Extracts from the Barefoot/Minimalist Shoe Survey 2014

Barefoot/Minimalist Shoe Survey 2014: Highlights

In this summary I have documented a few aspects of the survey above that I thought are interesting. This is a personal extraction and others may not find the same highlights noteworthy. I also generally refrain from making a comment on the highlights I find interesting – I merely state them. The sample of the survey is said to include barefoot/minimalist footwear enthusiasts.

1.      Females with a minimalist interest tend to be a little younger than males even though males outnumber females 3 to 1.

2.      Footwear type used most often is highest for barefoot (higher than I would have thought!). Sandals as a category (flipflops and sandals) comes in at 12%.

3.      Years going barefoot. Notable polarisation here with many in the “more than 20 years” group as well as a very big representation for the “less than 3 years” group at 33%. This suggests the activity will grow if this trend is maintained.

  

4.      Interestingly those that prefer barefoot, sandals or flipflops tend to have the same propensity for running (approx. 45%- 55%) while those that prefer going barefoot are more likely to also hike and walk barefoot. (I looked at running, hiking, walking.)

  

5.      Women were more likely to “never” go barefoot compared to men. When going barefoot women also tended to do so for less time than men. Women more so than men see the “ground/surface” as a problem when barefooting.

6.      Main reason for barefooting. Notably high representation of “medical” reasons. Are previous injuries and ailments a factor?

    

7.      Benefits of going barefoot. Notably high proportion saying “happier” as well as a few saying “sexy”. Thus for this group of people there are clear emotional benefits.

8.      32% said they’d “never” worn minimalist shoes. This is strange. Presumably these are dedicated barefooters but one would expect them to wear minimalist shoes if and when they do wear shoes. 

9.       Cost of minimalist shoes is a problem for over 15% and is second only to “fit or comfort” 17%.

10.   Men are more likely to consider themselves (in rank order) Normal, Nature lover, Athletic, Eccentric, Artistic while for women the self-assessment is Normal, Nature lover, Artistic and Eccentric. (Athletic is thus the male differentiator).

11.   Other findings from the survey are largely self-explanatory and do not warrant further comment.