Alternatives to Nike Free shoes

May 10, 2009 10:51 AM

I've been hearing a lot about the benefits of walking barefoot, and barring that, wearing shoes like the Vibram Five Fingers or Nike Frees, which aren't padded. But are there cheaper alternatives? Wouldn't the lineup of Converse All-Stars and Puma shoes, to give two examples, have the same effect? Any others?
posted by dicetumbler to health & fitness (17 comments total)

I have a pair of Vibrams and a pair of All-Stars, and really, they're not very similar. The Vibrams are basically like an extension of your foot; the do actually provide padding, but no support -- they're basically molded to your feet. Imagine painting on a thick coat of plastic on the bottom of your bare foot and walking around: that's what it feels like. Some like it, some don't.

Converse on the other hand are very flat and cover your feet like regular shoes. They're loose-fitting and casual, and feel like a regular shoe in comparison to the Vibrams.
posted by nitsuj at 11:00 AM on May 10

As nitsuj says, the soles are completely different. Most shoes (All-Stars, etc. included) have a flat sole and thus a flat interface with the ground. The transition from shaped (your foot) to flat (the sole) takes place in the shoes. With Five Fingers, on the other hand, the transition from shaped to flat takes place between the sole and the ground.

Running, for example, in flat, thin soled shoes is not at all comparable to running in Five Fingers.
posted by ssg at 11:10 AM on May 10

How different is something like a Vivo Barefoot shoe from a moccasin?
posted by box at 11:17 AM on May 10

I should probably have not mentioned the Vibrams. The Vibrams, I hear, really are like walking barefoot. But alternatives to the Nike Frees are what I'm looking for.
posted by Busoni at 11:19 AM on May 10

Sorry, the above comment was made with a wrong account. But the question still stands.
posted by dicetumbler at 11:21 AM on May 10

This may not be exactly what you are looking for, but if you don't mind repurposing things for unconventional uses dive boots or dive socks might fill your needs.


Dive socks are basically neoprene socks (sometimes with a thin layer of silicone on the bottom of the foot to provide some grip).

Dive boots are more like standard shoes but some still have fairly thin souls, really just a thick layer of silicone or rubber.

You can get either for around $20.
posted by oddman at 11:54 AM on May 10

I should have added, I often walk around boats, beaches, etc. in dive socks.
posted by oddman at 12:00 PM on May 10

The Nike Frees are vastly more flexible-soled than Converse or whatnot - to the point where when I tried to go back to my casual rubber-soled Converse-style sneaks, it felt like strapping 2x4s to my feet.
posted by restless_nomad at 12:02 PM on May 10

All-Stars have zero arch support and very little padding. They're probably absolutely terrible for your feet, but I wear them anyway.
posted by Precision at 12:45 PM on May 10

Walking in Vibram five fingers is quite an experience. The Vibram sole protects your feet from nasties laying around, broken callouses and give you better traction. Converse All Stars are just crappy shoes.

The glove-like construction of the Vibram lets your feet conform back to their natural shape. You will actually have to learn how to walk correctly, in more matural gait. See pictures in this Tim Ferris article. This ny mag article is very informative as well.
posted by yeara at 1:42 PM on May 10

Vivo Barefoot by Terra Plana is another option, I've had a pair for four years that I love wearing. Unfortunately, they run at about $150, although there was a place called Snooty Hideout that used to sell them for about $70 each. Try eBay.
posted by furtive at 2:47 PM on May 10

Barefoot Runner has a lot of articles about different thin-soled shoes. Maybe you can find something to interest you there.

I love, love, love my Vibram FiveFingers though.
posted by Nerro at 3:27 PM on May 10 [1 favorite has favorites]

I've never tried Vibram's, but I can't help but notice the similarity between the Terra Plana Vivo Barefoot shoes posted above and Feiyue martial arts shoes. They're also 1/10 of the price ($14.99 on Amazon, although you can sometimes find them cheaper locally if you have martial arts supply stores or general Asian markets). I hate the feeling of most running shoes -- Feiyues are amazingly comfortable and light, and I haven't had any knee problems since I started running in them.
posted by taraza at 4:37 PM on May 10 [1 favorite has favorites]

All-Stars have zero arch support and very little padding. They're probably absolutely terrible for your feet, but I wear them anyway.

And in my experience, they're terribly uncomfortable. I kept giving mine a chance in case they hadn't been broken in yet, but eventually the pain and blisters made me give up. Don't know if that's just the shape of my feet or what, but definitely try walking around in some before you buy em.
posted by you're a kitty! at 6:04 PM on May 10

I have low arches, so I don't mind them too much. I think Sambas are great shoes with great arch support if you're into that. Not quite walking barefoot, though.
posted by Precision at 6:30 PM on May 10

Also consider Puma H-Streets, K-Streets and Salohs, all very similar to each other. I have many of the shoes mentioned above (FiveFingers, Sambas, Converse All Stars) and the Puma Salohs are in between the Five Fingers and the Converse. They have very little cushioning, are quite flexible, and have a very airy upper (like wearing a slipper, even more breathable than my FiveFinger KSOs).

Converse are still better at floor feel than any of the modern day "trainers", I don't know why people above are hating them so much. It's not like being barefoot, but it's a step in the right direction if you're wearing thick foamy technical running shoes.
posted by meowzilla at 10:34 PM on May 10

Last year I found a pair of Vivo Barefoots on eBay for about $35. The backs rubbed a little at first, but now they're as comfortable as slippers. After a year there are absolutely no signs of wear.
posted by tangerine at 8:36 PM on May 14