Kicking Off His Shoes - Forever

One Man Thinks Life Is Sweeter Barefoot, And He's Shunned Leather And Laces For Years

(CBS)  If shoes can make the man - then what are we to make of Chris Roat?

He's a 32-year-old IT specialist and member of the Society for Barefoot Living, CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman reports.

“It’s more connected to the earth," Roat said. "You get more of a sensory feedback.”

The society is an international organization of more than 1,000 loafer loathers - people who, not only prefer going barefoot, but believe we should all give our shoes the boot.

“Foot ailments that podiatrists spend a lot of time treating are at least exacerbated by, if not caused by shoes.”

And you know what’s really disturbing? Other than this camera angle? That Chris is right. Or at least there are several recent studies that seem to back him up.

One, in a podiatry journal called “The Foot,” compared feet today with 2,000-year-old skeleton feet - and discovered that, as a species, we had healthier feet before we invented the shoe … that shoes do more harm than good.

And that we wouldn’t need shoes, if we didn’t wear shoes.

"Well, did you ever talk to a caveman?” said Jerry, a salesman at Joseph’s shoes in Philadelphia. "Well then how would you know it’s not necessary?!”

Of course, not everyone is buying it.

“You can walk over nails, stones, cut glass," Jerry said. "You have to walk all the time watching where you’re going, you could get hit by a car."

"I didn’t even factor that in," Hartman said.

Chris, who doesn’t even wear shoes to his job at a mail-order company, insists there’s nothing dangerous, or unsanitary, about it.

In fact -- those signs that say no shoes, no service by order of the health department - the barefooters say that’s just a bunch of malarky. They even have letters from every state health department in America saying there is no such order.

“This country is founded on freedom and liberty and such a simple choice shouldn’t be questioned at all," Chris said.

Still, despite his passion, Chris knows all too well how hard it is to convince people to give up their shoes.

His daughter Lily has 13 pair and insists she needs them all.

I guess sometimes the apple can fall far from the shoe tree.

[judirivera1]

Chris - If you insist on going to a restaurant barefoot, don''t forget to visit the men''s room. The thought of standing barefoot in someone else''s pee sounds pretty unsanitary to me. We all know that men don''t always shoot straight.

[bfchris-2009]

judirivera1: Well, while I think its generally gross that someone would be so uncouth as to pee on the floor, the actual fact is that urine is pretty sterile (about 97% water I believe). So, while it may be a bit icky (as are restroom doorknobs touched by hands that haven''t been washed), it really doesn''t pose much health risk to a healthy person.

[bfchris-2009]

judirivera1: Well, while I think its generally gross that someone would be so uncouth as to pee on the floor, the actual fact is that urine is pretty sterile (about 97% water I believe). So, while it may be a bit icky (as are restroom doorknobs touched by hands that haven''t been washed), it really doesn''t pose much health risk to a healthy person.

[dirtysoles]

I love this story... I have devoted my life in photography to woman who go barefoot.

www.myspace.com/dirtysoles

[grammawhamma]

I agree walking barefoot is heathier...but what does this guy do in winter if he is from Philly?

As one who also eschews shoes, I really enjoyed that story. I love going barefoot and HATE wearing shoes. I ran a majority of my Little League and Pony League practices barefoot, much to the chagrin of the kids parents but, when you win, even Little League parents become more forgiving "soles":)

[adammax85233]

ok... i see the argument on not needing shoes all the time, however the thought that no one should wear shoes is,simply put, nuts! for my argument i cite two examples, 1) hot asphalt. I live in Arizona were the saying, %u201Cyou could *** a egg on the side walk%u201D has been proven time and time again. In the summer the side walk, in the shade reaches temperatures well over 110 degrees and just walking across the parking bare foot can give you 1st to 2nt degree burns (the temperature of hot asphalt in a parking lot starts at 140 degrees). 2) I cite the World War 1 condition commonly refereed to as "trench foot" to combat the argument on sanitation, therefor i challenge the bare-footers to come live here in the desert for awhile in the summer and still say you don%u2019t need shoes and i am surprised the people writhing the story did not use a little common sense.

[ruthagold]

You really missed the boat....cavemen did not walk on concrete day in and day out. The earth is forgiving to the feet unlike concrete. Properly fit and well designed shoes and perhaps supports can make ambulating today more like "cavemen" times. Also innovative designs in footwear can mimmick walking on a soft surface. Just sharing.

[michellem99-2009]

I wear combot boots when not indoors. I am legally blind. I use my hands and yes my feet to see. I can''t don foot wear indoors. I used to live in a blind centre and they forced me to don foot wear but in in my room I kicked them bas*tards accross the room. I am in socks as I sit here.I think in yer oun home ye can go with out foot wear. I will wear shoes in public as the bloody rocks,sidewalk and the like hurt the soles.Business have their sign, TO TELL US SHOESS,SHIRT TO BE WORN ,NO PETS OR NO SERIVCE.

[gmorgan001]

Great story! It was refreshing to see so much positive and truthful information on various aspects of going barefoot outside the home. Except of course for the shoe salesman, but that is his livelihood. As for the cavemen who never walked on concrete, the Earth has plenty of rock outcroppings. I happen to enjoy them while barefoot hiking. To adammax85233, are saying trench foot is a reason one should wear shoes? Actually, never changing wet shoes and socks was the cause of trench foot. Going barefoot would have prevented it.

[adammax85233]

maybe so gmorgan001 but u still did not get around the hot asphalt

[blackyowe]

I have photos of women in Glasgow, Scotland as late as 1910 all walking around barefoot. It is quite amazing. They are on pavement and fairly well dressed.

[ianlou]

Their Poster Child is Jimmy Buffett.

[panda1974]

Thank you for doing this story! There are so many common misconceptions about going barefoot, and it''s nice to get some facts out in the open. I''ve been going barefoot a couple months now. It takes a little while to get used to, so I''d say you need to work up to more challenging surfaces. But I''ve learned that feet are pretty tough!

And about extreme temperatures - hot pavement or snow - well it''s reasonable to say that there are a few circumstances when even the most die-hard barefooters might need some kind of footwear. Just like sometimes people need to wear gloves.

[jsteelsmith]

Aside from standing in urine in public bathrooms, don''t forget to sweep your local park for razors and hypodermic needles before playing! No shoes, immunizations, or preservatives..sounds like some people need to move to a third world country. Do what you want, but keep it to yourself. Not everyone should live like someone else.

[ianlou]

I did''nt plan on being barefoot, Bush and his Trickle-Down Economic - Open Border - Free Trade policies made me bare-foot.
I sure am glad that, at least, it stylish.