The two core brands of running/athletic shoes that we carry are Altra and Topo. Both of these shoe brands feature an anatomically correct shape and low heel-to-toe drop. Altra shoes all feature a zero drop platform, with the exception of their Experience line which offers a four mm drop. Topo shoes fall within the range of zero drop to five mm of drop depending on the model in question.
We also carry models from other brands that we deem to be aligned with our tenants of being foot-shaped and anatomically conducive. Some of these models are outliers designed for specific use case scenarios (e.g. higher drop shoes for those with compromised posterior chains, overly cushioned shoes with max level stack heights for medical uses, etc.). Please feel free to reach out to our well educated staff to answer any and all questions you may have in regards to the products we carry!
We carry many versatile brands of barefoot/minimalist shoes, including but not limited to Lems, Vivo Barefoot and Xero shoes. All of our shoes without cushioning/impact protection are designed with an anatomical foot-shape and zero drop platform, allowing for unimpeded functionality of your foot’s musculature.
Our brands offer various flexibilities, stack heights and foot shapes depending on what will best serve your intended use-case, so please feel free to reach out to our staff with any questions on selecting the next best pair of footwear for you!
We believe that toe socks are one of the most imperative foot health tools that we carry. Offering gentle separation between the toes allows for the foot to properly function within a well-fitted anatomically shaped shoe. Without toe socks, foot functionality is hindered when wearing a traditional fitting sock (even when wearing healthy shaped shoes). Our bodies are susceptible to any sort of outside resistance, especially our feet! If there is material squishing our toes towards each other, our toes will naturally warp towards themselves over time. However toe socks offer separation between the toes, encouraging our toes to spread apart from themselves over time, acting akin to a gentle toe orthotic.
If further separation is required, please ask our staff about our toe orthotic brand, Correct Toes! These can be used in conjunction with toe socks in order to achieve more rapid toe splay results.
Injinji is our favorite toe sock brand, they offer a wide range of styles and blends for any individual use case. For individuals in which toe socks are not an option for whatever reason (e.g. proprioceptive issues, toe misalignment, foot injuries, etc.), we offer OS1st brand traditional socks. While these are still traditional socks, we have found them to be much more accommodating in the toe box area, allowing them to be far less compressing than other traditional sock options.
When we realized the importance of strength training, not just for runners, but for the aging human body, we wanted to make it easy for anyone to own a tool they could keep in their garage or car.
We started with kettlebells. They’re simple, both from storage but also strength. Kettlebells have been proven to add stability that you can’t get from barebells and dumbbells. Not to mention that they can train your body unilaterally. As a shop that works with runners and walkers/hikers, it is so important that the body isn’t always training bilaterally (think, traditional squats and deadlifts).
The further we dove down the rabbit hole of strength, we couldn’t help but notice that most tools, mostly emphasized strength from a muscular point of view. What they didn’t improve was people’s ability to walk, run or move “better”. Enter the RMT Club, Rope, Pro Pulsers and Resistance bands. Tools that get you out of the sagittal plane of motion (Moving forward; walking, squatting, etc). These tools promote strength but in ways that involve rotating and moving the spine. They teach your body how to balance by moving your head over foot. It allows us to work with the fascia that twists around your feet and connects to your head.
If you want to learn how to use these tools or simply learn how to move your body more efficiently, we offer classes and one on one training.
CALL TO SCHEDULE FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH TRAINING WITH SCOTT
