OK people,
I figured I would take some photos and post a short tutorial about my new minimalist running preference, Barefoot Socks, or maybe I should call them "Rubberized Socks." Credit should really go to my wife, who couldn't be bothered to buy any fancy minimalist gear, and so just stareted going out in her socks. She kept putting holes in them, so we decided to give this a shot. Hope you like it!
Tutorial:
Start by going to your local hardware store and buying some Plasti Dip, or any other liquid rubber made for protecting tools ($5.00-$7.00). One can will do 2-3 pairs of socks.
They even make it in a spray paint! (but i did not use this).
Then, grab a shoe box, or any other box a bit larger than your foot. I lined mine with duct tape to keep it from leaking.
From the picture, you can see I am wearing cotton running socks. These seemed to work better than synthetic. Also, the thicker (newer), the better as they will absorb more rubber.
Pour some of the rubber into the box, and then dip your foot in. Using a rubber glove, smooth the rubber out on the sole of your foot, and then spread some of the rubber over your toes and along the arches. Also, I found that it was important to spread the rubber up and over my heel. When the rubber dries, it shrinks, so you want to make sure you have some above your heel to act as a resistance point. This helps to keep it snug and not slide under your foot when running.
Then, sit around and let it dry. THE LONGER THE BETTER- like an hour or more if you can. Watch your favorite movie or something. If it dries around your foot, it will shrink less and fit perfect to the shape of your foot. If you take it off early, it can easily mess up the rubber, and shrink in odd ways.
Good running! And best of luck!
I figured I would take some photos and post a short tutorial about my new minimalist running preference, Barefoot Socks, or maybe I should call them "Rubberized Socks." Credit should really go to my wife, who couldn't be bothered to buy any fancy minimalist gear, and so just stareted going out in her socks. She kept putting holes in them, so we decided to give this a shot. Hope you like it!
Tutorial:
Start by going to your local hardware store and buying some Plasti Dip, or any other liquid rubber made for protecting tools ($5.00-$7.00). One can will do 2-3 pairs of socks.
They even make it in a spray paint! (but i did not use this).
Then, grab a shoe box, or any other box a bit larger than your foot. I lined mine with duct tape to keep it from leaking.
From the picture, you can see I am wearing cotton running socks. These seemed to work better than synthetic. Also, the thicker (newer), the better as they will absorb more rubber.
Pour some of the rubber into the box, and then dip your foot in. Using a rubber glove, smooth the rubber out on the sole of your foot, and then spread some of the rubber over your toes and along the arches. Also, I found that it was important to spread the rubber up and over my heel. When the rubber dries, it shrinks, so you want to make sure you have some above your heel to act as a resistance point. This helps to keep it snug and not slide under your foot when running.
Then, sit around and let it dry. THE LONGER THE BETTER- like an hour or more if you can. Watch your favorite movie or something. If it dries around your foot, it will shrink less and fit perfect to the shape of your foot. If you take it off early, it can easily mess up the rubber, and shrink in odd ways.
Good running! And best of luck!