Have you tried Acorn Socks/Shoe/Slippers?

PeggyC

Barefooters
Sep 20, 2010
28
0
0
Wow Peggy, these look

Wow Peggy, these look awesome! I bet they'd be nice for dry winter running. Price is nice too. How did they seem, sturdy enough for a run?
 
PeggyC wrote: I saw some of

PeggyC said:
I saw some of these at a moccasin store the other day. Sadly the moccasins I went to look at were all way too narrow to be any use. Anyway, Acorn makes wool socks with suede bottoms. They looked awesome and I should have tried them on but I didn't, too many kids (of mine) running wild all over the store.



http://www.amazon.com/ACORN-Unisex-Slipper-Sock/dp/B000BN6ETM/ref=pd_sbs_shoe_6



I tried on a pair of those Acorn slipper socks last winter thinking like you that they might be a good minimal running option. They're not. :( They're too thick and cushy with little ground feel. Exactly what you'd expect from a slipper, not a sock.



I ended up getting a pair of SealSkinz waterproof socks instead which worked well for my winter running needs. I don't think I put more than 20 miles on them so I can't say how long they'll hold up, but being in NC I only need them occasionally and I don't tend to run far (3-5 miles) so they serve me well.



Peace,

Karen
 
I was hoping that the Acorn

I was hoping that the Acorn slipper-socks had a removeable insole but, now I'm guessing that they don't (you would've noticed such a feature if it was there, right?).

As for waterproof slippers/shoes:
For a shoe upper, wool is way better than any waterproof material. Wool allows water vapor to escape, and it dries quickly. If you really want to try a waterprrof minimalist shoe, there's loads of cheap water shoes and scuba booties available (some even with a wide toebox). Even though these are waterproof, your feet get soaked anyway - from sweat.
 
Karen, which of the sealskinz

Karen, which of the sealskinz socks do you have? I see a few different styles/options. Where did you buy them?
 
I purchased my All Season

I purchased my All Season SealSkinz on-line from http://www.greatoutdoorsdepot.com
They were on sale for $24.99 when I got them last year. I notice they're offering them for $27.99 now.

I wear a women's size 10, but I was afraid the Medium (listed for women's 8-10) might be too tight so I bought the Large. I should have gone with the Medium.

Just to reiterate, they are probably not the best choice for many of you.

I typically run 3-5 miles, 2-3 times a week -- not a lot of mileage. The high temps in winter where I live are almost always at or above freezing. I'm fine barefoot with air temps in the low 30s so long as it is sunny and dry. As a result, I am able to run barefoot nearly all winter just by watching the forecast and scheduling my runs on sunny days.

I only pull out the SealSkinz during an unusually cold week or when the ground is damp. I mostly used them last year for winter trail runs when I knew there would be freezing cold mud on the trail. They don't have a lot of road wear on them and I suspect the layer of caked mud on them during my runs helped to minimize the wear on the soles. (And, no, they offer no traction in the mud, but it beats having a layer of frozen mud caked on my feet giving me frostbite.)

I expect they'd do fine in much colder temps. They're toasty warm (almost too warm once I get moving), and you could always layer wool socks inside if you found it necessary. I just don't know how they'd hold up to significant road miles (probably not well) or how they'd work in the snow and slush.

BUT, they do provide the best ground-feel plus warmth out of every minimal option I've tried.

Hope that helps.

Peace,

Karen
 
Thanks Karen, it sounds like

Thanks Karen, it sounds like they are a good fit for you. You're right though, not sure they'll withstand the temps and mileage I will put them through. The sound really cool though.