Let's be fair... snake oil in the form of sneakers is really not the worst thing people have been sold on.

Actually..they probably do work.

Not for the reasons they claim, but if before you bought these the most exercise you got was walking from the couch to the garage to the office and back, and now you're walking around the block a few times, you're gonna lose some weight.

I'm still a believer in these things though:

People actually have to be told this??? WTF.

/explains the 2004 election I guess

serial_crusher: I'm still a believer in these things though:

those are great- if you have a perfect gate, have never sustained an injury to your hips, legs, knees, spine or feet, and you haven't been running with built up sneakers for long.

If you're in your late 20s and have been active all life? Those things are more likely to be harmful.

Skechers introduced Shape-ups in 2009, and sales peaked a year later. The FTC called Skechers an industry leader in the booming business of toning footwear. Estimated sales were close to $1 billion industrywide in 2010, the FTC said. The toning shoes Skechers sold cost between $60 and $100 a pair.

Somewhere out there is a person who spent $100 on Nutella and Skechers for her kids and is wondering why they're not junior olympiads.

While I am normally all for consumer protection, anyone who was stupid enough to buy those expecting to lose weight or get a killer ass sort of deserves to lose their money.

Those same health benefits were touted back in the 70s, and you thankfully didn't see them around for too long then, either.

Shoes don't work unless you actually, you know, walk or something in them

they do look tasty.

No kidding. I learned that the hard way.
I had eaten a pair of these shoes once a week for 7 months. Those things aren't cheap you know. Months went by and no weight lost. I actually gained weight and some major 'digestive' issues too.

Everybody wants a shortcut.

serial_crusher: I'm still a believer in these things though:
[www.vibramfivefingers.com image 237x197]

There's a new definition of toe jam a'brewin.

I have a knock-off pair of shoes like that, thinking "hey, they probably don't do anything but may as well take a chance" -- they were like $25 anyway. My co-worker insisted her Sketchers ones were doing something and how she could feel the difference and all. All I noticed was they were a pain in the ass to drive in and seemed like they'd be pretty easy to injure your ankle in since they're all uneven on the bottom.

what_now: serial_crusher: I'm still a believer in these things though:

those are great- if you have a perfect gate, have never sustained an injury to your hips, legs, knees, spine or feet, and you haven't been running with built up sneakers for long.

If you're in your late 20s and have been active all life? Those things are more likely to be harmful.

You have to adapt to them gradually. After two+ decades in traditional shoes, your feet can't adapt to barefoot style in a month or two. But if you're patient with them, a lot of those nagging things work themselves out.

My girlfriend had flat feet her whole life. After a year of gradually going from normal shoes to Nike Frees to Vibrams, she has arches and her feet don't hurt when she stands anymore.

Jubeebee: My girlfriend had flat feet her whole life. After a year of gradually going from normal shoes to Nike Frees to Vibrams, she has arches and her feet don't hurt when she stands anymore.

Good for her. I have a torn planter fascia. I would need surgery if I tried using those things for my daily life.

I love my rockers - as I call them. They remind me of hockey skates. I didn't get them expecting any butt miracles. I got them because they are fun to rock back and forth in when I walk. They are bouncy too :-) Skechers are my favorite brand of shoes.

If people were dumb enough to think that simply wearing a pair of shoes would do the trick then they deserved to be tricked. You have to put the motor in gear if you want to get somewhere.

what_now: serial_crusher: I'm still a believer in these things though:

those are great- if you have a perfect gate, have never sustained an injury to your hips, legs, knees, spine or feet, and you haven't been running with built up sneakers for long.

If you're in your late 20s and have been active all life? Those things are more likely to be harmful.

Anecdotal evidence is Anecdotal. But when I was 5 years old, I stepped on glass. From that moment on, I wore shoes. All the time. I avoided sandals and flip flops, even. I had high arches, weak ankles, and all my toes were curled inward. My 2nd toe was longer than my first. My feet were as tender as they can get. A few years ago I met Cody Lundin. He walks in the desert bare footed. It's crazy. But it got me thinking about it.

I got a pair of these, without reading any reviews. I simply got them and wore them. In the beginning, my achilles hurt, a lot. I kicked rocks constantly- and was in a lot of pain. I may have fractured a few toes that first summer. I blistered. Lots of growing pains.

But now I can run, hike, backpack, canyoneer, and just plain walk about without much worry. My biggest problem is stepping on cactus thorns or some other thorns, and the heat of the summer ground is uncomfortable, here. My ankles are much stronger, too (and I had torn one pretty badly just out of high school).

I don't know how much pain you are in, but these aren't awful. Like anything, your body simply has to adjust.

GGracie: I love my rockers - as I call them. They remind me of hockey skates. I didn't get them expecting any butt miracles. I got them because they are fun to rock back and forth in when I walk. They are bouncy too :-) Skechers are my favorite brand of shoes.

If people were dumb enough to think that simply wearing a pair of shoes would do the trick then they deserved to be tricked. You have to put the motor in gear if you want to get somewhere.

GG! Holy crap! (see my profile)

I just got them becuase they're comfortable. Unfortunatley they also have laces so I hardly ever wear them. (I hate laces)

Wow. You mean people who want a quick fix are easily mislead by shady advertising?

The hell you say!

what_now: Good for her. I have a torn planter fascia. I would need surgery if I tried using those things for my daily life.

If you have a torn planter fascia you probably need surgery anyway, no? That's not the sort of thing that heals without quite a bit of rehab from what I hear.

/not going to make a planted fascism joke

Jubeebee: If you have a torn planter fascia you probably need surgery anyway, no? That's not the sort of thing that heals without quite a bit of rehab from what I hear.

yeah. Three months in a mother fng walking boot. During the snowiest winter Boston has had in decades. I whined about it almost incessantly.

what_now: Jubeebee: If you have a torn planter fascia you probably need surgery anyway, no? That's not the sort of thing that heals without quite a bit of rehab from what I hear.

yeah. Three months in a mother fng walking boot. During the snowiest winter Boston has had in decades. I whined about it almost incessantly.

If only you had friends in warmer places. ;-)

Nadie_AZ: what_now: Jubeebee: If you have a torn planter fascia you probably need surgery anyway, no? That's not the sort of thing that heals without quite a bit of rehab from what I hear.

yeah. Three months in a mother fng walking boot. During the snowiest winter Boston has had in decades. I whined about it almost incessantly.

If only you had friends in warmer places. ;-)

HA!

My bestie lives in Phoenix.

One day perhaps people will stop falling for crap like this.