But this spring i had the chance to test the Freet shoes from the UK, which seemed exciting even for the first look! In this article i'll write about them, trying my best to be as honest as possible. I waited several months with this review, because i think it doesn't make sense after two uses to shout out how good or bad something is. This is not a "scientific" test yet, just some storytelling :D
Their main feature isn't a difficult question: their nose is different from regular shoes, because the big toe got a separated socket! The reason for this is to let our feet work as they're supposed to: not squeezed with the pointy shoes, not closed in a stiff box, but freely, using our great anatomy. (Other brands have five-fingered versions too, of course everything has its advantages and disadvantages)
The company have many different models, so it doesn't make sense to write about the specific looks, but they seemed to be very good quality products when i first grabbed them. Nice seams, good quality materials, it isn't that trumpery category at all, what i've experienced even with many expensive shoes.
The sole is thin, very flexible, and what is really important: it has zero drop (no heels). This is essential for proper running and walking techniques.
The Stride model has a quick lace system, which is a very good idea in my opinion. It's flexible, so it won't squeeze your feet, but strong enough to give a good fit. And it doesn't get loosened up by the undergrowth! :)
Of course it has a bunch of technology names too for shock-absorption, breathing, blah blah blah... They all sound cool, but firstly we don't know how the shoes feel without them, and every brand has their own stuff. So let's just stay with the practical side!
Most people will probably use them for long-distance running, but i can't tell much about it. The longest run i've ever done with these was about 10km. I rarely run longer distances: for me, cycling is the endurance sport, parkour is where i use my feet. And that is closer to sprinting than to long-distance. But in respect of shoes there isn't really a big difference: what is good for sprinting, jumping, climbing, hiking, that will be good for running "slowly", too.
Taking them on for the first time was a bit strange, but i learned its trick quickly.
My first impression was that "they want me to run". They feel like gloves on my foot, which are soft, breezy, very comfortable, but i still feel the power on my soles.
In the first couple of days i felt them a bit slippery on concrete, but after the sharpest treads got some wear, i already felt the rapid movements a lot safer. On natural surfaces (ground, mud, wood, grass, rocks, etc...) they have very good grip, often a lot better than barefoot!
I was a bit worried that since i wear them without socks, they'll cause blisters or any injuries from longer trainings, but nothing! They fit very well on the foot, their inside is made pretty nicely: i couldn't reach even the thought of any injuries, no matter the rain and mud, or heat and dust.
They breathe very well, it's actually windy in there while running :D
Of course i don't get as much information from the ground as without them, but i've already had some experiences with other "barefoot" shoes, and these give the best ground feeling so far.
They're also really lightweight, the biggest difference from barefoot is that it doesn't hurt when i step on sharp stones. The model in the picture is size 46, and weighs 475g. Meanwhile a pair of Feiyue, what i used to believe crazy lightweight, is 695g.
The advantage (or most of the time, disadvantage) of parkour is, that it gives so huge torment for shoes, like probably no other sports. I've been wearing them for more than half a year, and they turned out a lot better than i expected or ever experienced! In a similar period of time other shoes got holes or cracks on their soles, slits on their nose and sides, tears on their seams... But i was training through all the summer without getting any signs of injuries. I do hundreds of jumps in a training, they get a lot of landing, climbing, sliding, but i have no problem with them. It was autumn already when they started to show some signs of dying.
I wear size 46 with regular shoes, and with these as well. Just perfect, for this kind of movement this is what i need, to fit just right. But for longer runs or hikes, or even casual wear i'd recommend a size larger, to have all the toes as free as possible.
The Stride model has an additional removable insole (i don't use them), so it can help finding the perfect fit. And of course wearing or not wearing socks also makes a difference.
But that's enough of compliments, let me write the negative things what i've found so far!
The first one is the sole. I don't know why they think it's a good idea, but many brands make their soles from multiple pieces. In this case, half of the treads are made of a different coloured material. Regular runners probably never found it a problem, but during parkour i often meet with sharp things, and a bad move or some slide can start ripping them of. It doesn't disturb me, i can't even feel the difference when they fell off (i only lost the two smallest one), but it could've been avoided by giving up the cool colourful soles for durability. Fortunately not every model got these kind of soles, and this issue was also considered during the planning of newer ones.
The other problem is, that i somehow managed to rip the sole apart at the slit between the big toe and the large toe box. It was mostly accidental, and even if i did the same thing again, it never happened since then with other models. I asked the company, there were only a few similar cases in their history, so i was just unlucky.
In the picture you can see, that the left one is a bit messier: torn seam, fluffy lace, missing lace hook, and even a rivet is damaged. Well, these are all because of a crash, when i landed on the upper part of my feet on a bench... :D
What isn't really a problem, but sometimes i need to pay a little attention to how i walk in deep grass, because of the slit between my toes. But firstly it wasn't hard to learn after those many years of barefoot training, and secondly it's so romantic when it takes me flowers! :D
If i don't wear socks for them, after a few months they can smell a bit, but it's easy to wash them, so not a big problem.
All in all, i love these shoes! If i go home after a 3+ hours long training, or from a whole day of walking, i still don't have the urge to kick them off finally. They're only a layer of protection on my foot, and this is exactly what i look for in shoes. Every movement is very precise with them, they're very quick, it's really good to run and jump with them. I even wear them in places where i could be barefoot!
I can recommend these for anyone who is looking for comfortable and healthy shoes, even if sometimes people give strange looks when they see them. (Most of them like it!)
But it's important to never wear them without learning the correct techniques, because that could cause injuries. After a lifetime of wearing padded shoes it's a good idea to start wearing them gradually.
And for those who are really interested in them, this code gives 30% discount on every products from the official website:
Gyorgy30
http://freet.uk/
I'll continue making further tests and reviews, but feel free to ask me anything about them!
Also, here you can see the playlist of tests and comparisons:
