The "barefoot" phenom is a current fashion. And a recurring one. Most of their marketing points---down to radiographs of feet crammed in shoes---go at least as far back as Munson's book on military footwear.
Fashionable shoes have more pointed toe boxes, but a well fitted Oxford doesn't smash the toes into its point. The toes lie naturally, with empty space ahead. The last designers literally build up the toeboxes.
Stand with your feet flat on the floor, barefoot, then lift one one heel as far as you can while pressing the ball into the floor. How much wider do your toes splay, at their maximum?
I'm all for people using tools to try toe running. Rucking, too. I wouldn't toe run in combat boots, and I wouldn't ruck in "zero-drop shoes". I wouldn't do either in a size too small.
Fashionable shoes have more pointed toe boxes, but a well fitted Oxford doesn't smash the toes into its point. The toes lie naturally, with empty space ahead. The last designers literally build up the toeboxes.
Stand with your feet flat on the floor, barefoot, then lift one one heel as far as you can while pressing the ball into the floor. How much wider do your toes splay, at their maximum?
I'm all for people using tools to try toe running. Rucking, too. I wouldn't toe run in combat boots, and I wouldn't ruck in "zero-drop shoes". I wouldn't do either in a size too small.