Hi, It’s been a while I feel like I want to try barefoot running but I’m not sure, I would like to hear more opinions. I’ve always been more confident walking barefoot, did Kendo for a bit, walked the Camino de Santiago multiple times, but I started running “seriously” only recently and I feel that every pair of running shoes I try is somehow hurting me or making me feel uncomfortable.
I tried watching youtube videos on the topic but the opinions there are quite conflicting, so I thought asking here!
Do you use zero drop / barefoot shoes? Do you use them to run? Do you know a proper “guide” on the matter?
Thank you in advance!
Do you trail run at all, or mostly road run? I know a few people who love altra zero drops for trails, but can’t handle the zero drop feeling for road shoes.
I think trails are more forgiving since you are slower, and since the uphills/downhills are more intense on trails, it’s nice to have a flat shoe.
Btw, the altra vanish are their racing/tempo shoe, and they are labeled “zero drop”, but runrepeat.com measured the vanish carbon 1 and 2, and found they actually had a drop of 5.4 and 3.7 mm, respectively. I can’t say if the non-carbon version actually has a drop as well, but I have a pair and it feels like they do. They are a slimmer fit than other altras, but it is nice to have something with a more responsive foam for speedwork.
A little trail running, but not much lately. I have some lone peaks that I like a lot, though. The new foam in the fwd via 2 (side of the shoe calls it ego p35) feels so much different to the torins. I’m not sure how to describe it, but I enjoy it so much that I haven’t used the torins since I got a pair of fwd via 2.
If you want to absolutely nerd out about running shoe foam, runrepeat did a fantastic writeup. I always hated that companies would give you a name for their foam, but they never actually tell you anything about what it means.
https://runrepeat.com/guides/running-shoe-foams-guide
Unfortunately altra ego p35 isn’t on there yet, but it seems like it’s polyolefin elastomer (POE) blend as opposed to the normal altra ego which is just EVA.
That’s how I felt with the altra ego pro, which is TPE. I need to try the p35, though.