Paleo Paws review

Testing The Paleo Paws

After a few weeks of testing here it is, my findings on the Paleo Paws minimalist running shoes, or running socks.

Or monty python chainmail shoes as some call them in jest.

But jesting aside, how do these "shoes" perform and compare to traditional running shoes?

I was fortunate enough to test the Anterra model last year and loved the concept. Running in a minimalist shoe that just offers protection, nothing more (and looks good as well tbh).

After walking and running in them for weeks I personally thought they were superb outdoor shoes for nature walks and off-road running.

So with the addition of the new pads underneath, are they now even better?

First of all I have to say that i have been running for over 10years, on and off road and minimalist / barefoot for the last couple of those. Barefoot running takes practice as your 'shod' and encushioned feet are not used to that anymore. 

So if you want to attempt it, take it easy and read the advice that is out there begore going crazy.

Now 'barefoot' running has become more and more popular with pros and cons flying around in various blogs. I can only speak for myself and say that in todays environment we do need some form of protection around our feet against dangerous objects and against the cold.

Minimalist running means running fore to mid foot and this means you land differently than to cushioned heel shoes.

Once you get used to this you realise that hard, man-made surfaces are not a lot of fun to run on and can have bad impact on your joints.

When running off-road is where these shoes really shine. Especially the Paleo Paws. They are lightweight, comfortable and perform surprisingly well on a variety of terrains.

With the addition of the pads one now can walk with more comfort on harder surfaces such as tiles and tarmac and they still are fabulous in the mud.

Last year I tested their predecessor in a mud run event where they really were put to the test and proved how good they are off-road.

Now with the addition of the pads they can also be safely used on harder surfaces enabling one to run straight from the front door without having to change shoes.

I have tested the new Paleo Paws on grass, track, gravel, tarmac and in the mud. Oh and even indoors in the gym!

That sure got some stares from people..

In short, they do what they say they will do. This is barefoot running with protection. Your feet will sense the environment and feel liberated. It is great to run almost barefoot without having to worry about looking where you tread.

Your feet are safe, having the added bonus of being protected against sharp objects and you get extra grip!

These shoes are made to your own feet by sending in your measurements. They are high quality German made and it shows.

With proper care they should last forever which is more than can be said of most shoes. 

After each run I just clean them in luke warm, soapy water or you could even put  them in the washing machine.

So are there any cons?

Well to be honest some small ones.

The initial cost. They are expensive but you have to take into consideration that they are made to your feet and will last 'forever'

And the other would be for me that i do not use them in the winter because of getting cold feet. Some people run in them in the snow but that is your own pleasure.

Conclusion:

These shoes are a great addition to your sport equipment. 

They are fun to wear, especially outdoors where you can be closer to nature, feeling where you tread and using your feet as they are supposed to be used.

With the new paws they perform better on gravel and tarmac offering a bit more dampening and the pads also offer better grip on things such as wet logs.

For running off-road as mentioned in my review of the Anterra's, they are just great.

They make you smile as you run, they really do perform very well on a variety of terrain and offer barefoot running with added protection.

Don't get fooled by their appearance, once you wear them you hardly notice wearing them and they have proven to be a very interesting "shoe" to use outdoors.

Wether you want a walk over the fields, use them on a wildlife trip (they are very quiet) or for running barefoot, they give the user this ability, to sense with your feet and perform in any terrain.

So compared to traditional trainers that get dirty, loose shape and encapsulate your feet the Paleo Paws are well, uncomparable.

One could try to compare them to other minimalist shoes such as Vivo or Inov8 as they sort of fall in that spectrum. Each of those shoes are different and are good for minimalist running but none is more different than the Paleo.

I conclude by saying there is good shoes for on the road, good shoes for trail running and then there is the Paleo Paws. These are very good all round off-road shoes where they really shine in natural terrain.