VIVOBAREFOOT Gobi Boot Review (And Discount Offer)

Beginning in the summer of 1940, Allied and Axis troops pushed each other back and forth across North Africa for three long years, in battles whose outcomes were largely determined by the ability of either side to mobilize troops and supplies more effectively than the opponent in the harsh desert conditions.

In November of 1942 the British Eighth Army secured a key victory at the Second Battle of El Alamein, a coastal Egyptian city, and ultimately drove Erwin Rommel’s Panzer Army westward all the way to Tunisia. By the end of the year, thousands of American and British troops joined the attack, and the North African Campaign ended with the surrender of all remaining Axis troops in May of 1943.

British 8th Army in WWII; photo from ww2incolor.com

So what does any of this have to do with a product review?  Well, one of the smallest historical footnotes from the North African theater was the popularization of what came to be known as the desert boot, also sometimes called a chukka boot.  With high leather siding and rubberized soles, the British Army’s footwear of choice was highly durable, effective at keeping sand away from the feet, and comfortable enough for seemingly endless hours of use.

VIVOBAREFOOT Gobi boot

While the desert boot has become a modern fashion staple, it wasn’t until VIVOBAREFOOT (coincidentally and perhaps fittingly, a company of British origin) introduced its Fall 2012 lineup that a suitable barefoot equivalent existed.  The company now offers the Gobi, a low profile boot that echoes the styling of classic desert boots and maintains all of the biomechanical benefits of modern minimalist footwear.  It’s available in three different styles, and is also available for a short time at a 20% discount.  More on that later – for now, let’s march (get it?) through a review.

The Gobi’s uppers are composed of full grain leather on the black version, and suede for either the dark or light brown models.  My suede version is quite comfortable against the skin, making it suitable for use without socks – however, there isn’t any sort of liner against the foot, so you may develop some odor issues with prolonged barefoot use.  I wear thin socks with mine just to be on the safe side.

Otherwise, the uppers are fairly simple and nondescript, with three large panels enveloping the foot, and a heel pull in the back to help get them on.

Three eyelets and traditional cotton laces in the front help secure the fit.

Considering that this is technically a boot, the Gobi is impressively light at only 8.2oz for the suede versions, with the leather version slightly heavier at 8.6 oz.  By comparison, two pairs of VIVOBAREFOOT boots I reviewed a couple of years ago weighed in at 11oz and 13oz, so the Gobi is a huge improvement from a minimal standpoint.  When reviewing their running models, I’ve often been critical of VIVOBAREFOOT for not making their shoes lighter, so I owe it to them to make this a high point of praise for the Gobi.

Like all VIVOBAREFOOT shoes, the Gobi comes with a removable insole that expands the toebox and lowers your standing height by 3mm when absent.  Removing the insole leaves you practically touching the ground …

… because the Gobi outsole is a mere 3mm thick, using one of VIVOBAREFOOT’s original high-abrasion puncture-resistant TPU materials that I also tested on the Dharma a few years ago.  This is the company’s thinnest outsole, so it’s unbeatable from a ground feel and proprioception standpoint, but it definitely lacks some traction on slick or wet surfaces.

For that matter, the entire Gobi has minimal water resistance – although the leather would be a little more effective than the suede - and isn’t well suited for harsh winter conditions in general.  This shouldn’t be surprising for a boot that was made with the desert in mind, but it’s worth noting that you’re buying these more for fashion than for true winter weather protection.  However, with its above-ankle height and classic styling, the Gobi easily complements a pair of jeans or dress pants in your fall wardrobe.

VIVOBAREFOOT’s Gobi retails for $150 from the company website, but for the remainder of the month you can get them for 20% discount by using coupon code RUNNINGANDRAMBLING20 when you check out.  The discount applies to all styles of VIVOBAREFOOT footwear, including their running and dress models.

*Product provided by VIVOBAREFOOT.  Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.

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CLIF Bar Seasonal Flavors Giveaway Contest; Random Shots of Beauty

Remember last weekend, when I did a combination Random Shot of Beauty and CLIF contest post?  And remember how I said that it would be the first of three CLIF contests here?  Well, this is Part II of the Great CLIF Giveaway Bonanza, as I’m now calling it.  Accordingly, we may as well do this in similar fashion as last weekend, and throw an RSOB in at the top for good measure.

Before getting to that, however, remember that you’ve got until October 31 to enter last weekend’s contest by pasting a link to your Meet the Moment entry on my contest page.  There are some strong entries so far, but I wouldn’t say there’s no possibility of someone topping it. 

But that was last week, and this is this week – so let’s jump into our Random Shot of Beauty:

A scene from the Zion Narrows, during a family hike that I'll report on later in the week (um ... hopefully).  Fuel for the all-day outing included three flavors of CLIF Builder’s Bars, three flavors of MOJO Bars, two flavors of regular CLIF Bars, and a multi-flavored stash of CLIF Bloks for everyone.  We must have built up some great CLIF karma, because when we got home …

… this box was waiting for us.  It was our annual sampling of CLIF’s seasonal flavors, most of which have already vanished since the time of this photo.  We’ll remember them fondly, though.

For the uninitiated, here’s the scoop: CLIF gets in the holiday spirit every year by releasing holiday-themed CLIF Bar flavors alongside the regular versions on most store shelves.  Since this is the 10^th consecutive year of CLIF’s holiday flavors, the annual release is moving right up there with pumpkin carving and Christmas tree cutting on our family’s list of fun holiday traditions.

The new flavors are made with 70 percent organic ingredients, and have the same blend of carbohydrates, protein and fiber as the regular bars.  Oh, there’s one more thing: they taste absolutely fantastic.  My favorite bar is a dead heat between the pumpkin pie and iced gingerbread flavors, and my kids are crazy about the peppermint stick flavor that was first introduced last year.  (And we all collectively miss the cranberry orange nut bread flavor that was discontinued two years ago.  Seriously – this is the kind of thing we talk about.)  My wife also found these bars on the right side of this list of the healthiest and unhealthiest pumpkin-flavored goodies you can indulge in over the holidays.

Winter athletes – I’m not one, but I’m pretty sure I’ve talked to some – often see the seasonal bar release as the beginning of winter sports season, and for those folks, CLIF’s holiday promotion benefits them even further.  This year the company is donating one percent of their seasonal bar sales to Protect Our Winters, an organization committed to engaging and mobilizing the winter sports community to lead the fight against climate change.

Another cool thing that came in our package this year was a recipe book of favorite holiday recipes from CLIF’s family of employees and sponsored athletes.  Rest assured that by the time the holidays have come and gone, we’ll have tested each of these recipes a few times, so maybe I can report back here at some point with an update.  In the meantime, this one for "Zingerbread" is catching my eye as the first one we’ll try:

Click to enlarge for easier reading

There’s only one downside to the seasonal flavors:  once they’re gone, you have to wait another year before you see them again.  So consider this your rallying cry to look for the seasonal bars in stores, and stock up on your favorites to keep the taste of the holidays rolling as long as possible.  And let’s go ahead and roll into our contest as well.

To help a few of my readers celebrate the holidays, CLIF is providing one of the sample boxes pictured above to three lucky winners.  For this contest, you don’t have to upload a picture or paste a link – all you have to do is leave a comment in the box below, and hope that CLIF karma is on your side.  I’ll announce the winners here next Sunday.

As always, thanks very much to CLIF Bar for sponsoring this contest, and good luck to everybody!

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SKORA Women's FORM Running Shoe Review

Last spring I had the opportunity to test a shoe that had been perhaps the most long-anticipated of the entire natural running movement: the SKORA FORM.  The company set a pretty tall standard for itself with high-quality material construction, along with a high-end price tag of $185 that proved to be a hurdle for many users.

I had some frustration in my testing due to SKORA’s sizing for both its BASE and FORM models, which were at least a half size too large.  Even without removing the insole (creating a lower stack height which I usually prefer), the shoe was difficult to fasten properly, and my foot moved around inside the shoe too much for me to do any serious high-mileage testing. 

SKORA women's FORM

At the time, the FORM was only available in men’s sizes, but this fall the company introduced a women’s FORM, which is now available in two colors.  Most of the design features and construction elements are the same as the men’s version, with a few tweaks to make it better suited for female runners.  It’s a zero-drop, medium midsole shoe, placing it in the same category as Altra’s Intuition or Merrell’s Dash Glove and Bare Access (review coming soon) – and since I happen to be married to a runner who has reviewed all of those models, I figured I had the perfect person to test the women’s FORM as well.

Prior to the release, SKORA also offered me a mulligan of sorts, and provided a smaller size men's shoe for my own testing.  I happened to receive them in the midst of my high mileage (relatively, at least) weeks of preparation for Leadville, and wore them almost straight out of the box on a 31-mile road run, the last 13 miles of which consisted of leading a 1:45 pace group at a local half-marathon.  I’ve put a couple hundred miles on them since then, and I’m really impressed with their durability in every way except for one, which I’ll explain shortly.

In the meantime, let’s run through a quick recap of the whole SKORA concept.  The company’s slogan is “Run Real”, and they don’t want to be considered a minimalist shoe – rather, their primary intention is to promote natural running form and to create the best possible shoes to accommodate it.  They believe that the best running shoes let your feet function naturally, while providing protection and comfort that allow you to extend your run as far as your body will take you.

The vast majority of technical specifications on the women’s FORM are identical to the men’s version – so I’ll refer you to my earlier review, and briefly run down the specs here:

Uppers are made from Pittards Armor-Tan goat leather, with Pittards WR100X sheepskin lining.  In other words … very UN-vegan.

Standing height is 13mm with the removable insole in place, and 9mm if you remove the insole.  

Removing the insole also expands the toe box somewhat, giving the effect of sizing up roughly one-half size.

Lacing is asymmetrical, and eschews a traditional tongue in favor of the burrito-wrap style that seems to be appearing more frequently from various manufacturers.  In my initial testing I commented that the shoelaces were way too long, but this was corrected between the prototype I reviewed and the final release version.

Sizing can be adjusted around the heel and ankle with an elastic Velcro strap, and the ankle collar has soft padding for improved comfort.

Weight of the women’s version is 7.4oz, compared to 8.2 for the larger men’s version.  Again, this isn’t super-minimal, but it’s light enough so that your feet don’t feel burdened.  And of course …

… flexibility of the women’s version is the same as the men’s.  (Although to be biologically accurate, perhaps they should make the woman way more flexible than the man.  Or maybe that’s just my wife and me.) 

The outsole consists of high-abrasion rubber that has held up extremely well after 200 miles.  It performs equally well on roads and trails, only losing traction on loose gravel or sloppy, muddy terrain.

One design feature that doesn’t work for me is evident in the heels, which are rounded on both sides.  Because I tend to make heel contact with the inside of my heel, with increased mileage I’ve slightly worn down the inside of my right heel, which inclines me to land even further over to the side than I do naturally.  If you have neutral alignment, this won’t be an issue, but if your biomechanics are skewed to one side or another, you may have similar problems with the FORM.

Sizing is similar for the women’s version, meaning that you should size down at least a half-size when ordering, and even consider a full size down if you’re intending to remove the insole.  SKORA’s RealFit last for women accommodates a wider fit spectrum than the men’s version; I’ve heard criticism that FORMs are too narrow, but that wasn’t a problem for me or my wife throughout or testing.

Both of us found the FORM slightly warmer than conventional mesh running shoes, but not nearly as much as you might think.  As I mentioned, I ran in mine through much of the summer and didn’t have any problem with overheating, although it’s worth pointing out that Monterey County summers can be fairly mild.

I also typically wear my FORMs without socks, and even during my 31-miler, comfort was great without any hot spots or other problems.

I’m definitely more impressed with the FORM now that I’ve had a chance to put significant mileage on a pair, and I anticipate that a biomechanically neutral runner with proper natural form could log many hundreds of miles on a pair.  The prolonged lifespan may justify the lofty price tag, but I’m still inclined to consider the FORM a luxury item in similar fashion as a Lexus is to a Toyota; both will help you rack up a lot of miles, but one will get you there in much finer style.

SKORA’s men’s and women’s FORM models retail for $185 from the SKORA website, or from the following Amazon.com links:

SKORA Women's FORM here.

SKORA Men's FORM here.

*Products provided by SKORA.  Amazon Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.

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Timex Ironman Run Trainer GPS Review; Patagonia 50% Off Sale; VIVOBAREFOOT 20% Off Fall Sale

A few unrelated odds and ends before today’s product review …

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This month VIVOBAREFOOT is launching its Fall 2012 line with a 2-week promotional offer for me and for you.  I get a new pair of shoes to review, which will be posted next week.  You get 20% off of any item in their catalog – even the super-lightweight Ultra water/running shoe and the popular Ra dress shoe – when you use coupon code RUNNINGANDRAMBLING20.  The sale ends on November 1, so get moving.

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The response to my CLIF Bar Meet the Moment giveaway contest has been somewhat lukewarm so far – meaning that your odds of winning are pretty good if you take the few minutes to enter.  The contest runs through October 31, so head back to this post for full details.

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A couple of weeks ago I introduced Massey's Outfitters as a new affiliate sponsor, and mentioned that they carry the entire line of current Patagonia apparel.  And now for a limited time, they’re offering a significant portion of that catalog at up to 50% off; click the banner below to go shopping.

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Back in June my friend Mike and I wrote a Monterey Herald article about how a past winner of the Big Sur Half Marathon later tested positive for performance enhancing drugs, and how the race took extraordinary measures to award the proper prize money to other top-5 finishers whose awards were impacted.  Well, guess what?  It turns out that the 5^th place runner in that same race was also using drugs at the time, as this week’s New York Times article describes.

What stands out most about this article are two points:  1) the runner in question has one of the most matter-of-fact “Yup, I did it, I got busted, life goes on” mentalities that I’ve seen from a drug cheat thus far – which in itself may indicate the extent of the problem in amateur racing.  Also, 2) the drug enforcement business, as well as any efforts by race organizations to do the right thing, is getting trickier and more complicated every day.  

That's all for now.  On with the review!

**
GPS reviews are few and far between around here, primarily because I have the same minimalist philosophy about gadgets that I have about shoes: the simpler, the better. 

I don’t place much stock in the number of bells and whistles, or even in the computer interface for uploading workouts (which I almost never do).  Rather, I want something that’s comfortable, easy to use, and accurate.  Like I said: simple.

You may recall my favorable review of the Soleus GPS 1.0, a small and simple device that gives basic time and distance, and comes at a very affordable price point of under $100.  By comparison, today’s product offers a significantly expanded range of features for a price point that is marginally higher - $225 retail, but currently discounted to $190 at Amazon.com, where I've periodically seen it priced even lower - and is an extreme value for what you get.  It also comes from one of the biggest players in the endurance sports industry.

Timex Run Trainer GPS; photo from Timex website

I started testing the Timex Ironman Run Trainer GPS in early summer, and it immediately became my preferred GPS for long training runs and family hikes.  It’s easy to operate, and for my preferred use includes one key feature that my Soleus device doesn’t: an altitude setting that tells you your current elevation as well as how much vertical climbing you’ve done.  For obvious reasons, those are nice stats for an ultrarunner to have while training for Leadville.

Truthfully, the Run Trainer is also chock full of options that I don’t use – and as I typically do when reviewing a GPS device, I’ll refer you to DC Rainmaker’s detailed breakdown of the Run Trainer if you want in-depth information for everything this watch can do.  Trust me, you’ll be impressed.  I’ve also included a how-to video from Timex at the end of this post for further information.

L to R: Timex wristwatch, Soleus GPS (with dead battery), Timex Run Trainer 

I’ve only experienced two downsides of the Run Trainer in my testing.  The first is that it’s substantially larger than my regular Timex watch, and noticeably larger than the Soleus GPS that I first tested last winter.  However, it doesn’t feel cumbersome while running, and I’ve worn it for multiple high-mileage outings without any discomfort from the size.  

Side view, top to bottom: Timex Run Trainer GPS, Soleus GPS, Timex wristwatch

The other (and most frustrating) problem that I had in testing was that I had all kinds of trouble making the device compatible with Windows 7.  I followed all of the instructions for downloading the Training Peaks program and transferring data from my watch to the computer, but kept bumping into the following error message:

"TP Device Agent has stopped working"

I asked my Timex rep about the problem, and was told to try the “uninstall and reinstall” strategy.  When that didn’t work after a few tries, I was referred to Timex tech support, who referred me to Training Peaks tech support, who referred me back to Timex … basically, nobody wanted to own the issue, other than to tell me it was a known problem for Windows 7 users.  I never did get the device to work on my home laptop or desktop, and finally used the oldest computer in our house which runs Windows Vista, which is where I eventually got the program to work.

If you’re inclined to do so, you can download workouts to your computer and dissect them pretty much any way you’d like to.  And if you’re one who uses Training Peaks for your daily workout log, the Run Trainer will integrate seamlessly with that program.

However, since I don’t download workouts, I’m mainly focused on how the Run Trainer works as a daily use GPS, and on that basis I’ve been very happy with it.  I love how the numbers are large and easy to read, even with four lines of data.  I like the option of customizing different display screens that can be scrolled during your run.  And with an 8-hour GPS battery life and water resistance to 50m, the Run Trainer functions equally well through a 30-mile training run or a driving rainstorm.

Large, easy-to-read numbers at mile 25.  In a related story, I used to be in pretty decent shape.

Most importantly, the GPS and altitude measurements are super accurate.  The Run Trainer uses SiRFstar IV GPS technology, which is reportedly among the fastest and most reliable signals (note: I have no idea if this is true; that’s just what the ad copy says).  It maintains its signal in canyons and under tree cover, and the altitude readings are usually within a few feet of marked elevations on almost every landmark I’ve encountered.

At the top of Clouds Rest in Yosemite, which my map says is 9930'.  Pretty darn accurate!

Until recently, if you wanted a GPS with the number of features that the Timex Run Trainer has, you’d have to shell out 400 bucks and wear a device the size of a deck of cards on your wrist.  It’s great to see both the price point and physical size of these devices decrease as technology has improved, and the Run Trainer is a very attractive choice for an affordable feature-dense GPS for high-demand everyday use.

The Timex Run Trainer GPS retails for $190 from Amazon.com.

“Timex Ironman Run Trainer GPS: Getting Started” by Timex USA (click to play):

*Product provided by Timex USA.  Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.

**If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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CLIF Meet The Moment Giveaway Contest; Random Shots of Beauty

I’m back from Zion this weekend … and as the lack of posts here this week would indicate, I’m also a little behind on my blogging schedule.

Accordingly, I’m combining a couple of regular staples – a Random Shot of Beauty and a giveaway contest – into a single post this weekend.  However, the subject matter of each is somewhat related, as I’ll explain shortly.  First, our newest RSOB:

Another shot from Zion National Park – this one showing my family ascending the spine of Angels Landing, one of the park’s most famous destinations.

As for the giveaway, it’s the first of what may turn out to be three separate contests from my friends at CLIF Bar.  And if you’re wondering what this has to do with Zion, allow me to explain: Our family did three days of pretty intense hiking last week, all of which were fueled by CLIF products.

Many of our breakfasts consisted of Builders Bars on the way to the trailhead, and our lunches each day included some combination of CLIF Bars and MOJO Bars (and for whatever it’s worth, the mountain mix MOJO flavor has become my absolute favorite trail snack).  Most importantly, however, was that our energy levels on the trail were easily maintained thanks to CLIF Bloks – especially for my 8-year-old daughter, who is the littlest hiker in the photo above, not to mention one of the youngest we saw in Zion.

I’ve described before how my wife and I have relied on CLIF blocks to rally our tired little hikers on long treks through Yosemite, and we employed this strategy again in Zion last week.  Whenever our youngest began to lag behind or get discouraged, a few block-sized doses of sugar and electrolytes (as well as a half-shot of caffeine) proved to be the perfect remedy. 

Throw in the fact that CLIF products are among the healthiest snacks you can bring on long road trips, and our family is basically a bunch of CLIF groupies.  But that doesn’t have anything to do with you or this contest – so let’s get to what’s in this post for you.

This fall CLIF is doing another installment of its Meet the Moment contest that it first introduced last spring.  It’s essentially a photo contest where you submit an entry that reflects your love of the outdoors, and CLIF donates $5 for each uploaded photo to one of five non-profits dedicated to protecting outdoor recreation.  Visitors to the website will select the 25 finalists (based on the number of likes and shares – I believe those are social media terms, yes?), and then a panel of CLIF folks will choose one winner who will have $10,000 donated in their name to one of CLIF’s non-profit partners.

It takes about 5 minutes to submit a picture; here’s the one I did this morning:

(Yes, it's from Leadville - I'm having a hard time moving on.) 

And if you want to vote for me, you can see my official entry page here.

But as I said, this contest isn’t about me – it’s about you.  In conjunction with their Meet the Moment contest, CLIF has agreed to provide a cool prize pack to one of my readers who submits an entry.  I don’t know exactly what’s in the prize pack, but if CLIF says it’s cool, I believe them.

The instructions for this contest are different than my usual ones, so here’s what you do to enter: go to CLIF’s Meet the Moment page and upload your own photo on the site.  Then come back here and leave the URL of your Meet the Moment page in the comments field, and I’ll pick one of them to receive the prize pack.  I’ll pass your contact info along to CLIF, and they’ll mail your prize pack.

My criteria for choosing the winner doesn’t have anything to do with likes or shares or anything digital - rather, it will be a purely subjective ruling by Running and Rambling’s distinguished panel of judges: me, along with the hikers you saw in the first photo.  Score high marks with us, and enjoy some CLIF love as your reward.

So, to recap: you enter the contest, CLIF makes a donation to a non-profit of your choosing, and you also have a chance to win a prize pack from me and a $10,000 donation from CLIF.  If anyone sees a downside to this, I’d love to hear it.

CLIF’s Meet the Moment contest closes on October 31^st, and my own contest winner will be announced the following weekend (November 3 or 4). Remember to copy your contest page URL here in the comments so I can find them.

Very big thanks to CLIF for sponsoring this contest, and good luck to everybody!

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Random Shots of Beauty

It’s late on Sunday night, which means it’s still technically the weekend, which means I’m just barely in time to post a Random Shot of Beauty:

(click to enlarge)

The Virgin River winding through the valley below The Watchman at Zion National Park, as seen earlier this evening at the end of a 12-hour driving session.  Which also explains the late post.

The first time I was at Zion, it was a whirlwind one-day tour that gave me a sense of just how magnificent this place is – and it also made me realize that one epic run isn’t sufficient to take it all in.  So this time around, I’m doing a couple of things differently …

1)   I’m leaving a bit more time to explore some areas of the park I didn’t get to experience the first time around, and …

 2)  I’m sharing it with my family.  Because places like these just seem meant to be appreciated with others.

Needless to say, posts may be somewhat sporadic for a while, but I actually do have an agenda of unrelated topics penciled in, so we’ll see what I can do.  I also want to put together at least a couple of Zion photo tours at some point, but in the meantime my trip here might be presented in periodic snippets.  I really don’t know, and it’s honestly the farthest thing from my mind.

More importantly, it’s autumn in Zion, and my family and I have wondrous places to explore.  Happy trails!

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Doc Waddel's Barefoot Training Sandals Review; Patagonia Fall Apparel Sale

Before today’s post, a sale announcement: I’m trying out a new vendor affiliate called Massey's Outfitters, who initially attracted me based on the strength of their Vibram FiveFingers inventory.  It turns out that they also carry the entire Patagonia catalog on their site.  That’s current stuff, not last year’s holdovers.  They also offer free shipping on all orders over $75, and to kick off the fall season, they’re offering savings of up to 20% on a huge selection of Patagonia gear.  Check them out by clicking the banner below, then come back after you’ve done some shopping.

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One of the most interesting developments in the whole minimalist running phenomenon is the increasing number of do-it-yourselfers: plucky individuals with an abundance of both ambition and time who decide that they’d rather create, use, and (in most cases) sell their own hand-made products than settle for the more mainstream offerings available.

Over the past few years I’ve received many requests to review footwear made by some random dude or another, but for various reasons I’ve always been reluctant to comply.  That resistance ends now – not because of dissatisfaction with other products on the market or any other intuitive rationale, but for a far simpler reason: I happen to know the guy who makes them.

Les "Doc" Waddel, with raw materials for Barefoot Training Sandals 

So in case it isn’t obvious, let’s slap an enormous disclaimer on this review: I’m friends with Les Waddel, more commonly known as Doc Waddel for his professional exploits as a chiropractor to both animals and humans.   He was one of the first health care providers to embrace the minimalist movement, and in the years since he launched Barefoot Training Sandals, he’s been spreading the word online, at race expos, and with every one of his patients (the human variety, that is – most of the animals are already shoeless).

The backyard workshop; note all the surfboards

Doc is pretty much the epitome of California cool: he’s laid back, super friendly, and is an avid surfer who seldom wears more than a Hawaiian shirt and beach trunks.  He also happens to be one of the founding fathers of Monterey County endurance sports.  Les was a collegiate swimmer who read about a crazy new sport called triathlon in 1980, and eventually became a regular at the Kona World Championships while logging insane training mileage in all three disciplines.  Along the way he operated a running store, was an original member of an open-water swim club, running club, and triathlon club on the Monterey Peninsula, and mentored one of his daughters in her own path to becoming a professional triathlete.

The garage workshop ... and still more surfboards

Now in his 60s, Les’s running-related aches and pains were increasing and his mileage was dramatically decreasing until he converted to minimalism in the wake of Born to Run and noticed that his injuries disappeared.  However, he didn’t like the construction of Vibrams, and wanted to develop something on a flat platform that still provided a bit of impact cushioning for transitioning to full-fledged barefoot-style running.  Soon thereafter, Barefoot Training (BFT) Sandals were born.

To say that BFT is small-budget operation is an understatement; it’s quite simply a one-man show, and the manufacturing takes place in any room of the house where Les can find vacant space – which, considering that his sales have been steadily increasing, is getting harder and harder to come by.   Les is completely self-taught in the methods of shoe construction, and is constantly tinkering with various tools and equipment to make the process more manageable.

Some of the equipment is scavenged, such as the dies he scored from a retired shoemaker in Santa Cruz (probably after a surfing trip). 

What the company lacks in size, it makes up in commitment; everywhere you look around Doc Waddel’s house - at least, everywhere that's not already occupied by triathlon gear - there are gadgets and raw materials and various staging areas for one step of the process or another. 

Although Les is an experienced craftsman (he’s especially gifted at building surfboards and ukuleles), there was an extensive trial and error process in getting the right materials and prototype design of BFTs established.  Les attempted six different prototype models, and is still experimenting with various materials that will improve either comfort, performance, or ease of construction.  Perhaps predictably, the current product looks something like a Frankensandal, but has some unique design and construction points that make them very interesting.

For example, even though the sandals were inspired by classic huaraches, BFTs eschew the traditional strap between the toes in favor of one that goes over the top of the metatarsal heads.  This is a comfort feature for many users, but also prevents anterior slippage of the foot on downhills, in similar fashion as the strap across the top of New Balance’s first Minimus Trail shoe.

The ankle closure is a combination of a backpack-style strap on top of a soft neoprene layer that sits across the top of the foot for comfort.  In my testing, BFTs are a significant improvement over classic huaraches in staying comfortably connected to your foot.  However, the last is somewhat narrow for me through the forefoot, so if you have wide feet you’ll probably need to ask Les about custom sizing.

Another pleasant surprise is the outsole, made from a Vibram rock-climbing compound which has no visible traction knobs at all, but is remarkably durable and grippy, even in off-road conditions.  I’ve only logged about 75 miles in my pair, but Les has over 1000 miles* on one of his own pairs without wearing through the outsole.

(*ADDENDUM: That's not 100% true ... Les corrected me to say he put some LiquiSole on the metatarsal area at 600 and 800 miles on his way to 1000.  The durability is still pretty impressive, though.)

Overall weight of one BFT is roughly equivalent to FiveFingers or moccasins at 5 to 6 oz depending on size.  Standing height is roughly 12mm, with a midsole layer composed of pliable EVA.  In true minimalist fashion, there is zero drop from heel to toe, however, there is one difference in the midsole design of BFT …

… at the front of the toe box area, where the material tapers upward from ground level to just a few millimeters thick at the big toe.  I happen to think this is a brilliant stroke, in that it significantly decreases the risk of my biggest pet peeve about running in huaraches: accidentally scuffing the big toe against roots or rocks on the ground, which as anyone who has done it can tell you is extremely painful.

Les in action at the Big Sur Marathon expo

As a one-man show building sandals in his spare (that is, non-surfing) time, Les doesn’t have any grand aspirations to become a millionare by hawking BFT sandals.  Rather, he sees his role as a health and fitness ambassador, and is dedicated to teaching as many people as possible the benefits of natural running.  When I first started seeing him at race expos, he made a point to tell me it wasn’t about making sales, but simply spreading the word.  This fall he’ll be at several race expos, preaching to anyone who will listen, and making sandals for anyone who wants to buy a pair.

BFTs are probably best suited for people who want to combine the biomechanics of huaraches with the comfort of a moderate midsole, or for those who have trouble with the fit of traditional huaraches.  They are available for purchase from DocWaddel’s Barefoot Training Sandals website, where they retail for $90.

*Product provided by Doc Waddel

**If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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