Good summary... I'm going to try out the wal-mart water shoes.

FWIW, the only reason the soles have the "carpet fluff" on the bottom of them (flocking is the technical term I believe...) is because it allows Walmart to import them to the US as "slippers" instead of "shoes", and US Customs charges a lower import duty for slippers.

I am 74 years old and keeping active with weights, pickleball, and other light exercise. Have studied nutrition approaches many years, strongly influenced by Weston Price and Paleo concepts, and make sure to eat quality meat with lots of veggies.

So now here comes “Born to Run” and it fits so perfectly in the picture I admire of using ancestral models to create and sustain health. Right away I am researching “minimalist” shoes, while trying to stay out of the clutches of Nike and such.

In roaming amazon reviews, I found reference to Feiyue martial arts shoes and several comments that they can serve as minimalist shoes at a very reasonable price. Here is the link.

I bought a pair -- only $15 plus SH. I want to comment that they seem well made and will probably last a good while.

Does anyone else have experience with them, how they perform, and if they are suitable as minimalist shoes?

I also need to decide on appropriate shoes for pickleball. FYI – this is “small tennis”, played with wiffleball and paddles on a small tennis court with standard tennis net. Fastest growing sport in the country!!.

I play on hardwood, and like to chase the damn ball. So I periodically have to rest a swollen knee. Maybe ancestral footware will reduce my injuries.

Thanks
Duane

The Luna sandals with the new stretch laces are easier for some of to wear than the traditional laces. I have the Luna's and the Xero shoes and much prefer the Lunas because they stick to my feet better and don't slap the ground. They don't have as much ground feel as the Xeros though (formerly Invisible shoes).

Also Vibram has a thinner cheaper model out now called the El-X. They're $75 and have a 2.7mm sole. These have the best ground feel of anything I've tried. They are just a slip on with no Velcro strap. This is probably the most minimalist shoe they've made. I would actually say they're closer to barefoot than the 4mm Connect Xero shoes.

Anyway thanks for the fantastic article. Water shoes are in season again so I can't wait to try some for jogging.

FAIL...

As a runner who logs 60 mile weeks, this article is trash. Mentioning Scott Jurek, one of the greatest ultra runners of all time is a huge fail. In the photo, he hasnt even completed the gait cycle yet. Recommending shoes from Walmart to run in????
HUGE FAIL all around.

Oh !! You all already answered my question. It appears that the soft stars people were talking about are actually a soft soled mocc. AND they are 1/2 the price of the stegers. I'm going to order a pair today and see if I like them. I do like the price!

I am a recent convert to "boat shoes" though the ones I'm currently wearing happen to be from an expensive designer--they were a gift, and I figure I'll replace them with some cheaper deck shoes. I like the sleek high-tech look of water shoes like the SeaSide, but fear the neoprene would make my feet feel sweaty.

Regarding Jazz Shoes, I used to wear the leather sole Capezios which aren't made any more, about a 1/4 inch heel. They were available in men's sizes, but I have a small foot (6 1/2 +- a size or two) and women's fit me fine and were more in stock. The only down side was that the soles wore through in a month or two. I wore them until the holes got big all the way through the (very thin cardboard) innersole. Then I put a piece of thin roofing rubber cut like an insole and still wore them, very comfortable. One pair almost the whole sole wore away and the rubber wouldn't stay in. I found they make great "barefoot shoes" no soles, but no-one throws you out of a store. The other pair still just have big holes... Both very comfortable. I don't run, but do a lot of walking.

I also some years ago had a pair of Nike canvas wrestling shoes with very thin soles. They wore through after a while, shoe goo extended the life. Eventually the rubber sole hardened and cracked. That was the end of them. Modern wrestling shoes seem to be (sadly) more substantially built. I could never find another pair like the canvas Nikes.

Hope this isn't too long for you.

just google water shoes...then i buy the ones i like and i go to a shoemaker where i change insoles or re inforce the shoe in evey way....also gel insoles help made by a gel sheet not bought from a brand so they flat

I have used Mountain Equipment water booties for water sports, backpacking and running. For backpacking I wear them with a thin poly pro sock plus a work sock. They work well. They are too hot for summer running, and don't have enough traction for running on snow. But for about 5 months of the year they work well.

Many people use them barefoot, and I've used them that way, but the resulting stink means that have to stay outside when I come home. They can be run through the washing machine.

(On both canoe trips and backpacking water encounters are frequent enough that overheating feet aren't an issue.)

Recently MEC has changed brands. I haven't tried the new ones yet.