I want my MBTs

Masai Barefoot Technology; yes, I am talking about those funky, chunky and clunky creations of this Swiss based company. Originally introduced in 1996, this unique, revolutionary shoe was developed after studying the walking patterns of the Masai tribes of Africa. MBT set out to create a shoe that would "mimic walking on soft, uneven ground."

After reading and hearing about these shoes for a long time, "curiosity killed this cat." I purchased a pair of Fora Black. I went to Shuz of Los Gatos, a European walking store. They had a large selection of styles to choose from; in fact, they had several styles that were less "chunky and clunky" than the original. There are less expensive "knock offs" out there, but like the fact that I don't like to "waste calories" on anything bad, I don't want to waste money on the "wannabes" either. I wanted to try the product developed by the company that put this shoe technology on the map.

It has been almost one year with my MBTs. Needless to say, I retired my running shoes. MBTs are great for exercising, walking, hiking and daily casual use; I LOVE them! I can feel the difference in my leg and gluteus maximus muscles when I am wearing them especially during my treadmill and walking routines. I also believe that I get a better work out in these problem areas with my MBTs than I did with my running shoes; I have seen positive results.

My friend Craig is also an avid wearer of MBTs; in fact he owns 5 pair. Craig has been diagnosed with Halix Limitus which means that cartilage is lost in the big toe joint at the point where the toe meets the foot. It slowly progresses until there is very little cartilage left and it becomes very painful to walk. The solution to fix this problem is fusing the toe to the foot to immobilize it; "YIKES, anything to avoid this!"Craig exclaimed.

Recently, Craig and I where discussing MBTs. I asked him why he loved these shoes so much. It's "because of the rounded sole, I can get 90% of the walking motion without bending my big toe. Since diagnosed 4 years ago, my symptoms have not gotten any worse. In general, all of my MBTs are very comfortable, more comfortable than any shoe I've worn. I do actually get that floating sensation while walking."

I completely concur with Craig on the comfort and floating aspects of these shoes. Sometimes when I am wearing them, I forget that I have shoes on all together. In fact, I wish that I had known about MBTs back in the day that I was spending many hours standing on trade show floors; if I had been wearing them, surely my dogs would not have been barking! 

Another great aspect about MBTs is that they can be resoled and refurbished after miles and miles of use. MBT has partnered with resole.com. You can send your shoes into them and they say in approximately two weeks you will have them back and be "on the road again."

I plan on expanding my collection with another pair of MBTs, perhaps a sandal for the summer?  There are so many styles to chose from - athletic, boot, casual and professional. Will I ever wear these shoes for an evening out or in lieu of my heels with a business suit? Probably not, but then again you just never know.