I had ordered some Aqua Shoes from E-Bay a couple of weeks ago but they ended up being the wrong size in the bag – so finally the new ones are here.
They cost me £6.99 including p&p, so I was expecting them to live up to my very high expectations in protecting me from the cold while maintaining the barefoot experience as much as possible.
And they did! And I was very surprised.
When I took them out the bag they looked very cheap and the rubber sole maybe a bit too thick. I took out the flimsy insole to maximise the sensory side of things and slipped them on over my Injinji’s – just in case they rubbed too much as the fit and finish weren’t great. Dragging the poorly stitched velcro tabs across to fasten them I headed off to the cold streets of Bristol.
The first signs were promising – I could feel the pavement and all the ridges of the street beneath my feet. I could also get temperature feedback without my feet getting cold.
As I ran around the harbour it was clear that they weren’t going to make the cobbles an easy ride either, which is great (quite perversely).
I suppose the only think I really missed, compared to true barefoot, was the sensation of moisture, and at the end my feet and the shoes were quite sweaty.
But on the whole, in cold weather, I would recommend these and think they perform better than Vivo Barefoots, but obviously will not last anywhere near as long.
Week 26 Summary:
Total miles: 10, trails, pavements, tarmac, grass
Barefoot miles: 0
Transition miles: 3.6 in Aqua Shoes – the longest I have run in barefoot/very close to barefoot
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