud into the apartment building, neighbours will complain. I wear inappropriate shoes for the weather, because if they get muddy I can clean them in seconds, because we live in the age of drivers, and drivers never encounter mud.

https://www.main-vision.com/richard/blog/trail-glove-7-in-autumn/

#autumn #barefoot #cold #merrel #puddles #rainy #trailGlove7