Resources

Some great information on Meindl boots available at http://meindl.co.nz/pages/about

Following the tips below will allow you to make the switch to your barefoot shoes more comfortably, safe, and effective.

– Listen to your feet! Switching to barefoot footwear from traditional shoes is a transition that may take time. For some, it is a matter of weeks, for other months, and for a few, it could be a year or more. Much is dependent on your foot type, the activities you’re using them for, and the amount of pronation you experience. The progression will ultimately be worth the wait, and your foot and body will be stronger and better off for it. The answer lies in your inherent foot and body biomechanics and the condition of your muscles. Just remember, improving the skill of those muscles then practicing and using those muscles in your barefoot shoes will increase both endurance and strength. This will have profound beneficial effects on your body and wellbeing. Listen to your body.

– Stop if your arches or the top of your foot is hurting, or if anything else hurts! Remember to transition slowly in order to build strength in your lower legs and feet and to minimize discomfort. An adjustment period is normal, and any discomfort should decrease after a week or two of use. When running in FiveFingers or Merrell Barefoot, sometimes arch and foot pain occurs from landing with your feet too far forward relative to your hips and having to point your toes too much. It can also occur from landing with too rigid a foot and not letting your heel drop gently.

-Stop and let your body heal if you experience pain. Sore, tired muscles are normal; bone, joint, or soft-tissue pain is a signal of injury.

-In the beginning, remember to carry your traditional footwear as a backup. If you need to stop in the middle of a workout, you can put on your cushioned running shoes and continue with your activity.

Step 1: Understand Your Feet

Barefoot shoes assist the natural form and function of your foot. Before you make the transition it is important
to familiarize yourself with your bare foot through our series of sensory exercises. Your feet contain 52 bones, 66 joints, 40 muscles, and hundreds of sensory receptors, tendons, and ligaments—collectively forming two of the body’s most beautifully efficient mechanisms. Yet most people assume that there is something inherently “wrong” with their feet: too wide, too narrow, arches too high or flat, etc. Traditional shoes have become a way of “fixing” these assumed abnormalities. And, as a result, the powerful architecture of our feet has become hidden, disliked, and incredibly sensitive – even weakened. Feet have taken the brunt of a cultural notion that your foot is “wrong;” that corrective shoes will make it “right.” By practicing our recommended sensory exercises, you’ll rediscover the vast potential of your feet and come to a better understanding of how they look, feel, and perform – before and after making the switch to Vibram FiveFingers® or Merrell Barefoot shoes.

Step 2: Try Different Surfaces

Walk, feel, explore. Your feet will determine the pace of your progress. The thin, flexible, and deconstructed sole of your barefoot shoes allow the foot to curl and flex. The five toes are separate in Vibram FiveFingers – just like your
feet! Because of these features, every step taken is a lesson in texture, temperature, and biomechanics. Your feet are excellent at collecting information. Thousands of neurological receptors send valuable information to the brain to tell your body where it is in space and what the terrain is like. Actively stimulating these receptors improves balance, increases circulation, and enhances overall foot health.
• First, start by practicing our recommended sensory exercises and notice how your entire foot feels.
• Next, walk on different surfaces. This is one of the most obvious and easiest ways to stimulate and exercise the foot. With bare feet or in barefoot shoes, explore your home and its surroundings. Notice how your feet feel on smooth vs. rough surfaces and try to sense/recognize the signals that your feet send to your brain.

You’ll probably notice that your foot strike and stride instinctively adjust to different surfaces. Experiment in a safe, controlled way on grass, carpeting, pavement, dirt, pebbles, and smooth rock—keeping your eyes open for potential hazards or unfriendly objects.

Step 3: Foot Fitness Program

2-week strength training program. Now that you have begun to familiarize yourself with your feet, you’ve probably noticed that they are pretty weak. Maybe it’s hard to spread or control your toes? Perhaps being barefoot for an extended amount of time leaves your feet sore or tired? To safely begin the transition to barefoot running and fitness, we highly recommend the following foot strengthening exercises. Practice the exercises below in 3 sets of 20 reps, 3-5X/week for 2 weeks. Your feet may feel tired afterward, but you should not be in pain. Ultimately, this series of exercises will be part of your warm-up routine.
1. Heel raise
2. Toe grip
3. Dorsi/plantar flexion
4. Toe spread/tap
5. Exaggerated eversion/inversion
6. Grabbing a towel on the floor with toes and pass to other foot
7. Walking in FiveFingers: never underestimate the power of just being barefoot or in FiveFingers. One- to two-hour intervals of general day-to-day activity in your FiveFingers is an excellent way to slowly build the small muscles in the feet and ankles.

Making The Switch To Vibram FiveFingers® or Merrell Barefoot (the following is based on Vibram Five Fingers but applies to any barefoot footwear).

Rule #1: Always listen to your body.
Everybody’s feet are different, so it’s important to listen to yours. Here are some frequently asked questions about running and exercising in Vibram FiveFingers® with answers supplied by the Vibram Medical Advisory Board.

How long will it take to transition to Vibram FiveFingers®?

For some, it is a matter of weeks, for other months, and for a few, it could be a year or more. Much is dependent on your foot type, the activities you’re using Vibram FiveFingers for, and the amount of pronation you experience. The progression will ultimately be worth the wait, and your foot and body will be stronger and better off for it. The answer lies in your inherent foot and body biomechanics and the condition of your muscles. Just remember, improving the skill of those muscles then practicing and using those muscles in Vibram FiveFingers will increase both endurance and strength. This will have profound beneficial effects on your body and wellbeing. Listen to your body.

My feet hurt after wearing Vibram FiveFingers®. Is this normal?

An adjustment period is normal at first as your feet and lower legs increase strength and mobility. This should decrease after a week or two of use. Remember to transition slowly to build the strength in your lower legs and feet and to minimize discomfort.

I wear orthotics. Can I still wear Vibram FiveFingers®?

Vibram FiveFingers are designed to promote better foot mechanics— naturally. As such, they’re meant to be worn directly against the sole of your foot, allowing your foot to move as if barefoot. An orthotic is an assistive device to support your foot’s function and help you compensate for any biological aberrations. Attempting to utilize an orthotic with Vibram FiveFingers would defeat their purpose. If you have an extremely flat foot, you will need to work into wearing your Vibram FiveFingers gradually, as your muscles will need time to adapt and strengthen.

Background Information

Waterproof/breathable jackets have two types of waterproofing. The main waterproof layer is a membrane (gore-tex, gelanots, e-vent et.c.) which doesn’t allow water to pass through the jacket, even if it is soaking into the outer fabric. The second type is a DWR (durable water repellant) coating on the outer fabric of the jacket. This DWR coating is what breaks down/wears off over time and needs replacing. You’ll know it’s time to re-coat the outer of your jacket when the water starts soaking in instead of beading and rolling off.

As long as the jackets waterproof membrane is still intact it should stop any water from coming right through the jacket. What will start happening once the DWR layer breaks down/wears off from the outer is water soaks into this outer fabric and stops the jacket from breathing. Although it will still keep the rain out you will notice the jacket starts to feel clammy on your skin as a result of the water sitting in the outer fabric and your sweat not being able to escape (i.e. no longer breathable).

Washing and drying your jacket

Before you spray your waterproof jacket with a water repellant spray it is important to ensure the jacket is clean. The best thing to do is to follow the washing instructions printed on the jacket. If these are not present or are unreadable the best thing to do is to hand wash your jacket using a mild soap (e.g. nikwax tech wash) and warm water. Do no use detergent unless the jacket’s instructions specify that you can!

If particular patches of your jacket require special attention you can spot clean them using a cloth or giving them a gentle scrub with a brush if needed.

Once your jacket/pants is clean you can generally put them in the dryer on low heat, however, only do so if the washing/drying instructions recommend this! If the instructions say do not tumble dry or you are unsure then leave the jacket to dry naturally.

Reproofing your jacket

The spray you buy to reproof your jacket (e.g. Gecko Guard or Nikwax TX-Direct) should come with instructions on the bottle. The following steps are a general guideline.

1. Shake the bottle and spray the jacket evenly with a slow sweeping motion from about 20cm away, until the fabric is completely covered with a light coating. Over applying will not improve results.

2. Leave the jacket to dry naturally or use a dryer or cool iron if care instructions allow. Left to dry naturally with the spray will take 48-72 hours (depending on conditions) to cure completely.

3. Once dry test for water repellency by splashing or spraying with water. The water should form beads and roll off. Depending on the state of the waterproofing prior to treatment, you may need to apply a second light coating. If the water is not beading a rolling off effectively then repeat these reproofing steps.

 Cleaning and Care

1. Basic Cleaning

Dirty boots should be brushed clean using warm water. Manure, blood, fuels, or chemicals et.c. should be immediately washed off to avoid permanent damage to the leather uppers.

2. Drying

The footbeds should be removed at the end of every day of use, to allow them to dry out, as any residual perspiration or moisture in the boot will be retained in this super-absorbent footbed. The boots should then be allowed to dry naturally and not force dried by any form of direct heat. Don’t wear the boots when the leather is bone dry.

3. Waxing/Leather Treating

After drying, lightly brush over with a clean bristle brush, and place it in a warm area. When warm apply wax evenly with a clean cloth.

Note: If your boot has a 100% waterproof Goretex inner lining you need to be sure the wax you apply is the correct one. It needs to replace the leather’s natural lubricants whilst allowing the leather upper to breath, and the inner Goretex lining to remove perspiration/ moisture from inside the boot. It should not be a waterproofing or sealing agent as this will interfere with the Goretex properties and turn the boot into a ‘gumboot”, where moisture and the cupful of perspiration each foot produces in a day has no way to escape.

Do Not Use Dubbin, Fat, Polish, or Oils. These will only clog the pores of the breathing leather and can have chemicals in them that can deteriorate the leather and stitching.

Caution – Farmers Beware

Manure, urine, blood, and chemical (diesel and drench) et.c. are all extremely harmful to all types of leather. If your boots are exposed to any of these substances, wash it off with warm soapy water as soon as possible to avoid any deterioration of the leather uppers and reapply wax.

Accessories

 Laces, Footbeds and Wax

Spare laces, footbeds (insoles), and the correct wax are important partners of any pair of boots or shoes. We carry a range of products to suit the footwear you choose.

Socks

Having the correct type of sock to go inside your boot can make a huge difference to the fit of your boot and is a great way to reduce the risk of blisters and general discomfort. We carry a wide range of socks to suit any outdoor activity you have in mind.