Basic Questions!

[CheddarTrek]

Hey there, I'm fairly new here and I had a few questions, if you'd all be so kind as to have a read...

I've never been a big runner, preferring biking for exercise, but I'm going to try and get into it some for various reasons.  I'd like to try out shoes that are minimal, because honestly, I spend most of the time as barefoot as I can be and like it that way.  I wear flip-flops on errands and go barefoot constantly at home.  I'd love to have some comfortable barefoot-like shoes that I could be more active in.  Not just to wear around town, but for exercise and whatnot.  Since I've never been a runner I actually think I might have a natural gait landing with a... Forestrike?  That's where you land on the ball of your foot, right?

Vibram FiveFingers look like a great option.  But I do have some questions about them.  I tried on a pair of KSOs (which look like the most versatile) at a local store and they were more or less the opposite of comfortable.  I had a heck of a time getting them on my feet and I don't have high arches or anything, plus the heel seems to scrape a bit.  I can accept that perhaps I'd get used to the feel of it, but I'm concerned about the second toe area.  My second toe, while not abnormally short, is slightly shorter than my "big" toe -- and so that part of the shoe was too long.  I don't know if that matters or not from a fit perspective and whether or not it'd encourage me to do something like accidentally break a toe (as a friend so kindly told me was going to happen).

So any comments on any of that would be appreciated.

If Vibram's aren't for me though I still want to get something of this nature.  I'm just not sure what the other best options are.  I heard that Terra Plana made good shoes, but I'm not sure if those are for running/exercise or not.  Also New Balance has a new series out called NB Minimus, but again, not sure how good any of those are.  The last thing I want to do is make my gait/stride/feet worse by using something half-thought out instead of just continuing as is.

Thanks in advance for any tips!

[delucio]

Honestly, I think sprints are the best style when starting. They are open so there is no awkward fight of getting your foot in the shoe and they have one of the minimlist feel to VFFs. As for your gait or form, you will just have to start running to know.... but running barefoot and with a little video training,  I am sure you could have a decent mid-foot strike.

There are a couple reviews sitting on the Vivo Barefoot Ultra, Merrell Trail Glove, NB Minimus, and a couple others. However, you can not take one's experience with a shoe for your own. You will just have find something that fits you.

[CheddarTrek]

Thanks!  Great info, and I'll just have to go try things on like you say.  There's just not many places around here that sell any of these kinds of shoes, honestly.

Why do you have to have video training to get a mid-foot strike?  And is that one supposed to be the best?

Edit:  Does that Trail Glove come in women's?  Or does it not matter?  I'm not sure if the main difference in women's shoes and men's is sizing or if they are actually made for different kinds of feet.

[delucio]

Well the videos are just to give you a good idea. There maybe more stores than you think. Yeah the trail gloves come in womens size, Pace glove is the name. They have added a bunch of new colors to the line.