PHILOMATH, Ore. (BRAIN) — Softstar Shoes, a maker of handcrafted minimal footwear, has released a new model for athletic and casual wear, the Primal. The Primal includes a toe box protector made from used bike inner tubes reclaimed by the Corvallis (Oregon) Bicycle Collective.
The Primal is part of the brand's RunAmocs collection. It has an anatomically correct sole meant to allow natural foot movement, including a wide toe box that allows for toe splay and flexible materials to encourage feet to move freely while building strength and balance.
"This shoe is revolutionary in the healthy footwear market because of its sole shape," said Softstar's CEO, Tricia Salcido. "There is a growing movement of people 're-wilding' their feet — spending more time barefoot and correcting years of debilitating and deformative effects of ill-fitting footwear. The Primal is a direct response to their feedback requesting the ultimate in natural footbed design."
The Primal has leather uppers that mold to the foot and a flexible, zero-drop Vibram rubber sole. The shoe comes in three colors: all black, gray with blue details, and maroon with brown and sage green details. The Primal is handmade and hand-stitched in the company's Oregon workshop. They retail for $140.
Softstar has been making minimalist footwear since 1985. More information: softstarshoes.com. More information on the Corvallis Bicycle Collective at corvallisbikes.org.
