I am not going spend too much time on this but news is news….
Tony Post, former boss of barefoot inspired ‘Five Fingers’ firm, Vibram, has moved from five to two toes. As any minimalist runner should…?
Post says split shoes offer more than a design gimmick.
“The big toe is the most important mechanism in the foot. You want your big toe to move but retain stability from the rest of your toes. On landing, say, the big toe effectively curls upwards, pushing the ball of your foot into the ground and giving a stable pivot point from heel to forefoot. Barefoot shoes can improve strength and flexibility. It’s like having dumbbells for the feet.” taken from The Independent Richard Fenton at Profeet
The Technology?
- Based on the Japanese Tabi shoe, the split toe creates a unique anchor point in the forefoot, offering more security and a stronger connection to your footwear.
Copyright Topo Athletic
- The anatomically designed toe box allows the remaining toes to spread naturally, delivering comfort and control for optimal performance.
- The shoe has lightweight material and welded seams because weight and chafing are not your friends.
- We have a zero-drop heel-to-toe platform because we don’t think a shoe should “fix” the way you run or train.
So, a zero drop shoe that looks like a horses hoof.
Why barefoot?
In 2001, Nike sent guys to watch the Stanford University team train and were dismayed to see them doing so without shoes. “I believe when my runners train barefoot they run faster and suffer fewer injuries,” the coach said, as Christopher McDougall recounts in his book ‘Born to Run’. “We’ve shielded our feet from their natural position by providing more and more support.” The Independent
I can give no opinion at this stage as I have only researched the shoe and not physically looked at one or tried them on.
If the shoes has ‘cushioning’ and at this stage I can’t tell if that is the case but they do look more cushioned than Vibram Five Fingers. The Topo Athletic range may very well give runners of all shapes and sizes a zero drop shoe with protection.
I have to obtain a pair of shoes and feedback in due course.
You can read more at the companies website HERE
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FYI http://www.smaat.com
Interesting Stu… they always say nothing is new!
Not too sure about the SMAAT shoes. I would choose a ZEMgear 360 over these.