New Year and Neos

I'm staying with my brother P and sister-in-law J for a new year long weekend. As it was my bro who got me interested in going barefoot in the first place, it's been a great time for comparing experiences and giving advice. I was able to give him some running form tips, and we had a brief practice in the living room. By the time we were done, he was finding running easier and J said he looked like the African runners in "The Gods Must Be Crazy". We went for a short walk on new year's eve, which gave P an opportunity to try out my VivoBarefoot Neos. I went barefoot most of the way and put on my VFFs when my feet felt like they might start blistering. P was quite pleased with the Neos. Since injuring his feet in a pair of walking boots, he has been using wetsuit boots. The problem is, he's been getting twinges in them, too, which stop as soon as he goes barefoot. It's a bit odd, as they do have very thin soles and no arch support. Maybe they're too restrictive. Anyway, he's pain-free in the Neos, and J thinks they look cool, so I daresay he'll be getting a pair sometime soon. The Vibrams also seem to solve the problem, but he finds them less comfortable. As for me, the Neos are probably the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever owned. The Ras I use for formal wear are just as good except for the breathability problem. I bought the Neos for casual wear, so haven't run in them until this weekend. It was a real pleasure. As with the VFFs, I got the sense that nothing was restricting my movement. I was a little put off by the slapping sound from the harder sole, but that's purely aesthetic. Maybe it could function as a training aid to encourage a more gentle foot strike. My one cause for concern was that I could sometimes feel my feet slipping around inside them, which could only be bad over longer distances. I think that's down to my main problem with VivoBarefoot shoes, which is that I have to buy a larger size than with other shoes, to keep the side of my right big toe from touching the upper. It would be good if the last had a few more millimetres around the big toes. I'm also unconvinced of the necessity of a toespring, though P says he's sometimes caught his toes on the road and this might serve to alleviate the problem.
I thought I'd end today's entry with an epiphany which came to me yesterday: further east, those wise men and women of VivoBarefoot have come to Covent Garden, where they have opened a store. Glad tidings of great joy! :-)