Anyone alway drive barefoot (or most of the time)?

joe4702

Barefooters
Jan 28, 2013
55
69
18
Poway, CA
I'm to the point it feels wrong/weird not to drive barefoot.
If I happen to be wearing shoes, I'll take them off before starting the engine.

I keep flip-flops in the car for when I reach my destination since I've given up going BF in most public places (but that's another story). I also keep an "emergency" pair of athletic shoes and socks in the trunk.

Luckily I live in a warm climate where BF driving is doable year around.

I sometimes get weird looks at gas stations (I do watch where I'm stepping) and walking from my car to my condo when arriving home.

My GF thinks it's quite strange but finally quit bugging me about it.
 
"I fly tailwheel airplanes with my shoes off to increase awareness and to better feel the rudder pedals/bars. Though in my little Cub there just isn't much room for clunky shoes in the narrow confines between the fuselage and the front seat frame, the Decathlon has more room for your feet, especially up front. But I still prefer the feel of feet against the rudder pedals or rudder bars. My students tried barefoot flying on our first lesson and adopted it immediately."

http://www.sunlakesaeroclub.org/updates_web_data/060409/Tailwheels.htm
 
I drive in whatever is on my feet, which probably means about 50-50 split between barefoot and miminal shoes. I'll have to be honest and say that I don't really notice the difference. Conscious competence and all. Most of the time I barely know I'm driving, forget about taking notice of the details.
 
"I fly tailwheel airplanes with my shoes off to increase awareness and to better feel the rudder pedals/bars.

That is cool!

Thanks for all the responses.

I guess a broader question would be "do many or most barefoot runners/hikers like to go barefoot in general, in public and/or private?" I would think the answer is generally yes, although I assume there are a few that run barefoot but are otherwise shod.
 
That is cool!

Thanks for all the responses.

I guess a broader question would be "do many or most barefoot runners/hikers like to go barefoot in general, in public and/or private?" I would think the answer is generally yes, although I assume there are a few that run barefoot but are otherwise shod.

I run bare foot when ever possible, can't seem to do it in the winter, otherwise I either wear my Arrow mocs, VFF's, or Merrell Road Gloves as shoes when I need to. Only time I wear full on "regular" arch supporting, heel raising, toe cramping footware is my CSA approved Red Wing steel toed work boots at work. I prefer the "Maximus" approach here, to protect my feet, so I can enjoy the "minimalist" approach everywhere else!
 
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I run bare foot when ever possible, can't seem to do it in the winter, otherwise I either wear my Arrow mocs, VFF's, or Merrell Road Gloves as shoes when I need to. Only time I wear full on "regular" arch supporting, heel raising, toe cramping footware is my CSA approved Red Wing steel toed work boots at work. I prefer the "Maximus" approach here, to protect my feet, so I can enjoy the "minimalist" approach everywhere else!
I really think there needs to be a type of footwear that's zero drop, has an anatomical toebox, and has no arch support, but doesn't necessarily have a thin sole. There are times when a thicker or more rigid sole is desirable, such as steel toed work boots. Another example is cycling shoes, where a stiff sole can really be useful. But it seems that as soon as "stiff soles" are involved, suddenly there are no choices that are zero drop and anatomical. It really does seem like a large gap in the industry.

I'm not sure if shoes like this would still be called minimalist (due to the thicker sole) or if a new term would need to be coined, but I really do wish the market would come out with such footwear. It's a case of shoes being tools and just because the sole is thicker doesn't mean it needs to be "arch supporting, heel raising, and toe cramping," as you put it!
 
I really think there needs to be a type of footwear that's zero drop, has an anatomical toebox, and has no arch support, but doesn't necessarily have a thin sole. There are times when a thicker or more rigid sole is desirable, such as steel toed work boots. Another example is cycling shoes, where a stiff sole can really be useful. But it seems that as soon as "stiff soles" are involved, suddenly there are no choices that are zero drop and anatomical. It really does seem like a large gap in the industry.

I'm not sure if shoes like this would still be called minimalist (due to the thicker sole) or if a new term would need to be coined, but I really do wish the market would come out with such footwear. It's a case of shoes being tools and just because the sole is thicker doesn't mean it needs to be "arch supporting, heel raising, and toe cramping," as you put it!
Mayka, despite many if us here's grumblings the term minimalist shoes in the running shoe industry has come to mean lightweight shoes, nothing really to do with thin soles that maybe have been stripped down a bit as far as support, I mean the Nike Free 5.0 shoe is considered minimalist because it's relatively lightweight amd flexible but have a 23mm heel and a 14mm sole. Barefoot shoes (I and many here really despise this term as it leads to confusion on what is really barefoot, yes people really do think they are barefoot in barefoot shoes) are the classification in the running shoe industry that typically means more zero drop, sometimes anatomical design, and lightweight. In anycase, I think Altras are one of the only brands out there that have the anatomical design with zero drop and lits of cusion (way too much for me).
 
Agreed! That's why I buy my work boots width wider than normal to make room for my toes. I want maximum protection, they have to be CSA approved in order to be deemed suitable for the jobsite. Company policy.
I agree cycling shoes have to be stiff in order to be effective. Never understood why anyone would want to cycle bare foot!
 
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I agree cycling shoes have to be stiff in order to be effective. Never understood why anyone would want to cycle bare foot!

I ride almost daily and wear cycling sandals year round (with socks when below about 60 degrees).
Adequate protection, reasonably stiff, good airflow and saves on sock washing!
I wish I could ride barefoot, but fast moving metal parts and pavement makes it a bad idea.
 
I destroyed 100% of the cartilage at the most important foot joint (1'st metatarso-phangial) bilaterally from decades of regular cycling in rigid narrow Italian tight fitting expensive shoes cleated in. Joints were in an unatural position and undergoing exact same repetitive motion. Along with the Hallux Limitis came bone spurring. Now I sacrifice crash protection and some peddling efficiency and ride exclusively barefoot on Pyramid Barefoot Pedals. With more than a dozen bikes in the family fleet and one that has 10 crank arms it's fine that these pedals are as crummy as they come bearing wise since I've purchased a few dozen pair at less than $10 per unit. Diane and I rode to breakfast, lunch, dinner, dance bar, and late night snack barefoot yesterday. It's nice to be on vacation! She rides 300 miles in three days every summer and several additional centuries in sandals since they ride in packs and crashes are common . I don't ride like that anymore, and also eliminated the large chainring on several of my bikes so that the chain is always protecting my feet from the teeth. I realized that too often the big ring's teeth were just waiting for action , now I'm forced to spin better as a result. Off to ride barefoot to breakfast again! We ran three times barefoot yesterday as well.
 
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