I just wanted to let you know and all the minimalist runners / Barefoot runners... the prototype I have seen from the minimus line was really awesome! For those of us that like the look of a shoe but choose not to wear them due to our lifestyle - NB nailed it with this project! thanks NB! Can't wait to get my hands on one

@barefootadam - on Twitter

I've been running in the Road Minimus protos for about 3 weeks now and they are amazing. My new favorite shoe.

Can you make a winter version of these shoes? There is absolutely no chance that I will purchase this shoe, as during summer I will run either completely barefoot or in my homemade sandals. But for wintertime I would love to see a shoe on the market with:

Super thin sole (3mm max)
Decent traction on packed snow
Slightly insulated upper

I've been thinking of UGG-shoes for this, but with a snugger fit and thinner sole.

The temperature range I'm thinking of is from freezing to 0°F.

I am super excited to try these out! There has been a lot of interest in minimalist running products in the Toronto area and it's outstanding that New Balance will have a product offering in this movement. There are NB sponsored elite runners in Guelph, Ontario who are also very excited to use NB Minimus products in their training in 2011.

@SkinShoes - we asked Katherine about this and she said it's a possibility as we plan the line out. We've heard a few other mentions of creating a winter product around here. It's great to know there's interest. Thanks for your request!

@ SkinShoes: the problem you'll have with a 3mm sole in the winter is that you'll get pretty cold. You can lose a lot of heat from the bottom of your foot. My Vibram Fivefingers have a 3mm sole and when it gets below 25 or so, I can't run in them (they don't fit well with socks, even toe socks).

I love my Fivefingers, but I can't wait for this line to come out. What are the odds of buying a prototype? I'd love to try these out.

@ pk:

Well, 25 degrees below (Celsius or Fahrenheit) is quite a step down from the temperature range I was thinking of. Also, the Vibrams do not have do not have insulated upper (as far as I know). I don't have much experience in running barefoot in much below freezing, but I know running *at* freezing it is all right as the foot seems to be generating a lot of heat when barefoot running. And when I run in my sandals, which have a 3mm elephant bark sole and 1mm felt footbed, my feet are outright toasty warm even in freezing temperatures.

Maybe if it had a 3mm (all right, maybe 4 or 5mm) rubber sole and an optional 2-3mm closed cell insulating material insole for those really cold days? (Optional as in making the footbed comfortable with or without said insole).

I'm really excited for these shoes. Been running in vibram classics for the past few months. While I love them, the toes are kind of small for me so it's not the most comfortable.. While the individual toe box thing is very novel, I think I might be more a foot mitten kind of guy.

Anyway I saw some teaser photos here of one of the Minimus shoes:
http://barefootrunningshoes.org/2010/07/28/new-balance-minimus-teaser-photos-and-surprises/

i couldn't help but notice on one of the photos how there is a Vibram logo on the shoe. Did you guys team up with the FiveFinger's people?

@SkinShoes i wear Injiji socks with my Vibram FiveFingers in the winter in the San Francisco Bay Area -not as cold as MidWest or East Coast!

Nick

Hey I run http://birthdayshoes.com, which is the fan site for Vibram Five Fingers, and also covers the growing line of minimalist shoes out there -- wanted to see if there was anyway I could get a sneak peak at the minimus, so this is more of a "contact" attempt to New Balance than a comment for publishing. If someone could drop me an email that would be great!

This shoe would probably be perfect if it didn't have a drop. Honestly, if you're going to make a "minimalist" shoe, why would you go with 4mm as opposed to zero?

I agree, I run barefoot half the time and in my Five Fingers the other half depending on the terrain, and I would be very interested in supporting a New Balance minimalist shoe. But it would HAVE to be zero drop.

Greene & Russel,

I was kind of lucky to see a prototype of this shoe and if they go with the model I saw an Olympian wearing then we are in luck! There was zero drop. The pair I saw had an upper similiar to the Vibram Bikila and the bottom similar to the Terra Plana Evo. It had a waffle/honeycomb tread. If this is one of the shoes that will be coming out then we will be very happy. The bottom was not a Vibram sole like someone pointed out earlier. If NB and Vibram teamed up on a Minimalist shoe then we are truly going to have the greatest minimalist shoe ever! Can't wait to see and read more!

@Greene Have you tried out the Ninja bootie (I prefer the Split Toe) from ZEMGear? It is almost a zero drop minimalist running shoe.

@Justin, Our PR team lets me know you guys are in touch, thanks for reaching out!

@BarefootGlen, We did team up with Vibram. They were helpful in advising on how to make sure the sole unit was truly minimal, extremely lightweight and flexible. Great team over there. And more on our partnership with them to come!

How much cushioning do these have? How thick is all the material between my foot and the pavement? Why do they have any drop at all? For those of us that are full barefooters, but live in northern climates, NB would e a great go-to source for when the temp is below freezing and I have to cover up. I'd be happy to test out a pair and provide feedback. I'm a 70-mile a week barefooter ;)

Dear NB Staff: What was your "sports research lab" doing the past decade, or two, or three. Although I'm glad to see you moving towards a lower profile shoe with less cushioning, I'm just not sold on the authenticity of your motivations, except financial.

@Greene @Russell_Taylor_1 I remember reading somewhere that Skora line will be zero-drop. http://skorarunning.com - there's a prototype on their News page, see newsletter 1.

@ dominic_k, and @Russell_Taylor,
all the talk about Zero drop, not so sure it "NEEDS" to be exactly zero to work for you, and besides, the VFF are not a Zero drop either. They are a 2mm drop (10mm in heel, 8mm in forefoot)

Those measurements are for the KSO Trek. Obviously the Sprint and Classic are lower, but I still think the drop is 2mm on those as well, but I'm NOT sure.

@concernedrunner.
The NB sports research lab was created 3 years ago and they started studying the effects of barefoot running pretty much from the start. The results of the research were applied to the Minimus line.

Can someone please share where these shoes are/ will be made? Thanks.

I find it disturbing that companies like NB, Nike, Saucony, etc. tried for years to sell us all on how important arch support is. And now they're all jumping on the minimalist bandwagon? What's next, McDonald's serving low-carb, fish-oil infused chicken with pomegranate seeds?

I visited the New Balance website looking for minimalist footwear. This is a great step in the right direction! I **beg** you, dear New Balance, please offer an extra wide size. I have the feet of a bear!

Will New Balance make the new Minimus in a 4E width? I've looked at all of the current minimalist options out there (Terra Plana, Nike, etc) and I can not find a single one that has even a wide option on the width.

Dear New Balance
I am long-term fan and found that your shoes are the only ones that fit me well. I have been shifting to more forefoot running and confess to having 5 fingers (the only non-NB running shoe I own). I am also one of your testers and am enjoying the 773 a lot. I was thrilled when the MT100 came out only to find that they were not available in 2E--i tried hard to make them fit but simply could not. I even have trouble with the 904 2E which seems to run narrower than others. I hope that is fixed in the 101's and that as you plan the launch of the Minimus you keep in mind that section of consumers (many in your following) with wide feet. Widths seems to be the achilles heel of several minimalist shoes: Nike's Lunarglides, Saucony Kinvara are great shoes but just not cut for those of us with wide hoofs! Please keep us wide-footers in mind!

is the minimus available in the philippines?

Hi All - I've been digging up answers to your questions...here's what I've found out so far:

@madeyex, @JasonK, @Emanuele - We are working on delivering these shoes in widths for some time in the fall (2011). We built these shoes on a new last (wider in the toe box than our performance last to allow for the additional splay, and obviously less drop), and any new lasts, or additions to new lasts (such as widths) need to be proved out in fit testing, so we haven't nailed down timing yet, but once approved in fit testing, it will go to production.

@AndrewNYC - at present time, we're planning to produce these shoes overseas. Here's the info I got from the product team:

"Almost all of our shoes are assessed for domestic manufacturing viability. This collection currently cannot be supported by US manufacturing because of some unique constructions involved (particularly around the footbed construction that is executed without exposed interior stitching) that we don’t do in the U.S."

@biologist - you bring up a great point. These shoes aren't necessarily for everyone. Many people will still feel more comfortable using shoes that provide good arch support. With the NB Minimus line, we hope to recognize and support the important group of runners who also value a more minimalistic approach to running. That being said, your McDonald's suggestion sounds delicious! I would certainly order that from the dollar menu. ;)

@cocoy - I've got our international product manager tracking down whether or not these will be available in the Philippines. Will post an ****** as soon as I have one.

@AndrewNYC - I forgot to mention, cushioning will vary from style to style, but the Trail version will provide the least cushioning.

@RunKellyRun - I've set emails to your web contact and tester staff but still haven't heard back. I'm finishing an ebook on minimalist running shoes for Amazon Kindle and Apple iPad and would love to add Minimus and hopefully some testing time on it before I publish the book. Can someone contact me soon? Thanks!

@MinimalistRunner - let me see if I can get someone to contact you directly. And congratulations on the book, that's fantastic!

I don't really care if your motivations are financial. I love the MT100's and I'm psyched to try the Minimus and the MT101. I never had a problem with the achilles on the 100s, just lucky feet I guess. As long as the stinky glue problem is resolved I have no complaints at all. When you say the trail Minimus has the least cushioning, does that mean it will have some sort of protection plate like the 100s?

I am very happy to see that you are coming out with a more minimalist running shoe, I actually logged onto your website tonight to express my disappointment that the nb trail 100's are gaining more arch support and heel cushion. They have now become like every other shoe out there that I wont wear and I have stopped recommending them to others. I am excited to see what you come out with in march of 2011. Thanks for being willing to try something different and please stop making the heel higher than the forefoot.

Is there any reason you still keep 4mm drop? Why not make flat? I think 4mm is still thick enough that human changes foot landing unconsciously. If you take a drastic move with NB minimus, I would like to see such a design. You can go back to make a 4mm drop shoe any time.

Hi NB Staff

will this shoe be available in the UK?

Great to see more of this in the market! I'm curious to see how these turn out. Always available to provide feedback on prototypes.

Brett (barefoot and FiveFingers)
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/UserFiles/File/Wall_Street_Journal6-6-2006.jpg

After my disappointment when the 790s were no longer in production, it's great to hear that NB is coming out with a minimal shoe! I have been in VFFs for the past year along with some other minimal shoes and barefoot running mixed in. Can't wait to try a pair of these and get on the trails here in CO. I am not sure about building a thicker upper though for cold weather running. I guess it all depends on conditions but even in winter running here in the mountains, I prefer a lighter, mesh shoe that can dry quickly and a good pair of wool socks to provide the insulation. I have found that the Injinji socks in the NuWool are some of the best but have also used socks from Smartwool.

Thanks NB for bringing these to us! Also, I think these may become a hit in the CrossFit and CrossFit Endurance community where VFFs have become very popular. Would love to get my hands on some and review them for the CF/CFE community.

I add my name to the chorus of those begging for wide widths. 4E, if possible. I'll put my money where my mouth is--if you make these in 4E I'll buy one right now, sight unseen. just tell me where to send the money and how much. Oh, and when it comes, I also promise a full and fairly ruthless review on my blog.

I would absolutely love a more traditional looking minimalist shoe! Glad that you're going with a wider toe box. Any chance of colors that don't shock the public so that I could actually wear them to work in? I'd also buy a few winter pair- some sort of breathable yet water resistant material (if that combo is even possible) for snow and slush would sell so well here!

I am quiet sure NB's motivations are financial, and that is 100% fine with me. They are a business. Businesses exist to make money. Businesses that don't make money cease to exist. Not sure why people are crying about "financial motivatiions". Please tell me when the last time was that you bought anything anywhere that did not involve financial motivations.
That being said, I stoked about the minimus line. I currently run in stability shoes and have tried barefoot and VFF running. Did not work for me, caused major pain that a year later I am still trying to get rid of. I like the idea of something minimal but still having a little bit of a traditional shoe feel (slight cushioning and small amount of drop). That is fine with me. I probably will only use them on interval sprints and keep my 903 type shoes for distance.
Thanks New Balance for listening to the market and moving toward what the market is asking for. You have my loyal support.

I would love to try these shoes. I'm an 11EE if you need a wear tester for the wide designs! I did a lot of running this year in the MT100 and loved it. I ran and won the DWD Gnaw Bone 50 Miler wearing the MT100.

Fantastic news. I am now running with NB 100 and love them for trails, roads and track intervals. Question: are you considering expanding minimalist shoes to kids sizes (say size 4 and up). My two boys 8 yr and 14 yr are avid runners now using NB 760 and they are excited about barefoot running (we already do strides barefoot on grass). Thanks and keep up the great work!

www.runningwithkids.com
twitter/running_kids

I wear a 16. What are the chances? Or will I remain beyond the targeted market group?

It is great some of the big shoe companies are finally taking those who want to run in minimal footwear seriously.

However, I would like to add my voice to the (small) chorus of voices who are very disappointed there will still be a 4mm drop. Who will be the first of the major running shoe companies to have the guts to come out with a minimal shoe that has no drop? If this line of shoes is for people "seeking a TRULY minimalist experience" (emphasis mine) then New Balance has missed the boat.

The 100s are nice for the trails, after I took off half the rubber on the bottom and shaved down the heel with sandpaper. How does a shoe with a 12mm drop ever end up being thought of as minimalist?

I will be trying Skora before the Minimus and the new Inov-8 x-talon 190 before I get a pair of the 101s.

@SCK

Going from 4mm to a zero drop shoe may have a significant impact on your running style and worst yet, injury. Don't do too much too soon.

Altra Running has a zero drop shoe coming out this Fall. I haven't tested it yet so don't know the exact impact.

MinimalistRunner- for me, going from 4mm to zero drop isn't an issue. I have already gone there. But I take your point-which is why I think it is a great thing we have shoes like the Kinvara and now Minimus, so people who are curious about trying a more minimal running shoe have some solid options without having to go "all the way" to something like the fivefingers.

I do not wish to be overly cranky, but every major shoe company who comes out with what they tout as a "minimal" shoe leaves me disappointed. Maybe one day a company like New Balance will announce something that leaves me excited. I will continue waiting.

Thanks for the tip- I will check out the Altra Running shoes, I am surprised I hadn't heard of those.

@SCK

I went from heel-striking in traditional Asics running shoes to forefoot-landing Vibram Five Fingers. It took about 9 months to adjust and fine tune my running form. But I train exclusively on grass, Astro Turf, and the local high school tartan track. For street or sidewalk running, the Vibrams are tough on my knees and calfs. I need something like Minimus, Skora, Altra, or Inov-8 for that...

I need those minimalist running shoes for my training AND racing now!