by Crossfit Brio
2. May 2010 05:00
Originally posted Oct 20/09 on www.briopersonaltraining.com
Okay, we have done our fair share of picking on commercial running shoes, so we figured it was time to say something positive and talk about the shoes we do like. We'll start with the unconventional bunch...
Vibram 5 Fingers - If you've been in our gym you'll know the 5 Fingers are definitely our favorite. David, Jocelyn, and Catherine all sport them daily and many of our clients now swear by them. We love them for running, weight lifting, jumping, hiking, and even grocery shopping. They are the closest you'll get to being barefoot while still protecting the skin on your feet from cuts and scrapes. It does take quite a while to build up the strength in the feet and lower legs to tolerate running on them for any kind of distance though, so go easy when first making the switch.
Feelmax - These shoes are ultra-light at about 100g each. They have a wide toe box to allow the toes to spread out naturally and a thin sole so your feet can feel the ground. If you don't want to look like a total weirdo in 5 Finger, these are probably the next best thing. Reviews say that these are
not durable enough for long distance training though and that the soles may not hold up well to rocks and sharp objects outside. These are best for indoor training and treadmill running.
Soft Star Shoes - Featuring a vibram sole, this particular model (The Adult Rambler) is built for use outdoors. Other models have suede or leather soles made more for staying indoors. This company will custom make you a pair based on your foot length, width, and color preference. Although they may not work well for longs distance running, they will definitely make for a warm, comfy shoe for the winter.
Converse Chuck Taylors - Clearly these are not long distance running shoes. But we do think the flat sole and wide mid foot make them great for CrossFit's combo of skills like weight lifting, running, rowing, skipping, etc. These are great
everyday kinda shoes.
The Commercial Crew
Most shoe companies have jumped on the bandwagon with at least one minimalist model. It must be hard for these big companies to sell a flat, unsupportive shoe on the basis that it makes you better with less injury while also cranking out millions of pairs of big, cushy, lazy boy sneakers every year based on the notion that your feet need support to run. But we applaud them for attempting to reconcile this marketing nightmare.
Nike Free - Nike was the first big company to get in on the "flat is better" idea with their line of Nike Free shoes. Although the original version of Frees were great (flat, light, thin soled), the new versions still feature a thick heel and a thin ball of foot area that practically begs for a heel strike. There are many models in the Free product line up, usually with a number indicating the level of support (5.0, 3.0, etc). While these certainly aren't anything close to being barefoot, a pair of Frees might make a good intermediate shoe to ween you off your big, traditional runners.
Adidas AdiZero - These are the shoe of choice for the ultra-distance runners over at
CrossFit Endurance. When attempting to cover 100 miles, while still maintaining natural, ball-of-foot landing stride, these seem to be a good choice. Like the Nike Free, these still have a change in elevation (higher heel, lower mid foot) than a totally flat shoe and the tapered toe area might not be wide enough to allow the toes to spread naturally.
Ecco BIOM - Again, these are hardly minimalist shoes as they still have a thick heel and thinner ball of foot. But their less supportive nature makes them a good transition shoe for those of you that have been shod in gel and springs your entire life. They have two main models of these "flats", one with a leather top and one with mesh. We have a couple of clients who have tried these, and one gentleman found the leather model painful when the leather creased in a bad spot on the top of the foot and dug in. Another lady in the women's version of the same shoe thought they were great though. So we've had mixed reviews...