MAR 26
I love walking barefoot, and have always wanted to get some footwear that feels closer to the experience. From what I’ve seen online, the three most popular brands for such are Vivo Barefoot, Nike Free, and Vibram FiveFingers. The Vibrams were out, since I wanted something that looked reasonably normal. I decided against the Vivos, due to a combination of their price, availability only on Terra Plana, and worries about sizing. So I turned to the Nike Free. I originally picked up a pair of the training shoes from Zappos, but returned them, since I wasn’t entirely happy with them. (Side note: Zappos has possibly the best return policy I’ve ever seen. Very easy to use, and no hassle at all. Loved it.) Eventually noticed that the Nike Free 5.0 was available from Zappos, so I got those a few weeks back.
I took out the included insoles, as they just added more material between my foot and the ground. The shoes also came with a guide on how best to prepare your body for wearing them, but I ignored it without any problems. (That being said, I also walk around barefoot quite frequently, so perhaps that was a mitigating factor.) This weekend, I finally took them out for some running, and it felt great. The difference between the Frees and normal sneakers is subtle, but I think the Frees are way more comfortable to run in. They held up well on the trails I ran on, which varied from dirt to mud to asphalt, depending on the section.
Overall, I’m very happy with them, and they’re great for both walking around and running. Well worth the price, if a bit hard to find. (Again, highly recommend Zappos as a supplier.) I’ll probably pick up another pair once this one bites the dust, but it seems pretty sturdy so far.