Barefoot Survival Techniques

I think you missed my post. Why not just go barefoot all winter. Believe me, it's not as hard as you think.

 

Yesterday morning it was -16 deg F (-27 deg C) at the Denver airport. I shoveled a few inches of snow in freezing temperatures, This morning it was -9 deg F (-23 deg C) at the Denver airport. We may make it above freezing today for the first time in a few days. In my opinion, there's no way to do outdoor activities such as shopping, snow shoveling, errands, etc. when the weather's this way. If you can pull it off, great, but not me. I value my toes too much to risk frostbite. For that matter, it gets cold indoors as well. Sure the thermostat says it's warm, but the floors get cold, etc. It just feels cold. I'm happy to sit in my home office with a sweatshirt, sweat pants, and mocassins on those days with my hands around a hot cup of coffee or tea. I might go barefoot to ride my exercise bike or sit by the fire, but to me it's uncomfortable otherwise.

Your info lists you as being in "Whitehall, PA." Is that where you're currently located? There was a pretty decent snow that went through there not too long ago. How'd you deal with that?

 

I'm very curious about this too. Is it correct to say that you don't own any kind of footwear whatsoever? I was your neighbor for 34 years(Ohio) and found it impossible to be barefoot outside at least until March or April at the earliest, many times even later than that.

 

OK first of all, I live in the "real" Whitehall, PA. Not that place in Pittsburgh. I am next to the city of Allentown and only 90 mins from the NJ shore. This part of PA gets the same weather NJ does. We have it relatively mild compared to Western PA. It has actually only snowed here about 3 times this winter. The highest was maybe 5 inches. The last time it snowed we got 3 inches. If it does snow, it goes away in the next day or 2. The temps in the winter are worse in January and February. During those 2 months the temps could possibly reach zero but the norm is between 20-35 degrees.

It's true that I don't own shoes at all. I used to own flip-flops but they broke over 2 years ago and I was never inclined to buy any shoes. I tried going barefoot through the winter last year and here I am... I survived. It wasn't brutal at all, it was very comfortable. Don't get me wrong, you can't go trekking for miles through the snow or anything, but to just go to and from a vehicle or buildings is fine. I even shovel the snow barefoot. I usually just wear fleece pants that are long enough to cover the tops of my feet in the winter and I am fine. The key is to time your exposure to very cold temps.

 

Barefootjaime, you have my respect when it comes to barefooting. I think it's great you can go without any shoes 365 days a year, you are a true barefooter! A snowfall of any amount would have me scrambling to find a pair of shoes.

 

I haven't owned shoes since May 2008, but I did borrow a pair for one special occaision last Xmas. I just calculated it and figured out I've been barefoot for 373 days in a row so far...lol

 

I agree with the "look people in the eyes" statement especially when going barefoot. I have found that if you radiate confidence, people are much less likely to mention or even notice your bare feet.

Also to anyone still going barefoot in this weather.... HOW?!?! I stand in complete awe and amazement. That's some serious barefootin!

 

I can do sandals down to 25 degrees if the wind isn't blowing, 35 if it's windy. But if I take so much as one bare step on a cold surface this time of year, it feels as if all the heat is being instantly sucked out of my entire body! I can't take it for more than 30 seconds.

Indoors, I'm comfortable without shoes year-round.

 

I missed the part about modes of dress, but in my opinion, certain styles of dress just go hand in hand with bare feet. I typically dress like a beachbum-hippie most of the year and from DEC-MAR (when it's cold) I will usually just wear a sweatshirt and fleece or pajama pants.

Nothing amazing about it. My friend Maureen turned me on the the idea, when she told me that she doens't plan on buying any shoes for the winter. I tried it last year and was amazed at how easy barefooting in the winter is. My advice: JUST TRY IT. Now, you can't go trekking miles barefoot in the snow or anything, but just going out to do daily errands is no biggie w/o shoes in winter. I probably should add that I don't wear shoes the rest of the year so some thick foot padding is probably a good thing.

Give it a shot and see what you think. Take the notion of impossibility out of your mind. Just keep in mind that there are Sherpas who live in the mountains of Nepal, who don't own shoes and who trek miles a day through the snow barefoot. The human body is an amazing thing and highly adaptable to adverse conditions.

 

As I was reading this thread, I thought of how the Japaneses remove their shoes when entering a home which prevents tracking dirt into the house. What do you do to prevent tracking dirt into the house or do you even worry about it or even think about it?

 

I was always taught to wipe my shoes on the mat as you enter the house, so you can do this barefoot too.

Or else, it's only a bit of mud, it won't do much harm.

 

I never thought about it in terms of dirt before. I will say that a common misperception is that if your soles look dirty, it will rub off onto the carpets, etc. This is usually not the case, unless you just stepped in fresh motor oil or tar or something. I find that barefoot people are conscious about what they step on or in, whereas people with shoes have no idea what they stepped in or are bringing into someone's house.

 

I don't know anyone personally who does this, and I don't think that bare feet bring more dirt into a house than ordinary shoes do.

 

If you go barefoot in the current weather in UK (as I just have), any dirt etc will have been washed off by the snow so no worries!!

 

When I had my own place I asked guests to keep their shoes on, and just wipe their shoes on the mat before entering. Shoe-wearing people usually have foot odor from the trapped sweat, and I would rather not have that smell linger in my house.

For my own feet, since I rarely wore shoes, I followed a cleaning process each time I entered the house after being out for the day. First I used the garden hose sitting at the entrance to wet part of the driveway, then I wiped my bare feet on the wet concrete, periodically rinsing with the hose, then dried my feet by walking around on dry concrete. The final step was to wipe them on the floor mat. This entire process generally took less than a minute and kept my carpets, bedding, and especially the shower floor, relatively clean.

But I also agree that barefoot people usually watch where they are stepping a lot more than shoe-wearing people. I see shod people stepping on motor oil puddles in the parking lot all the time. In fact I'm always yelping whenever I see a friend or family member about to step in oil.

 

Removing shoes before entering a dwelling is a practice spanning all of Asia, Oceania and Micronesia. It is considered very rude to enter a dwelling while wearing any type of footwear.

When we built our house, I designed a foot washing station right by the front door:



The downpipe puts water right where you need it and the river stones make for good drainage. There are also two mats (not shown in picture): a recycled tire type on the outside of the door and a woven fabric one on the inside of the door. If I've walked in parking lots, auto or machine shops or other unusually dirty places, I'll walk around to the back of the house and use hot water, soap and a stiff scrub brush in our outdoor shower before entering.

 

The best and easiest way to clean your feet quickly is to wipe them in wet grass. It removes even the most stubborn of stains within minutes.

 

I agree with all the above. The first time I went somwhere barefoot in public (http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showpost.php?p=6089843&postcount=40), I was pretty nervous about it. I think it's much better to act like you do this everyday (because hopefully you do!). If there's a look of surprise in someone's eye, speak to them first. Don't give them the opportunity to assume you're crazy, misjudge you, and toss you out. Be friendly and polite and you'll often get the same in return. As far as not being a bum, I just posted something about that in the "Dressing for Bare Feet" thread (http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showpost.php?p=6115070&postcount=15). Looking like you don't belong does little to help your acceptance. On the last comment, I've got some experiences documented (http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=380814&f=403) where I respectfully questioned policies and got positive results. Anger just escalates the situation, makes you look crazy, and gives the business a valid reason for denying you service

 

I posted this in another thread, but it probably belongs here as well. One person PM'd me and said she finds dirty feet make it more comfortable when walking on rough surfaces. I've never bothered to take notice, but sweetktg also noted the effect:

Just curious if others have had the same experience? Do dirty feet make it more comfortable to stand/walk on rough surfaces??

 

I just want to thank you for all the fine answers to my question.

I didn't mean to imply that going barefoot was dirtier than wearing shoes, only that shoes along with their dirt can be left at the door whereas bare feet can not and was wondering what solutions had been come up with.

Also, I know of a number of non-orientals that have adopted the custom of having people take their shoes off at the door because they feel it keeps their house cleaner.