By Sara Germano
"Barefoot" running may be going the way of the caveman.
The much-hyped running style that had weekend warriors ditching
sneakers to jog with little or nothing on their feet, as humans had
for millennia before the advent of footwear, is falling out of
favor.
Health claims that had helped drive the trend are coming under
attack. Vibram, which makes the FiveFingers shoes that look like
gloves for the feet, has offered to settle a class-action suit that
contends the company profited from unsubstantiated claims the shoes
strengthen muscles and prevent injury. Vibram has proposed to
reimburse buyers up to $94 for every pair they have purchased. The
proposed settlement is awaiting approval from U.S. district court
in Massachusetts.
Meanwhile, sales of so-called minimalist shoes with ultra-thin
soles have plunged 47% year to date, even as total running-shoe
sales rose slightly. Last year, minimalist footwear was the only
major category to shrink, dropping by a third to $220 million,
while the running-shoe market as a whole grew slightly to $7
billion, according to data from industry tracker
SportsOneSource.
That is a swift reversal for a type of shoe that had been
leading growth in running footwear. Sales of minimalist footwear
were the fastest-growing segment in running in the first two years
of this decade, and in 2011 alone had nearly quintupled to about
$157 million from the year before.
As the fad took off, shoe manufacturers churned out new models
without any cushioning to get as close to barefoot running as
possible while still protecting feet from 21st century hazards like
glass and asphalt.
Mainstream footwear makers got in the game, including Adidas AG,
New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. and Fila, which launched its
four-toed Skele-Toes line.
One reason for the downturn, experts say, is that the fad was
pitched as a panacea for common injuries from knee pain to shin
splints. But the results didn't meet expectations. Runners instead
found themselves with a new set of complaints including blisters
and calf pain.
Sharon Gibson, a personal trainer in Ferndale, Mich., bought a
pair of ultraminimalist Vibram FiveFingers shoes in 2012. After
reading several books on barefoot running--especially the 2009 best
seller "Born to Run" --she became enamored of the idea that
chucking her heavy, traditional shoes would not only be liberating,
but better for her.
"I liked the science they were bringing out, the idea that it
was healthier for your foot," she said.
But Ms. Gibson, 46 years old, said she had a hard time adjusting
to the Vibrams, which cost her more than $100. She could wear them
only for about half a mile before her calves began to ache, and she
didn't want to risk injury while training for a marathon. After a
month, she was back to running in more traditional shoes full
time.
The backlash against barefoot-style shoes is bringing in
"maximal" shoes made with plush cushioning. Models made by Deckers
Outdoor Corp.'s Hoka One One are already best sellers at
Colorado-based chain Boulder Running Co, said Mark Plaatjes, the
specialty stores' co-founder.
Not all minimalist models are expiring, especially the ones that
are evolving. The Nike Free, introduced in 2004 and considered the
first mass-market ultra thin-soled shoe, is excluded from the
minimalist sales totals compiled by SportsOneSource, because the
shoe--which looks like a traditional sneaker--appeals as much to
the fashionable as the athletic, analyst Matt Powell said.
Even Vibram is adjusting. The closely held company introduced a
new, more cushioned version of its FiveFingers glovelike shoes this
spring in response to consumers who have lost faith in the barefoot
way.
Vibram USA Chief Executive Mike Gionfriddo said the company is
always appreciative of consumer feedback, and that its shoes "are a
matter of personal preference."
Adidas AG continues to make a split-toed training shoe, the
AdiPure Trainer 1.1, which was designed for use in the gym,
according to spokeswoman Lauren Lamkin. Sales for the company's
minimalist running line are "small and about the same as it was
before the fad," Ms. Lamkin said.
Among academics, the jury is still out on whether footwear
choice, of any type, has an impact on injury rates.
"Public discussion got way ahead of science," said Dan
Lieberman, a professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard,
whose research on running form was featured in "Born to Run," which
was written by Christopher McDougall and largely credited for
popularizing the trend.
Mr. Lieberman also served as a consultant to Vibram, according
to documents in the Vibram case. Mr. Lieberman disputes that he was
a consultant for the company, but said Vibram gave a gift to
Harvard's lab to fund research on barefoot running, adding that the
lab didn't test Vibram shoes.
Mr. McDougall said he doesn't regret the impact his work has had
on the minimalist boom, but it was never his intention at the
time.
John Durant, a self-described "professional caveman" in New York
City and founder of the meet-up group Barefoot Runners NYC, said he
started doing many of his runs totally shoeless some five years
ago, but has noticed a backlash has developed against so-called
gorilla shoes with toes.
"I don't want to wear toe shoes all the time," said Mr. Durant,
31, a former consultant turned author. "They look sort of
silly."
Write to Sara Germano at sara.germano@wsj.com
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