Just got an email from a reader (thanks Bill!) alerting me to the fact that the United States Navy just authorized the wearing of “minimalist” footwear with the Navy physical training uniform (photo of Vibram clad soldier via Rebecca Frankel at Foreign Policy). This is in contrast to the US Army, which recently banned the […]
United States Navy Authorizes the Use of Minimalist Footwear, including Vibram Fivefingers, with PT Uniforms
August 5, 2011 By 10 Comments
The State of the Running Shoe Market: Minimalism on the Rise
July 29, 2011 By 51 Comments
An interesting article titled “Appealing to Runners, Even the Barefoot Brigade,” by Andrew Adam Newman was published in the New York Times a few days ago. The article takes a look at the state of the running shoe industry, with a particular focus on the minimalist shoe segment. While sales of toning shoes are dropping […]
Keen A86 Trail Running Shoe: Guest Review by Frederic Brossard
July 27, 2011 By 6 Comments
I’ve come to the realization that despite my best efforts, there’s no way I can singlehandedly review every minimalist shoe out there. Not only is the market now flooded with them, but I’ve found that constantly rotating through shoes that vary widely in construction on every run tends to be a bit hard on my […]
Merrell Barefoot 2012 Lineup: Preview of the Merrell Road Glove, Dash Glove and More from Jason Robillard
July 26, 2011 By 5 Comments
Jason Robillard over at Barefoot Running University just put up a post with a preview of some of the shoes that will be added to the Merrell Barefoot shoe lineup in Spring 2012. As a road runner , the new lineup includes one that I have been waiting for for a long time – the […]
Irene Davis Lecture on Running Shoes, Form, and Injuries: A Must Watch for Anyone Interested in the Minimalist/Barefoot Running Debate
July 24, 2011 By 30 Comments
Last night I came across a post on one of the Birthday Shoes forums that contained YouTube links to a lecture that Dr. Irene Davis gave earlier this year. Dr. Davis is one of the top researchers in the field of running biomechanics and an expert on the treatment of running injuries. She recently left […]
Comparative Review: Inov-8 Evoskin vs. Vibram Fivefingers by Facewest Adventure Equipment Specialists
July 24, 2011 By 7 Comments
UK shoemaker Inov-8, a favorite among minimalist runners, has recently released a shoe called the Evoskin. The Evoskin is essentially a silicone foot-glove, and in having pockets for each individual toe it bears a resemblance to the popular Vibram Fivefingers. When I first saw the Evoskin, my first thought was that they would likely create […]
Dr. Mark Cucuzzella’s Reply to Jeff Galloway’s Views on Minimalist Running Shoes and Injuries: Thoughts From a Minimalist Shoe Store Owner
July 22, 2011 By 56 Comments
With all his books, coaching experience, training methods, racing achievements, and Ironman-like durability with just over a half-century of miles on his legs, Jeff Galloway is a respected fixture in the running community. And along with many other runners, I’m a subscriber to his email newsletter. But his take on minimalist running shoes in his […]
Acclimation to Running in Minimalist or Barefoot-Style Shoes: Is Form Change Instantaneous, or Does it Adapt Over Time?
July 21, 2011 By 8 Comments
One of my biggest complaints about many of the scientific studies of barefoot and/or minimalist running is that they far too often fail to account for the possibility that form change is a prolonged process. They might take a habitually shod runner, ask them to remove their shoes, and have them run without any prolonged […]
Metatarsal Stress Fractures in Minimalist Runners: What Are the Causes?
July 19, 2011 By 53 Comments
Image via Wikipedia One of the big topics of discussion swirling around minimalist running shoes right now is whether they increase the likelihood that a runner might experience a stress fracture. Clearly, fractures of the 2nd metatarsal are occurring in individuals who give minimalist running a try (for example, check out this great post by […]
Saucony Hattori Guest Review by Frederic Brossard
July 19, 2011 By 6 Comments
A few months back I posted my initial thoughts on the Saucony Hattori zero drop running shoes. A number of people have emailed me to ask if I have any additional thoughts on them yet – unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to put very many miles on them, so my initial thoughts have not […]
Criteria For a Safe Transition to Minimalist Shoes or Barefoot Running: Thoughts From Jay Dicharry, PT
July 13, 2011 By 41 Comments
A few weeks back I was talking on the phone with Jay Dicharry, a physical therapist and director of the Speed Lab at the University of Virginia. Jay is one of the most knowledgeable guys I know when it comes to questions about running gait and running injuries, probably because he combines a strong research […]
New Balance introduces their Zero Drop Minimus Lineup for 2012
July 4, 2011 By 44 Comments
Update 7/11/2011: New Balance contacted me and asked me to take down the photographs that I had posted – apparently somebody in the company jumped the gun by releasing the video early (they asked Frunning to remove the video as well). Should have more info in August – stay tuned! A twitter friend (thanks @glin23!) […]
Foot Strike, Running Shoes, Barefooting, Injuries, and Biomechanics: The Importance of Both Science and Anecdote
June 29, 2011 By 18 Comments
Just before I left on a camping trip last week I received an email from Amby Burfoot pointing me to an abstract of a paper to be presented at the 2011 meeting of the International Society of Biomechanics. The study, titled “Foot Strike Does Not Predict Loading Rates During Shod or Barefoot Running,” was conducted […]
Newton Distance Racer Review: Sir Isaac Gets it Right
June 22, 2011 By 36 Comments
Let me state openly at the outset of this review that my first experience with a pair of Newton running shoes was not a good one. In winter 2009 I received a pair of Newton Sir Isaac’s – I think this was the first pair of review shoes that I’d ever received – and I […]
Saucony Peregrine Review: A Rugged, Low-Drop Trail Running Shoe
June 15, 2011 By 21 Comments
Given the fact that the Saucony Kinvara is one of my favorite road shoes (mostly for marathon racing and long runs these days), I was excited last winter when I found out that Saucony would be releasing a trail running sibling to the Kinvara: the Saucony Peregrine. You can tell from the photos included in […]
