I love this post! I would love to hear or see you include data on whether the toe box matters as well. We see a trend with “anatomically” correct toe box shoes vs narrow box designs.
I think not having your toes "squished" together is probably a good idea. It seems like some people don't feel like their toes are squished in "normal" shoes. Others need to seek out shoes that have a purposefully wider toe box.
I am one of those people that need wide toe box with my shoes due to having bunions on both feet. I also wear correct toes (toe spacers) and there are only a few shoes that can accommodate these
Thank you! What I find interesting is the how shoe companies differ on this topic as well. For instance, zero drop companies swear with by the "anatomically correct" shoe strategy vs. the "normal" shoe companies that swear some drop is good. I will say that Goruck shoes do seem to strike a decent balance between all these things and for me their Ballistic Trainers are just about perfect! Thank you for the newsletter! Yours is the only I find to be consistently valuable for me to be a member!
Good stuff as always :) I am a maximal guy. I had a pair of zero drop Lone Peak Ultra's which I really liked but my feet just took a beating. Unless it's a heavy trail where I wear Hoka Speedgoats I have found that the Hoka Challenger AT is perfect for me. It's got some plush stack but not as much as say a Bondi. It also has trail lugs so you can go from pavement to moderate trail with the same shoe. For rucking I typically wear the Challenger since the trails I ruck on are mostly dirt, gravel and some rocks.
Nice! I train ran in Lone Peaks for awhile. I still like them, but I've found that I feel a bit better after running in a trail shoe that has some drop. Usually around 5mm. Lots of the Hokas have that level of drop.
Some other considerations on shoes is how long to wear them (mileage vs shoe condition); whether or not to wear different pairs through the week (does alternating help them last longer); and sock compatibility (what socks are best for a given run type). When it comes to running, it is all about the feet and lower legs. I would agree that most injuries are due to training and not necessarily gear which has been my experience...I sometimes have a tendency to overtrain. Especially now that I am nearly 62 and think I am 30. 🤷🏽♂️
I have switched to (relatively) inexpensive Nikes this past year: one with near 0 drop for deadlifts and some kettlebell work and a very non-elite running shoe with a 10 mm drop that I find comfortable and use for pretty much everything else. This Christmas the missus got me the MACV-2 for rucking and the wide toe box was a revelation. I don’t mind alternating shoes for the task at hand. It’s all gear, not stuff, right?? 😉
And one more important factor when it comes to shoes- when it is time to replace them! Most of us probably try to extend the life of them for as long as possible, but def should toss a pair of shoes when your feet are consistently starting to hurt when wearing them.
I love wearing minimalist shoes (brand- xero) for everyday walking and short rucks with light weight, but absolutely will not use them for hard workouts and WODs (I go with altras or reebok nano). I do wear goruck shoes sometimes, absolutely hated nobulls and am so glad to hear crossfit is now a partner with goruck!
I couldn’t quite tell from the article the role of the functional design of the shoe impact on injury. I would think a running shoe, which is designed to propel us forward would not be a great idea for powerlifting should require more stability. Perhaps another way of stating this: does specialization of shoe design matter?
I love this post! I would love to hear or see you include data on whether the toe box matters as well. We see a trend with “anatomically” correct toe box shoes vs narrow box designs.
I think not having your toes "squished" together is probably a good idea. It seems like some people don't feel like their toes are squished in "normal" shoes. Others need to seek out shoes that have a purposefully wider toe box.
Some people may also conditions such as arthritis in great toe joints. Narrow toe boxes definitely do not work for those with similar conditions.
I am one of those people that need wide toe box with my shoes due to having bunions on both feet. I also wear correct toes (toe spacers) and there are only a few shoes that can accommodate these
Thank you! What I find interesting is the how shoe companies differ on this topic as well. For instance, zero drop companies swear with by the "anatomically correct" shoe strategy vs. the "normal" shoe companies that swear some drop is good. I will say that Goruck shoes do seem to strike a decent balance between all these things and for me their Ballistic Trainers are just about perfect! Thank you for the newsletter! Yours is the only I find to be consistently valuable for me to be a member!
Good stuff as always :) I am a maximal guy. I had a pair of zero drop Lone Peak Ultra's which I really liked but my feet just took a beating. Unless it's a heavy trail where I wear Hoka Speedgoats I have found that the Hoka Challenger AT is perfect for me. It's got some plush stack but not as much as say a Bondi. It also has trail lugs so you can go from pavement to moderate trail with the same shoe. For rucking I typically wear the Challenger since the trails I ruck on are mostly dirt, gravel and some rocks.
Nice! I train ran in Lone Peaks for awhile. I still like them, but I've found that I feel a bit better after running in a trail shoe that has some drop. Usually around 5mm. Lots of the Hokas have that level of drop.
My experience with zero drop was pain!
Some other considerations on shoes is how long to wear them (mileage vs shoe condition); whether or not to wear different pairs through the week (does alternating help them last longer); and sock compatibility (what socks are best for a given run type). When it comes to running, it is all about the feet and lower legs. I would agree that most injuries are due to training and not necessarily gear which has been my experience...I sometimes have a tendency to overtrain. Especially now that I am nearly 62 and think I am 30. 🤷🏽♂️
I have switched to (relatively) inexpensive Nikes this past year: one with near 0 drop for deadlifts and some kettlebell work and a very non-elite running shoe with a 10 mm drop that I find comfortable and use for pretty much everything else. This Christmas the missus got me the MACV-2 for rucking and the wide toe box was a revelation. I don’t mind alternating shoes for the task at hand. It’s all gear, not stuff, right?? 😉
And one more important factor when it comes to shoes- when it is time to replace them! Most of us probably try to extend the life of them for as long as possible, but def should toss a pair of shoes when your feet are consistently starting to hurt when wearing them.
I love wearing minimalist shoes (brand- xero) for everyday walking and short rucks with light weight, but absolutely will not use them for hard workouts and WODs (I go with altras or reebok nano). I do wear goruck shoes sometimes, absolutely hated nobulls and am so glad to hear crossfit is now a partner with goruck!
I couldn’t quite tell from the article the role of the functional design of the shoe impact on injury. I would think a running shoe, which is designed to propel us forward would not be a great idea for powerlifting should require more stability. Perhaps another way of stating this: does specialization of shoe design matter?
A really good page to follow to learn more about foot health is gait happens, a group of podiatrists based on Colorado, learned so much from them!