It's been a long time since I've been on here - at least six years. I started BF'ing around 2005, but became serious in 2007. We moved to Key West full-time in 2008/2009, which made not wearing shoes pretty easy. I still wasn't full-time until 2011 - even then, I'd flown halfway across the world without wearing shoes. 2011 was a watershed year. My back had been acting up; we'd planned a major trip (Tokyo/Hong Kong, Singapore) for our 25th wedding anniversary. my back and my plantar facsiitis were acting up somethig fierce. I'd tried orthotics, Crocs, Birkies, Hawaiian slippers - to no avail. We were six blocks away from our hotel in Singapore when I gave up from the pain. I'd needed a cab - or - take off the croc-style shoes I had on. I took my shoes off. I made it to the hotel. From there, I stopped wearing shoes and started researching. It turns out (probably no surprise to anyone here) that shoes and support atrophy our natural suspension and shock absorption systems, causing damage and pain from the soles of our feet up into the base of our neck. I made a serious effort to give up shoes - successfully. I've not worn socks (save for once) in seven years. I've worn boots only when riding a motorcycle - and I take them off as soon as I arrive where I'm going. I made a set of BF sandals which get the laces changed four times a year (they only last a few hours of wearing time) whose soles are paper thin after five years of occasional (less than 5%) use. What can I tell you after seven years of BF'ing? 1. Most of the pain is gone. I have arthritis in my back, but every other issue has disappeared. 2. Feet, contrary to popular belief, DO NOT get tough. What happens is you adjust to the sensations received through the soles of your feet. 95% of them are very pleasant; a substantial portion of the nerve endings in your body are in the soles of your feet. They wake up - you fell more "connected". I'm less agitated, slower to anger - I know that sounds weird, but it's true. 3. All this stuff about "sanitary" and "glass shards" and stuff getting embedded in your feet is simply hooey. Yes, it happens occasionally - so do hangnails. it's no big deal. 4. When fully acclimated to shoelessness, you can tolerate suff you'd never imagined before. I've pulled as many as 20 goat's head thorns from each foot without major discomfort. Yes - I knew they were in there, but it didn't stop me from walking. 5. Temperatures are not a big issue. If you can go outside without gloves, you can walk without shoes. When it dips below freezing, all you need is a little sole - the 3mm of a BF sandal feels like a foot of insulation. I can walk around on 25 deg F concrete without discomfort, and spend all day on 40 deg F concrete without feeling cold. 6. Conversely, a good portion of our capillaries are in our feet. Allowing them to dissipate heat eliminates the need for air conditioning in all but the most severe of climates. I live in Southern Arizona, and did not need air conditioning at all last summer. 7. My ability to stand all day long without discomfort is amazing. I couldn't do it before at all - now I can go all day no problem. I've not had foot/ankle/knee/hip pain in years. 8. I can hike for miles without shoes. I have no idea how people do it in hiking boots now that I've been out there on the trail without. 9. Circulation in my lower legs and feet have improved (they weren't bad to start with) to the point where my doc was willing to write a letter stating I could not - and should not - wear shoes, ever. Since it's not been an issue - I've not asked him for it. 10. Along the same lines - I find that people react to body language. If you OWN being barefoot, they leave you alone 90% of the time. I've been in hundreds of public places with no issue. When someone asks, "where are your shoes?", I immediately respond, "I don't wear shoes", and turn away. It's not the answer they were expecting, and by the time they've collected their thoughts, I've moved on. How they feel about me not wearing shoes is their problem, not mine. I cannot wear shoes anymore. I'm healthier for it, and the idea of conforming for the sake of my health is patently absurd. Folks in town have gotten used to it, my customers don't care - so - shoes and I are mutually exclusive from now until the day I die. Is it novel at first? Yes. If you can make it six weeks, though - there's a good chance you'll never go back. I hope this helps someone on their path to 100% BF'ing. Is it worth it? Yes. Absolutely.
I believe it too. It all makes sense to me. I don't barefoot as much as I used to, but I never had problems with people freaking out about it and I remember it being very comfortable and having less pain and irritation in my body. Someday I'll go all the way.
this month marks 15 years for me doing it but i dont do it all year round. I never had a problem doing it and the only reason i dont do it all year round is just because of how cold it gets in the colder months. Spring, Summer and early Fall months i go barefoot EVERYWHERE though
Key West never gets cold to the point where you have to wear something. In Southern Arizona, it's quite a bit chillier than KW - but - it rarely gets so cold that footwear is required. I walked to work all winter no problem, with only a few mornings where the 20 degree temps needed soles.
