Question about RunAmoc

fetish4running

Barefooters
Jun 5, 2010
331
0
16
For those of you who have RunAmocs, do you have the trail sole or the road sole? The difference is 5mm or 2mm. 2mm sounds great, but the 5mm looks like it could keep the suede off the road a bit more and maybe be able to handle some snow/slush better. Maybe??

I'm seriously thinking of getting a pair for winter, but they aren't cheap so I want to be sure of my purchase!
 
I just got mine in the mail

I just got mine in the mail today. I got the trail sole. I wanted a bit more for just the same reason as you. Snow, slush, ice, etc....



I still need to go run in them but so far they are fantastic! The leather on the upper is soooo soft and pliable that they flex as much as a sock on my foot. The foot bed is lined with suede and is soft and thin. I feel like I am walking barefoot. I really can't wait to take them for a run.

I spent even more so I could pick my own colors, I figure if I was going to buy shoes, I was going to buy shoes that I would enjoy looking at. So mine are black and pink.

I have seen some reviews that said there is too much material and they flopped around on the foot. I do not have that issue at all. They are like a glove. I have really high arches though so that may make a difference.

I will put up a full review after I have taken them for a run but for now I totally recommend them!
 
Cool!  Thanks, Cassie!  Did

Cool! Thanks, Cassie! Did you actually measure your foot or did you just get your usual size? What do you think of the 5mm sole? Will you be running on the roads? I'm itching to order right now!
 
I followed the measuring

I followed the measuring instructions on the site. I wear a 7.5 street shoe and I think I got the 6A run amoc.

I run on the roads most of the time....very few trails (not that many around here).

The sole lets me have pretty good ground feel even though it is 5mm. I may be able to go running this afternoon so I will know a bit more. But for now I totally recommend them!
 
Fetish, i've got the 5 mm

Fetish, i've got the 5 mm soles on my RunAmocs and i think they have great road feel. so i'm just seconding what BFC said, but it's always good to get a second opinion, right? I think you'll really like them. I used the measurements off the website and they fit well, lots of toebox room, but I do have to cinch up the strings a good bit to keep them in place. And I've got a pretty high volume foot. By the way, you can't just grab the strings and pull tight either, you need to line up the side panels first, then pull the laces tight to be effective.
 
 I feel they are worth the

I feel they are worth the price. They are simple yet well-made, you have customizable options both functional and aesthetic, and they're made by elves in Oregon. At least they say they are elves... I usually wear injinji's with mine, went for a run yesterday with smartwool phd's and they felt great. And part of why I say they are worth the price is that you can totally pull off wearing them anywhere and not look like some sort of oddball (vff's in public - just sayin'). I'll be wearing mine to church tomorrow morning and won't draw even a second glance; try that in gorilla feet.
 
I totally understand that...I

I totally understand that...I used to love the attention and comments when I would wear my FF, but I'm so past that now! Now it's just plain annoying because it's always the same assinine conversation!

Back to the runamocs. You obviously don't feel that they move around on your foot too much, right? I've read where a few people have been bothered by the looseness of the fit.
 
 It took me about 1/4 of a

It took me about 1/4 of a mile to get used to the feel of running in the RunAmocs, wasn't sure I liked it at first. But I found that if my form was good, the looseness of the fit wasn't an issue. Now I don't give it a second thought.
 
I was actually concerned they

I was actually concerned they would be too snug fitting from their website which is why I never bought. I like flop on the ground loose which is why I like cheapo water shoes.
 
 No, definitely not flop on

No, definitely not flop on the ground loose, just don't snug up on your foot (well, my foot at least) like the vff's or a traditional full lace front running shoe.

I actually left the computer after this post and thought about this some more - I think this boils down to foot type. Since we have the advantage of knowing Cassie's foot type via her avatar, she has a very nice length to width ratio on her foot. I have a longer, skinnier foot that is taller (or thicker) than most. The design of the RunAmocs is such that it probably would fit like a glove on a Cassie type foot (obviously superior) and would fit more loosely on my skinny, Morton's Toe type foot. Hope that helps and clarifies a bit.
 
F4R,I just returned a pair

F4R,

I just returned a pair that were too tight IMO even though the "elves" say the leather will lossen up. I have always prefered a loose fit even when I wore traditional shoes. I decided to go Run Amoc Chocolate 5mm trail sole for two reasons. The Chocolates do not have the ventilation holes and I was told the 5mm sole should provide better traction for our winter running conditions.

You can also see a video of how to size feet here: http://www.youtube.com/user/SoftStarShoes#p/a/u/1/CWVougJGI0A

I would call them directly if you have any questions or concerns. Their customer support has been excellent and I like being able to support a company who is manufacturing product and providing jobs for people in the United States.

I am anxiously awaiting my exchange.

Have fun out there!

(FWIW - I also bought a pair of the Ramblers for casual wear. It is by far the most comfortable minimalist "normal" looking casual shoe I have ever worn.)
 
I appreciate everyone's

I appreciate everyone's input. What I'm gathering is that it really boils down to personal preference! Solefoot, that's interesting what you said about traction on Michigan's roads. I hadn't considered that. Last night I placed an order for the 2mm chocolate RunAmocs. I figure worst case scenario I'll have a cool pair of very minimal shoes to wear. I went with the 2mm because I want to have as much road feel as possible.

One thing I always forget about is how much money I used to spend on foot coffins. I would buy a new pair of $100+ shoes every 2-3 months and now I sit here and torture myself over whether or not I should spend money on something for winter wear! I'm amazed at how much my thinking has changed!
 
Just throwing in my .02 cents

Just throwing in my .02 cents here. I got some of the 2mm runamoc lites recently. I really like them. They currently do feel loose on my foot (although initially they actually felt like they might be too small). I like that they are loose because it means that the foot is not constrained in any way. The looseness doesn't affect the function at all, for me. However, I didn't like the 2 or 3mm eva foam insole (underneath the suede insole), so I removed it. Overall, I am very happy with them. With the insole removed they are actually the closest thing to barefoot that I have tried yet (closer than Sprints, KSOs and 4mm cherry huaraches w/ leather top).

OTOH, I have recently injured my left forefoot,
sad.png
which I am starting to think might be due, in-part, to using these shoes full-time now that the cold weather is here (rather than in the summer when at least 50% of all my runs were barefoot). I thought I was past the danger of TMTS, but apparently not. I think these shoes allowed me to run faster and therefore harder than I would have barefoot. Plus, in the cold, running faster gets me warmed up quicker, and gets me home quicker, and the shoes allowed me to do that, so it seems to have been a combination of factors (mostly me not being more careful), and not simply the shoes (or as I think of them, "running slippers").
 
Cassie- Yes, I did get them! 

Cassie- Yes, I did get them! I got the chocolate suede ones with the 2mm sole. I really like them and wear them every chance I get. The only "problem" is that they still aren't going to solve my problem with wet and snowy/slushy roads. The 2mm sole is awesome for ground feel and I wouldn't want the sole any thicker, but they aren't going to keep my feet dry. I've run when the roads are dry and the temps are super low and they keep my feet very toasty and warm (w/o socks!). I love them so much that I hate to get them all dirty from running!

I just broke down today and ordered some scuba boots so hopefully those will allow me to run outside when the roads are full of slush and salt. I've been forced to use the treadmill my last two runs because the roads around here are so nasty. I'm missing being outside.

How are you doing with your RunAmocs?
 
FWIW (1 Year BFR/MR January

FWIW (1 Year BFR/MR January 2011)

I also have been putting my new Chocolates through the paces the last two weeks. I have over 80 miles on rural roads with the longest 16 miles. I decided on the 5mm trail sole as Softstar indicated they would have a little better footing on the snow and icy conditions. I personally will sacrifice ground feel for just a tad more between the soles of my feet and the roads for the winter months. They are by far the most comfortable minimalist running shoe I have put on out of the box with the exception of my moccasins. I ordered a half size up and wide which allows me to put on a wicking and wool sock layer for the days like earlier this week that were below zero with windchill. As Fetish indicated they will not keep your feet dry in wet or slushy conditions. I have not had a problem as long as the roads I am running are plowed. I am thinking about trying some sort of leather water protector or mink oil. Softstar has a brand they sell that they recommended but I declined. They will be my shoe of choice through the winter months if I can get the water proofing figured out. If not I will grudgingly have to put my Teva Sling Kings back on for the slushier wet days. Thumbs up as of now. Happy trails!

(My MR foot covering to date are Minnetonka Moccasins, Treks, Sling Kings, Feelmax Panka, KSO, and RunAmocs)