Paintball

[Leafy]

Originally Posted by BlueFish

Deuce, my doctor recommended that I spray my feet with diluted white vinegar after I get out of the shower in the mornings to help cut down on foot odor from sweating.

I've also used tea tree oil with good success. Again, not so much with the sweating, but it helps with the odor.

I also rotate between three pairs on a weekly basis.

Tea tree oil is amazing for the odor. I dont even wear vffs but taking shoes off was a killer, until I started the tea tree oil in olive oil. Now my feet smell like a green house when I take my shoes off.

[Bagels]

I am unsure of what size to go with. I need some help with you experienced VFF wearers. I measured my foot to be just under 11 1/2 inches. This told me that I am a size 45. My friends dad brought home a size 45 for me to try on. They were pretty comfortable, but both my big toes and the longer ones next to them were kind of snug up against the front of the shoes. He doesn't think that there are any 46's in stock so I don't know what size I should go for. Have any of you experienced any blisters or soreness on the tips of your toes from rubbing?

[Rymzor]

Dont know about there but here shoe stores have a fiver fingers sizer? as far as toes go when i started wearing mine they seemed a bit too long in the toes but after awhile my toes uncurled and they fit in just fine. No soreness or blisters in the year and a bit that ive been wearing mine!

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by BlueFish

Deuce, my doctor recommended that I spray my feet with diluted white vinegar after I get out of the shower in the mornings to help cut down on foot odor from sweating.

I've also used tea tree oil with good success. Again, not so much with the sweating, but it helps with the odor.

I also rotate between three pairs on a weekly basis.

Don't really have an issue with odor, I use powder to cut down on that business. If the shoes start to smell I stick them in the deep freezer over night, that takes care of any odor.

Interesting about the tea tree oil, I've been using a tea tree oil shampoo and conditioner to take care of some stubborn dandruff. Works great when nothing else did.

[BlueFish]

I didn't realize that tea tree oil worked on dry skin also... Will have to try that out this winter.

[uv_halo]

Originally Posted by El Super Beasto

I heard ankle support was helpful when running through the woods. You know, like over roots and rocks and stuff. I can't imagine the novelty of vibram 5 fingers being useful for any sporting activity other walking.

Originally Posted by BlueFish

Once you've been wearing them, your ankles get stronger and you don't need as much support. I play woodsball (mostly rec in the desert, since I live in AZ) in my VFF also, and it was actually kind of nice, yeah there were tripping hazards, but no more than if I had been wearing regular shoes or boots.

I really like the feedback they give me to the terrain.

In my own humble opinion (I swear I've read something like this from more knowledgable sources but, I can't recall wehere), the benefit of a boot that provides good ankle support is for 'uneven' terrain, for example, your foot lands badly in a brass obscured pothole while you're running.

I think it's worth considering military boots (having worn Jungle, Flight Deck, Tactical, and Cold Weather issue boots while I was in the Navy) as the absolute opposite of barefoot/minimalist idealogy simply for the lowers cosntruction alone. Steel/Kevlar/Carbon Fiber Shanks, Hard Rubber Soles, Heels (or Heel Rise in the tactical boots) are all in complete opposition to barefoot/minimalism. So, if one believes in the barefoot idealogy (and it's very compelling), it only makes sense to consider that military folks are more likely to have foot injuries.

I presently feel that the only valid reason for such over-engineered lowers is for load bearing applications where you're carrying a load far exceding what you normally wear. The question that I don't think anyone has answered recently is 'can the human foot strengthen enough' to deal with long marches with 80+ pounds of gear. I say 'recently' because, military footwear developed in parallel to civilian footwear and at one time, military forces wore nothing more complex than a flat piece of leather, and there's the question of what drove the military away from that? Style? Wear and Tear on soldiers? A bit of both?

I'm not sure how the VivoBarefoot boots (Or any others like it) will ultimately work out. The way I see it, you need some support for those ankel twisting scenarios but, you don't want to restrict the ankle to the point of preventing proper movement. That's why I'm going Walking->Running->Paintballing in boots. If I make it through the running phase with no foot issues, and I start having issues with the boots, then I will ditch them.

[cdrinkh20]

As for ankle support, ever step on something strangely shaped like a rock or a log in a rigid shoe, and twisted your ankle? With these, you can feel the shape underneath (and you pay more attention where you are running) so you can react better to changing terrain.

As for odour... I've been rubbing tea tree oil on my feet if I know I'm going to wear them a while/go for a run, and I've combined that with foot powder in the shoes also. Powder reduces sweat, oil does more for odour/bacteria ("natural antiseptic"?). I usually wash them in cold water every couple weeks anyways (they shrink in warm and it feels like they are new again, a little tight and uncomfortable until you stretch them out).

I'm eyeing a pair of "Speeds" for daily use.


EDIT: As for loads though, I'd have to agree. Hiking, etc. kind of requires a little more support/cushion...but from what I've read, modern running shoes and the like didn't begin to appear until the 1970s...people essentially ran in minimalist footwear beforehand, I believe.

[BlueFish]

I love my Speeds. they're a great daily wear shoe.

as for the added load, I can see your point there, I play SC paintball so I'm not carrying a bunch of extra gear, just a few extra tubes of paint and my gun.

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by uv_halo

In my own humble opinion (I swear I've read something like this from more knowledgable sources but, I can't recall wehere), the benefit of a boot that provides good ankle support is for 'uneven' terrain, for example, your foot lands badly in a brass obscured pothole while you're running.

I think it's worth considering military boots (having worn Jungle, Flight Deck, Tactical, and Cold Weather issue boots while I was in the Navy) as the absolute opposite of barefoot/minimalist idealogy simply for the lowers cosntruction alone. Steel/Kevlar/Carbon Fiber Shanks, Hard Rubber Soles, Heels (or Heel Rise in the tactical boots) are all in complete opposition to barefoot/minimalism. So, if one believes in the barefoot idealogy (and it's very compelling), it only makes sense to consider that military folks are more likely to have foot injuries.

I presently feel that the only valid reason for such over-engineered lowers is for load bearing applications where you're carrying a load far exceding what you normally wear. The question that I don't think anyone has answered recently is 'can the human foot strengthen enough' to deal with long marches with 80+ pounds of gear. I say 'recently' because, military footwear developed in parallel to civilian footwear and at one time, military forces wore nothing more complex than a flat piece of leather, and there's the question of what drove the military away from that? Style? Wear and Tear on soldiers? A bit of both?

I'm not sure how the VivoBarefoot boots (Or any others like it) will ultimately work out. The way I see it, you need some support for those ankel twisting scenarios but, you don't want to restrict the ankle to the point of preventing proper movement. That's why I'm going Walking->Running->Paintballing in boots. If I make it through the running phase with no foot issues, and I start having issues with the boots, then I will ditch them.

Coming from seven years as an Infantryman i'd personally counter with the exact opposite being what I've seen (and experienced). Lots of blown out knees and other lower extremity injuries due to lack of flexibility in footwear. Been there done that. I'm disabled from my injuries and have had major muskuloskeletal problems since an injury in Afghanistan in 2003 chronic back, knee, and ankle pain being nearly a daily occurance.

Since I started wearinf VFF I've noticed dramatic improvements but I'm still adjusting. After a long day of wearing these my dogs are barking and I can't wait to get out of them but surprisingly, no back or joint pain. I'm rebuilding muscles that have been allowed to atrophy since I ran bare footed as a kid, as a side effect I'm having less pain where before no amount of therapy or medication helped.

I get more feedback in the woods (yes I've carried a load) and have yet to roll an ankle where before it would happen constantly in cumbersome issued boots.

I'm of the opinion that part of the reason for the epedemic of back pain and other musculoskeletal issues in the country is mainly in part due to the under development of our natural muscles and the additional atropy associated with always being in restrictive shoes and sitting at a desk.

All that considered you can't just jump into these, they'll beat you up until you adjust and redevelop those unused muscles. My upper and especially lower legs killed for the first couple weeks. You have to ease into it or risk injury. Heck, look at Cody Lundin for benefits of the barefoot lifestyle.

I for one am sold. The only thing keeping me from owning more pairs are the price, but I'm working on that.

Originally Posted by cdrinkh20

As for ankle support, ever step on something strangely shaped like a rock or a log in a rigid shoe, and twisted your ankle? With these, you can feel the shape underneath (and you pay more attention where you are running) so you can react better to changing terrain.

Agreed.

[No Mercy Ever]

I too agree with folks talking about how they don't need the ankle support. Honestly, if you are playing in an area that has uneven ground, roots, rocks, and what have you, do you really go running full tilt, completely ignoring the ground, until you trip and fall face first into whatever? I don't. I will run full tilt on a trail, where I can see things better, and make adjustments to where I am placing my feet. When going into high grass, or areas with alot of "stuff", I slow it down, tend to be a bit more aware of my surroundings. I also don't tend to get surprised and shoot in the back or the side, because I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings. That is me, but with minimalist shoes, I just go a bit slower. The worst for me is walking on gravel. I love walking sand with these shoes, but the bottoms of my feet are a bit more sensitive, and I feel the gravel stuff alot now. But I won't give up my VFF's unless I absolutely have to.