I think she'd really like it. I've sold it to a number of people who love it for just kicking around. As far as runnign goes, I haven't seen it cause a single person overpronate as of yet.
I think she'd really like it. I've sold it to a number of people who love it for just kicking around. As far as runnign goes, I haven't seen it cause a single person overpronate as of yet.
Freesicle
Good stuff on the Free. Note that I love to see variety of products on the shoe wall at specialty stores. I believe that this is one part of what "makes" a specialty shop, along with knowledge, service, grass roots, etc.
I can tell you that placing any light weight shoe is a challenge with many stores....but I would love to see a greater demand for this type of stuff!
Mike
I saw the Fall 05 catalogue today and there is a new free with much less heel as well as a free trail shoe. We will see if they make to the shelves but they looked to be the direction people are wanting the Free to go.
A couple of facts:
Racing flats = minimalism
FREE = natural motion
VERY DIFFERENT CONCEPTS
If you look at a pressure distribution map while running barefoot, in FREE, and in racing flats you'll see that racing flats are not much different than 'normal' shoes. Pressure is isolated to very specific spots in the heel and forefoot while in 'normal' shoes and in flats. FREE and barefoot are virtually identical. Pressure distribution is much more broad, meaning you're recruiting more remote areas of the foot. The reason; by having flex grooves that mimic barefoot you're footstrike is completely different than it is while wearing shoes: You're footstrike is more neutral because you have a more lateral progression from heel to toe and you're Windlass mechanism is more easily engaged while barefoot (and in FREE). As a result, midsole height are essentially irrelevant in mimicing barefoot. The heel to forefoot differential is relevant, which is where a racing flat is more similar. Yet, racing flats remain unstable. A 'normal' training shoe has a 12mm heel to forefoot differential. FREE has a 8mm heel to forefoot differential. It's a step closer to a 0mm differential.
Don't believe me? Look at all of these variables in a lab or on a treadmill. It's a very simple concept. However, how you get to the end result is fairly complex.
hi skoolr
hi skoolr wrote:
A couple of facts:
Racing flats = minimalism
FREE = natural motion
VERY DIFFERENT CONCEPTS
If you look at a pressure distribution map while running barefoot, in FREE, and in racing flats you'll see that racing flats are not much different than 'normal' shoes. Pressure is isolated to very specific spots in the heel and forefoot while in 'normal' shoes and in flats. FREE and barefoot are virtually identical. Pressure distribution is much more broad, meaning you're recruiting more remote areas of the foot. The reason; by having flex grooves that mimic barefoot you're footstrike is completely different than it is while wearing shoes: You're footstrike is more neutral because you have a more lateral progression from heel to toe and you're Windlass mechanism is more easily engaged while barefoot (and in FREE). As a result, midsole height are essentially irrelevant in mimicing barefoot. The heel to forefoot differential is relevant, which is where a racing flat is more similar. Yet, racing flats remain unstable. A 'normal' training shoe has a 12mm heel to forefoot differential. FREE has a 8mm heel to forefoot differential. It's a step closer to a 0mm differential.
Don't believe me? Look at all of these variables in a lab or on a treadmill. It's a very simple concept. However, how you get to the end result is fairly complex.
hi skoolr
When you speak of racing flat, I presume that you mean shoes like the streaks, peg racers, cubatos, etc. It would seem to me that a true flat, such as the puma h street, or the nike waffle would be closer to barefoot than the free. They are very flexible (I can bend my h streets in half) and have very low heel heights. Did you test these shoes by any chance?
The nike frees are a good transition shoe into flats. I agree with some above posters, they are NOT flats, and flats would be better for the serious runner. The only major flaw with the free is the huge ass heel....but I have figured out a problem to eliminate this...
TAKE OUT THE INSOLE IN THE SHOE! IT is a lot of extra weight and it cuts off the tall height of the heel.
Good shoe.
Anyone have any more valuable info on the Adidas Cubato?
While we have everyone here, can someone (like trackhead and others) please list their favorite minimalistic shoes and where one could get a pair on the internet. That would be really helpful, thanks.
bump
puma h street
onitsuka tiger 81
nike vapors
any marathon flat
eastbay.com
or zappos.com
The nike free 5.0 is the worst shoe ever made. I used it for lacrosse training and it ripped to shreds in less than an hour. Also, I pulled nearly every muscle in my leg. Don't buy these shoes.
bump
my 4 week mark is thursday. The original poster pretty much sums up everything I have to say about them. They have been really durable for me, so i dont know what the guy above was doing.
Why not put a strip of outsole rubber on a pair of socks?
Out.
Who needs the socks? Have you ever tried to run in socks? As you push off, the foot slides back inside the sock. I'm hoping some smart person will come up with a spray-on sole protector; a flexible outerskin that will protect the bare foot against sharp objects, yet not alter the feel and mechanics of barefoot running. Spray it on, go for a run, peel it off, toss it. One step in this direction is a spray-on version of "nextskin" which is a band-aid alternative.
P.S. Frees are a great shoe, I love mine.
Now doing about 70-75 mpw in Frees, feels great and I've had a lot of lower leg problems in the past while wearing either asics 20xx or pegasus. If I try and run in my asics 1070s or perseus now I feel like I'm running with bricks on.
I got a pair on my birthday but never got the chance to wear them cause I was diagnosed with a fibular stress fracture. stepping out of the van at VCP I stepped into a huge pile of dog shit. It made my team pissed off at me cause not only could I not run in the meet but they had to smell dog shit everywhere we went.
does anyone affiliated with nike have any information about the future of the free? lower heel heights/prices? New upper? dates of release? I know a lot of guys who are interested in exactly this type of shoe but don't like the heel height/price. Looks good in general though.
JoeLAX wrote:
The nike free 5.0 is the worst shoe ever made. I used it for lacrosse training and it ripped to shreds in less than an hour. Also, I pulled nearly every muscle in my leg. Don't buy these shoes.
I had a pair, didn't think they were the worst shoe but I did have the same problem with the back of them ripping after not doing much with them at all, mostly just walking around. I sent them back to Nike and them mailed me $85 Nike dollars to spend on Niketown.com. To bad there isn't much up there. But its better then nothing.
I was only walking around in mine and one day while walking home I decided I would freestyle walk and jump over a table off the side of the sidewalk. I ended up clearing the table, but the second my foot landed, the shoe ripped to shreads. I love the shoes and they would have been fine for running/walking as long as you don't do anything steeplechase-like. I'm sending mine back to Nike in a week and I am hoping that I can have them replaced. -Tim
They wont replace, just give you nike cash