Regular readers will be well aware of a recent post about my use of NEO by Vivo Barefoot and how beneficial I found them in allowing the foot to spread properly when walking and running. This brought about further added benefits with overall body posture.
In this post I would like to take their use further by introducing readers to a nifty pair of socks I recently came across which complement the NEO shoes perfectly.
A lot of people when they first start using barefoot / minimalist shoes can fall in to the trap of too much too soon. They go all out and become totally barefoot. The insoles are removed and so are their socks. This I feel is a little bit too much of a knee jerk reaction to mainstream footwear that they are discarding, and can lead to very pair full feet. Once they transition back to using the insoles and the use of normal everyday socks there is a loss of proprioception in the feet, this can lead the wearer to thinking that “no pain no gain” is something they have to follow till their feet adjust and become more firmer.
Sorry it does not have to be like that. In comes a product which allows the barefoot shoe devotee to still experience the spreading of the feet and the comfort of wearing a warm pair of socks or not having such a thin sole between the foot and the ground that their feet become too sore to walk properly.
The Injinji sock is basically a glove for your feet. Each toe has its own individual “pocket” into which they fit all snug like. The socks are designed so that they will only fit onto a right or left foot which will give you a better idea of how they are designed for foot spread and comfort.
Due care has to be taken when putting the socks on because each toe has to be individually inserted into its “pocket” before pulling the sock fully on. First time wearers will find that the toe “pockets” are a little tight and quite strange at first. No worries this is something you will become accustomed to as you wear them more often.
When you have them on you will instantaneously notice that there is no restriction whatsoever in your foot as there is in normal socks. They allow the foot to do what it wants to do naturally and that is spread. Couple this with your barefoot shoes and you have a marriage made in heaven. The ability of the feet to spread and a comfy pair of socks to help protect your feet a little more and keep them warm when the weather is cooler.
I bought a pair of grey and a pair of white. To be honest white was a mistake (there were no black left) as they stain easily and are very hard to get perfectly clean.
When you look at the design of the Injinji socks they look perfect for those that use shoes of a similar style like the Vibram Five Fingers, unfortunately at present I don`t own a pair of these at the moment so cannot give any further details on how both products will marriage together.
Overall I think these are a great product and well worth the extra investment. Running in them is a pure joy compared to the usual running socks I had been using.
Steven. A. Barlow, Co founder www.spartan-warriors.co.uk , co founder New Spartan Training Systems LTD and founder of Spartan Runners ” because we don`t just run” © 2011