Running with Skinners
I bought my Skinners a while ago, during their crowdfunding campaign (5 years
ago, in January 2017!) but didn't really use them a lot.
I did it recently, so here's my review of those "shoes/socks".
Skinners?
What is it?
Skinners is both the name of the product, and the
name of the company.
The company is based in Czechia (Central Europe).
They are behind Skinners (the product), which they define as "new piece/kind of
clothing: the freedom of a sock and the protection of a shoe into one nifty
entity."
Why did I buy them?
I funded Skinners' Indiegogo campaign as I really liked the concept behind: a
versatile "entity", which is as light as socks, but still provides a lot more
protection.
Since I travel a lot (well, before Covid of course), it was really appealing to
me to have something light to carry with me (the same applies to my Unbound
Merino clothes, which I'll detail in another
blog post).
Why so long?
Well, I ran a bit with my skinners (Strava reports 39 kms, so that probably makes 3 runs), but I mainly used them when at home / in the garden: they're really comfortable, and it's a pleasure just walking with them.
Why running with them?
I like to travel light, and I run a lot. Combine those together and you realise that running shoes are the most heavy gear you carry. So having something (much) lighter is nice.
Test
Look
I own the first version of Skinners (which they now brand as "Skinners 1.0").
"Skinners 2.0" have been introduced recently - they provide a wider toe box, and
a removable insole.
I love my Skinners' look, they don't look like you're wearing socks, but rather minimalist shoes.
Feel
Every single time I'm putting them on, I'm thinking to myself: "wow, I forgot
how nice it is, compared with running socks + running shoes".
And indeed that's how it feels like: you're wearing socks that you can walk and
run with, without having to put an additional layer.
Warning
It was obvious to me when I bought them, but it's worth writing down: running with your Skinners means you have transitioned to forefront running!!!
Indeed, since there's no cushioning at all (the outsole is 3mm!), you can't run "heel striking", or at least not more than a few meters, before your body tells you to stop :).
So I don't recommend Skinners to runners who haven't transitioned, or even are in the process of transitioning - since the cushioning is non-existent, it makes it super hard for your feet to adapt.
Washing your Skinners
Skinners needs to be washed in a specific manner;
This is all explained on Skinners' website:
"Put your Skinners in a mesh laundry bag, set your washing machine to a gentle
cycle (30°C/86°F), throw your Skinners in (we recommend carefully turning them
inside out so as not to damage the fabrics) with your regular clothes and wash
them together. After you finish, hang them out to dry properly (just as you
would dry your regular footwear) and wear them again."
I did it this way, and with muddy Skinners, I had to hand wash them to clean them properly.
Wrap Up
OK, so let's wrap this up - rather than just a sentence, I'll list the pros and cons of the Skinners - again, from a running perspective:
Pros
- Lightweight: they're really light and small, making them easy to carry when travelling,
- Confortable: you could say "wearing them is believing it" - it's hard to believe that walking and running with Skinners feels natural and is comfortable, but it is!
- Works OK even on trails: surprisingly, running on trails with small sharp
stones is not painful, thanks to the Skinners' anti-abrasive sole.
That was one of my fears, as when running with my Merrel Vapor Glove, I really
need to be careful where my feet land!
Of course this does not replace a "proper" pair of shoes, so beware!
Cons
- Use only for easy runs: I tried doing intervals with my Skinners - I don't
recommend it, as I got blisters.
The same applies to long runs - I haven't tried more than 12K, but I would not recommend running for e.g. 2 hours with them. - Not waterproof: when running in the woods, it can get a bit muddy when it rains, and you can run in puddles - regular running shoes will prevent your foot/sock to be wet - there's no such thing with Skinners, they'll get easily wet. It's not really a criticism though, you can't get both a light, foldable "sock", which at the same time has the same "features" as a regular running shoe.
- Not ideal when it's hot: if it's more than 25 degrees, obviously you'll sweat a lot more, and so will your feet - and you'll feel it in your Skinners, making it a bit less nice to run with them. Not a huge deal, but something to bear in mind.
Tags: Running