Barefoot Parkour?

Most of the internet “chatter” about minimal shoes and going barefoot is all about running but I stumbled upon a couple of videos with a slightly different point of view. It looks like one growing discipline called Parkour is looking more closely at minimal footwear as an option as well. The videos aren’t the highest quality but it is still interesting to hear about barefoot function through the perspective of a sport with such a wide variety of movements and a higher risk for impact injury.

Part One:

Part Two:

Unshoes and SOPA

Chances are you have all seen some kind of online protest against SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) today. While I was aware of the bill I didn’t take much thought about how it would affect Unshoes as a business. I decided that I had better look into it so that I can be informed. As I used the internet today I saw that several sites such as Wikipedia were shut down. Other sites had black bars over the logo and usually had some kind of tag line that said “stop online censoring”. I wanted to find out more about the bill rather than just taking Google’s word for it.

It didn’t take long to discover that SOPA could make a huge impact on us as a small online business. While I agree with the basic purpose of the bill, I’m not sure that there is any way to really stop online piracy. The dishonest people will probably find ways around everything while those who are trying to run legitimate websites will suffer. Analysts have said that the language in the bill is so broad and rules are so disconnected that the bill could kill e-commerce.

Here is one example of how SOPA could hurt our business. If I were to find an interesting blog post about barefoot running or minimal footwear and I decide to share that link on Facebook or our blog and the blog that we linked to violated some part of the SOPA law, then we could become liable for that violation. We share links all the time and are always on the lookout for interesting information that might be of interest to our customers. It could be as simple as sharing a youtube video or even linking to a website that has an image that was taken from another website. Online marketing could become a nightmare. Since our sandals are sold online to people all over the world we depend on online marketing. It is our primary method of getting our product out there for potential customers to see. We communicate through our blog, Twitter, and Facebook page.

Search engines will have to make major adjustments if the bill is passed and the engines would have to verify each website to SOPA regulations. In short, those of us that rely on search traffic (pretty much any business) are going to experience a major drop in traffic and therefore sales.

I’m sure there are many other consequences for all of us. The main point is that while this bill has good intentions it could lead to some pretty bad dings in the economy. I honestly don’t think that the bill will pass, but I felt that I needed to add my two cents to the discussion.

Naturally Misunderstood

In the circles of minimal footwear and barefoot enthusiasts there is often talk about the natural way to walk/run. While there is nothing wrong with that, the word “natural” is a turnoff for some people. That is probably because it is so often misused and/or misunderstood. “All natural” is one of those buzz words in the marketing world. It is sometimes pushed in our faces and it’s easy to get sick of it.

Once in a photography class we were in the middle of a rather philosophical discussion about the history of photography and its role in the art movements. There was a certain group of photographers who were only interested in photographing nature. The class discussion turned to the definition of nature. At this point there were several conflicting opinions about what was “natural” and was was not. In the end of the discussion the class determined that since man is from nature, everything is natural. There is no such thing as unnatural. While I understood why the class thought that way, I disagreed.

I define the word “natural” as something that functions according to its purpose. Of course that is my opinion, but it makes much more sense to me. There are all kinds of weight loss pills that are labeled as “all natural”. Just because the ingredients come from natural sources, it doesn’t mean that taking a pill is a natural way for people to lose weight.

If you've ever wondered what cross section of a casual shoe looks like then here you go! I cut this shoe in half to find a sole made of rubber (no brainer) several layers of cardboard, wood, fabric, foam, and a large metal plate! Since when did metal plates come in shoes?

People may think that us barefoot nuts shun shoes because they were something man made. Maybe that’s true for some people but the reason I don’t like shoes is because our feet are meant to function a certain way and most shoes alter that function. Our bodies need some protection against the often harsh environments in which we live. It is natural to want protection but we have taken things a bit too far in some cases.

“Just enough is more”—Milton Glaser

Mixed messages

When communicating, one of the worst things to do is to send mixed messages. Mixed messages are not only confusing but they are frustrating. The receiver of the messages is left not knowing what to do. Eventually this leads to a lack of trust.

confused yet?

There are many reasons that people do not adopt a barefoot/minimal lifestyle. I won’t go into all the reasons but one of the major reasons, I believe, is that they are outright confused. They are receiving mixed messages about whether or not our bodies need to have supportive shoes. People may be getting messages from friends or family who have tried barefoot running, from online forums, and most of all they are getting mixed messages from the medical world.

While science and medicine has greatly increased the value of living in our modern world and I am very grateful for the miracle of modern medicine, we shouldn’t forget that the experts in medicine are still learning. The scientific method has obviously been a huge factor in learning truths about our world. We live in a very complex world and sometimes there are just too many factors involved in a given subject to prove any point using the scientific method. Nutrition is my primary example. It seems that every months I see news headlines about some new study that shows that (insert food type here) is bad for you and you shouldn’t be eating it. The next thing I know, some other study is showing that that same food is healthy and a necessary part of our diet. It seems that every study about nutrition comes up with conflicting results. As a result people are either confused and lose trust in the experts or they change diets with every new whim and doctrine of nutrition. Personally, I have become confused and I just eat what feels right for me. I like to do my research and after I have learned as much as I can, I go with my gut instinct. It’s too difficult to keep up with every new scientific fact about nutrition. I don’t want to feel like a rag doll being tossed back and forth.

I am afraid that the study of barefooting is becoming the same way. People can read studies like those published by Daniel Lieberman and others that show the benefits of going barefoot. On the other hand there are experts who oppose anything barefoot and say that we need support under our feet. The truth is that it is going to be difficult for science to study the effects of going barefoot. There are so many factors that are individual specific. For example the success of a barefoot runner greatly depends on the transition from running in shoes to running without them. Form is another key factor. Can a good transition be measured? It may take longer for some people who have weaker feet or have had foot problems in the past. Some people may think that because they go barefoot sometimes they can jump right into barefoot running. I had been hiking in my Unshoes prototypes for nearly a year before I decided to start running. I was surprised at how much transition time I needed.

I doubt that science will ever come to a solid conclusion about the barefoot “movement”. If there are any readers who are on the fence about trying out minimal footwear but are waiting for doctors to say yea or nay… you might be sitting on that fence for a long time unless you decide to take the plunge and experiment for yourself.

My purpose for this post is to encourage people to do as much research as they can. Learn about your feet and what their purpose is. I encourage everyone to listen to what their body says. This is possibly the most important thing to do when taking off your shoes. Then, when you have done your research and put some real thought into the subject. Make your own decision and take it slowly. Don’t be afraid… just have fun.

2011—a whirlwind year!

As the end of the year is upon us, I am finding myself thinking about this past year. Although I have gotten used to my current situation, this small sandal company and my life have gone through an incredibly large amount of changes this year. Just a year ago I considered Unshoes to be a side business. I didn’t expect it to become my full-time job. We were still selling our sandals through the Etsy website and I was still working toward my career as a graphic designer. I was taking some time off work to help my wife and newborn son.

Today Unshoes has become my full-time job and career. When I started making these sandals I had no idea what it would turn into. This has been an incredible adventure. It has come with its share of stress and worry but I wouldn’t trade it for any other job! Not only has our business grown and developed but the whole industry of minimal footwear has gone through some major changes. The world is beginning to accept the concept of minimal footwear. Some of the significant events of this year include:

—Becoming new parents
—I discovered that I love running
—New website launched
—The Wokova Feather design was released
—We began hiring employees to help with production
—Unexpected death of my youngest brother
—Other companies began adopting features introduced by Unshoes
—First Pah Tempe design was released
—We began sponsoring a few local trail races
—Pah Tempe improved design was released

While looking forward to the new year we are excited to continue expanding our business to make better products for our customers. In addition to the new and improved Pah Tempe design we have several changes and a few new models in store for the future! First of all we will be introducing  new method of attaching our straps under the sole. We will be using a molded rubber plug that will be countersunk into the sole. Our current method is also countersunk but but the new rubber plug will dramatically increase the durability and aesthetics of our sandals. We will release more information on this later. As for the new models… we still have quite a bit of development and testing to do before we can release any information on them. A few other things we have planned for the upcoming year include:

—Sponsoring more races
—Continuing to better streamline our process
—Getting more involved in the running community
—Attending the Outdoor Retailer Show
—Working with local retailers
—Doing more giveaways ;)
—Working on solutions for winter minimal footwear
—Continue to improve our products

We are looking forward to 2012. We hope that you all have had a great year and we wish you the best for the future!

Pah Tempe now available

The new and improved Pah Tempe design is now available for purchase on our website!

The new design features a fixed heel strap and omits the ankle straps that were on the previous versions and on the Wokova models. The fixed heel strap keeps the foot from sliding back while the main adjustable strap runs around the front, through a slider and over the top of the foot. This configuration keeps the foot much more secure than the previous models without the need to tighten the straps as much.

The fixed heel strap keeps the foot from sliding back while the adjustable main strap holds the foot secure without being too tight.

Since the Pah Tempe model was unavailable during our holiday sale we are going to be offering it at a 10% discount until January 5th.

Almost there!

Snapshot from my test run yesterday. I used a different color of webbing for the heel to show how the design is different.

The new and improved Pah Tempe sandal is almost here. I took it out for a short test run on the roads yesterday and then we are headed south this evening where I’ll put it through a more serious trail running test. All the trails around here are covered in snow so since we are going south for the weekend I decided to head down early and test these out on steeper terrain.

While having one single strap lace through the entire sandal is great in theory, it was causing the foot to slip backwards out of the sandal. After many, many attempts to keep one continuous strap we came to the conclusion that it just isn’t worth it. Sometimes the most difficult part of design is letting go of ideas that you are attached to. The new Pah Tempe will have a fixed heel strap and then an adjustable strap that threads through the rest of the sandal. We’ll make an announcement as soon as the new design is available for purchase.

One of the best things about this model is that you don't need special toe socks to keep your feet warm during winter runs.!

Holiday Sale!

Although we didn’t get into the Black Friday/Cyber Monday craze, we still wanted to offer a sale. Rather than adding to the mayhem and pressure of having to buy everything on one day we decided to give you a little Christmas present and offer a sale for the next two weeks. Now is a great time to pick up those sandals you’ve been wanting! All sandals are on sale for 20% off. Discount will be applied at checkout. Enjoy!

Thank You!

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this year with our family I will certainly be mindful of all the many blessings that I have. I may not be rich in terms of money but I am happy and that is the most important thing. I am rich in blessings! I have so much to be thankful for, I can’t list them all but here are a few of the top things:

Health: I feel that our bodies are truly amazing and one of the best gifts we receive from God.

Family: I am lucky to have a wonderful wife who supports me though the good times and the bad times. I know that with her I can do great things. We are blessed with a cute little boy who will turn one at the end of December. He always makes us smile! I also have many other family members that I am very grateful for.

Religion: It is a lighthouse on a treacherous sea.

Freedom: Many people have died for the cause of freedom and it is important to me.

Unshoes Customers: This list would not be complete without expressing some kind of gratitude to our customers and readers. We feel blessed that we have the good fortune of running our own business. It is very difficult at times but I find it more rewarding than any other job I’ve ever had. Of course it wouldn’t exist without our wonderful customers. You have been patient with us as we learn and hit bumps along the way. Many of you gave us support and consolation when my little brother (and sandal making assistant) passed away. You have given us feedback to improve our work. Most importantly you have put your faith in our company! That has probably made more of an impact that you think. THANK YOU to all who have supported us in any way. I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving!!!

Not Just For Running

Barefoot running has received a large growth in numbers. Many things such as the book Born to Run, research by Dr. Lieberman, and a large chunk of marketing dollars from the big shoe companies such as Merrell and Vibram have helped to convince people that barefoot running isn’t just something for hippies who like to go against the grain. Even in our small community here in Southern Utah we sometimes spot people running barefoot or in VFFs (I’ve yet to see anyone else run in huaraches).

While minimal footwear is typically geared specifically for barefoot runners the benefits of allowing the foot to function properly doesn’t have to be owned exclusively by runners.  I personally began wearing minimal footwear first and then subsequently became interested in running. With this in mind I wanted to outline a few different groups of people besides runners that can benefit greatly from minimal footwear and barefoot activity.

1. Hikers/Backpackers: Traditional hiking boots are incredibly stiff and have a very high heel. I put my old hiking boots on the other day just to see what it felt like after so long. I felt like I was wearing high heels. If having a raised heel throws off your posture, imagine how much worse it is with a heavy pack! Wearing minimal footwear in the woods can also help increase awareness which is never a bad thing while adventuring.

2. Massage Therapists, Nurses, and other health professionals: I remember when Crocs first came out. Most of the people wearing them were nurses. These people are on their feet nearly all day and they want something that is comfortable. At first minimal footwear may seem like it makes your feet tired and achy while standing in them for long periods of time. Just like running your feet need to get stronger gradually. Once they do minimal or barefoot is by far the best for standing.

3. Retail Clerks, Factory Workers, etc.: Anyone who stands for their job. The same applies from the above paragraph.

4. Mail Carriers and Shipping: Mail carriers drive, walk, and repeat that all day. They would be doing themselves a favor to release their feet of bulky shoes.

5. Athletics: Some activities such as ballet and gymnastics strengthen the feet but think about the added benefits other athletes could get from at least doing some barefoot training. One major thing is balance. As the muscles in the feet get stronger they become better equipped to keep your body grounded. I can’t think of many sports that don’t rely on good balance.

Of course the benefits of minimal footwear and barefoot activity can be enjoyed by anyone. What barefoot activities are you going to do this weekend?