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Anybody think of hunting in these shoes. I have been thinking seriously about it and seems they would be very quiet but not too warm however.
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:lol::lol: I couldn’t help but laugh at the contrast between your avatar and the 5-fingered shoe. I was just imagining the Indian wearing those shoes and it struck me as funny. I know, i know…sometimes it’s best to keep my thoughts to myself, but I’m not good at taking my own advice either. 😳
I’ve not considered them, but I hunt in Michigan.
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My reaction was the same as Patrick’s. It’s way too cold and not enough foot protection with those. That said, I think you could get the same underfoot “feel” and stealth from a pair of LL Bean rubber guide boot shoes. I’ve used them and it works for me.
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I snorkel, and have a pair of reef boots that protect or I should say help protect your feet from lava. But, the rubberized bottom will not protect your feet from stones or sharp rocks that you may encounter stalking. You will want at least the thickness of a tennis shoe bottom.
Trust me on this, as I found out the hard way.
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Seriously, get yourself a center seam moccasin kit and try them instead. Im sure there are many places to get them, but check out Jas Townsend and sons. Center seams are waaaaay more traditional and feel almost like going barefoot.
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A pair of vintage all black Converse Wrestling shoes would work as well in the early season. Cheaper too, if you can find them. Otherwise, there are some sneaker type stalking shoes availabe from the mail order catalogues. I just use LLBean hunting shoes. They are more versatile from one season to another.
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Sure, a blister on the heal isn’t enough. Those look like they could work up blisters between each individual toe. Ouch!!
They look too rubbery to allow the foot to breath. Also, too trendy looking to me. Got rid of my earth shoes many moons ago. I say let someone else test them out for awhile.
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I’m new to this hunting game and only been doing since 07 but I was just wondering what you experienced guys had to say. I would like to get a free pair to try just for my own curiosity. My avatar guy would look crazy in a pair of these babies.:lol: People here on the east coast run in them and claim it is much better on your joints then traditional shoes. The soles are like regular shoes and are supposed to fit very tight to prevent a blister but I have no experience. Maybe Mr.Conrad TB would bankroll a pair for me and I will report back…..:wink::lol:
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If I had the $$ to afford these http://www.sodhoppers.com/html/styles.html I would just get these and be done with it.
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I have a pair for running and they are _great_. I can feel pebbles down to about 1/8″, but sharp rocks just give a minor poke (no penetration so far!). For off-trail use, my only complaint is that you often get weeds stuck between your toes. I have not had blisters with them and my feet tend to feel warmer than they would wearing regular shoes. For cold weather, Injinji (I hope I spelled that right) makes a 5-toed sock. These are good with any shoe.
For hunting, just wash them lots. Being so snug, they can build up an odor after a couple of days if you do not wash them.
If I can find the time soon, I plan to test them and my new jacket on the local (no hunting allowed) deer before taking them out ‘for real’. I will let y’all know what happens.
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I am curious to hear how those shoes work for hunting, but if we start bankrolling for shoes it would never end. 😯 Subscription rates would increase considerably!
I do like the idea of shopping with our advertisers. Carl Dyer has been with us since the beginning. Several other moccasin makers advertise in TBM, as well as boot makers. They would sure appreciate you taking a look at their stuff too.
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TBMADMIN wrote: I am curious to hear how those shoes work for hunting, but if we start bankrolling for shoes it would never end. 😯 Subscription rates would increase considerably!
I do like the idea of shopping with our advertisers. Carl Dyer has been with us since the beginning. Several other moccasin makers advertise in TBM, as well as boot makers. They would sure appreciate you taking a look at their stuff too.
Will do Robin and hope I didn’t overstep my bounds with the link. 😳 About the free shoes is I thought I would just throw the line in and see if I got a bite. 😆
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3blades wrote: Will do Robin and hope I didn’t overstep my bounds with the link. 😳 About the free shoes is I thought I would just throw the line in and see if I got a bite. 😆
Not at all! And I didn’t mean to come across that way. I really did find the shoes interesting, and it’s good to hear from folks who use them and folks who use something else. 😀 Keep sharing with your friends here and I’ll stay out of the way. 😆
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I have a pair and they are wonderful. Where I elk hunt I often have to cross small rivers and streams so I take my Bean Hunting shoes off and put the Five Fingers on. Also wear them on my deer lease out here in W. Texas which is nothing but rocks, cactus and thorn bushes.
Brett
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If you are interested in these you might enjoy reading the book “Born to Run”. The book is about running/injuries, running barefoot, running in tire sandals, and the Tarahumara Indians of Copper Canyon Mexico. They run barefoot or in homemade sandals and used to come up to run in the Leadville 100 and kick butt in their tire sandals. I’m not much of a runner but still enjoyed the book. The book also has a commentary on the running shoe industry that could relate to hunting/outdoor gear as well. I mean do I really need a pair of $250 Sitka Pants to go elk hunting in September. I know cotton kills, but so does $250 missing from my check-book.
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TBMADMIN wrote: I am curious to hear how those shoes work for hunting, but if we start bankrolling for shoes it would never end. 😯 Subscription rates would increase considerably!
I do like the idea of shopping with our advertisers. Carl Dyer has been with us since the beginning. Several other moccasin makers advertise in TBM, as well as boot makers. They would sure appreciate you taking a look at their stuff too.
I have two pairs of Dyer moccasins & really like them. They aren’t for wet weather & whatever you do keep them off Pine Needles. They are like ski’s on pine needles, On dry ground they are amazing, you can feel the ground & they are quiet.
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Frank H V wrote: [quote=TBMADMIN]I am curious to hear how those shoes work for hunting, but if we start bankrolling for shoes it would never end. 😯 Subscription rates would increase considerably!
I do like the idea of shopping with our advertisers. Carl Dyer has been with us since the beginning. Several other moccasin makers advertise in TBM, as well as boot makers. They would sure appreciate you taking a look at their stuff too.
I have two pairs of Dyer moccasins & really like them. They aren’t for wet weather & whatever you do keep them off Pine Needles. They are like ski’s on pine needles, On dry ground they are amazing, you can feel the ground & they are quiet.
FrankI would love to wear a pair during the late deer season here(its in snow) then watch people as they come along my back trail:lol: -
OK, found a pair of Old School Converse wrestling shoes.
These things are quiet! For some they might not have enough support. I slipped a pair of foot beds in them and improved on that. Now to get some dirt on them to get rid of that shine. These will be good if the weather stays warm and dry into Oct. If not I’ll go to my LL Beans.
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I too have a pair of 5-fingers. I’ve used them for 3 years all over the Colorado Mtns. Since they are so light I clip them to my daypack to use when I want to wade a stream. I’ve not used them for stalking since I love my moccasins for that, but they should work fine. If you decide to try any of the “barefoot” shoes that are now becoming popular be sure to start slow and strengthen your feet before doing an all day hike in the woods. I don’t run because of a knee injury, but there is a lot of good information on the web now about ‘barefoot’ running and how our feet were not meant to be locked into rigid shoes.
And, I just saw a friend’s pair of moccasins made by “Soft Star” that look perfect to slip in your pack(mere ounces) then slip on to do a stalk. You can get them with a 5mm rubber sole or rubberized-suede or just suede, And, they are inexpensive ($60-$100, custom made to your foot).
Sorry, I didn’t realize this was being posted every time I pushed ‘save’ to keep the Tradbow page from closing.
One last thing , I have an article by a podiatrist (foot doc.) that is very interesting; “Why Shoes Make Normal Gait Impossible” If you are interested send me your e-mail and I will forward it.
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Oh gosh….I can look like a dork without wearing things to make me look like a dork. 🙄
I find running shoes to be the best thing for still-hunting around the woods here in Pennsylvania. You can be silent in them, you just need to pay attention to how you are moving; most folks are too impatient to be quiet and stealthy in the woods.
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Just add some craft fur with some hot melt and you’ll have yourself some Hobbitt feet……..
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3blades wrote: Nice idea and would give money to someone to see the face of a person seeing you come out of the woods in them and full camo. 😆
That would be funny 😆
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Camo or not, you get strange looks wearing them around town. Part of a review I read about them was, “Do not wear these on a first date.” 😆
Back from a weekend of camping, bushwacking and stump shooting in mine. Here’s the info, and my opinions
Location: Sand Dunes State Forest, MN
Temp: high 80’s to low 60’s, no rain
Terrain: rolling hills (old sand dunes), mixed forest and open areas.The first thing we noticed, like 3 steps off the parking lot, was that 5Fingers offer NO protection from sand burrs. The fabric uppers are simply too thin. The soles were fine over everything, but the tops of your feet really are ‘bare’. They are very quiet, since I could feel everything underfoot, it was easy to place my feet off of twigs that would snap and make noise. There was _lots_ of poison ivy off trail, and these only cover your foot- nothing above the ankle is covered. That exposure also let mosquitoes feast on your ankles. We stayed on trail for most all of our day out. My wife felt that the terrain was not friendly to wearing them and commented that N. Wisconsin had not been so painful (no sand burrs). We went swimming in a lake to cool off in the middle of the day; we kept our shoes on until bed time when I washed them with soap to remove sand and dirt. The night was dry and windy, so they were dry in the morning. They still stank. The smell is almost all gone after washing in the washer at home.
I will be using my sneakers or light boots this year. 5Fingers are great for running on trails and hanging out at the water’s edge, but the lack of protection from thorns, bugs, etc. detracts from their all-terrain capabilities. In the right country they would be fine, but I do not want different pairs of outdoors shoes. Finally, the smell factor. If you cannot get them to a washing machine for two (or three) cycles every evening, your scent management is done for. I will be looking for mocs that will wrap above my ankle if I want something other than sneakers/boots.
There, just opinion.
In good news, I will be using them to test scent-stopper sprays 😀
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Well I finally was able to get a pair and choose the Kangaroo leather uppers and they are brown in color. I have only had them a week so far so not much to report that hasn’t already been so far. The thing I have notices so far is that I am sore from muscles that I have not used in awhile or ever it seems. Also you are quiet as a church mouse in them and great for quiet walking. I haven’t had the smell factor that others are talking about so maybe it is the leather as opposed to the other material. Time will tell. I have been shooting in them and it is a nice zen like experience. 😆
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FUBAR wrote: Maybe I will get a size 22 and wear them through the woods. Should be lots of reports then of bigfoot tracks:wink::D
I’m not sure I’d do that during spring – you might get one of the males on your tail…
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Hey Smithhammer I see a dark object in the upper left hand corner of that photo. Do you think?:lol:
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I use a pair of the converse in auscam but last year I ended up in a river due to the lack of grip. Not happy to say the least .Those sod hoppers look great , but for the money they should be. My hunting terrain varies from desert to dense forrest so I need something that covers most bases, any suggestions.
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Would like to improve my stalking skills in any way that I can and I think perhaps the 5 fingers would work just fine although I do use light running shoes to pull this off..:) Good tine of the year to perfect those skills.
Wayne -
You all must be city folk. 🙄
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I tried on a pair of the fve fingers and had problems. Three of my toes were too short to fit in the toe pockets. The width of the shoes is pretty much a medium. I have a 12EEE foot and I’m going to have to go with a custom built pair of mocassins. So, if you have big or odd shaped feet, Five Fingers probably won’t work.
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Actually I own a pair of the ugly five toed shoes and trail run in them over some pretty rough terrain. I’ve never thought about hunting in them but I can tell you that I learned that our “normal” footwear confines the foot like a cast giving all the mobility of a horses hoof. When I first tried the toe shoes my feet became sore because of all the additional flexion. Basically if forces your foot to work the way it was designed and there is a curve involved building up the aptrophied muscles in your foot. I like them but probably won’t hunt in them. I never worried too much about what they look like, if we were truly concerned with appearances then most people wouldn’t walk past a mirror.
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If anyone’s interested giving Vibrams a try, make sure that you take it slow. They’re famous for causing foot injuries on people that don’t develop the foot strength first. A buddy of mine got a pair and started running right off and developed plantar fasciitis. I suspect that it could the same for moccasins… .
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3Blades — I can’t open your link, but maybe it’s on my end. Coincidentally, tonight on NPR radio’s “Fresh Air” there was an interview with a Doc who is one of the disciples of “barefoot running” craze, talking about how shoes keep us from running and walking as we are designed to — with the heel striking firsty. He likes the Five Fingers and other “minimal shoes,” especially for kids. You can read a summary and hear the program at
http://www.npr.org/2010/01/27/123031997/study-humans-were-born-to-run-barefoot
assuming my link works. Interesting, but the focus is mostly on athletes and running and at my age I’ll stick with my Bean boots for hunting. “White man’s moccasins.” 😆 Dave -
Dave:
That program is what I have been telling people as they ask about my five fingers. It took me a month to really get used to them and now after about 3months with them I prefer them to shoes. I almost always hike with them and feel less fatigue afterward and more sure on my feet. I do plan to hunt in them this season and have walked up on many a deer and fox with them this summer. I am quiet as a church mouse. I have also swam in them in the river and lake in WV on vacation with great results. Some people say that they smell after awhile but so far mine do not and that maybe due to the leather ones that I choose but not sure.
These are the ones I choose: KSO Trek -
I’m pretty intrigued by the KSO “Trek” model, and all of the stuff that I’ve been reading about the benefits of using them. I can definitely see them as advantageous for stalking once I’ve hiked into the general area I plan to hunt.
However, I purchased a pair of Danner Jackals this spring, and so far they are comfortable and more quiet than a heavy hiking boot. More like a sneaker with good ankle support.
But I suppose I’m going to break down and try the Vibrams at some point, just because curiosity is getting the better of me.
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I have a pair made by Merril. They look like regular athletic shoes but are the same design as the 5 fingers, for barefoot running. I think either pair would be great for hunting. I used to have a pair of Merril’s that looked like mocs but had a soft rubber sole on them and they were fantastic. I suppose it depends on your area you are hunting in, but IMHO you are certainly on the right track with your thinking (outside the box) and you just have to find something that works for you. I always remember what Fred Aspbell said in his book, “who told us that we are supposed to be 100% comfortable when we are in the woods hunting?” or something to that effect.
As for the running part of this shoe, the idea is that since many of the native peoples of the world, who do not wear shoes but run all the time, do not have the knee and other joint injuries that we do here in America the problem must be our shoes. In fact the theory goes, something along the lines of, the shoes themselves are the real problem – encouraging and trying to compensate for bad running form (heel to toe). The barefoot shoes force you to run on your toes the way it is believes the human body was meant to run and therefore avoids all of the injuries associated with running. I’ve tried them and they certainly do make you run on your toes, though you may not like the way your leg muscles feel the next day.
The advantage of this technology for us might be the best stalking shoes in the world. Keep us all posted and let us know how it works for you if you decide to try them. Good luck!
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SO I finally made it down to the local outdoor store, and wore a pair of these (Vibram KSO Trek) around the store for 20 minutes or so. That was all it took for me to part with a stupid amount of money, but what the hell – these things are really comfortable.
I’ve worn them quite a bit since then, around the house, on short hikes and while stump shooting on the FS land around the house.
I really like what they do for my feet – they allow me to fully use my toes individually while walking/hiking around, which may seem like a silly little detail, but only because modern shoes have allowed us to forget how we have walked for pretty much all of human history. I feel much more agile. They also mean that you have to develop more awareness of where and how you place your feet. I think this is a good thing.
After moving around a fair bit off-trail with them, they are very quiet, and I think would be great for stalking. I’ve also found that they truly encourage the kind of footwork that you want for effective stalking – moving on the balls of your feet first, rather than on your heels.
They wouldn’t be my choice for hiking with heavy packs in rocky terrain, but they’re so light that you can easily throw them in your pack and change into them when you get to where you’re going to hunt. And for hunts in milder terrain and/or closer to home, I think they’d work great.
Yes, they’re weird looking, but when you get right down to it, they’re basically a modern moccasin with a much better sole.
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Duncan wrote: OK, found a pair of Old School Converse wrestling shoes.
These things are quiet! For some they might not have enough support. I slipped a pair of foot beds in them and improved on that. Now to get some dirt on them to get rid of that shine. These will be good if the weather stays warm and dry into Oct. If not I’ll go to my LL Beans.
Hey Duncan the shoes seem fine, but if you hunt in those cammies you need to ease up on the UV brighteners in the wash.Seems like there shining.Just a tip not trying to be critical.
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