Earth Shoes and the Negative Heel
A negative heel is a decline in the area of the shoe where the heel rest and causes the entire foot to rise on an incline. This is suppose to help posture and relieve pain that is caused by the body being in an unnatural state from wearing higher heels. The incline of the shoes is also helpful in burning extra calories, similar to walking on inclined treadmill or up a hill.
The shoes also come with a Gelron2000 insole. It’s a cushioning material that absorbs the shock that would impact the feet, as well as knees, legs and muscles. The material also allows the foot-bed to mold to your foot.
Wearing the Earth brand may take some getting used to. There is a very different feel to walking with a negative heel when most shoes today are made to raise the heel. It can cause some discomfort in leg muscles because they are not used to walking this way. It’s quite similar to the way muscles feel after being worked-out. It might be a good idea to wear Earth shoes a few hours at a time to adjust to the new feel of the shoe.
Earth brand shoes make styles for men and women. They have sandals, shoes and boots all the negative heel and shock absorbing foot bed. Some of the styles do come in wide widths but they are no styles made in narrow widths. Although shoes with adjustable laces and buckles may help accommodate those with narrow feet.
The shoe company is also known for making a wide variety of their styles in leather and vegan materials as well. The brand provides a wide selection of cruelty free items for those that only wear vegan shoes. The vegan selections are made out of high quality materials such as micro fiber.
This particular style of shoes may not work well for those who have orthotics or lifts that are placed inside the shoes. Anything worn in the heel area will lift the heel and defeat the purpose of the negative heel technology. Although most styles of shoes featured by Earth have a flat-bottom surface, which may allow for a full-length lift to be placed on the bottom of a shoe by a cobbler.
Earth brand footwear prices range in the area of $89 to $149. However, there is a brand called EARTH SHOES that can be found at Wal-Mart stores. While they are significantly cheaper these do not have the Kalso negative heel and are not authentic Earth shoes. This can be a problem if buying shoes online. It may seem like a steal at $20 but they may not be the original Earth brand.
Featured on the company’s website are consumer testimonials about Earth shoes and how they’ve helped those that have worn them. There is also a forum for consumers. Some of the issues brought up in the forum are controversial particularly those about the company’s ethics and the quality of the shoes. Although most companies do not feature open forums on their websites, the topics discussed are most likely issues that most companies face they just aren’t posted on the companies websites. At least Earth is brave enough to let people say good and bad about their company without editing comments. It gives the consumer a chance to decide for themselves about the pros and cons of Earth shoes as well as tell others about their experiences with the products.
Anyone considering giving Earth shoes a try may want to check with a podiatrist if they have any foot problems. Depending on the condition Earth shoes may cause problems.
Overall Earth shoes offer a product that is unlike any other on the market. They offer a wide variety of options for those interested in their shoes and the company hopes to promote healthy living.
