To shoe or not to shoe

[sherbz]

After doing some reading online, i found this to be a fairly even split of opinion. So was wondering what peoples opinions are. Is it better to wear shoes all the time? Some of the time? Or spend as much time as possible in bare feet?

Obviously lifestyle plays a part. Personally i hate wearing any form of shoe indoors. I much prefer bare feet. However, this does have its downside. I rapidly develop calluses on my heel and have to have a podiatrist scrape the dead skin away every 6 months or so. And i suspect that this problem would not occur if i were to wear some form of shoe or slipper. Wearing a shoe or slipper feels wrong to me though. And my feet sweat quite badly if placed in a shoe or slipper. So i prefer not wearing anything and allowing my feet to breathe. Thoughts?

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Thoughts?

@MaryKB would be in total agreement with you. She prefers to go shoeless as well, though she may change her mind if her baby grows up to like playing with LEGO.

I loved going barefoot in the summer on the acreage where we lived when I was a child. It's weird... it felt normal to do that there, although I was at constant risk of cuts from rocks, nails, glass, tin cans, and thistles (we had a place where the garbage was burned, and my dad had a large number of old car bodies that he swore up, down, and sideways that he fully intended to fix some day, so there were stray bits of stuff lying around).

I never did step on any nails or glass or metal, though. The worst injury I ever got there was a bee sting.

Once we moved into the city, I preferred shoes. Sidewalks and pavement aren't as nice to walk around on barefoot as grass, dirt, and sand.

 

[PhroX]

I don't like wearing shoes if I can avoid it, even the less uncomfortable ones don't feel particularly nice to wear, unless they're really lose (and are thus prone to falling off, so, basically just some types of slippers?). In practice that means I don't wear them inside as going around outside in an urban area without shoes is not nice.

Oddly enough, that doesn't mean I like being in bare feet - instead, I like having socks on. And yes, that means I will sometimes go around in socks and sandals. It might look dumb, but its a lot more comfortable than normal shoes while still protecting the soles of my feet .

 

[Samson]

When inside I never wear shoes. Socks or bare feet depending on the temperature.

I rapidly develop calluses on my heel and have to have a podiatrist scrape the dead skin away

I have to wonder why. I also get calluses and I mainly see them as a way to have to wear shoes less frequently outside. It has never crossed my mind to get a professional to do anything to them.

 

[Gorbles]

I only wear shoes when I have to, which is basically when I'm outside. I have flat (and wide) feet, which means most shoes are a bad fit for me (and I never had the money to go tailored), meaning I develop calluses and the like by just wearing shoes for any length of time. Sandals are worse, because they dry out my skin more.

I have to wonder why. I also get calluses and I mainly see them as a way to have to wear shoes less frequently outside. It has never crossed my mind to get a professional to do anything to them.

There are kits you can get in the supermarket to help with it, but in general built-up skin like that doesn't resolve itself. I've been fighting a losing battle for a half-decade or so with the soles of my feet because I really wrecked them walking a ton (to and from hospital, it was a bad time) back in 2015 - 2016, and everything since then has been catchup. I recommend getting them looked at, if you're able.

 

[Bamspeedy]

Inside at home, its barefoot or socks. Leave the house its socks and shoes.

I do have some sandals and always hated the thought of using them (unless on the beach), but they are nice to use when going outside for a minute, like taking the garbage out (but not in the winter).

When visiting China, houses with stone floors, kept shoes on. Apartment with better flooring they insisted on sandals and not bare feet. Understood why when bathroom floor gets literally flooded from 1 shower.

Barefoot outside (and then inside), or wearing outside shoes around the inside of house just drags all the outside dirt around your house.

 

[GenMarshall]

Indoors at home: barefoot, wearing socks, or slippers. I only wear shoes when I’m outdoors and in public.

 

[sherbz]

When inside I never wear shoes. Socks or bare feet depending on the temperature.

I have to wonder why. I also get calluses and I mainly see them as a way to have to wear shoes less frequently outside. It has never crossed my mind to get a professional to do anything to them.

I highly recommend an appointment with a podiatrist for a foot scrape every 6 months or so. Only costs about £20-30. And the amount of dead skin they get off your foot with a scalpel is quite amazing really. In 6 months i build up enough dead skin to fill about half a jam jar. As @Gorbles says though - you can get treatments over the counter - plus things like stones or brushes (akin to sandpaper) to help with it. But theres nothing like a good scrape IMO

 

[Samson]

I highly recommend an appointment with a podiatrist for a foot scrape every 6 months or so. Only costs about £20-30. And the amount of dead skin they get off your foot with a scalpel is quite amazing really. In 6 months i build up enough dead skin to fill about half a jam jar. As @Gorbles says though - you can get treatments over the counter - plus things like stones or brushes (akin to sandpaper) to help with it. But theres nothing like a good scrape IMO

I still do not get in what way your life is better after you lose this 1/2 jam jar of foot protection.

 

[sherbz]

For me - when i get a build up dead skin, i usually also get 2 other things which are less desirable. The first is a dull ache in my foot. And the second is irritation or itchiness. I have also had a Verruca which had long since "died" - but it had become trapped in the layer of dead skin. And it only got extricated when my podiatrist literally cut it out.

The other benefit is that it helps with your gait. And the excess skin for me at least makes me walk more side on as opposed to straight forward. I go running twice a week so im particularly hard on my feet.

 

[The_J]

I guess I've been lucky that I don't have any callus build up on my feet, despite my mom having a lot.
Right now I'm all day inside, only wearing socks. Outside I prefer sandals, if possible.

I have some issues with my right foot (haven't gotten it checked out yet). With the wrong shoes I get some tendon inflammation (I think) in the right lower legs, even after only walking for a short while. I therefore hate shoe shopping, since it always takes ages for me to find something suitable. So the less shoes, the better.

I've once seen someon run a half marathon bare feet. No clue how she managed.
(yeah, needs training, I know)

 

[sherbz]

I guess I've been lucky that I don't have any callus build up on my feet, despite my mom having a lot.
Right now I'm all day inside, only wearing socks. Outside I prefer sandals, if possible.

I have some issues with my right foot (haven't gotten it checked out yet). With the wrong shoes I get some tendon inflammation (I think) in the right lower legs, even after only walking for a short while. I therefore hate shoe shopping, since it always takes ages for me to find something suitable. So the less shoes, the better.

I've once seen someon run a half marathon bare feet. No clue how she managed.
(yeah, needs training, I know)

Yeah i hate shoe shopping too. I have a very low ankle bone. So im literally excluded from tall shoes or boots. I found a pair of Karrimor walking shoes which fit me perfectly and are super comfortable. And for the last 10 years i have bought nothing else (gone through about 3 pairs).

 

[Samson]

I find that I cannot figure out if a shoe fits properly without wearing it for about 10 minutes. So I always buy them from TKMax, so I can try the shoe on, and wander around the shop looking at clothes and stuff while my feet decide if they like them.

 

[AmazonQueen]

Dislike wearing socks, tights or stockings.
Usually wear slippers indoors. some type of comfy, practical shoes or trainers outside. Boots for areas that require something a bit tougher.
My best pair are a pair of walking shoes I bought about 15 years ago that are still going strong.

 

[fy00sh]

I absolutely can't wear socks or shoes in my own home, not because of how it feels, but because if I wear socks frequently enough, then

Spoiler kinda gross :

my feet get so sweaty that the skin between my toes peels really bad, until they bleed

Though in addition to that, I really like the feeling of walking barefoot, especially outside, even if it's on concrete or asphalt, but for the sake of cleanliness and being allowed in stores I don't do that anymore. Used to do it all the time in college tho when walking around campus, since enough people there walked around barefoot that everyone was very conscientious about keeping walkways clean and alerting the school forum if someone dropped some glass somewhere, etc. But I always wore shoes when it was super hot, or when I had a cut or blister or something on my feet.
If I have to wear shoes, I prefer running shoes (my feet are really flat and running shoes help mitigate that) or boots (idk how to explain very well but the feeling of stepping on the ground in tall, preferably heavy boots is very satisfying, like a child stomping thru rain puddles).

 

[sherbz]

Dislike wearing socks, tights or stockings.
Usually wear slippers indoors. some type of comfy, practical shoes or trainers outside. Boots for areas that require something a bit tougher.
My best pair are a pair of walking shoes I bought about 15 years ago that are still going strong.

15 years? Blimey thats some serious mileage. What make are they?

 

[Lemon Merchant]

I generally wear heels when I am out and about, since I am only 5'7", and slippers at home. I have a real problem with my feet being cold all of the time, so barefoot is a no-no. Unless I am at the beach.

 

[AmazonQueen]

Clarks Trekkers. Still in decent condition.

 

[sherbz]

Clarks Trekkers. Still in decent condition.

I suppose thats because they have a stitched sole. I find ones that are glued tend to come unstuck after about 6 months of wear.

I generally wear heels when I am out and about, since I am only 5'7", and slippers at home. I have a real problem with my feet being cold all of the time, so barefoot is a no-no. Unless I am at the beach.

Heels have always struck me as a slightly odd concept to begin with. I mean they cant have been designed with comfort in mind (at least i wouldnt have thought so). My one and only experience of heels was when i dressed in drag for charity. And the only girls shoes that would fit me had giant heels on. And i assumed going down the stairs worked in the same fashion as with normal shoes. It was a painful lesson

 

[Birdjaguar]

I generally wear heels when I am out and about, since I am only 5'7", and slippers at home. I have a real problem with my feet being cold all of the time, so barefoot is a no-no. Unless I am at the beach.

only 5'7" so you need to wear heels....Now if you were 5'1" I could understand.

Slippers inside are best unless it's summer then barefoot. Slip -on shoes when going out. I gave up tie shoes a decade ago. Merrill Jungle Mocs are my go to shoe.

 

[The_J]

But... how do you beat up people in heels?