Why I started destroying sneakers with scissors

I used to grab scissors and destroy sneakers.

Literally.

And it wasn’t out of boredom.

I thought I was getting into barefoot to run better.

But something much bigger blew up in my face.

I didn’t just change how I ran.

I changed how I saw a shoe.

And that mattered more.

You’ll see.

Years ago, when all this started, the debate was simple.

Minimalism or cushioning.

That was it.

I was deep into it.

Testing.

Experimenting.

Failing.

And while people argued in forums.

I grabbed my shoes.

And cut them.

Took parts of the sole off.

Removed what got in the way.

Everything that didn’t add value, gone.

I wanted the minimum.

Less cushioning.

Less tech.

Less help.

And that’s when the war started.

I saw it clearly.

Either I used my body…
or I let the shoe decide for me.

And here’s the key.

It wasn’t just about cushioning.

That was the headline, not the full story.

There was more.

Heel elevation.

Rigidity.

Stability systems.

Pronation control.

All of that added layers.

Layers that separated you from what was happening underneath.

And something else almost no one looked at.

Width.

Toe space.

And here’s the point most people don’t want to see.

You can remove cushioning.

You can make the sole thinner.

But if your toes are still cramped…
you’ve understood nothing.

And still, nobody talked about it.

They even created a minimalism index to classify shoes.

A number.

And it didn’t include width.

Unbelievable.

Over time, things changed.

Cushioning stopped being sold as health.

And started being sold as performance.

Shoes with carbon plates.

Huge soles.

Promises of going faster.

Shaving seconds off the clock.

And that hooks you.

Because it’s easier to run for the clock,

than to listen to what your body is telling you.

Because it hits something very basic.

Ego.

The feeling of improving, being faster, more efficient, more “pro”.

And that’s hard to compete with.

I’m not saying it’s wrong.

Everyone does what they want.

But I stepped away from that.

Because when you stop running against the clock…

you start noticing other things.

How you land.

How you breathe.

How your foot actually works.

And there’s no going back from that.

Because running stops being a fight.

And becomes something much simpler.

More natural.

More yours.

Because you no longer depend on the shoe.

You depend on yourself.

Alright.

If you like running this way.

If you want to feel the ground.

If you want your body to do the work instead of foam.

Minimalism is for you.

Barefoot is for you.

And if I had to pick shoes right now, no doubt.

I’d go with brands that have been doing this right for years.

They’re what I use when I want to forget about the shoes
and focus on running.

Vivobarefoot and Merrell.

One more thing.

You can wear them until you see the ground through the sole.

For road and paths:

- Vivobarefoot Primus Flow

- Merrell Vapor Glove 7

Efectiviwonder.

Health starts in your feet.
Antonio Caballo.

Ps.

For mountain and trail.

- Vivobarefoot Primus Flow Trail

- Merrell Trail Glove 8