Fila Skele-Toes...anyone tried these yet???

[GAP]

So far my only complaint about the skeletoes is that they are wide and could be more breathable. They dont fit my feet snuggly on the sides. This isn't a problem when used as casual shoes like I have been for the past two days. I havn't been able to do any sort of running as i'm nursing a iliotibial band strain (or so I think it is). They do get a lot of attention too. If these turn out well, I may segway into a better fitting, more breathable Vibram shoe. I'm digging these so far.

[Jonny00GT]

So far my only complaint about the skeletoes is that they are wide and could be more breathable. They dont fit my feet snuggly on the sides. This isn't a problem when used as casual shoes like I have been for the past two days. I havn't been able to do any sort of running as i'm nursing a iliotibial band strain (or so I think it is). They do get a lot of attention too. If these turn out well, I may segway into a better fitting, more breathable Vibram shoe. I'm digging these so far.

Do you have Injinji toe socks? I wonder if those would help the fit some. I read the soles are a little stiff compared to VFFs(Vibram Five Fingers) and the arch bothered one reviewer... He said it limited his range of motion...seem that way to you?

-Jonny

[GAP]

Good call on the socks. I have been wearing them barefoot. I'll grab a pair of socks and give them a try. I hadn't noticed any mobility or arch issues. I have fairly average arches I would say. I can wiggle my first three toes, but the 4th pocket is rigid. I wouldn't say it's a problem for me. I kind of like the extra protection from pinky toe injury.

[Jonny00GT]

Good call on the socks. I have been wearing them barefoot. I'll grab a pair of socks and give them a try. I hadn't noticed any mobility or arch issues. I have fairly average arches I would say. I can wiggle my first three toes, but the 4th pocket is rigid. I wouldn't say it's a problem for me. I kind of like the extra protection from pinky toe injury.

I've heard that can happen in the VFFs, but I've been lucky so far. I'm not trail running in mine yet, but I've heard of a few guys sewing the last 2 toe pockets together on the pair they use on the trails. Might not be a bad idea... Let me know if the socks work out for you.

-Jonny

[Flashstang04]

Depends on your use, but the ones that I looked at had a much stiffer sole than my Vibrams. At least you wouldn't break your little toe. (Which is why FILA joined the two.)

Keep in mind that FILA is marketing them overall as a 'Lifestyle" shoe rather than a running shoe.

[AnthonyS]

I too run in minimalist shoes. My VFFs are retired. I hate the toe pockets. I hate the toe socks. I do like not having excessive padding and a big heel in my shoe though.

I too had injuries. I have a history of horrible ankles and shin splints for decades documented in my service medical record.

I too began studying running to figure out why I hurt like hell and couldn't run at all anymore. In high school I was the 3rd fastest person in school. The only two guys faster got scholarships in round ball. I went the engineering route.

I'm slow now, but I can run without any pains. I can run as long as I want (usually I have to go to work, or my wife is waiting, etc. so I'm limited by things besides pain now).

I could run 10K everyday for a week if I needed too or further.

It is all about FORM. The reality is that barefoot running or running in minimalist shoes can help you fix your form almost instantaneously. It provides instant and perfect feedback on running form. If you do it wrong it hurts immediately! If you have bad form in big poofy shoes it doesn't hurt sharply, it hurts slowly and more long term deep in the joints and muscles (knees, hips, back, even neck).

Bad form is the killer. Running shoes didn't exist until the 1970s. People ran for thousands of years without running shoes. Running shoes were invented to circumvent one particular injury that plagued runners in the '70s, achilles tendon ruptures and tears.

Placing a nice wedge under the heel will alleviate stress on the achilles tendon and calf. It loads up the knee, hips, arches, lower back, shins and a myriad of other things to counter the benefit. Well sadly the achilles tendon is the largest most powerful tendon in the body. The calf muscle is similarly huge. The tiny hip flexors, shin muscles, and lower back muscles can't compete. Your knee tendons and cartiledge also can't compete with your achilles.

It is a tradeoff of major proportions. If you do not have calf or achilles issues, you need to be in a flatter shoe. Yes it is all a personal choice. It's also a choice with consequences.

Now why do a lot of "experts" aka doctors and shoe makers warn you against barefoot running? Why does anyone do anything? Oh yah, $$$$$$$. Doctors sell all sorts of wonderful orthotics and you have to see them repeatedly. Those awesome surgeries they do to fix everything also equal lots of $$$$$$$. Shoe companies want you to replace your worn out shoes every 200 miles (a maximum for many). More $$$$$$$.

So these new minimalist shoes are also $$$$$$$$$. And they cause calf pain and achilles pain for some. Is this because of long term disuse and underdevelopment of the calf or is it a fatal design flaw? Well like everything else it depends on the person. In a lot of people, they just have poor calf strength and poor achilles tendon elasticity thanks to our wonderful modern shoes (which actually suck overall).

I have found many articles and books which support all of this conjecture. Unlike 99% of what you will find out there, my explanations pass the common sense test. They also are FREE! I'm not trying to sell you jack or protect anyone's product. I hate running shoe companies and VFFs both. The toe pockets completely blow. Fila can take their skele toes and suck on them for all I care.

I run in the flattest shoes I can find. Right now I'm using a trail shoe that weighs next to nothing and has a negative drop to the heel (the forefoot is a few mm below the heel). On my last vacation I spent a lot of time walking cobbles in shoes that had a bit of a heel (dressier shoes). It f'n hurt like hell. In my trail shoes, it was a wonderful experience. My body knows. Your body knows too. The best thing to do is try it out and see how it works for you.

My favorite expert problem out there is "pronation." This BS term is there right along with halitosis. We take something that everyone does naturally and try to stop it with "motion control" and convince the public it's bad. This type of BS is what is really hurting people. F the experts.

F the people that believe the experts too. Our ancestors forgot more than most of the experts know today on a lot of very basic things. Yes we've advanced a lot, but when it comes to simple crap like running, we've become stupid.

[Jonny00GT]

Anthony, have you run in Merrells? I kinda want to try a pair. Same sole as the VFFs, but no toes.

-Jonny

[AnthonyS]

Anthony, have you run in Merrells? I kinda want to try a pair. Same sole as the VFFs, but no toes.

-Jonny

I have a pair of Merrells and some Adidas addi zeroes. I think I like the Merrells better but i can run in either.

[GAP]

I have a pair of Merrell MOAB's for hiking. I've only used them twice, but they work really well.

[GAP]

Who carries Injinji socks locally?

[AnthonyS]

REI has them.

[UserX]

Luke's Locker does too.

[GAP]

Darn, I'll have to head over there this weekend. Traffic would be killer for me during the week.

[Jonny00GT]

Sun and Skii has Injinjis too, but best price I've seen, if you're going to be several, is Amazon...$8-9/pair vs $15 most places.
-Jonny