Howdy all. I'm new to the barefooten thing but so far, so good. I have a pair of VFF that I have worn a couple of times walking, after 45 minutes, blister on my foot. I'm now sticking to barefoot but also trying to make my own pair of huaraches. When I get back to the US, I'm going to get Steven to make me a custom pair. I have had numerous knee surgeries and since I have started going barefoot, the pain is almost gone. About the only time I have pain is when I wear safety boots (requirement at work). Glad to be on the forum.

I received my huaraches in the mail yesterday and assembled them last night.  I felt like a mad scientist assembling something nefarious.  However, I felt like a very high-tech, modern mad scientist because I was using plastic, nylon, You Tube, and my iPod Touch rather than some dusty old tome to do my work.  Thank you Steven for your very clear written and video instructions.  I initially tried the traditional tying style, but I only had to walk as far as my kitchen to realize I didn't like that.  So I switched to the slip-on style and liked that better.

I actually had trouble sleeping last night because I was looking forward to trying the huaraches in the morning. 

So when my alarm went off, I had no trouble getting up and heading out for a five mile run, knowing that part of the way, I would be running in these bad boys.  I ran the first 2.5 mile loop in my usual shoe, a pair of Nike Free 5.0s.  [I've put over 500 miles on those shoes, and I've been very happy with them.]  Then, for the second loop, I put on the huaraches. 

In short, they were the best barefoot running experience apart from running on the beach.  I found the huaraches to be quite comfortable, though I will have to mess with the lacing to get it perfect, as Steven suggested in his videos.  Unlike flip flops, which I've tried, I didn't feel like the shoe was going to fly off.  Unlike swim shoes, which I've also ran in, my toes could do their thing unhindered.  I fell into a nice, crisp, comfortable stride.  Although my speed was a little slower than normal, I'm sure that will improve once I get used to the shoes.

In short, I am optimistic that these are the shoes for me from now on.  Thanks Steven!

Post edited 6:26 pm – October 4, 2011 by mitch

I ran for 1.5 years in VFFs and they were great.  I moved to San Francisco where I run hills and I noticed my knees started to hurt and I was getting sort of debilitating pressure between my third and fourth and fourth and fifth toes on both feet, and I noticed my stride was changing to compensate, which I believe was where the knee pain came from. 

So about a month and a half ago I switched to huaraches.  I am still trying to figure out how to tie them, and my feet are still healing from the runs where I blistered because I didn't have the sandals tied down to my feet and I ran with my feet pounding over the edges.  So I still run pretty slowly in the sandals because I am still trying to figure out how to get them to stay on my feet without tying so tightly I cut off the circulation at the ankles or get more blisters between my first and second toe. 

But I will say that I think the huaraches are really improving my stride.  I find that I make all my motion forward as opposed to superfluous up and down motion that causes great impact and does not move me any faster which I do in regular shoes and VFFs.  If I try to run the old inefficient way my sandals fly around on my feet, so I naturally run with my mechanics propelling me straight forward instead of up and down, and that is great.  Anyway I have probably only run about 2 or 3 hundred miles in the sandals so far but they keep getting better so I am looking forward to getting more experience.  The huaraches feel really nice, much nicer than VFFs, and I really liked VFFs in comparison to normal shoes.  I thought that I wanted to BF, but I am giving it up, I think huaraches are the way forward for me.

I've tried the VFF's as well as the Merrell Tough Gloves. I like to go completely barefoot unless I have a reason to want to look more presentable. I haven't been using the VFF's much since I don't see much point when I can just go barefoot. The Merrell's on the other hand look great. I wear them around town all the time when I don't want to get funny looks.

Problem–I can't wear shoes anymore!

Steven, are you open to swapping? I'll swap my VFF and ZEM 360 for Ishoes. hehehe

I have been running in VFF's for a while, because that was easily the most publicized minimal footwear when I started. Now I wear a pair of Unshoes sandals when on really rough trails, but usually I run barefoot. I am waiting to get some money to get a pair of I-Shoes within the next month!