running shoes – FIT IS A FEMINIST ISSUE

I shared the following article to Facebook, Finally, Women’s Running Shoes Are Being Made for Women’s Feet, not sure what to think about it.

On the one hand, what’s special or different about women’s feet? On the other, if all running shoes–even women’s running shoes–are based on models of men’s feet, that may be a problem.

I’ve written about gendered cycling shoes in this post here on the blog, Is women’s specific anything just a bad idea? What’s the issue? If women’s cycling shoes are narrower then some men, those with narrow feet, will end up needing to buy women’s shoes. Some women, those with wide feet, will end up buying men’s shoes. But, I asked in that piece, why even bother with the gendered labeling? Why not just call them wide and narrow shoes?

I love my Pride Hunter rainboots which come just like that, no gendered sizing, just wide and narrow.

I came to this point because I’m a woman who rides a men’s bike. A men’s bike just fits people with short legs and long torsos better. And guess what? That’s me.

And you know, I wouldn’t think it would bug me but it does. Each time I go to buy a bike someone in a bike shop, or a well meaning friend, recommends a women-specific frame. I have to tell them that it won’t work. As far as bikes go, I’m a dude since all women’s frame means is longer legs WHICH I DON’T HAVE. Grrrr. It’s a very minor exclusion in the grand scheme of things but it grates.

I don’t mind that the men’s and women’s bikes sometimes come packaged with different components and the men’s bike is the better deal.

What about running shoes? How different are men’s and women’s feet really?

“Shoes are designed around foot-shaped molds called lasts, which dictate the fit and feel as well as the aesthetics and proportions. For a long time, those lasts were based only on molds of men’s feet. But “female feet … are not algebraically scaled, smaller versions of male feet, as is often assumed,” a study in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association declared way back in 2009. As a result, more and more brands started using female lasts based on the mold of a woman’s foot. For what it’s worth, some have opted for unisex lasts—an approach Katie Manser, the Supervisor of Research Operations at Heeluxe Footwear, an independent shoe research lab, dismisses. “There’s no such thing as a unisex foot—it’s anatomically a man’s foot or a woman’s foot,” she explains.”

But again, I’m not sure this gets it right. There may not be a ‘one size fits all’ foot but it seems unlikely all women have similar feet, or that the difference between men’s and women’s feet will be larger than the differences between different women’s feet.

The article I shared goes on to describe all of the different ways in which women’s feet differ from men’s but in each case there’s likely lots of variability between women. Also worth noting that some women were assigned male at birth and lots of people don’t identify as male or female at all.

In the end that article acknowledges that it’s not really about gender, it’s about variety and fit.

“The more knowledge you have about your body, the more empowered you are to make a decision regarding what you put on it. At the end of the day, the best shoe for you—no matter your gender—is the shoe that feels most comfortable on your feet. “

And with that, I think we can all agree.

Thanks to Christopher Sardegna @css for making this photo available freely on Unsplash 🎁 https://unsplash.com/photos/iRyGmA_no2Q

So we have a feature here called Fit Feminists Answer where readers email in questions and we try, to the best of our ability, to answer them. We also often get help in the comment threads. Thanks wonderful community of fit feminist readers and commentators!

But today I have a question and I want your advice. This is “fit feminists ask” rather than”fit feminists answer.” I have been told by my very nice knee surgeons in white coats with serious faces to never ever run again. They say I shouldn’t even say the word “running.” And as readers know I’ve struggled. I said a sad goodbye first to soccer and then to running.

I’ve decided that it would be easiest if I made a clean break. Like lots of people I tend to wear my old running shoes to the gym. They’re no good for running but they’re fine for rowing machines, the elliptical, weight lifting etc etc. But looking at my old running shoes makes me sad. I think it’s time to say goodbye to them. What to get in their place? Clearly not new running shoes.

Now I’m no longer running I no longer need pricey running shoes, but what do I need? I’ve thought about lifting shoes but that seems like overkill. I’m not that serious. I feel the same way about lifting shoes as I do about deadlifting socks. They’re cool and all but really? Do I need them? Do you wear special shoes for weightlifting/strength training? What kind and why? Do you recommend them? How serious to you have to be to wear them?

This fall I ordered custom University of Guelph Adidas though the soccer team for me and my athletic U of G attending son. I thought that might be good. As Dean I could wear them to official events and still be comfortable. Sadly it was one of those deals where they needed to get enough orders to make them and that fell through. No red, black, and gold sneakers for me. So that option is out.

What about the rest of you non-running gym goers? What footwear do you wear to the gym and why?

Help me out here!

Pride sneakers?