shoes for the new wild west!

Yesterday I wrote about wild burros being adopted. It seems this is no longer the old, wild west. These "Five Finger Shoes," on the other hand, seem to be shoes for the new wild west! My friends who run our local camping and climbing store,for instance, say they can hardly keep them in stock because so many people think they're so great.

I think they're hilarious.

They've had good press, though,with the likes of Time magazine calling them a breakthrough invention as far back as 2007. They're meant to protect the foot while still allowing it to flex and function in a fully natural way. Since finding shoes that for my own two feet has been an ongoing, long term quest, I've been curious about the claims but skeptical about their relevance for me. The store allows one to try things out for a few days at home, however, if one stays indoors all the time ~ so today I broke down and brought a pair home on approval.

The kicker [sorry!] for me was a personal friend's story. He's a serious backpacker who thinks his are terrific. He credits them with strengthening his feet, improving his posture and easing his aching back as well!

Now, if they can only do something about my photography....