Another shoe review: MBT
Guest Post by Shelley Miles I have been an MBT shoe fan for years, but my last pair was worn beyond repair and I was MBT-less for the last year. So you can imagine my joy when I recently received a new pair of MBT M.Walks. MBT stands for Masai Barefoot Technology and these shoes were designed to simulate walking barefoot (without the stones and thorns) – stimulating the body to actively balance itself. This encourages better posture and better fitness because more muscle groups are engaged in balancing the body while walking. The company’s marketing materials refer to these as the “anti-shoes.” Rather than a flat sole, MBTs have a curved sole that rocks from front to back, and allows movement from side to side. Inside the shoe, your foot stays fairly flat. As you walk, the motion of the shoe simulates the way you have to adjust your body while walking on sand, engaging many muscle groups and improving posture, and reducing stress on joints. A number of studies have been conducted showing the effects of walking in MBTS on knees, ankles etc. When you first try on MBTs, the first thing you’ll notice is that the sizes run really small. You’ll usually need a pair a full size larger than you usually wear. These are not cute shoes – they are clunky and heavy looking. The curved sole takes some getting used to and you need to adjust your walking techniques to get the most benefit out of them – taking short strides. And they are expensive – at Zappos, they range from $130 to $275. The Model I have, the M. Walk is for $168 on Zappos. However, Resole America can resole your MBT’s to protect your investment. Once you get used to them, your feet never want to take these shoes off. They are the most comfortable shoes I’ve every worn. They feel great to walk in. I can feel the muscles in the backs of my legs, my back and stomach engaging when I walk. It feels good to rock on them when standing still. They really do take the strain off your knees even when walking on concrete. These are the shoes to wear walking around any city, or any time you will be on your feet for hours. And as an added boost for those of us on the short side, the thick soles add some coveted inches. Over the last few years, a large variety of new styles have been added to the MBT line, everything from sandals to boots. The new women’s lasts are slimmer and a little less clunky looking than those in the past. . In fact, they have their own kind of cool. I’ve been stopped many times by people asking me where I got my MBTs. (Disclosure: A pair of MBT’s were provided to this writer by the manufacturer for the purpose of reviewing them. All comments and opinions are personal. )
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