At this point, I'm like a cult member with a foot fetish.

And I'm okay with that.

Completely on board with the whole minimalist footwear brigade. The best places to start to get what they're all about is this post at Mark's Daily Apple [which I think is the first place I learned about them] and, well, the entire blog birthday shoes. You can even download a free e-book from there:


the [beginners guide] to Vibram Five Fingers shoes!

Vibram Five Fingers are the standard bearers in the whole 'barefoot shoes' deal, and now I have, apparently, 5 pairs. [Told you. Cult. Yay.] The short version of the hows and the whys is this - normal shoes restrict your ranges of motion and weaken your feet - 'casts for feet' as it were - minimalist footwear is designed to get you back in touch with how your feet actually work, strengthening and making them more flexible. When I first saw them it reminded me of how old school bodybuilders used to workout barefoot - like this pic of Arnold, back in the day - - and yoga, beach running and other disciplines trend to bare feet for the same reasons.

My pair of Mocs, designed for indoor use, which works out great here in Japan where schools expect you to have a pair of 'indoor only' shoes. The kids have taken to calling them my frog shoes. In Japanese, of course [kaeru kutsu.]

Classics, on the left, for summer/warmer weather kicking around, and a pair of Sprints on the right, for trainers in similar conditions.

KSO Treks, left, for all purpose casuals/semi-formal [pair of khakis or jeans wear] and Flows on the right, for cold weather PT or watersports.

A pair of Soft Star moccasins for around the house...

And a pair of Vivo Barefoot Dharmas, which is as close as I get to "normal" shoes.