Pretty much every pair of Sketchers shoes now has memory foam soles and everyone seems to think they are great but I hate them.
They are really hot, the foam is like a layer of insulation.
The top of the memory foam soles is somewhat elastic so it’s really smooth and slippery so your socks slide around inside
They are no more comfortable than regular shoes and in fact I think they provide less arch support since they are squishy compared to shoes with harder foam.
And most of all the memory foam gets smashed and wears out in no time with some shoes having the foam glued in so replacing the insole is impossible.
I just can’t fathom how they are so popular.
Interesting, my arches are pretty flat though, so I’m not sure how well those shoes would work for me? I feel it would put more strain on my ankles and knees
That’s the beauty about it- it doesn’t matter. Your body gets stronger and adapts. That said, make the transition smooth to avoid injury. Listen to it as your work up the step count and mileage, and explore your strides and how you rebound in the step to find something that feels strong and doesn’t facilitate pain. The classic shoe community is all about “how can we build a shoe that protects your feet from discomfort” whereas the barefoot shoe movement focuses on “how can we strengthen our body such that the protection isn’t required”. There’s obviously a balance, and that’s why barefoot shoes still have things like soles to prevent injury from sharps and provide traction.