Minimalist footwear for hunting

muddydogs

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Sounds like you need to see someone that makes orthotic shoe inserts and get a custom pair made to your feet that you can put in about any shoe to get the support that you need.

Everything I have read about plantar fasciitis says one needs to support the arch and not walk around barefoot which sounds like what you guys are doing? I know my feet do better when I have the arch support I need.
 
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Titan_Bow

Titan_Bow

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I've not had plantar fascitis pain, or any sort of leg, foot, or hip pain, in about 3 years now, since going to barefoot style shoes exclusively. All I can say, is it has worked for me, I am not advocating this as a remedy for others. In my mind however, humans have been around for a couple hundred thousand years, and shoes have only been around for a few hundred. I feel like getting as close to what the human body was intended to function is not a terrible idea. Again, it works for me and thats all I can really go by.
 

Formidilosus

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Sounds like you need to see someone that makes orthotic shoe inserts and get a custom pair made to your feet that you can put in about any shoe to get the support that you need.

Everything I have read about plantar fasciitis says one needs to support the arch and not walk around barefoot which sounds like what you guys are doing? I know my feet do better when I have the arch support I need.


Negative. The vast majority of people have issues because their feet are weak due to "support" from wearing "supportive" shoes. I see hundreds of people with foot problems while carrying heavy packs over broken terrain and most problems are directly traceable to weak feet. We fix most by slowly introducing minimal footwear.
 

muddydogs

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Negative. The vast majority of people have issues because their feet are weak due to "support" from wearing "supportive" shoes. I see hundreds of people with foot problems while carrying heavy packs over broken terrain and most problems are directly traceable to weak feet. We fix most by slowly introducing minimal footwear.

So they why do we have shoes with arch support? Why do most custom boot makers focus on arch support?
 
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Titan_Bow

Titan_Bow

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That is a good question. My opinion is that it is driven by our culture of wearing modern footwear. From a very early age, we start putting our feet into shoes with elevated heels, pronounced hard plastic arches, and toe boxes or footwear shape that conform the shape of our feet. By the time we reach adulthood, our feet have been shaped by 20 plus years of modern footwear, hence the need at that point for support. If you google "native feet" and look at images, its crazy to see what people's feet look like that have never wore shoes. Their feet look way more "monkey" looking for lack of a better term. The toes splay out, creating a wide and stable base, their feet are operating the way nature intended really.
 

Formidilosus

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So they why do we have shoes with arch support? Why do most custom boot makers focus on arch support?


Why does the food pyramid still have grains and carbs on it?

It's because people thought they knew what they are doing and it takes a long time for incorrect, yet ingrained, beliefs to be questioned and replaced. As well, there isn't a whole lot of incentive to change it. There is a whole industry built around sportive shoes. If you were a pediatrist that made your living on custom shoes and insoles, and you found out that most problems could be fixed by having people walk barefoot more... would you be inclined to choose that approach?

Now, to be clear I am not a pediatrist, and some people (very, very few IME) have some really broken feet and need help, but I see and have to deal with broken, busted feet a lot, and through a ton of research and work with great pediatrists- biologically and evolutionarily we are designed to walk barefoot. That's not even really arguable. The problem is as Titan stated- we put shoes in children nearly as soon as they are born and consequently people have extremely weak feet because they've never had to use them.

The people that I see that come to us already using minimalist footwear have almost no foot problems (actually not sure I've ever seen even one), and those people who ween themselves off "supportive" shoes drop their injuries to nearly zero. And that's with carrying 100+lb packs.

Almost 100% of our foot and lower leg injuries are from people who think they need a mountaineering boot to walk across the parking lot.



Nobody rolls their ankle barefoot.....
 
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Formidilosus

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Titan,

I have been using the Inov-8 Roclite 286GTX since last year. Backpacking trips to the Frank Church, Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Washington. Heaviest load was a weighed 108lbs for around 4.2 miles in some broken, steep terrain.

They are nothing more than a lightweight high top trail shoe with a lugged sole, and goretex. Excellent shoe. Just wish they made the toe box a bit wider.
 

Trial153

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Ok here it goes.... I been using different versions on five fingers for a few years while bowhunting. At first I would only switch into them while completing a stalk. However I have used them more and more for general bow hunting use. I found them as quite as socks but way more functional. No more pulling thorns or stickers from wool socks, nor missteps on a rock. They are also very light and pack well.
This is the pair I settled on last year after using couple other versions.

Trek Ascent Insulated | Outdoor | Men | FiveFingers
 

muddydogs

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Formidilosus

So tell me your qualification and what type of business do you have? Where are you located?

I ask because I'm very interested in this. I worked in the woods for 20+ years and had feet of steel. I'd purchase a new pair of custom boots, put them on and wear them for days without a problem. I could hike 20 miles a day with no foot problems or carry 100 pounds over the toughest terrain and never had a problem.

Now if I look at a hill I get a blister and just not a blister but a blister under a callous so were talking a gaping hole in my foot. I've had Plantar fasciitis in both feet and Charcot in my left foot. I went from a shoe size of around 10 to a 12.5. Only good thing is I have some neuropathy in my feet so I can't feel them to well a lot of the times so the blisters don't hurt to much.

I have trouble finding shoes to wear and currently have custom insoles in my boots.
 

Thor0331

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Sounds like you need to see someone that makes orthotic shoe inserts and get a custom pair made to your feet that you can put in about any shoe to get the support that you need.

Everything I have read about plantar fasciitis says one needs to support the arch and not walk around barefoot which sounds like what you guys are doing? I know my feet do better when I have the arch support I need.

Yeah that's not correct at all..
 

Thor0331

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New Balance minimus V1. They finally brought them back this year from high demand. They were introduced on the market when barefoot running started getting all the attention. I bought three pairs in case they dissapear again and still have my second pair from years ago. I refuse to throw them out. Ran multiple tough mudders in them. I'll duck tape them before I throw them out. I run and hike in them. They are extremely durable and dry quickly. Come in wide sizes. They claim they are 4mm drop but they are a true minimal shoe, more than the trail glove by far. The last two models of the trail glove have an arch support which makes them not minimalist. The vapor glove is the only true minimal shoe merrell makes now, which is a great shoe as well. Just hard to get traction in them so I just lift in them. Glad to see this thread posted here. Good luck!
 
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Fjelljeger

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I used the Salomon XA Pro 3D for the Packraft Rondy carrying a 65lb pack for 3 days and had zero issues. They aren't exactly "minimalist" but then again they aren't boots either. I too have had planter fasciitis in the past and these shoes worked great. I have noticed the more you stretch your calves the less you get the p.f's!
 
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New Balance minimus V1. They finally brought them back this year from high demand. They were introduced on the market when barefoot running started getting all the attention. I bought three pairs in case they dissapear again and still have my second pair from years ago. I refuse to throw them out. Ran multiple tough mudders in them. I'll duck tape them before I throw them out. I run and hike in them. They are extremely durable and dry quickly. Come in wide sizes. They claim they are 4mm drop but they are a true minimal shoe, more than the trail glove by far. The last two models of the trail glove have an arch support which makes them not minimalist. The vapor glove is the only true minimal shoe merrell makes now, which is a great shoe as well. Just hard to get traction in them so I just lift in them. Glad to see this thread posted here. Good luck!

These, also known as MT10's are my stalking shoes and extremely durable.
 

Thor0331

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I have been using the MT10s as a lifting shoe, and my "camp" shoe. They are really light!

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Have you tried the vapor glove for lifting? Next to chuckie T's they are the best ones I've worn
 
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Titan_Bow

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I have hunted in New Balance MT10's and Merrell Trail Gloves. I just got back from a bonzai weekend trip here in CO for the elk opener. I wore the Mini-Mil boots. They worked out great really. There was a little hot spotting at the back of my ankle that I never get in low top shoes (for the obvious reason no material is touching my ankle there) but I was able to get it to go away by adjusting my laces. Otherwise, they felt very similar to wearing Merrell Trail Gloves, and probably a little more comfortable to me than gaiters. While not waterproof, I intentionally stepped in some water while crossing streams. It takes a few seconds for water to actually ingress, and then they walked dry in no time at all. In the long run, if you are looking for a "boot" with a minimalist fit and feel, these fit the bill relatively well. I had pretty much the same ground feel as I have with my Merrells, which is probably just a touch less than the NB MT10's. I seriously considered getting a pair of VivoBarefoot hikers, but I consistently see negative reviews on amazon and other outlets, which always kept me from pulling the trigger on them.
 

Lawnboi

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While I can't say barefoot shoes will fix your problems, I can say they have helped me immensely as well. Since switching to a barefoot style shoe, my feet, ankles and lower legs have gained a lot of strength, on top of that my joints don't take the beating they used to due to knowing I need to cushion myself using my muscles, not joints. I regularly run trails in minimal shoes, but do switch to a stiffer boot when I hit serious terrain when backpacking. Makes it feel like cheating when I strap those boots on. I'd love to give trail runners a go, but I like waterproof, I like stiff for hills, to be able to dig in or side hill for days without killing my muscles, and I don't want to tear up a new pair of trail runners every trip I go on. That said if I were doing an on trail mostly trip I'd undoubtably choose a trail runner.

I run single track trails, often into the double digits, in my inov 8 shoes. Only time I'm in supportive shoes is when I'm backpacking off trail, or at work.

I too have drooled over the russels, I have handled their boots and they are built very well. Someday I'll get a pair.
 
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woodmoose

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