I never thought that this would happen. I’ve seemed to have crossed over to the other side. My shoes are lighter, slimmer, and I believe they would be called minimalist. And I love them!

TrekSta, a shoe company out of Idaho, graciously sent me a pair of their Edict trail running shoes. I was skeptical at first, only because I thought that with the titanium screw in my right foot that any minimalist shoe would be out of the question. Apparently I stand corrected.

I wore the shoes around walking for a few days to get used to them. (I may have needed some more convincing and perhaps confidence boosting). Immediately upon putting them on, my foot was engulfed in their NestFit technology. It felt as though I had a glove on my foot. Treksta forms their soles in such a way that, “unnecessary gaps are filled and extra space is allowed in the places your feet need it most” (source). Comfortable is quite the understatement.

(source)

I knew within a few days of wearing them that I would be able to run in these. I set out for 3 miles on gravelly, hilly terrain. My legs obviously had to work more in a minimalist shoe, but my feet did not feel the effects at all. No pain, bruising, or swelling, which is incredible considering that my normal, more cushioned shoes will leave me with all of those things on the foot that was once broken three times in six months.

What makes this shoe unique is that they are not only a minimalist shoe, but a minimalist trail running shoe. As a trail shoe, I highly recommend them as well. They have a grippy sole (HyperGrip technology) and give you all the support of a regular running shoe with the lightweight balance of a minimalist or even barefoot shoe. However, I would not recommend these shoes for steep technical ascents or descents, as you may want a sturdier shoe that includes ankle support.

Testing the Edict out on the trail

Bonus: They are super cute and I love to wear them with shorts, capris, or jeans to go out on the town. It’s hard to take these shoes off.

Any minimalist or barefoot runner’s out there? What are your favorite brands and why? Any advice for easing into it?