shoes...boots... what do u wear and why?

[Afton Grant]

Greetings Everyone,

 

I just wanted to share my opinions on a new pair of sneakers I recently began working with. They're the Nike Free model. They were designed to replicate the bare foot. This makes them EXTREMELY flexible. It also allows you to really feel the contours of the ground, which, I believe, improved my control while operating, especially with slower movements. The material they are made out of also makes them very light and nearly silent while walking.

 

Because of the design and intention of the shoes, they do not have the amount of cushion that a normal running sneaker would have. With time the foot will become conditioned, but it is definitely noticeable at first.

 

Overall, I'd definitely give them my endorsement. The silence and connection to the ground are my two favorite qualities for operating's sake.

 

The picture below attempts to demonstrate their flexibility - really, it's almost like a sock.

 

Best Regards,

Afton

 

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

And they have no support much less protection. Thanks but I'll stick with my New Balance M907's

[Gordon Li-Ron]

Speaking of support and protection...How does New Balance 475s hold up. Their not as expensive as m907s but they look fairly close. I use them...does anybody else or are the m907s considered to be the standard right now?

 

 

 

Gordon

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

While better than most shoes I feel that the 475 lacks support and midfoot control which are of vital importance while doing steadicam.

 

Those Nike things IMO should NEVER be worn on set. Today I watched as my First AC pulled a nail out of his boots, had he been wearing those Nikes he would have been down for the count.

 

I have been doing steadicam for 20 years + and I have never felt that I needed a shoe that made it feel as if I was barefoot.

 

What I look for in a shoe that I wear on set is support, midfoot control and ankle protection.

 

Oh and here's something to chew on, a good shoe has a life of approx 800 miles which in our line of work is about 3 months...

[Charles Papert]

I visited the set of "Waist Deep" last year while I was laid up with an injury and was a bit stunned to see Roberto De Angelis operating Steadicam in lightweight sandals, but then I was told by the assistants that he often operates barefoot. OSHA considerations aside, I can't even imagine such a thing but it works for him.

 

A number of years ago I bought a pair of Mephistos after Larry McC. swore by them for Steadicam. I wore them for a few days and couldn't have been more uncomfortable; they were beautifully made but didn't have nearly enough support for my liking. Their "invisibility" was exactly what Larry liked about them, which is along the lines of what Afton is going after.

 

Choice of footwear is personal enough as it is, let alone when the demands of Steadicam are factored in. I've gone through so many different "phases" over the years (hightops to lowtops to inbetween tops, etc) I can't remember them all. I was a New Balance guy for most of it, in no small part due to my proximity to the factory outlet in Boston back in the day; my current shoe is the Nike Huarache 2K5 which incorporates a certain amount of the NikeFree concept that Afton mentions while providing all of the features that Eric likes. But I would fully expect that the next operator might hate everything about them!

 

I read up about the NikeFree philosophy online a while back and thought it made a lot of sense for general activity. I'm not positive if the addition of 70 lbs to the body should not be factored into the support equation though.

 

The one thing that I recommend is to get custom orthotics made--very few of us have "perfect" feet and a quality orthotic can make a big difference. The IA health plan allows for 1 set to be made a year for free.

[Gordon Li-Ron]

Thanks for the info Eric. I'll guess I'll go try a pair and see what you are talking about.

 

I was wondering if you could elaborate a bit on the midfoot control. I get the support, and ankle protection but I am curious what midfoot control is.

 

thanks

 

 

Gordon

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

I was wondering if you could elaborate a bit on the midfoot control. I get the support, and ankle protection but I am curious what midfoot control is.

 

 

Midfoot control is what keeps the shoe fitting properly. It's what keeps your foot from sliding forward into the toebox and from sliding side to side roll you off of the sole. It does this while still allowing for comfort and blood circulation

[Brad Smith]

Guys, I can't seem to find the New Balance m907's online. Personally Asics fit me really well and I run in a pair of Kayano's. I'm curious are the shoes you prefer for operating running shoes, or cross trainers, or walking shoes....... I'm guessing a pair of cross trainers would provide a bit more lateral stability and hence the mnidfoot control and extra loadbearing capacity???? Am I on the right track (no pun intended) or are you guys just wearing comfortable runners?

 

Brad.

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

M907's on New Balance website

 

 

 

There you go

[Brad Grimmett]

I've been a Merrell guy for a long time. Still am really, but I just bought a pair of Keen's since I've been hearing good things about them. Merrell's last so much longer than sneakers for me. Sneakers always seem to fall apart on me really fast. Plus, Merrell's are made in the U.S., which is a nice bonus. People sure do seem to love their New Balance though.

[Matt Burton]

I learnt that hard way with my shoes as ever.

Was rushing packing my kit for a feature and only packed my flat sole skate shoes.

This wouldn't have been a problem with the flyer but on a heavy rig my feet were in tatters by the end of the week.

Now on the look for the perfect steadicam shoe for heavy rigs ?

-matt

[Bryan Trieb]

Since I have a wide foot, I find that Nike or Adidas or the like are not for me. Just recently bought a pair of Merrel's and love them for outdoor operating, as well as the New Balance model Eric posted.

Still, for studio/stage operating I swear by my skater shoes...DC's, Vans, Etnies, Circa...all rock for me, however I don't use custom orthodics or in-soles, so typically I'll change my shoes at least twice per day to keep the pressure points on my feet changing. I find this keeps me "fresh". My camera peers always get a kick out of my "set-bag" filled with enough clothing/shoes for a weekend get-away!

Operating barefoot????...damn, that might look cool but how dangerous, non?

Fly safe y'all!

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

Merrells for me. Many sets actually - not all for Steadicam at that. Only complaint I ever hear about Merrells are from people with extra wide feet, which I don't have. Never knew it was called midfoot control but it makes perfect sense as this is one of the things I love about all my Merrells. No slipping, yet good circulation.

 

One thing to think about is different kind of footwear for different environments. For outdoor work, especially in rough terrain, I tend to like my Merrell boots with ankle support and lots of arch support. For interiors, I go with a sneaker type low top Merrell for a little more flexibility and the "feel" Afton is going after (yet these still have good arch support). The catch 22 is that I could almost see wanting the NikeFree on a set of narrow stairs to better "feel" your way up and because larger footwear can foul you up. On the flip side, stairs is where we need ankle and arch support!

 

Brad, I own a set of keens and they are great for many things. I've even worn them on set on a few occasions (always with another set of shoes with me) for conventional camera work. But for Steadicam, I switch back to Merrells (I have done a couple simple shots with Keens, but they lack enough ankle support for anything serious).

 

Charles, thanks for the info on 600's plan - didn't know they'd pay for shoes. Cool.

 

To each their own, even more so than our vests!

[Brad Grimmett]

Alec,

Have you tried Superfeet? Here's a link to these insoles

if you haven't seen them before. They provide a little extra support and stablization and work well with Merrell's.

I've been wearing my Merrell Chameleon Stretch a lot lately, but I also have the more rigid and rugged Mesa Ventilator. The Chameleon Stretch are a bit like the Nike Free, but with a more rigid sole.

I've operated barefoot on two occasions. Once was on a beach where I had to go from sand to water, and I wasn't warned in advance, so I only had one pair of shoes which I needed to be dry later in the day. It wasn't too bad and I even did a bit of a run going into the ocean, but walking on sand with bare feet will tire you out VERY quickly.

The second barefoot occasion was in a house in Beverly Hills. Our last shot of the day in this house was in the owners bedroom, which has very expensive hardwood floors. The owner would not let anyone in this room with shoes on, so both Shannon Elizabeth and I had to work with bare feet. It was a very small move so I wasn't affected too much. After a long day of operating it actually felt pretty good the get the shoes off!

[Brad Smith]

There you go

 

Ah ha thanks eric, they look like great shoes I think I'll try them out!

 

The merrel site is interesting to, I didn't know they made so many models. I like the look of the Chameleon II gore tex mid, for a bit of ankle support.

 

Thanks all,where else could you find this sort of info and opinions, you guys rock, this forum rocks!!