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Post

Barefoot rules!

21 Feb 2017
22 Comments
articles

I often get asked on what shoes I prefer for agility... And well, I'd never really paid any attention to shoes... - I would just run in whatever and never notice any difference. - Until that day when somebody gave me a pair of shoes that were too small for her. These were the heavier, hardest and most horrible shoes EVER!!! I could barely move!

Obviously, I immediately saw these won't work for me - and to avoid ending with another heavy pair, I put "lightweight running shoes" into Google before shopping for my next pair. - And that changed my life for ever! ๐Ÿ™‚

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I learned about barefoot technology and it totally made sense to me - OF COURSE our foot has the best possible design - and every shoe supporting a heel etc. is just throwing it off balance! How could ever a man-made product work as well as thousands of years of selection! Of course my foot does need no stupid support!

Ever since, I run in minimalist barefoot shoes only. For agility, I LOVE BareGrip 200 (that has unfortunately been discontinued - so I stocked up and bought all that were left - so don't look for them if your number is 4.5! ๐Ÿ™‚ ) - they are just perfect for any surface! And for jogging, I use New Balance Minimus. And while I always had problems with runners knee before if I did lots of running... - no such problems anymore!!!

Discovering barefoot shoes, I can certainly see shoes DO make a difference and am big fan ever since. I do admit owning a pair of Goretex shoes as well to keep my feet dry on long wet walks - but I could never run in anything but minimalist shoes again!

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Footnote: I'm sure there are people who can run better in traditional shoes... - This is just for those who wanted to hear my personal experience. - And for those who THINK barefoot is not for them because of knee problems - just to note that traditional shoes were exactly The Cause of my knee problems - and completely disappeared with barefoot shoes!

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22 Comments

  1. Spฤซgana Spektore February 22, 2017 at 10:32 Log in to Reply

    I have 2 questions about barefoot shoes:
    1. How slippery are they? Fake and real grass makes a real challenge to find shoes that will not slip, are barefoot shoes up to the job?
    2. Isn`t it cold in the winter to run in those? Quite often agility competitions are held in non-heated places and cold is quite an obstacle.

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    • LoLaBu February 22, 2017 at 12:39 Log in to Reply

      1. Depends on the sole -- you can choose between many different versions. The ones I have for agility have rubber spikes with SUPER grip -- perfect for any surface, only on very hard dirt with very little grass they don’t grip that well. I don’t know of any regular shoe with such good grip -- they’re great for turf, mud, wet grass and dirt. The barefoot shoes I use for jogging are even lighter, but don’t have such a grippy sole, so they wouldn’t be so good for agility because of turns, but I love them for jogging and walks.

      2. Some barefoot shoes (meaning no heel support) are heavier and warmer. I use minimalistic shoes (200g and less) and those are never waterproof and never warm ๐Ÿ™‚ -- but I’m never cold when I run, so it’s no issue for me. I change to winter shoes in cold conditions between the runs, for walks etc., but always run in my super light shoes without a problem -- almost always without socks too ๐Ÿ™‚

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  2. Sadie February 22, 2017 at 16:05 Log in to Reply

    Ahhh I love this post but it makes me so sad, after a foot injury last April I had to stop wearing mine at the end of summer and stop walking around barefoot which I loooove -- just couldn’t do it without plantar fasciitis pain the next day. So frustrating I have a practically new pair of xtalons just sitting around right now!!

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    • LoLaBu February 22, 2017 at 17:53 Log in to Reply

      Oh no! I hope it heals with time and you can use them again!

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  3. Nadine Alshut February 24, 2017 at 00:40 Log in to Reply

    Love them, too! But I thought that the BareGrips are no more for sale? Share your secret where you find them ๐Ÿ˜€

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    • LoLaBu February 24, 2017 at 12:11 Log in to Reply

      Yes, they discontinued this model -- so once I learned that, I bought them all still available in various on-line shops to stock up for years to come ๐Ÿ™‚

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  4. Suzanne Verschuuren February 25, 2017 at 11:42 Log in to Reply

    Which New Balance minimus type exccrly do you use for running? I also have quickly knee problems, when I read about barefoot it sounds great! So I would like to try it ๐Ÿ™‚ just need to know which shoe to buy for running and walking

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    • Suzanne Verschuuren February 25, 2017 at 12:20 Log in to Reply

      *excactly

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    • LoLaBu February 25, 2017 at 12:31 Log in to Reply

      I have New Balance WT10BP2. Unfortunately, these have been discontinued as well (hate it!), so not sure if you can still find them, but I think they have some similar models.

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      • Maud Fast October 18, 2018 at 21:53 Log in to Reply

        I went looking for what New Balance have now, and found a model, WT10BB, that look very much like the discontinued model you had. One shoe weights in my size (38) 176 g. They sit n my feet like a second skin, I actually forget I’m wearing them, and they are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn.

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        • LoLaBu October 19, 2018 at 10:01 Log in to Reply

          Yes, I have those now too -- it’s basically the same as the old model and really comfy! I wear those where I need to look like I have shoes on ๐Ÿ™‚ -- but for dog walks and trainings, I mostly use Skinners now. It doesn’t get any more comfortable than that! Well -- at least until you step on something really sharp ๐Ÿ™‚

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          • Maud Fast October 21, 2018 at 21:49 Log in to Reply

            That’s the ones that looks like socks more than shoes?

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            • LoLaBu October 22, 2018 at 09:51 Log in to Reply

              Yes! Super comfy -- on most surfaces ๐Ÿ™‚

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    • LoLaBu February 25, 2017 at 16:13 Log in to Reply

      I think it’s written on a box as well, but maybe I should add that you need to switch gradually as different muscles are in use in barefoot shoes, so you will feel the muscles you didn’t know you have before ๐Ÿ™‚ So I was switching back and forth until those muscles got stronger. -- Not an issue for agility, but definitely an issue for longer runs.

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      • Suzanne Verschuuren February 25, 2017 at 21:43 Log in to Reply

        What do you mean with ‘written on the box as well’? I don’t understand ๐Ÿ™‚ And yes I’ve read that you need to take time to adjust muscles etc, I think for now about getting a barefoot shoe for running and walks, and keep the onces I have for agility for now since I don’t have the money to get new shoes for both ๐Ÿ˜‰

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        • LoLaBu February 25, 2017 at 21:49 Log in to Reply

          I think the warning is written also on the box you get the shoes in. You can probably get a pair that would be good for both agility and jogging. I’m sure I could jog also in BareGrip, but want to keep them for agility as I have a limited number of those.

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          • Suzanne Verschuuren February 26, 2017 at 09:54 Log in to Reply

            Okay thanks.
            I will take a look around on google to find some nice barefoot shoes! ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you for sharing your experience with barefoot!

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  5. Anja Razgorsek February 25, 2017 at 13:44 Log in to Reply

    I also lika Altra shoes and Newton Running. For forest runs etc. For agility-well I need new dog for that but every now and then I get to rent a dog and I use Xtalon 212, standard fit-they are still available and have super grip. But they are not gtx. ๐Ÿ™‚ I have Salomon speedcross for rainy runs.

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    • LoLaBu February 25, 2017 at 16:10 Log in to Reply

      For me already 200g is limit high. I’ve heard xtalon exists in 190 as well -- but that they’re not as soft as BareGrip…

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  6. Nina March 3, 2017 at 16:31 Log in to Reply

    Yes, I have X talon 190 and it’s super light and flexible, I love it (I have never tried baregrip, so I can’t compare, but for me they work fine). The ones that also work great for me are Icebug Acceleritas, love those also. But none of these models has such a good grip as baregrip you are using, but still good enough.

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    • LoLaBu March 3, 2017 at 19:13 Log in to Reply

      Yes, I think I will try xtalon 190 next. But I just hate when they change or even discontinue models I like -- it happens all the time when I finally find something I like!

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  7. Nina March 3, 2017 at 16:33 Log in to Reply

    But yes, I perfectly agree, anything above 200g is totally useless!

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sialaSilvia Trkman is known for bringing every dog, from her first dog on, to the very top of the sport. Her dogs are known for great speed, tight turns, running contacts and long and injury-free careers. Silvia is in agility since 1992 and is
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