Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
Nike Free
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
Go Pre, very well put :-)
(I won't bother with the whole 'pronation and why it shouldn't be an issue' debate - that's been done to death elsewhere!)
Strangely enough the Nike Shop did have some in stock. They seemed wonderfully flexible when held, although the big flared heel still wasn't quite to my tastes. Never mind - the flexibility is a definite plus point. When I put them on and walked around, I found they didn't actually feel too much different to my current minimalist running shoes in terms of forefoot flexibility. What was annoying though was the intrusive arch support. Very uncomfortable, very unlike barefoot, and enough to stop me buying them. Which is a shame because (believe it or not) I wanted to like them.
Ho hum - maybe I'll save some money and try and get my hands on some NB RC150s...
Please be open about it if this is the case. Mr Saucony is.
When not running, I wear Vivo barefoot - which have a very thin sole (incorporating Kevlar to stop glass). You can definitely feel the ground in them.
I will definitely be sticking with my Frees for my next race (a half on Sunday).
No vested interest - I researched the company for my university dissertation and like the company and prefer their products. I am also into sports footwear in general and love the tech side. Having spent time learning about the products, I figure if I can answer some questions in a forum I might as well.
Matt - not too sure what you mean about being open - I think they are one of the most open Sports Companies
I have a black pair which I wear to work, and a red & white pair that I wear in the evening (that look like clown shoes). Mrs RFB also wears vivos, mainly for the comfort factor.
They took a bit of getting used to, but now feel really great to wear. In combination with the frees, I'm sure my feet & ankles are far stronger than they used to be.
http://www.imbeautifulproducts.com/acatalog/SALE_ITEMS___.html
BP: Some people would suggest that walking does not help running at all. However, shoes that allow your feet to get the sensory messages they are designed to receive are surely better than shoes that stop these messages. If you are thinking about trying something as radical as the vivo, be prepared to take some time to get used to them, and also be prepared to lose a couple of inches of height.
And tomorrow I'll see if I can get my hands on a pair of NB RC150s. What with my H-Streets and Jarowe Waffles I'm well on my way to having the ultimate minimalist running shoe collection!
RFB - a full comparative study will follow...
I love mine but I am starting to think I won't wear them in the house any more as I am seeing them more as shoes. They are comfy, but it doesn't feel like barefoot to me. I can feel the contours in the shoe and my feet are in place as opposed to sprawled out. What makes people think they feel like barefoot?!??
At first my feet were aching after a hard days graft but now i dont have any probs at all. i have to admitt that if wear 'normal' trainers they do feel extremely hard(?) and ungiving(?) - does that make any sense. I also do a bit of running in them now but only on the grass with kids.
They make me feel more 'bouncy, on my toes' when running! Like a floaty light kenyan, even though i dont weigh anything like them, much heavier!
TmR, I'm planning on running in mine soon, maybe another two weeks & that will have given me 4 weeks indoors in them.
I'm really finding them comfortable so running shouldn't be a problem.
I might need a second pair though ;-)
They seem to encourage good form and felt fine. Feet ached after first mile and they feel like they've had a workout. Thighs feel tired as well but not sure if that's just general tiredness or related to the shoes in some way.
And I certainly wouldn't go straight into wearing them for every run. I'll build up much more gradually than with a normal pair of new trainers, but in the end when everything is stronger and well balanced, longer runs might be poss. But, like BT, i can see the need for a second pair as they will clearly wear out pretty soon. Also won't be any good on soft slippery mud.
But it does make sense of why my favourite shoes have always been my Walsh fell shoes. Even after 20-30 mile multi-terrain runs I've never had any problems, unlike new pairs of heavier shoes. I think I'm becoming converted. I will also try out wearing racing shoes more often.