F*ck Shoes - Daniel Vitalis #107

This solo episode is a comprehensive breakdown of my experiences with barefooting. As a long-time barefooting proponent, I’ve traversed thousands of miles of various terrain with bare feet or minimalist footwear, and I’ve learned quite a bit about the often unknown and under-utilized capabilities of the human foot. I detail my experiences wearing minimalist footwear in challenges like the Tough Mudder and GoRuck, as well as during my recent backcountry hunter course. I break down my favorite minimalist footwear brands, unpack the myth of arch support and share some not often discussed benefits of barefooting that I’ve discovered over the years. Note: This podcast is best enjoyed while walking barefoot on a forest trail.

• Daniel elaborates on his Moon Dance experience, how he learns, mentors and detoxification
• Bear hunting update and thoughts on bio-regional animism
• Beards
• No shoes, no shirt, no service
• Cody Lundin and barefoot extremism
• Connection to our earth mother
• Daniel’s personal barefooting journey and barefooting shoe progression
• Experiences wearing Vibram’s during Tough Mudder & GoRuck challenges
• Recent experience wearing Vivo boots at Magpul Backcountry Hunter Course
• "Are those comfortable?” — other people’s impressions of minimalist footwear
• Homunculus explained
• Treading lightly
• Heels and conventional footwear
• What about arch support?
• Some of the cons of minimalist shoes
• Prehensility
• Breakdown of Daniel’s favorite barefoot shoes + his current shoe collection
• What’s in Daniel’s first aid kit
• Feet that are adaptable to the urban and natural worlds
• Staying in touch with our environment — feet as sensory organs
• Being a fully developed human