Why the Superblast 3

The first time you saw Injinji’s toe socks, your stomach probably turned a little. Five little fabric sausages, each one hugging a sweaty toe like a tiny wet glove. Ew. Why would anyone put that on their feet? But here’s the grosser truth: your regular socks are already a swamp. Five toes mashed together in one damp pocket, rubbing skin on skin for mile after mile, mustering up blisters, hot spots, and that smell you pretend isn’t coming from your shoes.

Those weird toe gloves might be the cleanest thing you ever do for your feet, and they may improve your running more than you’d expect. 

So why was Injinji made? Injinji was founded in 1999 in Southern California around one simple idea: your toes shouldn't be fighting each other inside your shoe. A traditional sock stuffs all five toes into one pocket, where they rub skin-on-skin for every single mile. Injinji gives each toe its own sleeve, letting your toes spread out naturally and cutting out the friction that causes blisters and hot spots. What started as a sock for runners now covers road, trail, ultra, hiking, and everyday wear.

Why do people love it? Once runners try them, most never go back. The individual toe sleeves pull sweat away from between the toes, which is exactly where blisters love to start, and that is a big deal in a humid Texas summer. The left/right specific fit and arch band keep the sock from sliding around, and the heel tab protects your Achilles from rubbing on the shoe. Injinji has become close to standard gear in the ultramarathon and trail running world, where one blister can end your race.

Why might Injinji not be for you? They take some getting used to. Putting them on takes a few extra seconds since every toe has to find its own sleeve, and they feel a little strange for the first few runs. If your shoe has a narrow or tight toe box, a thicker model like the Ultra Run can feel crowded, so pair it with a shoe that has a bit more room up front or pick a sock with a lightweight feel from Injinji. They also cost more than a basic multipack, at about $15 to $20 a pair. Finally, sizing matters more than with normal socks. Toe sleeves that are too long or too short get uncomfortable fast, so check the size chart before you buy. The last issue would be that your old socks won’t feel as good anymore. Maybe that one isn’t a negative anymore. 

Some good ole'toe socks may just revolutionize your running, walking, working, and life experience! 

In an article posted by the Harvard Medical School, a line was written that should strike us all. 

‘Your feet always support you, so return the favor’

Why do we take care of our hair with extensions, mid fades, and color but not our feet? Why do we take care of our face with face washes, lotions, and acne preventions but not our feet? Why do we take more care for our car and its monthly car wash memberships than we do our own feet? Why do we take more care of our lawns with fertilizer application than we do our own feet? 

Now, we are not talking about wearing shoes or not wearing shoes. We are not even talking about wearing the most expensive shoes on the market!

Here is the reality:  

We buy shoes based on the cheapest price or the best deal, without considering whether they are right for our feet.

We wear what is fashionable and forget to consider the well-being of our feet.

We cram our toes into shoes that make our feet look slimmer, sacrificing space and comfort for appearance.

We kick off our shoes after work and slip into flip-flops or house slippers, often without giving a second thought to the support our feet need.

And somewhere along the way, we have accepted this as normal.

Caring for your feet is so much more than just wearing a good shoe or washing your feet every day.

We have broken down 3 main categories that encourage a healthy foot:

Cleanliness

Mobility

Shoes/Inserts

Cleanliness - 

Cleanliness of the feet is beyond important! Proper foot hygiene could mean the difference between a healthy foot or not. Clean feet reduce the risk for fungus and bacteria to make their way over, around, or in the foot. The CDC has outlined proper foot hygiene in the following format:  

Wash your feet every day and dry them completely 

Properly trim your toenails

Change your socks at least once a day

Examine your foot regularly for sores, cuts, and wounds. 

Mobility - 

Have you ever felt tight in your foot? You probably are. Your foot is constructed of 26 bones and 33 joints along with 100s of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It can be a well-oiled machine or a rusted piece of equipment for your body. At its healthiest, your foot will bring stability, absorb ground force, enhance your balance, and even improve overall human performance. We have outlined below some important tips and tricks to improve your foot's mobility. 

R3 Foot Roller from Rhodes Run Lab can be used to stretch the plantar fascia and intrinsic foot muscles to reduce soreness and improve recovery according to Roll Recovery.

Simply taking off your shoes and earthing or “grounding” with your feet in the dirt or grass can improve stress levels, mood, reduce inflammation, and more.

Investing into a toe spreader helps splay your toes to encourage a wider spread contrary to the average sock and shoe formation to your foot.

Toe curls and raises, arch raises, towel scrunches, flex and pointing, and even calf stretches can greatly increase foot strength, mobility, and health. 

Shoes/Inserts - 

Flip flops. House slippers. So easy to slip on but so bad for our feet. You can read our article about finding the right shoe for you, but something to think about with your feet is what you wear around the house. 

Introducing the Revive from Kane Footwear. The Revive or the Revive AC or the Revive OB (for kids and adults) are one of a kind. 

10mm heel to toe drop to relieve commons heel injuries and pressure (note: this may be different in kids sizing).

Wide toe box to encourage natural splaying.

Recovery nodes to promote blood flow

Foam derived from sugarcane for an all-natural feel.

Support for your arches.

Running/walking shoe mold designed

If you can begin to focus and take care of your feet, you will thank us in 20 years from now.

What’s the Best Running/Walking Shoe?

Social Media Forum:

Person 1 - “What’s the best running/walking shoe?”

Responses to this person - “I have Brooks” “I hate Hoka, but I love Nike” “I run in the Gel Nimbus from ASICS” “Try Altra”

Person 1 - confused and overwhelmed by the options, not knowing what is actually best for them.

That question is hard to answer, even for me. I get asked all the time, “Out of all the shoes in this store, what is the best running shoe?”

I physically cannot answer that question. My follow-up questions: “Best shoe for the elite marathon runner?” “Best shoe for speed days or long run days?” “Are they 6’9” and 300 lbs?” “Are they in their 70s?” “Are you primarily walking in these or running?” “Do you overpronate?” “Do you have issues with your balance?”

Just a few questions…

The original question is near impossible to answer because, quite frankly, it depends.

There is nuance to it all.

Every foot is different, and every shoe is different. Just because one person loves the Brooks brand does not mean that is the perfect, end-all-be-all brand. Just because one person hates Hoka does not mean that every Hoka shoe is bad. Just because you tried a certain brand does not mean you hate the entire brand. Maybe you didn’t like that specific model within the brand.

What’s the best running/walking shoe?

Well… if you’re a 300 lb male standing at 6’9”, primarily walking with no specific time goal in mind, then I will recommend you a max-cushion daily training shoe to ensure we get the longest life out of the foam: FWD Via from Altra, Bondi from Hoka, Gel Slow Cush or Nimbus from ASICS, and so many more max-cushion shoes. Even this, primarily walking, indicates that there is more time on the feet. We may shoot for a more dense foam to ensure our shoe lasts the test of time, such as a Bondi from Hoka or a Cloudsurfer Max from On. Maybe we decide on the Bondi from Hoka… do we have Achilles problems not due to overpronation? In this case, this shoe would be terrible for this person. We want to elevate the heel to relieve so much pressure from the back of the leg. In this case, the Glycerin Max from Brooks, MagMax from Puma, and more would be the most beneficial.

Even in this scenario, my recommendation may not be what’s best for them. They may love a soft shoe. That’s fine!!! Did they need a wide shoe, or does their foot have a wider forefoot area? All of a sudden, the shoes we chose are no longer the best shoes for them.

The best shoe for you is the one that works for you.

So, the answer to the best running/walking shoe is complicated. Like a middle school relationship, it’s COMPLICATED!!!

At Rhodes Run Lab, we take the shoe-fitting process very seriously.

We analyze the foot. We look to see if there is any overpronation, supination, or a subtalar joint neutral positioning on your foot with the help of our Aetrex Albert Scanner. We walk you through a step-by-step fitting process, from the softness of the shoe to the support, ensuring your shoe fits like you want it to fit and is one that guides you to your goals.

We have also created our Shoe Finder quiz on our website as well. Simply visit www.rhodesrunlab.com/shoefinder. This does not replace our in-store expertise and experience. This is our most accurate way to give you the best results in an online format.

What’s the best running and walking shoe?

THE BEST SHOE FOR YOU IS THE ONE THAT WORKS FOR YOU!!!