One of the first things important to do with clients is to assess their current shoe wardrobe to see

1) if their shoes fit properly and

2) if their shoes allow their feet to function as they are designed to function.

It is amazing how many people wear shoes that don’t fit! Just as equally amazing is how many humans put absurd contraptions and designs into shoes i.e. heels, super cushioning, pointy toe box-just to point out a few.

This section is here so that you may read reviews of some shoes that allow your feet to function mechanically the way they were designed to-or at least come close to it.

BOOTS

Women

• • Gabriella Rocha WinterHit Wide calf:  Fall / Winter boot with extremely comfortable sole.  Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.  Fit is almost perfect except it is a little tight across of big toe.  Boot shaft is large enough to accommodate larger calves.

• • Salomon Uma:Fall / Winter tall fitted zip up boot with extremely comfortable sole.  Boot will protect feet from wet or cold weather.  Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.

• • Sanuk Juno:  Fall boot that resemble moccasins.  Will not protect feet from very cold or wet weather.  Sole is extremely comfortable.  Sole allows great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.  My only complaint about these boots is the unnecessary non functional real animal fur tassels on the side of the boot shaft.  Yuck, fur!

• • Simple TOEst:  Fall / Winter boot with extremely comfortable sole.  Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.  Knitted boot shaft can be worn up or down.

• • Simple PesTOE:  Fall / Winter boot with extremely comfortable sole.  Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.  Knitted boot shaft can only be worn down.

• • Report Meloni:  Fall / Winter boot with extremely comfortable sole.  Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.  Boot shaft can be worn in four different ways.  Very versatile boot.

LOAFERS

Women

• • Sanuk Catalina:  ‘Deck’ style shoe with extremely comfortable sole.  Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.

• • Sanuk Tweedy:  Fabric upper with extremely comfortable sole.  Fabric around heel stretches out some.  This may make shoe not secure on some feet.  Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.  Could work as a dress shoe.

• • Toms Classic:  Fabric upper with extremely comfortable sole.  Fabric Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.

Men

• • Sanuk Melt Down:  Fabric upper with extremely comfortable sole.  Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.  Unlike some Sanuk shoes, the fabric upper of this one is structured enough not to stretch out.

• • Sanuk Pick Pocket:  Fabric upper with extremely comfortable sole.  Fabric around heel stretches out some.  This may make shoe not secure on some feet.  Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.  Could work as a dress shoe.

• • Toms Classic:  Fabric upper with extremely comfortable sole.  Fabric Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.

TENNIS SHOES

(By ‘tennis shoe’ I mean any athletic shoe; walking, running, etc)

Women

• • Nike Free:Multiple slits in sole of shoe allow for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.  Arch of shoe has some stiffness.  There is some thickness in the heel (about 1 ½ inches), which is common in most tennis shoes.

• • Simple Satire Hemp:  Hemp upper with extremely comfortable sole.  Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.  This is my favorite tennis shoe ever.

Men

• • Nike Free:  Multiple slits in sole of shoe allow for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.  Arch of shoe has some stiffness.  There is some thickness in the heel (about 1 ½ inches), which is common in most tennis shoes.

• • Simple Toemorrow:  Extremely comfortable sole.  Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.  Inside footbed of shoe has ‘nubs,’ which some people may find uncomfortable.

• • Simple Tuba:  Sole of shoe is mostly flexible but arch of shoe has some stiffness.  Shoe runs small.

• • VivoBarefoot Dharma:  Fabric upper sole with extremely comfortable sole.  Fabric Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.

SANDALS

Women

• • Simple Teetoe:  Gladiator style sandal with extremely comfortable sole.  Sole allows for great forefoot flexibility and multi-planar motion of the entire foot.

SHOE BRAND INFO

Sanuk [www.sanuk.com] – shoe company that uses a flip-flop material for the sole on all of their shoes.  Consequently, all of their shoes have very flexible soles.  A flip-flop bottom however, is not durable enough for rough terrain.  Not all of their shoes allow the foot to function optimally/properly; they have many flip-flops and other styles that don’t stay securely on the foot.  All of their shoes have a ‘toe box’ that makes allowance for the natural shape of the foot.

Simple [www.simpleshoes.com] – shoe company that uses many recycled materials in their products and implement environmentally sound manufacturing practices.  Many of their shoes have wonderfully flexible soles.  All of their shoes have a ‘toe box’ that makes allowance for the natural shape of the foot.

Toms [www.toms.com] – shoe company that for every pair of shoes purchased, they give a pair of shoes to a child in need.  All of their shoes have great flexible soles.  Their soles, however, are not durable enough for rough terrain.

VivoBarefoot by Terra Plana [www.terraplana.com/vivobarefoot.php] – Terra Plana implements environmentally sound manufacturing practices.

• • Vivobarefoot is a line of shoe by Terra Plana.  These shoes all have an awesome patented puncture resistance sole that allows great flexibility of the entire foot.  All of their shoes have a ‘toe box’ that makes allowance for the natural shape of the foot.