In this video, I’m doing a first impression review of the minimalist running shoes, nimbleToes.
Just to give you a little background about the company nimbleToes, the company is a big
proponent of the minimalist movement or natural running movement, they’ve produced a stylistically
diverse line of barefoot-inspired footwear intended for a wide range of uses.
In keeping with the minimalist movement, their shoes, like the one I’m showing here which
doesn’t have a special model name, the shoe is namely called nimbleToes, the shoes, overall,
are geared towards renewing your foots role in helping you move better, walk better, run
better in a functional manner which is also a reliable way to help you manage your overall
posture more effectively as well.
Essentially, the nimbleToes are completely free of strength-robbing structural constraints,
like arch support, toe springs, wedge inserts, thereby creating a more effective environment
where there’s more widespread functional engagement of the foot for the benefit of
upholding a stronger, more tolerant foot that’s good for fusing a more stable platform with
the ground, putting you on a firmer, more proactive footing during running and walking,
which really best suits the purpose for injury prevention and may help you produce results
that matters for running performance.
NimbleToes was developed in collaboration with Lee Saxby who plays a big role in leading
the charge in the natural running movement.
For those unfamiliar with Lee Saxby, he’s done some really informative instructional
videos on YouTube about how to avoid heel strike during running.
I’ve linked one of my favorite videos that taught me alot by him, its down below in the
description.
The nimbleToes are completely hand-assembled, like Roll Royce, and come with a 3 year product
guarantee which speaks volumes about the confidence the company has in the longevity or durability
of their shoe.
So let me discuss in further detail the distinct qualities of the nimbleToes that I like and
that you may like, and why you may want to nimbleToes to your minimalist running shoes
task force.
As soon as I held the shoe in my hand, my first impression was that the feel of the
nimbleToes is a cross between the New Balance Minimus and the Merrell Vapor Gloves.
So, the nimbletoes feels literally like a New Balance Minimus/ Merrell Vapor Glove hybrid,
which means that the nimbletoes are light, but not legardily light like most vibrams
and the Sockwa X8 , and that’s because the nimbletoes are more equipped with more material
density than most barefoot-inspired shoes, but by no means are the nimbletoes bulky;
they are still remarkably light to provide the sensation that you’re not wearing anything
on your feet; they do feel natural, their lightness makes you feel zippy which is great
for going fast.
I think one of the major strengths of the shoe is that entire framework is very well-built,
very stable in construction, they don’t feel flimsby, the materials feel like they
offer substantial puncture-resistance and for this reason, I’m hoping the shoes nicely
match and can hold up well, structurally, to support running long hard miles, and dont
fall apart like many wafer-like thin minimalist running shoes.
Overall, the nimbleToes definitely gets a stamp of approval for feeling like they have
ample durability ,despite having a lightweight design.
In looking at the upper, the upper is a blend of a lightweight mesh, premium stitching and
high quality materials that moves with the foot; structurally the upper feels secure,
robust and protective; it all seems held together pretty well!
In terms of breathability, its fall here now, really cool temperatures, so I can’t comment
on how well they may be able to keep your feet cool in the summer, but as far as running
in the fall goes, I can run around 18 km and farther comfortably without socks and my feet
stay pretty warm, so far so good on that front.
Inside, the nimbleToes actually feels seamless and smooth because i’ve worn these without
socks and to me, the upper gives a very consistent soft feel, lots of comfort without any glitches
through it.
The upper securely wraps the foot without being tight and provides plenty of wiggle
room in the front.
As you can see, the forefoot of the shoe is anatomically correct in that its wide which
is going to allow for natural toe expansion or toe spreading which is essential for providing
better stabilizing effects as well as naturally providing an extra source of impact protection
during running.
As for the lacing, the tub-like laces faithfully follows the topline of the foot; the lacing
feature is great for keeping the tongue in place; very simple; allows you to put on the
shoe more easily while providing a customizable and secure fit- Last but not least, let’s
look at the outsole.
The nimbletoes sits on a thin, easy-flexing 4-mm Vibram rubber outsole that’s wide which
is gonna give you an anatomically-compatible fit; it nicely matches the silhouette of the
bottom of the foot, ensures the foot can expand to its natural state during runs; the best
designs of a shoe are those that ergonomically compliment and resemble the human foot which
is what the nimbleToes absolutely delivers on.
In terms of ground feel, you don’t get the same sensory flow or ground-feel clarity in
the nimbleToes, like you do in many Vibram FiveFingers or the Sockwa’s, so if you are
a runner who prefers not to feel every little pebble, stone and twig under the foot, the
nimbleToes is definitely up your alley because the outsole is thick enough to shield you
from feeling every single surface irregularity of the ground, but the outsole is still thin
enough to give you the advanced ability to avoid heel striking during durning, to tune
your forefoot strike mechanics to be lighter and more organized so that you shift away
from heavy, unbalanced footfalls, therefore when it comes to form correction and upholding
more productive, effective biomechanics in a sustainable capacity, a runner is very likely
to benefit from the nimbleToes because the shoe really does have all the features that
make a pure minimalist running shoe great for helping improve your forefoot strike movement
skills during running.
If you prefer a little extra cushion for your ride, the nimbleToes comes with thin and very
soft removable insoles.
I like to be as closely physically connected to the ground as possible, so I prefer to
run without the insoles, but it’s always nice having that option for if you want a
little more underfoot softness and protection.
In looking at the tread, the outsole is equipped with a combination of circular lugs and indented
grooves that really gives you a more stable connection with the ground, delivering a well-balanced
ride, but that applies to that fact that so far I’ve only ran in dry and wet conditions
on smooth pavement, and in both conditions, the tread has good latching power and dexterity
needed for stable landing control, especially in the rain; so in my updated review that
I will be doing a few months from now, I’ll report on how well the tread performs in the
snow, on icy surfaces as well as trail terrain, so stay tuned for that.
So overall, the key details of the nimbleToes that I love is that the shoes are zero drop,
their wide and packed with lots of durability.
As soon as you hold the shoe, you know its armed with durability, you feel the solid
construction, plus you gotta appreciate the 3 year warranty, which in my opinion, makes
up for the price of the shoe.
So far, the nimbleToes are definitely worth a look for runners interested in minimalist
running, looking for stride correction because the framework of the shoe is designed to help
you dial in on refining and upholding good forefoot strike running form.
You definitely stand to benefit every time you wear these shoes because the shoes aren't
filled with structural elements and gizmos that makes us lose strength in our feet, but
rather the nimbleToes gives the feet freedom of movement, a clunk-free forefoot strike
landing during running, they put your feet close to the ground which is necessary to
help align the foot and lower leg just so, helping you shift away from heel strike during
running, and encouraging you to adapt a forefoot strike that’s more effective and as targeted
as possible, all of which are good for injury prevention and economic sufficiency in running.
So that concludes my first impression review of the nimbletoes.
LIke I said, I’ll be doing an updated review of these shoes in a few months, so be sure
to check that out.
I linked the site to NimbleToes down below in the description, if you’re interested.
If you enjoyed this review, please give me a thumbs up, and for more barefoot inspired
running shoe reviews as well as to stay informed on the latest research regarding the health
and performance benefits of barefoot running and forefoot running please hit the subscribe
button down below thank you so much for listening and watching have fun out there on the roads
and trails bye for now!