"barefoot" style shoes on stage

[Killing Floor]

So you're kind of ambivalent in how you feel about them?

Other people can have them.

 

[silky smoove]

Cowboy boots are the only option for these situations IMO.

For the gigs I'm describing that's not an option. It's dress shoes (along with the rest of the dress code) or you don't get the gig. One group I work with has new and prospective members submit photos of themselves in their stage outfit for review and approval before being given a gig.

 

[Obese Chess]

I've been wearing Bearfoot Athletics shoes for years, onstage and off.

EDIT: @silky smoove there are a few companies that make "barefoot"/zero-drop dress shoes, such as Birchbury and I believe Alta.

 

[silky smoove]

EDIT: @silky smoove there are a few companies that make "barefoot"/zero-drop dress shoes, such as Birchbury and I believe Alta.

This brings up a good point. What's the distinction between a barefoot shoe and a shoe with zero drop? Initially when I read the thread and the OP's use of their toes to engage footswitches and things, along with truly barefoot playing, my first thought was something like Five Fingers style shoes. The conversation seems like it's shifted a bit towards things like Xero. The term "barefoot shoes" appears to mean different things to different manufacturers. We need a sanctioning body.... errr... a sanctioning foot

 

[Rev_Slinky]

Tangent: I'm curious what you barefoot players would do if you were hired on a gig with a dress code.

I've used an earlier version of this style for dress code events without issue. The sole isn't quite as flexible, but they are flat, with a comfy toebox.

 

[Pyrrho Epoche]

I was obviously joking. But I do have an aversion to feet in general. I hate open shoes outside settings like pool, beach…. And people walking around barefoot gives me the creeps. So yeah, each to their own, I just don’t get why anyone would want to walk barefoot on a dirty stage.

Looks like the 10,000 Maniacs "Library Tour"

 

[Carl Hillman]

It's a good idea to have something on your feet.

Some older stages have flush electrical outlets, and suspect grounding.

 

[Michedelic]

I had a friend who worked for the major concert promoter in our midwest hometown in the late 70’s. She did a variety of tasks in the office and at the shows…liaison, go-fer, errand girl, fixer, etc. For example, she had to load a monitor wedge belonging to Kiss that had been accidentally left behind, in her car and frantically run it up to the airport to be freight overnighted to the next gig, but…

There was the time she had to take Geddy Lee shopping for new Capezio ballet slippers that he would wear on stage, I assume to work the Moog Taurus pedals better.

 

[Geogio]

...Anyway, it can look like you're wearing thick socks rather than shoes, but I find them comfortable for casual walks.

Maybe it's me, but I would not wear barefoot shoes to work -- or to the gig, for the same reason I almost always wear long pants to the gig: protection from self-damage when moving gear (shin scrapes, toe-stubs). But IMHO barefoot shoes would be far more appropriate at the gig than bare feet or sandals! I'm old school that way, I guess.

I worked a lot around high voltage Communications equipment for many years, we always wore Converse Chuck Taylor's because those were insulating. And I can remember back in the day with ground problems & people getting shocked off of mics and polarity switches on the back of amps etc... so I've always worn some kind of insulating shoe and a lot of times it just might be a slider.

But my feet are constantly bothering me anyway so I have to put something on them ... but wrapping them up in a shoe and then tying the shoe up that only lasts about 45 minutes and then I got to get out of them things cuz my dawgs are screaming at me. On a road trip I'm in and out of different foot wear the whole trip.

 

[Obese Chess]

This brings up a good point. What's the distinction between a barefoot shoe and a shoe with zero drop? Initially when I read the thread and the OP's use of their toes to engage footswitches and things, along with truly barefoot playing, my first thought was something like Five Fingers style shoes. The conversation seems like it's shifted a bit towards things like Xero. The term "barefoot shoes" appears to mean different things to different manufacturers. We need a sanctioning body.... errr... a sanctioning foot

"Zero drop" just means that there's no difference between the elevation of the heel and the toes - most shoes have the heel elevated and more cushioned. "Barefoot" shoes are all zero drop by design as far as I know, but also very flexible, have thinner soles, and have a wider toebox, in order to allow the foot to move naturally while remaining reasonably protected.

 

[backin82]

Okay, so I almost exclusively rehearse without shoes, standing.

I'm used to playing standing without shoes. One of the benefits is it makes it a lot easier to hit footswitches, but in general it just feels more natural.

99% of the places we play out, I have to wear shoes for my own safety if not also for the requirements of the establishment.

I've looked at a few "barefoot" style shoes with minimal sole. A little support would be fine but it would be nice especially to feel like I have less shoe under my toes.

Anyone try anything like this?

I asked a vendor at a strongman show I went to lately (barefoot shoes are big in weightlifting) and they simply hadn't tried my particular situation as a use case so their answer was essentially "it could certainly work but you would be the first to try it to our knowledge, let us know if you do"

Check out Lems, Xero, and the cheapo Amazon brand Whitin. They'll give you a wide range of styles and barefoot spectrum shoes. My personal favorite is Lems currently. I have 5-6 pairs in various styles.

 

[logdrum]

I think the Johnson twins from Albuquerque do full marathons barefoot and won some regional races. I use to work my horses barefoot, but not much lately they and me are getting old. I have a big garden these days over 1/3 acre and I mainly work on that barefoot except when I am using power tools.

 

[LiptonJigglers]

Okay, so I almost exclusively rehearse without shoes, standing.

I'm used to playing standing without shoes. One of the benefits is it makes it a lot easier to hit footswitches, but in general it just feels more natural.

99% of the places we play out, I have to wear shoes for my own safety if not also for the requirements of the establishment.

I've looked at a few "barefoot" style shoes with minimal sole. A little support would be fine but it would be nice especially to feel like I have less shoe under my toes.

Anyone try anything like this?

I asked a vendor at a strongman show I went to lately (barefoot shoes are big in weightlifting) and they simply hadn't tried my particular situation as a use case so their answer was essentially "it could certainly work but you would be the first to try it to our knowledge, let us know if you do"

NinjaTabi boots.

 

[HoopsMcCann]

I'm all about being barefoot, but there's been more than a few performers get electrocuted to death on stage because of it. Even if the risk is small I ain't taking it.

 

[silky smoove]

"Zero drop" just means that there's no difference between the elevation of the heel and the toes

I'm well aware and have burned through several pairs of Altra trail runners before learning that I do better with a more conventional drop (i.e. a slightly elevated heel). My point was relating to all the comments that seemed to focus on zero drop as being the defining characteristic of a barefoot shoe. To me it would include zero drop, and would also necessitate the inclusion of a minimalistic structure, which is hard to define and qualify other than anecdotally saying "yeah, these are barefoot shoes" or not.

 

[FatherTrucker]

I have worn the Amazon Whitin brand for ba while. Just recently bought a more expensive pair of Splay shoes because they look a little more like a standard tennis shoe (lots of barefoot shoes can be a little weird looking). I need the wide toe box and I have fewer issues with my hips/knees with this kind of shoe. My feet are much stronger no longer relying on arch supports.

 

[Obese Chess]

I'm well aware and have burned through several pairs of Altra trail runners before learning that I do better with a more conventional drop (i.e. a slightly elevated heel). My point was relating to all the comments that seemed to focus on zero drop as being the defining characteristic of a barefoot shoe. To me it would include zero drop, and would also necessitate the inclusion of a minimalistic structure, which is hard to define and qualify other than anecdotally saying "yeah, these are barefoot shoes" or not.

got it. Yeah, it's sort of a squares and rectangles thing - all barefoot shoes are zero drop, but not all zero drop shoes are barefoot.

 

[Isaac_James]

Just paint some shoes on your feet and go incognito (incogfeeto?)

 

[turf3]

Well, I've seen stages in bars in the daylight, and there's definitely no way I'd step on those barefoot. But that's not actually OP's question, which seems to be "what shoes will feel as close as possible to being barefoot?" Maybe get on one of the barefoot sites, where people who make it a lifestyle congregate and trade experiences.

 

[logdrum]

I use to have those Vibram 5 toe shoes but this is New Mexico and I hike on rough trails. There just isn't protection on the top. But yeah if we are talking about music, the Vibram in hindsight will be great for knob turning. I do have to caution that when you have to tear down be mindful that if heavy things fall on you sometime the top protection is really important. Good luck


For hiking I am a big fan of zero drop soles, I started using them on gigs as well and really like them