Reebok RealFlex

It has been clear that over the past years, Reebok has been slowly gaining ground as becoming one of the big contenders when it comes to riding and actually stirring the barefoot bandwagon. Now, with their latest technology called RealFlex, the creators of this relatively lightweight running shoes claim that they have not only created a shoe for “natural” running but actually, perfected natural movement! Talk about taking shoes to the next level! The Reebok RealFlex Shoes for Men and Women are engineered to give your feet the flexibility it deserves for it to perform at its natural best and providing you with the benefits of barefoot running while giving total protection to your feet.

The Reebok Realflex promotes natural movement and multi-directional flexibility through 76 strategically arranged RealFlex sensors. These sensors adapt independently to whatever terrain or environment you fancy running on. Not only does it provide tailored protection and uncanny performance, the sole also brings you 20% lower to the ground which is more than what any conventional running shoe can give you. This enables you to feel more natural in your choice of training surface and get a more responsive, natural feel to your run.

These new barefoot baby from Reebok is made with molded PU sockliner that provides uncanny cushioning and extraordinary durability. Comfort is not lost either since the upper design features a classic inspired lightweight combination of mesh underlays and overlays of suede. The bright colors and unique style that the Reebok RealFlex for women can be a great fashion statement on the road for any lady who wants to remain stylish and chic while breaking a sweat.

Powered with 3D Ultralite midsole and outsole unit, the Reebok RealFlex adds multi-directional flexibility that allows the shoe to mimic and mold to the way your feet moves and arches. It’s almost like having no shoe at all! This revolutionary technology and innovation embodies the thought of perfecting natural movement which most people will appreciate from this minimalist shoe.

You do not have to worry about the key wear and tear areas either since the high abrasion rubber caps in the heel and forefoot are highly durable! Truly, with the Reebok RealFlex, you get that great minimalist run without bombarding your feet with blisters and splitting your skin open on rocks! Now, doesn’t that make you feel like going barefoot running all the time?

It is not surprising that the 2nd largest sports apparel and shoe company, Adidas, has dived into the realm of barefoot running. With the increasing clamor, steady popularity and the validation of natural minimalist running, the shoe manufacturer is adding another light, power trainers in the market with its soon to be released Adidas adiPure Trainer.

Just recently launched although not available in stores until November of this year, the Adidas adiPure Trainer is pretty much sporting a look that is reminiscent of the Vibram FiveFingers. Whether it will be as successful as the Vibram in both feel and performance, one will have to wait and see. By the time this shoe is out and sold around $90 retail price, barefoot runners and patrons of Adidas will definitely be raving or criticizing the next big “shoe” in barefoot running.

The Adidas adiPure Trainer is actually meant to be worn more for exercising rather than long trail hiking or cross country. It is the answer to the outcry of gym-goers who are learning the benefits and experiencing the difference between wearing minimalist shoes and the usual trainers. Apparently, they are more inclined to shoes that have little material difference between the foot and the ground.

Adidas adiPure Trainer aims to mimic the experience of exercising in barefoot or minimalist shoe but at the same time provide protection to the feet and traction for better foothold. The adiPure Trainer, which is a traditional shoe combined with a glove for the feet, is also said to be highly durable. Clearly, the shoe is trying to find a balance between Nike’s “Free” line and the Vibram’s Five-Finger shoes.

adiPure Trainer features the usual Adidas 3 stripes and is designed to cover the foot as a shoe but the feeling is more like wearing a sock that is moulding your feet albeit having different toe compartments to allow movement. The people from Adidas believe that with this shoe and using your foot’s natural mechanism and power; your muscles in the lower legs and throughout the core will be strengthened. Bottom line, this will not be proven until the Adidas adiPure Trainer hits the shoe shelves in November.

Check out this video on Adidas adiPure Trainer

If you were to talk about “freedom of motion” and minimalist shoes, then you are definitely going to have to include ZemGear in your discussion. With their “Zone of Endless Motion”, ZEMs has been a leader in minimal footwear for their performance protection for bare feet.

Known for their very minimal, close to the ground footwear with high level of protection, Zem shoes have been designed to let your feet perform as naturally as they were made to do. You can spread, flex and articulate every region of your foot as well as enjoy a roomy interior to give you comfort as well. With the outsole traction lugs that provide extra grip for many surfaces, you can be sure that you get as much protection for your feet as well. What’s more, there’s no need to worry about securing the foot to the shoe as the high frequency tech bands flex with the natural movement of your feet keeping you stable and comfortable in many activities.

ZemGear creators and innovators understand that every person’s foot is different and require their own “room” for that ultimate comfort, natural movement. That is why they have created distinct designs for their minimalist shoes. Their collection offer split and round-toe options that can mould and suit any foot type.

The Ninja split toe pattern collection, available in both Hi and Lo, can give any athlete that balanced barefoot feeling which is quite vital if he or she is running or doing some action on sandy shores, slippery wooden floors as well as uneven surfaces. The different colors can certainly add to the allure and style of the shoes too. The Playa round toe collection, also available in Hi and Lo, can provide any wearer a roomy toe box which gives him or her complete control of the feet’s movement without feeling restricted.

The newest additions to ZemGear’s collection which feature both the Ninja and the Round Toe patterns in their different styles are the Zem O2, Zem 360 and Zem Traveler. The 360 is the feather light star of the ZEMs barefoot collection and is best for runners. The O2, also known as the All Sport Series, has been designed to endure both land and water activities such as gym workouts, runs and kite boarding.

Although every single ZemGear model is made for comfort, style and minimalist form, the Zem Traveler is the best travel companion. You can use the Traveler for any of your out of town trips, without having to go through the motion of taking your shoes off for security purposes. Think of having the best of both worlds: a comfortable, non-bulky travelling shoe that converts into a good workout barefoot shoe which allows you to get in the Zone of Endless Motion in any gym or track away from home!

So whatever activity you are into, you’re sure to find a pair of ZEMs to meet your needs and requirements as well as give you utmost flexibility and comfort for your beloved feet. Gear up and get into the Zone of Endless Motion with ZemGear collection!

Ever since the Vibram FiveFingers barefoot shoes started grazing every path imaginable on this planet, a lot of people have picked minimalist running like it was a flu virus, only in a good way! The revolutionary designs of one of the pioneering barefoot shoe manufacturers have given runners around the world a healthier way to move more naturally and freely!

Now, active sports enthusiasts are given even more freedom with its KomodoSport LS women and KomodoSport LS men shoes! It has combined the speed lacing system of Bikila LS with the sole structure of KomodoSport. This provides the runners and interested users with different foot shapes and sizes with the most comfortable fit.

People with either narrow feet or wider feet with high insteps won’t have to worry about donning the KomodoSport LS! Plus, the Vibram TC1 performance rubber outsole continues to provide great traction and grip as well as protection for those who are into cross training activities or running in different trails that can get pretty slippery when wet.

Of course, the Vibram FiveFingers manufacturers are highly aware that even those who are natural born runners need to feel comfortable and natural even during their casual strolls around the block or even in malls. That is why they have thrown into the equation their innovative FiverFinger Trek LS for Men. These casual yet highly comfortable shoes for men are well equipped with 4mm EVA midsole which can give light cushioning and additional comfort. The Trek LS may not be as flexible as the VFF’s, but it is still minimal enough for you to have adequate ground feel.

For those who want it a little bit convenient for the windy, cold seasons, the Vibram collection has recently added a casual, full kangaroo leather to toe shoe ankle boots in the form of the Vibram FiveFingers Bormio! With its simple design and zippers on both sides of the boots, you can easily slip it on and off and get some sophistication with a hint of ruggedness. That way, despite being in business meetings or some casual night out of town, you will still feel one with nature and walk with healthy feet!

Truly, the Vibram FiveFingers continue to innovate their shoe collections to integrate not just runners’ needs but also barefoot enthusiasts who do not have to “run” all the time just to experience that minimalist, natural feeling for their feet. Truly, innovation at its best!

The Merrell Barefoot Trail Glove shoes and the New Balance Minimus Trail shoes are very similar in style. They both have no heel drop (zero drop) and promote running the proper way by almost forcing you to strike the foot on the floor on the front.

For this initial test run I just tested the comfort and fit of the shoes and they both feel very similar and did not run on the trail with them.

The Merrell Barefoot Trail Gloves are very flexible and have a more minimalist feel to them but the New Balance Minimus feel like it offers a bit more protection. Both are light and great shoes to use on the trail, giving the person wearing them good traction. These types of shoes also strengthen the legs as you’re forced to use a fuller motion when running or walking. There is a good chance you will wake up with a sore calf muscle if you are not used to minimalist shoes.

I ran in the Merrell Trail Gloves and I definitely enjoy the comfort of the shoes. It’s very light but offers more protection than the Vibram FiveFingers. There was padding and protection exactly where I needed it, where the foot struck the ground.

Both of these shoes are well made and have a good tight fit. The also both share Vibram soles, but will the Merrell barefoot’s standout against the new and already popular New Balance Minimus shoes? Tell us what you think.

Long overdue is our review of the ZEM (which stands for Zone of Endless Motion) Split Toe Lo shoe or what I like to affectionately call the ZEM “ninja shoe”. Keep reading to get the full scoop on these shoes.

Intro

The shoe we are reviewing is the ZEM Split Toe Lo. The “Lo” in the name stands for the lower height of the shoe collar (the part that goes around your ankle. In the Lo’s case the collar is below the ankle. As you might imagine there is also a Split Toe Hi where the collar goes above the ankle.

The “Split Toe” in the name stands for how the main big toe on your foot is separated from the rest of the toes while you are wearing it. If your big toe was your thumb than the ZEM Split Toe Lo would truly by the mittens of the barefoot shoe world. The split toe design while visually striking is not just done for looks alone. By design it’s supposed to give a person more balance in sand or uneven surfaces. This might explain why the ninjas of old went with this design (you have to figure they knew what they were doing).

Style

The Split Toe Lo gets points for uniqueness. I mean I’ve seen ninja shoes before but typically they are just one color, but ZEM takes the ninja shoe and kicks it up a notch by adding bright blue stripes over the top of it. The cool thing about those stripes is they are not just for decoration, but also serve as sort of elastic strap that keeps the shoe snug and hugging your foot no matter how you move your feet.

Wearing ZEM’s will get you lots of attention (very much so like how Vibram’s get attention). In my case while running on the street every person that I ran by seem to look first at me then at my feet. ZEM’s also seemed to really catch the attention of the ladies as well. Throughout my time with the Split Toe Lo’s several older ladies have all asked me about the ZEM shoes remarking how they looked so comfortable. I don’t know if ZEM is targeting the older women demographic, but I have gotten a lot of interest from them.

In terms of matching your wardrobe you’ll probably have a difficult time, but if you bought a pair in the first place then that means you probably care more about comfort over looks. After a while these shoes grow on you as well.

Build

The Split Toe Lo uses a Lycra-like material (aka spandex) throughout the shoe. The bottom of the shoe uses a harder type material rubber-like material, though it’s not very thick (as you would expect in a minimal shoe). While this is great for good ground feel through the shoe the one issue that I wasn’t able to test is the durability of the sole. It doesn’t feel as durable as traditional rubber soles so not sure how it will hold up over time.

Out of the box everything is excellently put together (too see what comes out of the box check out the Split Toe Lo Unboxing).

Running Test

Running in ZEM shoes feels like running in slightly padded socks. What that means is if you are looking for a barefoot running experience without going barefoot then I’d be hard pressed to suggest another shoe. The shoe feels more minimal than even the Vibram FiveFingers Classic.

Like all minimal running shoes it’s best to gradually increase the distance your run in these. I’ve been running sporadically in these and forgot that lesson and ran for 20 minutes in them. The run went ok, but I ended up with blisters on the balls of my feet. I haven’t built up any callouses on my feet.  I guess the good thing is that you forget that you are running virtually barefoot!

You might think it gets sweaty running in ZEM shoes, but surprisingly that wasn’t a big problem or something I noticed. Whatever material they use seems to make things pretty breathable.

Extra Tidbits

• Getting into and out of these shoes is really easy. Compared with Vibram FiveFingers these shoes are much easier and faster to to get on. When heading outside often I would grab these shoes first since they are so much easier to get into.
• You might be mistaken for wearing socks outside (someone said that to me)
• Wearing ZEM’s all day your feet will get a little clammy. Not all out sweaty, but a hint of moistedness (if that’s a word)

Conclusion

I like these shoes a lot. In my increasingly growing minimalist shoe closet the ZEM Split To Lo has been my go-to running shoe. I like how I feel when running in these shoes and how they are easy to get on and off. With a retail price starting at $29 there’s really no excuse to give barefoot running a shot because of price. Just be careful you don’t do too much running in them too quickly…otherwise you’ll end up with blisters like I did!

Here’s an unboxing of the New Balance Minimus Trail shoes. These style of shoes are becoming very popular among the running community as minimalist shoes and “barefoot running” become more popular. Merrell barefoot has a very similar shoe which we will review in depth at a later time.

For about 100.00 USD, you can get your own pair of the New Balance Minimus shoes.

Have you tried these shoes yet? feel free to leave your review or comments on our site.

This review of the TrekSport was sent in by Jeff who currently resides in Hong Kong. Thanks Jeff for your great review and images of the Vibram FiveFingers TrekSport. You can find more information on the FiveFingers TrekSport here.

Hi BarefootRunningShoes.org, here’s a review of the TrekSport I wanted to write to you for a while and finally got the opportunity. I first saw the Five Finger shoes when I was traveling in the UK and I fell in love with them. They were exactly what I needed. I just kept thinking about the different sports and activities I could use them. I was debating between the KSO and the Treks and finally decided to pick up the TrekSport when i had the chance. I’m involved in basketball, weight lifting, martial arts and dodge ball (you heard right, dodgeball!).

The  sport that I thought the TrekSports would be perfect for was dodge ball. It just seemed perfect for it and i know by using the FiveFingers I would have an edge over all the other weaklings that I play. I’m already one of the top players but i wanted to grow slowly into “legend” status.

The pictures I sent in were actually on the dodgeball court where I kick major ass and leave my opponents in pain. Anyway, time to get serious and talk about what I think of the Vibram TrekSport Shoes. I just wanted to lay out a couple points about them that really stand out:

• They have cool soles that allow for a good grip, even while running. I noticed the KSO’s didn’t have the rigid bottoms so even though the TrekSport allows you to follow natural foot movement, it still would absorb a lot of the shock when you are running and jumping around.

• I tried on a couple other versions of FiveFinger Shoes like the KSO and the Bikilas and i definitely felt that this version of the FiveFingers shoes has the best fit for me.

• I don’t know how popular they are the U.S. (do you see people on the streets daily with them?) but i haven’t seen them too much here in Hong Kong. I was the hot talk of the town (at least on my dodge ball team) when they saw me sport these sexy babies. So I like the unique look of the TrekSports as well. I saw some of the older Vibram FiveFingers shoes and to be honest I wouldn’t be caught dead in them! But these looked really cool.

• The Strap on the TrekSports made for a great fit. All i had to do was slip them on, tighten them and I was ready to go. It looked hard to get on at first but now that I’ve been using them regularly I can put them on faster than I put on my regular running shoes. Especially since I don’t have to tie any shoe laces to do so.

• I’m not a barefoot runner so I can’t really compare these shoes to running barefoot but they are very comfortable when moving quickly from side to side. I also have jogged and walked on the pavement (usually on my way home) with the TrekSports and they are great.

• I’ve heard that they are not as close to minimalist shoes or “barefoot running shoes” as many other shoes but they are very comfortable to me. i can see that with the extra padding it could be less minimalist. Lets just say I wouldn’t wear these shoes when doing martial arts or yoga.

Well there it is, my short and sweet Vibram FiveFingers TrekSport review. I hope you post it. Good job on listing all the other cool barefoot style shoes. I really want to check out more of them to find out which one’s the best fit for me but i don’t even think that many of them ship them here. If you can send me a list of shoes featured on your site that are located in Hong Kong that would be great. I’d definitely do more barefoot running shoe reviews!

- Jeff

Today we are giving you an up close  first look at Jinga Shoes’ Original minimalist shoe. Jinga sent us a pair all the way over from Brazil (where they are made) for us to take a look at and share with you guys. I didn’t know what to expect, but so far I’ve been happily surprised.

To get right to the shoe take a look at our unboxing video below.

I really didn’t know that much about Jinga until recently. A few of our readers had mentioned them to us so we decided to take a closer look. There are a lot of things which make Jinga Shoes very different from your typical shoe manufacturer. Here are the highlights:

• Started out as a dance and Capoeira (Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, sports, and music) shoe
• Completely sourced and made in Brazil
• They are 100% Vegan (means no animal products used in construction)
• They have over 8 different varieties of vibrant colors (the review shoe I got is the Men’s Jinga Navy Yellow and White)
• 25% of Jinga’s net income is donated to Brazilian charities

I only have positive things to say about these shoes from first glance. Aside from the box which got banged around in shipping the construction seems top notch with no visible defects. The materials and presentation is also very nice. When you hold them in your hand it oozes quality.

I put them on to see how they felt and it’s all good in that department as well. There is really no heel (so close to zero heel drop) so the shoe is flat. The sole also is pretty thin so when you walk over different surfaces you’ll feel all the nooks and crannies. I don’t think it’s as minimal as the Vibram FiveFingers classic, but it’s close.

In addition the shoe seems very breathable and light. For exercising and running this will definitely be a good thing. All in all, I’m impressed. Can’t wait to get some serious runs in these shoes to see how hey hold up.

In case you wanted to know, even though Jinga Shoes are made in Brazil they do ship internationally (in case you wanted to buy a pair)…so if you like what you see it’s probably worth checking out the Jinga Store to learn more.

The awesome folks over at Planet Shoes have sent us a pair of Merrell Barefoot Trail Glove running shoes. We are extra excited to try these out as Merrell just recently released these shoes and these are Merrell’s first foray into the minimalist running shoe market. As you can see from the pictures these are some nifty looking shoes.

For those who want to cut to the chase check out our unboxing video below to get an idea just exactly what you’ll be getting if you happen to get your own pair of  Trail Glove shoes.

For those not familiar with Merrell’s barefoot shoe offering all of their shoes are not technically called “shoes” but “gloves”. Sounds like they are taking a page out of FiveFinger’s marketing book…but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  It’s only a matter of time before Reebok or comes out with with Mitten shoes.

Anyway the Merrell Barefoot Trail Glove is a men’s running shoe for, yup, you guessed it running on trails. The official description goes like this:

Less is definitely more exploring with our Vibram®-soled Trail Glove natural adventure shoe. All the protection your feet need from rocks and roots, and an ultra-lightweight upper with a synthetic leather foot sling for stability fits like a glove.

As well as looking the part the Trail Glove has an impressive spec sheet.

The lining features:

• Microfiber and breathable air mesh upper
• Merrell Omni-Fit™ lacing system secured with welded TPU provides a precise, glove-like fit
• Fused rubber toe bumper provides ultimate durability
• Synthetic leather rear foot sling provides stability
• Flexible plate in the forefoot protects the foot from stone bruises
• Non-removable microfiber footbed treated with Aegis® antimicrobial solution resists odor

The outsole features:

• 4mm compression molded EVA midsole cushions
• 1mm forefoot shock absorption plate maintains forefoot flexibility and protects the foot by distributing pressure
• 0mm ball to heel drop keeps you connected to your terrain
• Wash as needed in cold water, gentle cycle and air dry
• Vibram® Trail Glove Sole/ Rubber Compound TC-1

It has all the right ingredients for a great minimalist running shoe. But we’ll know better once we try them on and put some miles on it. The good news is it’s looking super promising. Planet Shoes also shared a great blog post about barefoot shoes. I’d recommend it for anybody who is new to the “barefoot shoes” concept. Read it here.