I really like minimalist shoes after using them super consistently for about a year, definitely feel like my feet / shins are much stronger.
Advice for anyone looking to make the jump to minimalist shoes:
1. These are extremely rare, but if you are going with minimalist shoes make sure to avoid the ones with a narrow toe box(i.e what shoes normally have). Most minimalist ones also have a wide toe box, which allows your toes to spread out and actually do their job of stabilizing the foot.
2. From personal experience, first week your shins/ankles/feet will feel extremely sore just from usual walking. Soreness goes down over something like a month.
3. No opinion on heel striking in general, but I definitely do not recommend heel striking in minimalist shoes.
4. Running trail feels very different in minimalist shoes
Advice for anyone looking to make the jump to minimalist shoes:
1. These are extremely rare, but if you are going with minimalist shoes make sure to avoid the ones with a narrow toe box(i.e what shoes normally have). Most minimalist ones also have a wide toe box, which allows your toes to spread out and actually do their job of stabilizing the foot.
2. From personal experience, first week your shins/ankles/feet will feel extremely sore just from usual walking. Soreness goes down over something like a month.
3. No opinion on heel striking in general, but I definitely do not recommend heel striking in minimalist shoes.
4. Running trail feels very different in minimalist shoes