Best barefooting shoes review-Berlin Clogs

Berlin "Wooden Clogs" in black that Almost Barefoot tested..and loves

 

This week, Almost Barefoot reviews Berlin Clogs Brand "Wooden Clogs". They may not have a fancy name, at least not in English, but they are worthy of recognition for sure. The clogs you see above were worn all of last week and every moment was quite enjoyable. In this world, they are among the best shoes for barefooters whenever barefooters must wear shoes. All totaled, I stopped measuring the walking distance after the total distance exceeded 25 miles. "Berlins", as I'll call them, have a wide toe box and are very accommodating to a wide foot, similar to Sven clogs, which I've also reviewed.

 

The platform slope of Berlins s unique. The slope is just high enough to prevent the clog from sliding forward while you are walking, as Svens sometimes do, but the slope is not so high that the clogs becomes part of your foot in the literal sense that Olssons or Tessas do. There is a fair amount of wiggle room inside these clogs even as they easily stay on your feet, and it takes no time to break these clogs in. As soon as they go on, they become one of those few pairs of shoes that make you feel almost barefoot.

 

The bottoms of Berlins are of solid wood and be forewarned, they do make a good amount of noise when you walk, unlike Svens, which are incredibly quiet. It takes a bit of effort to be quiet when walking in Berlins-not an issue for me as I like to make a bit of noise just for fun. For the person who wants to announce her or his arrival, Berlins may well be the perfect clog. On days where more decorum is required, one might opt for Svens or another, quieter pair of clogs. Noise is no issue if you're walking strictly on solid floors that are carpeted. The hollow, raised floors in some buildings-that are ironically designed to keep sound from carrying to the level below, will indeed amplify the clunk of your Berlins, so keep that in mind.

 

Another great feature about Berlin Clogs is that they come a a lot of different colors, including bright blues and yellows that will allow them to step beyond the traditional fashion boundaries and typical outfits one typically wears clogs with, not that I'm knocking those outfits.

   

Berlins are true to their heritage-they are hand-made in Germany by craftspeople. It took a month from the day we ordered them for them to arrive, but they were worth the wait indeed. So don't knock Berlin Clogs for going a bit slower; simply order them early. You'll be very glad you did.

In fairness to the other brands of clogs that Almost Barefoot has tested, we give Berlins a grade of A-. Provided the clogs hold up structurally over the next year, they will certainly deserve a solid A. The other brands we've tested have been worn at least a year I every case. A pair of Berlins could have a nice home parked at the entrance of one's barefoot sanctuary.

This week, another pair of Berlins is about to be tested-Berlin's "Natural Clogs".  These are of a unique, unusual design, and I look forward to reporting on them for you next week.

BELOW: Berlin Clogs Brand "Natural Clogs"




 

 

Barefoot in Brazil...coming soon!

AN instagram from Marcelo in Rio. We'll soon be hearing more about what the barefoot lifestyle is like in this famous Brazilian city.

Berlin Walkabout

Our clogs from Germany arrived today, so I'm on walkabout testing them out.

My initial assessment: fabulous!  But I it is only fair that I go the distance before comparing them to other brands that Almost Barefoot loves.

Be back soon................

Blessings!

 



Going barefoot......in public.   Inside.    We all like to cheat once in a while.............................

We don't encourage infractions of any rules regarding the requirement of shoes in public places. We merely acknowledge the fact that everybody, even folks who have no desire or intention of making barefooting a way of life, likes to do this sometimes.

Hard core folks like Michael Sandler, barefoot extraordinaire who brought barefoot running into the public eye so that it is here to stay, will go barefoot just about everywhere.

Michael won't argue with the managers of a business who bar the door from him because he is barefoot, he'll simply leave.

Most public places in the USA have the choice to let patrons in barefoot or not. In most states, laws don't specifically prohibit barefoot customers. I admit that I tae advantage of the privilege in barefoot-friendly shops every once in a while in places such as Boulder, CO, but I don't gripe about such rules as society's rules are complex and the obligations for business owners are numerous.

Once in a while we all cheat. And folks who are supposed to enforce the rules may or may not do so. It may depend on the day, or whether the stories crowded, or whatever else.

All I'll say now is that rules are rules and there is no grand conspiracy I can see that is against barefooters. As countless barefoot advocates will say: be courteous when told to put your shoes on, don't act like a jerk. As with any group you might represent, if you act in a deliberately-discourteous way, you only give society the excuse to persecute you. Unless you like whining about persecution you brought upon yourself, such is a useless act.

Barefooting is about reducing impact on your surroundings, for the mutual benefit of everyone. So, wen you're slipping out of your shoes, do BARE that truth in mind!

BLESSINGS!

 

Go barefoot in Europe-best places!

DO check out our links for barefooting in Europe. We're finding more opportunities all the time!

Global Barefooter-Switzerland

Good Morning!

Almost Barefoot is happy to say that the diversity of our readership continues to grow. Among our newer readers are folks from the alpine paradise of Switzerland.

Switzerland is quite well-known for its unique, multi-linguistic culture, a desirable mountain lifestyle and of course, chocolate and cheese. And it seems to be pretty friendly for barefooters as well.

This picture has been posted just for fun, but it signifies that a person can, within reason, go barefoot just for fun if she so chooses!



A woman enjoys going barefoot in Switzerland. Photo by Blind Picasso

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Clearly the Swiss culture seems acknowledges the decorum that is often demanded by modern society that may limit barefooting in urban settings by having barefoot parks that like-minded people can enjoy.

In the mountain town of Celerina, near St. Moritz is a lovely network of barefoot walking trails that is advertised and encouraged by the local tourist board as being an integral part of the lifestyle we'd all like to try. (I'd love some feedback from folks in warmer climates-do they laugh at us folks in winter climates who think barefooting in summer is such a big deal?)

There are four different trails in the Stat Forest that offer the hiker choice of a hike that lasts anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours. From the pictures, one can see it is a feast for all the senses from the feet to the eyes.

In Shauffhausen, a spa known as Kneipp offers a barefoot hiking path as a key feature to one's "get natural" plan for relaxation. How about a barefoot walk to really get you ready for that foot massage?


The trailhead at Kneipp.  From myswitzerland.com

In Gotzen, a public barefooting park Barfußweg offers "5 km barefoot hiking trail in lovely landscape, mostly over meadows with mud and water wading", says the site Barefoot Public Parks in Europe.


Barefooting on one of Europe's growing number of barefoot parks.
From Barefoot Public Parks in Europe.

HAVE A GREAT, BAREFOOT DAY!

 

Blessings!

Almost Barefoot-Fall Preview

Good Morning to all our wonderful readers.

I'm posting a short preview of things Almost Barefoot will share with you this fall. We're certainly not trying to rush to the end of the official barefoot season, but it is exciting to see how the newness of the next season will help foster the growth of the Almost Barefoot lifestyle.

Blessings!

 

-Vincent

• Barefooting has new meaning in fall as the ground cools and our perception changes and rises with the newness of the season.
• Let us begin looking at barefooting in the new era and the more-matriarchal world.
• We’ll look at what it is to be spiritually barefooting.
• Creating the spiritual realm in the home that is barefoot sanctuary.
• Yoga-creating a practice links us to the oldest meaningful barefoot tradition.
• Ideas for creating a socially-sustainable, Almost Barefoot culture.

Barefoot Shoes! See our reviews.......three recent ones and more to come!

Barefoot Shoes!  See our reviews.......three recent ones and more to come!

We're glad to see lots of traffic on our clogs reviews.

We have more coming and welcome comments and feedback.

Blessings!

 

Best shoes for bare-footers-our latest clogs review!

 

 

Italian Shoemaker® brand clogs are a surprise, and a pleasant one. They are indeed a mass-produced clog and they are sold in shoe warehouses, but they are of better quality than many mass-produced clogs that follow in the footsteps of the Dansko brand clogs that made closed-back clogs so popular as an everyday shoe for the workplace. Shoemaking is a craft in Italy, and two of this reporter’s relatives came off the Italian boat and started making shoes in New York City.

Giving Dansko a run for its money, Italian Shoemaker clogs

 

In short-I’m very picky about my shoes. Italian Shoemaker® clogs are made in Italy, and they do represent a higher standard in a number of ways. For a mass-produced clog priced cheaply in a market awash with countless styles of pricey clogs and shoes, this brand stands out. They've been making shoes in Italy for 28 years, and they've been making money doing, right there in Europe, while Dansko, with it's higher-priced product, has moved production to China.

These clogs are indeed practical for the workplace and comfortable all day long. They do have a poly-urethane bottom, not a first choice for Almost Barefoot since they tend to have a subtle bounce that can lead to foot pain and eventually, a split bottom. But they are relatively inexpensive, the quality of the upper is good enough that they are not only durable but will start to shape to your foot. Also, they are made in Italy, so we feel better knowing that the laborers are likely treated better than in many other textile-producing nations.

The pair of “Italian Shoemaker” that Almost Barefoot enjoyed were worn for a year of walking around all day long on the job on unforgiving concrete-based floors and comfort was not lost. Visually, the shoes have a narrow appearance (a potential fashion issue, but they certainly won’t pinch a wider foot, the issue is relative to the pants you wear with them and is cosmetic only). Be forewarned that when the shoes get really hot, they may squeak a bit when you walk in them!

We grade these clogs with a solid B+.

Updates and news

Thanks for stopping by!

We have a new contact in Spain, a place where we're getting more and more readers-gracias!

We also continue to get lots of hits from Germany-danke!  Speaking of Germany, we've been notified that our Berlin Clogs have been made ad have shipped. We anxiously await their arrival so we can test them out in time for fall.

Michael Sandler is making his recovery and we'll keep you posted.

More to come!

Blessings!

 

Barefooter's best shoes-Dansko clogs

Dansk "Karl" clogs, and early hit that set the standard. Photo by Infinity Shoes.

 

It’s funny how Dansko Clogs seem like original clogs, even though they are only original as an imitation. Danskos surges in mainstream popularity; people quickly learned that their price of 90-or-so dollars was worth it since they were comfortable and would last. They were the clogs that made clogs cool in America.

They were the first serious success at clogs with synthetic soles. There were lots of imitations back in the mid-1990s, when clogs surged back to popularity among college women and we suddenly saw wooden clogs on campuses from Colorado to New Hampshire and everywhere in between, as well as on the west coast.

So many imitations had soles that quickly split to reveal the foam under layers and then the shoes were useless and bound for the trash. Then there were Danskos. The soles weren’t real wood, but they were really sturdy and so are the clogs. Almost Barefoot isn’t a fan of synthetic soles, but Danskos have certainly earned a reputation for durability, comfort and good design.

Danskos’ platform slope is gentle and especially kind to the wide foot, as is the roomy toe box. The uppers are thick and supple and the clogs will because like slippers as a result.

After all, Danskos were designed in Denmark, a great place that lies in the cradle of clog evolution. Sadly, they are no longer made in Denmark.

We quite ok with Danskos being made in Poland, since Poland is a free country with people who take pride in craftsmanship, and because Poland is also a place where clogs are a mainstay for many people. It was even noted a biography of Poe John Paul II how he walked in them for miles as a young man back when his native land was under oppressive occupation and he had to walk miles to work at a chemical plant.

It’s too bad that Dansko didn’t choose Poland for crafts’ sake-they were only seeking cheaper labor, hence the reason the clogs are now made in China. The last pair of Danskos Almost Barefoot tried out in the rigors of manufacturing work did hold up for nearly two years of every-day use despite being made in China, so we won’t write them off as B-grade products, but due to are made by slave labor and don’t have a wooden bottom, we can only give them a grade of B+.

What can we say? We’re purists, and so we like wood-bottom clogs made by people who aren’t exploited against their will.

Barefooter's best shoes-Tessa Clogs

Wearing a good pair of clogs is like going barefoot with our shoes on.

Mountain clogs in black. These were our first pair. Years of everyday work and they still look like this. They are worth the price you pay, as your feet will feel like a million bucks all day long!

Today, we review Tessa Clogs. Tessa's are just one of numerous brands we've worn and would recommend you try for those days that you must wear shoes. Wearing these clogs won't feel like a chore.

  

Tessa Clogs are named for professional skier Tessa Manning. She now lives in Vail, CO with her husband, Chris, where they operate a store well-known as the Swedish Clog Cabin. It is easy to order from their excellent website, and clicking through the wide variety of clogs is a fun shopping experience even if you’re not into shopping-especially if you’re not into shopping, because you’d never know there were so many choices.

The choices of funky colors and even painted designs is extensive, but that makes these clogs no less practical for barefooters when we must wear shoes. Among the many options, the favorite choice of Almost Barefoot is the Mountain Clog. This clog is tried and true and combines all the aspects of practicality with fun.

The clog has an adjustable sling back that offers a wide range of positions so that you can walk for miles and have the assurance that your shoe will stay on, and when you don’t need the sling, it flips over to be an ornamental strap that doesn’t interfere with kicking off your clogs when the opportunities to be barefoot arrive.

The Mountain Clog has a genuine lug sole which makes the clog adequate for walking in rough spots when shoes must be on and this also allows for quite walking while giving your clogs a rugged look that makes admirers often think that they are boots. The Mountain Clog has a narrower toe and, like Olssons, it has a stepper platform slope that lets the clogs fit closer to your foot and become part of it. Your feet roll forward effortlessly with each step and will allow you to walk for hours. They may need a couple of weeks of break-in time since they have tighter fit, but once broken-in, wearing them is like walking barefoot with your shoes on.

This writer has owned Mountain Clogs for eight years and remains as happy as they day they came out of the box. The leather upper will last a long time with just a little treatment now and then. They are an excellent shoe for the person who lives Almost Barefoot.

BUY TESSA CLOGS-Please tell them you heard about Tessa Clogs from Almost Barefoot!

 

World's most famous barefoot runner shatters femur-again-and again, he vows full recoery is at hand

Almost Barefoot is asking viewers, if they can, to help out one of the people who has helped make the world a better place for barefooting.

Coach Michael Sandler fell and shattered his femur while on a recent hike.

The doctors said there simply aren't any odds to describe the likelihood of Sandler's situation. After all, he just recently celebrated the fifth anniversary of shattering his other femur-and half his pelvis, the event that led him to barefoot running for recovery-full recovery.



"While out on book tour, on May 19^th, 2013, I was injured in a hiking accident that nearly took my life.  I slipped while crossing a creek in leather moccasins, flying through the air, and shattering my right leg on impact.


Yes, for those of you who are familiar with my story, I somehow did it AGAIN. This time shattering my right femur. Seven years ago, I shattered my left femur.

The accident was profound, we were stuck in the creek for two hours as I bled internally and nearly slipped away. I had to literally force myself to breathe to stay alive. And so I thought of the most positive thing I could, LOVE, and focused on the love, with every single breath. I kept repeating to myself, “breathe in light… breathe out love”. The incident was an incredible learning lesson; our lives flashing before our eyes, as the clock ticked away and we desperately waited for help to arrive. It took two long hours before I was stabilized and air-lifted out,"

Sandler wrote on the website runbare.com  With Jessica Lee Sandler by his side, he has vowed once again that he will recover as he did the last tie this happened-back then on a bike path while rollerblading, for those who haven't yet read the book, Barefoot Running.

The accident caused the couple's tour and the promotion of the newer book, Barefoot Walking, to be cut short, and financial challenges that come from not touring are daunting.

Jessica and Michael are asking for our help to get them back on their feet. They certainly have made the world a better place for our feet go without shoes, so please help them out if you can.

They are seeking help between now and the end of September.

They released a book about recovering from tough challenges called Breath Love can be purchased-it's an amazing story about positive attitude and recovery from serious set-backs-Michael is quite an expert ont his!

Other ways to help: shop RunBare.com for all sorts of great items that helped the whole movement take root!

See Below for Other Ways You Can Help Do you have press contacts? We have an uplifting message to share. We constantly get messages about how Michael's other healing story has changed people's lives (maybe even yours!). This new healing story, which isn't just about a physical comeback, has the potential to touch so many more.  Of course, if you're a journalist yourself, we'd love to speak with you! Please email: info@runbare.com Can you facebook? If you simply know how to use Facebook or other social media, we could really use your help spreading the word! From sharing to posting on relevant forums to Facebook groups that resonate with our message, we'll take anything we can get. And we're open to new ideas! Please email: info@runbare.com Other Ways to Help If you know how you can help, but it's not listed here, feel free to get in touch. Please email: info@runbare.com. Barefoot Running DVD Download We're happy to announce our DVD is now available for download! You can now watch it instantly on any device. We've made it one of our Indiegogo "rewards" - see the far right column for all of our rewards. Or you can sign up through our website here.  For all of those who have been asking for a download option, we thank you for your patience!

follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  BLESSINGS!   

More coming soon!

Thanks for stopping by! We'll be posting more soon!

Best shoes for Barefooters-Olsson Clogs

Olsson clogs are a wonderful shoe for the barefooter when the barefooter must wear shoes. Like their name, Olssons hail from Sweden, a country that produces many wonderful things that are unique to the nation’s Scandinavian heritage, including our favorite wooden shoes.

This writer owns three pairs of Olssons and acquired the first pair over 12 years ago. Yes, I still have them and I love to wear them when I must wear shoes.

My first Olssons...and certainly not my last!

 

It was my first pair of Olssons that allowed me to correct my excessive pronation. Don’t misunderstand, pronation-the lateral movement of the ankle when one steps down-is normal for many people and is not some sort of podiatric curse, as some would make it seem.

World superstar runner Haile Gebrselassie is pronates quite a bit, and it doesn’t slow him down.

International superstar marathoner Haile Gebrselassie of Ehthiopia. Source: hailemarathon.com

But his foot also lands flat, as you can see in videos that look at his steps. My pronation caused the inside of my heel to dig in, which was evident in all of my shoes (before I wore clogs) and it thus put stress on my ankles and back.

Olssuns have a raised ridge for the toes to grab so the clog can roll with your natural gait as you walk. You get full mobility and a stable step.

These clogs are of medium weight with an authentic wood bottom and are made in Sweden. You can walk quietly in them with a very small amount of effort, and if you decide you want to make some noise, that is quite effortless. They are light enough that you can walk for hours and for miles once they’re broken in and you’ll be comfortable all day.

Global Barefooter-Barefoot in Israel

Greetings to all, and we officially welcome our growing readership from Israel!

With the last-minute move to avert the U.S. fiscal cliff and the impending Israeli election, our leaders could learn from Moses by taking off their shoes and treading on the pebbles of the people they purport to serve.

By Rabbi Joel Seltzer / Jewish World blogger                 

 

We're not writing a political piece, but we couldn't help sharing that eloquent statement made today by a Rabbi since we're writing about barefooting is Israel.

 

And we're not writing about religion either, but we can't help noting that the Bible story tells us that God asked Moses to remove his shoes in His presence as the commands came from the burning bush.

 

Near the time of Jesus, the patriarchal social hierarchy was already the standard for the modern world, and thus it had become apparent that shoes somehow separated the upper classes from the lower. Pre-Christian priests of the region often remained barefoot to demonstrate their position as servants of God, that they were below him.

 

Bible History Online tells us much abut this. One excerpt says:

 

 "Priests on Duty Went Barefoot:
The priests of Israel, as would seem true of the priests in general among the ancients, wore no shoes when ministering (see Silius Italicus, III, 28; compare Theodoret on Ex 3, questio 7; and Yer. Shet., 5, 48d). In ancient times, certainly the priests of Israel, when going upon the platform to serve before the ark, in Tabernacle or temple, as later in the synagogue to bless the congregation, went barefoot; though today strange to say, such ministering priests among the Jews wear stockings, and are not supposed to be barefoot (CoTah, 40a; RH, 316; Shulchan 'Arukh, 'Orach Chayyim, 128, 5; see Jewish Encyclopedia, article "Barefoot")."

 

It is funny how things have changed. Even sandals were frowned upon for men in the Western world until about 25 years ago.

 

It appears that in Israel, barefooting is an individual lifestyle choice. If you choose to shop barefoot in the city, it's just what you do. Certainly people have much more freedom in Israel, especially women, than in the rest of the Middle East, so we'll see more barefooting there. Of course, there are also many folks there fleeing poverty who may choose shoes for the reason much of western society has. This appears to hold as true in Israel as elsewhere. For a person here with the means to own shoes to go barefoot is an act of quiet rebellion.

Cellist Maya Beiser-photo by Merri Cyr-for The Times of Israel

 

Jewish-Israelie  musician Maya Beiser kicked off her shoes before a performance as an act of self expression more than rebellion; she likes fun clothes as well and being barefoot in her dress while playing a classical piece on her Cello at a recital was a way for her to free her mind and thus keep her passion alive in her musical performance.

 

We wish no disrespect to our brother and sisters in Israel who prefer that people keep their shoes on, but to Maya and other Jewsih barefooters in the Holy Land...well...........Mazel Tov!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Blessings!



 

 

 

Barefoot for life: Stepping out with Kriste B.

        Kriste Brushaber takes a barefoot walk in the Denver Botanical Gardens. 

 Photo by Kathryn Scott Osler of the Denver Post.

Stepping out with Kriste B, and ordinary, extraordinary woman

 

Take a look at the life of Kriste Brushaber, and then you'll ask yourself, Who wouldn’t want to be like this woman? She is financially successful. She is self-empowered. She is in charge of the place where she works, she is respected among her peers and has helped many people live better lives, and thus earned a true feeling of moral goodness. And we know that much about her before we even get to the fact that she almost never wears shoes.

Yes, Kriste Burshaber lives her life almost barefoot.

She keeps a pair of sandals in her hand bag for those ties when business might require her to don shoes temporarily, and if extreme winter temperatures require them, well, then being shod is unavoidable.  woman who can be seen hiking miles of Colorado trails and climbing high rock formations without any footwear whatsoever.

One might say she is privileged by a unique situation that lets her be barefoot all the time, but her life has been pretty normal. She lost her job years back and as part of her economic rebuilding process, she started a humble business out of her home teaching Pilates. She worked hard and with passion and started to get more business.

Then she took a risk and tried something new that hadn't been done in her business before and it worked.  She has a pretty normal story, starting form humble beginnings and working hard to succeed. The fact that her chosen occupation lets her go barefoot all the time.....well that's just a really awesome work perk. Most of us dream of beach vacations where e can do that for a week or so, the stereotypical slacker's paradise. And there's nothing wrong with that, but it's downright impressive when one can do it for a job, even if the job isn't tasting Margaritas for Jose Cuervo.

Kriste expanded from the realm of Pilates to teaching rehabilitative therapy to patients, teaching them how to re-learn good movement by starting with then fundamental basics that we all started with as kids. We learned to walk barefoot as babies, and developed our sense of balance and coordination based on barefooting. Her company, Homeostasis Movement, keeps her busy full-time. She's been barefoot for about ten years.

Maybe being barefoot while being engaged in the serious work mode helped spur the creative spirit that as channeled into a successful business. It's quite possible. Maybe more business executive should take off their shoes to help themselves find new ideas and innovations and err......, think outside the shoe box??????

 

Blessings!