The Idea Behind Barefoot and Minimalist Shoes
As you probably deduced from their name, minimalist running shoes are designed specifically to cut down on the material between your feet and the ground, providing a natural — or "barefoot" — running experience. While a barefoot-enthusiast may argue that the only way to fulfill this natural experience is to do-away with shoes altogether, our modern world demands some sort of protection for our feet — even if it is only to walk into a convenience store. Road runners deal with broken glass, trail runners high-step sharp rocks, and we have yet to find a gym that doesn't require footwear. The point is, most of us need shoes. But we don't have to feel like our shoes define the way we run.
Barefoot accuracy is what running in minimalist shoes is all about, and it all comes down to ground-feel — how close can each shoe come to feeling like we are actually running barefoot. The best minimalist shoes achieve this feeling through a precise combination of design features like a thin outsole, zero-drop, a wide toe box, a lot of flexibility, and of course a lack of conventional support that would otherwise inhibit the foot's ability to feel the ground.
Training Tip
If you do not have experience running in barefoot shoes, we cannot stress enough how important it is to take the minimalist nature of these shoes seriously. Trying to run your normal distance or at a normal pace may result in nagging injuries, even if you feel OK during the run. We suggest cutting back significantly on your usual mileage until your feet have time to adjust to this particular type of running shoe
