My Earth Energetic kicks pre-date the inception of BarkingDogShoes.com by one year. It was a simpler time then when my pairs of shoes totaled seven. One pair of Danskos Madrigal clogs, one pair of Beautifeel pumps (gloriously comfortable shoes but pricey), two pairs of Crocs (mary janes and Celeste), a pair of purple suede Hush Puppies that I had on when I felt the first twinges of rheumatoid arthritis in 1997 (I can't part with them), my Avia water aerobic shoes and these, my Earth Energetics.
When I'm not exercising in my Merrell Sirens or MBTs, I love lacing up my Energetics. I originally bought them to relieve the forefoot pain I had been experiencing when walking a few years ago. My doc diagnosed me with metatarsalgia (ball of foot pain associated with RA) and Morton's neuroma. I discovered that when I wear my Earth Energetic shoes the Kalsø® Negative Heel Technology® shifts my body weight back relieving the pressure on my forefoot during the stride. This came as such a welcome relief a few years back when I could barely walk a quarter mile without wincing in pain and eventually gave up. Although my forefoot issues have mostly cleared up on their own (now that I wear foot-friendly shoes), I still enjoy walking in my Energetics: the roomy toe box, arch support and comfy cushioning help to make exercise fun again.
I must take issue with only one thing: as comfortable as they are, they look like clown shoes on my size 10 dawgs...see for yourself! Oh, and yes, they do take a little getting used to with the negative heel. It feels like you're walking on a slight incline when you're in fact on a flat surface. This is good for us midwesterners that get tired of flat trails. For more information on added benefits of Earth Footwear (burning more calories, strengthening and toning), visit their site. They're on Twitter now too!
Where to buy the Earth Energetic (true to size; best for medium to slightly wide feet):
- PlanetShoes.com: $109, free shipping and returns. The Earth Float style is currently on sale for $69 --a more lightweight walking shoe.
- Shoebuy: $108.95, free shipping and returns. Comes in a vegan alternative. Currently running promo to save $20 of $50 if use Paypal.
- Zappos: $84 for pink, free shipping both ways (454 reviews, mostly 5 stars).
