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Comment by nomadpenguin | Hacker News Reader

You can get most of the benefits of walking barefoot without the hookworm by wearing a good pair of barefoot shoes. I personally love my Xero Prios. If you want the full experience at the expense of looking like a freak, you can get those Vibram Five Fingers toe shoes.

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Why would that give you the benefits of walking barefoot? If the point is to pick up bacteria, shoes are shoes. It doesn't matter if the toes are separated or not.

GP said the benefits of walking barefoot are "feels good, increases your connection to your surroundings, and slows you down."

In that context it seems like barefoot shoes would still work. They are essentially foot condoms, so you get most of the same sensation without the potential ickiness.

Those are other benefits but the literal topic at hand--and the reason going barefoot was brought up in the first place--is to have contact with the earth.

One could simply use ballet shoes, instead of that overpriced stuff. They come in different styles, colors, materials, are foldable(ususally), and can be considered disposable.

It still squeezes your toes into a narrow toe box, which is pretty much the opposite of barefoot shoes.

Well how else are you expected to do en pointe whilst grounding oneself?

Not necessarily. They are rather thin and flexible. People walking tight ropes use them, too. Have you ever tried them?

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