Hiking Barefoot?

I'm sure you've all seen the barefoot shoes out there.  Most of them are a little creepy looking and have all the toes separated.  My husband has a pair and loves them.  He also tries to untie my shoes with his toes every time he wears them.

I thought the shoes were silly and for someone with an injury, not a smart move.  Then I went on some trips and I bought a cheap pair of ballet flats that had zero support and were as good as being barefoot.  I thought they were going to be miserable.  I wore them on planes, to travel to and from the airport, etc.  I ended up getting stuck on a 20 hour trip home and shockingly, the shoes were still really comfy.

I started to think about this whole barefoot thing, maybe it was cool.  Then I realized that every chance I get, I take my shoes off and walk barefoot.  Sometimes, when we camp, I don't wear shoes for days.  So I thought about giving the barefoot shoes a try.  But I couldn't get past the toes.  Then, Merrell came out with (as did other companies like New Balance)  barefoot shoes that don't have the toes separated.  So I have the Pace Glove pair a try.  I had a gift card so I had nothing to lose.

Well I wore them hiking for the first time recently.  I should have thought about the fact that there was still snow on the ground, but that's besides the point.  They were very comfortable.  Yes, I felt the ground under my feet.  However, it made me more aware of where I was placing them, how I was stepping and how both of those decisions made my legs feel.

I love how light weight they are and to be honest, they have been worn to the mall, to the store, etc.  They have become more of my "go to shoe" instead of just a hiking shoe.

So if you are a little cautious about "going barefoot" these are a good set of training wheels for you.  Oh, and they're cute :)