Hi guys, I am new. I meet Barefoot Jim a couple of weeks ago at one of the Alpine Shop trail races. I have always aspired to be true barefoot running but I only run on VFF's so far. I have been running on VFF for about 4 years now. I wear them 24/7. I have a pair that I wear to work that are plain black. I have run the full marathon for the last 3 years in VFF's. I am hoping you guys can inspire me to take the next step. I have a pair of luna sandals but I don't like the strap it came with. I want to try the plain leather strap. What size do you recommend. 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2? Chris
Hi Chris! Welcome! Glad you found the site and you were able to get this post out there! I missed you at the makeup rain race last week. There was a brutal climb! I too got started in VFFs and still use them today. I don't always go barefoot and see shoes, sandals, whatever you put on your feet as a tool rather than a necessity... You choose the tool that works best for whatever it is YOUR doing. For road if I know the conditions and feel like an adventure I always go barefoot. If I don't know the conditions I wear my VFFs. For fast trail running with large rocks I use the Luna Sandals with a 8mm sole and the thick leather strap for a tight hold. I have also used their elasticized strap on that same sole but didn't find it as tight when cruising on the trails. The Luna's I really like on the trails because the protect my foot from the jaggedness on the trail but give a ton of flexibility to provide me support on all the uneven surfaces. I wouldn't recommend those out of the gate for the tough trails and would wait til you build up some strength in your ankle and feet which should come over time with barefoot running or with your VFFS. If you are moving quick on the tough trails your ankles will encounter more ankle busting scenarios so you will need to be prepared so you can plow right over those unexpected holes. A few other reasons I wear the Luna's is the breathability .... Without being enclosed they feel lighter and much more comfortable then anything out there. With the openness you also expose your toes which I feel helps with stability and balance when they are creeping over the front edge of the sandal.... You get that sensory response from your toes when they hit the ground that maybe you have stepped to far or need to catch your balance or whatever.... Lots more to discuss! I hope you will make it out to a group run in St Louis soon. Which reminds me I need to set one up!
Hi Chris! Are you still out there? Do you have any plans to attend the Alpine Shop Summer Trail running series starting up in a few weeks?
