Known world-wide as 5 Element or 5 Elements shoes. Do not be fooled by imitators. I'm not just saying that. Converse used to have the best martial arts shoe ever. However, at some point they stopped making them. Rumor was the shoe was too good of a quality and hence too expensive to make. Well, when the word got out, martial artists were buying 5 and even 10 pairs at a time, for fear they would never see them again.
As luck would have it, in our business travels we ran into the original factory that made the shoe, and they still have the mold and pattern. They offered it to us and we snatched it up. One of our conditions was that we use only the highest quality materials and workmanship. I didn't care how expensive. I actually took one of my dog's 100% natural rubber chew toys and told them I wanted that exact material for the soles. Nothing else would do. We included a properly shaped insole and high quality laces. Other companies have started copying the shoe, mostly made in Pakistan with cheap plastic composite soles and flat insoles. Do not be fooled.
The best Martial Arts Shoe is back in its new incarnation as The Five Elements Shoe, exclusively produced by Valley Martial Arts Supply. This flexible footwear features a non-skid sole that pivots easily yet is sturdy and rugged enough to handle everyday activities such as walking and hiking.
Features:
- Wider sole than other martial arts shoes for more support and stability
- Laces up the front to accommodate high arches and insteps
- Looks like a Tennis Shoe, performs like a Martial Art shoe
- Comfortable enough to be worn at all times
These are the original lightweight, versatile, minimalist shoes. Meaning, footwear featuring anatomically correct last designed with significantly less drop from heel to forefoot. A healthier, low-profile shoe. The mid-sole height is a lot lower; the difference between the mid-sole height in the heel and the forefoot, so in a traditional shoe it's a 10 to 14 millimeter difference between heel and forefoot, and in our minimalism/natural movement shoes it's a 4 millimeter difference. The shoes are closer to the ground and provide a more natural platform for the foot than regular shoes.
