[leadin]While maximal shoes have been the rage this year, minimal is far from dead. The “shoes” here are as minimal as you’ll ever see.[/leadin]
For anyone looking for a shoe even more minimal than their beloved Vibram FiveFingers, we’ve found your Grail.
The FYF — short for #FreeYourFeet — is a toe-sock made of Dyneema, a fiber reportedly 15 times stronger than steel. Cut- and abrasion-resistant, Dyneema still feels like a fabric against your skin.
‘Foot Glove’ Concept
The company decided to make a sort of foot-glove out of the material, and this is the result. It’s for sale now on Kickstarter, all five toes included.
It would be easy to poo-poo the concept if it weren’t for Dyneema’s remarkable properties. It is soft, light, supple, hydrophobic, breathable and thermally conductive.
Made with “grip dots” on the bottom to enhance purchase on the otherwise slippery substance, the monkey feet “shoes” purportedly have adequate traction.
Barefoot Feel
The shoes provide little to no support, but they have a lot of interesting possible applications, from water sports and martial arts, to trail running and beach volleyball.
And while many people will undoubtedly cringe at the idea of super minimal footwear, we suspect these could gain traction among several different sectors of fitness.
The #FreeYourFeet shoes are fairly cheap considering the price of Dyneema, selling for $50 on Kickstarter now. The company says they’ll be $80 at retail later this year.
If you’re looking for the latest in footwear, this is it. Whether it’s good or not remains to be seen, but it is certainly unique and forward-thinking.
