MBT Men's Fanaka Shoe

by MBT

Product Features

• Fun and Stylish Shoe by MBT
• Leather upper
• Strengthens and Tones Muscles
• Improve the Use of your Joints and Spine
• Lightweight Polymesh

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

MBT believes in footwear that makes you better from the ground up. MBT: The idea of Physiological Footwear MBT, Masai Barefoot Technology, was invented by Swiss engineer Karl Müller. During a visit to Korea he made the startling discovery that walking barefoot over paddy fields alleviated his back pain. Back in Switzerland, Müller began to develop a footwear technology that would make the natural instability of soft ground such as Korean paddy fields or the East African savannah accessible also to those, who have to walk on hard surfaces. In 1996, after years spent on research and development, Masai Barefoot Technology was mature enough to be launched on the market. MBTs are now available in over twenty countries, and approximately one million pairs of this revolutionary footwear technology are sold every year. How the anti-shoe is pro-body: Because of the specially designed sole, wearing MBTs significantly improves your gait and posture and relieves pressure on your joints and back. It also exercises a large number of muscles, whether you’re walking or standing. This, in turn, stimulates your metabolism, burns extra calories and speeds up muscle regeneration. In addition, MBTs can have a firming effect on abdominal, leg and buttock muscles. The key to MBT is its patented sole structure. The Shank, PU Midsole with Pivot and the Masai Sensor create a soft surface that is akin to walking barefoot on springy moss or on a sandy beach. This creates a natural instability underfoot, which activates the supporting muscle system and has positive effects on the entire body.

MBT technology mimicks walking in barefeet.

Wearing MBT mimicks walking on soft, natural ground. When the heel strikes, the heel sinks into the ground and the body has to stabilize. When the foot rolls forward, there is a controlled rolling over the balancing area towards the ball of the foot. The toe rolls off (without pressure).

MBT's ensure the foot’s natural rolling movement and optimizes pressure distribution over the whole sole.

The Anti-Shoe MBT would like to help people all over the world lead a healthier, more active and happier life. MBT is convinced that human fitness and health are significantly influenced by the way we walk – this conviction has already been substantiated objectively by many scientific studies. MBT therefore attempts to awaken and strengthen the awareness of physiologically correct walking among people world-wide by disseminating the idea and concept of MBT physiological footwear. The benefits of physiologically correct walking can thus be made available to as many people as possible all over the world, in a straightforward and uncomplicated way.

MBT's Masai Sensor creates natural instability, to which the body responds with increased muscle activity.

MBT's Patented Sole Technology The Lasting Board binds the upper and lower parts of MBTs together. The Shank provides firmness to the sole and also ensures the foot’s natural rolling movement and optimizes pressure distribution over the whole sole. The PU Midsole with Pivot triggers an active rolling movement and exercises a large number of stabilizing muscles throughout the entire body when walking or standing. The Masai Sensor creates natural instability, to which the body responds with increased muscle activity. The rubber Outsole protects the Midsole.

Product Description

MBT's are not just a shoe in the ordinary sense. This product will not only change the way you use your muscles, but will improve the use of your joints and spine. MBT shoes are physiological footwear - the first footwear that has a positive effect on the entire body. MBT stands for "Masai Barefoot Technology." MBT sneakers and casual shoes are designed using a multi-layered, curved sole which makes for a unique and rewarding walking experience.

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Product Details

• Item Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B002HK2B30
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,171 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #48 in Shoes > Men's > Athletic & Outdoor > Walking

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but caution advised., March 1, 2011

By 

ZoomDoc (La Canada, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: MBT Men's Fanaka Shoe (Apparel)

MBT is perhaps at the top of the heap when it comes to rocker bottom wellness shoes. They have found a way to add class and style to this shoe niche. I am very happy with my purchase. I'm an athlete and play lots of basketball. I bought these shoes to strengthen my legs and improve posture and balance. You however need to be cautious about just how effective this shoe is. The first few weeks these should be worn sparingly. I wore mine every day for a week. I felt my calves getting sore and tight. They were indeed getting a workout as advertised. Problem is I did not recognize how tight these muscles had become and went to play in a league playoff game and had pulled by right calf muscle within five minutes. I managed to finish the game but I knew this injury was related to the shoe. You must respect this shoe. You must gradually use these in increments. They do tax the leg muscles and make them work harder. This is what you want. But it must be done slow and easy. I own 2 Tambeas and two Fanakas and the quality is excellent. Lots of technology in this shoe and the leather is thick and tough. Warning don't do any competitive sports while your breaking these in. Stretch you legs like crazy and do either manual or electrical deep tissue massage on a regular basis. Since I was the BIG athlete I thought I don't have to follow the directions which are clearly written and strongly advise a gradual approach. You live and you learn. Sometimes the price to pay for one's own ignorance is more pain. Heed my advice and don't make the same idiotic mistake I made. This is serious technology and must be treated as such. Slow and easy is the only way. Buy the way I also like the Ryn shoes which are a bit more stable. MBT makes their shoe more unstable on purpose to force the muscles to do the stabilization. There are Ryn days and MBT days. Either way the gradual approach is mandatory.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Watch the Video, April 1, 2011

By 

Duane L. Smith (Hohenfels, Germany) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: MBT Men's Fanaka Shoe (Apparel)

My son bought me these shoes. I wore them once a week and then let them collect dust. It was like walking on a wobble board. Then I watched the videos on YOUTUBE on how to walk with the MBT. Now I wear these shoes everyday. I also moved from a carpeted office area where I had to navigate stairs more often to a flatter floor space with less carpet. These shoes have impoved my posture and stengthened my calf muscles. There have been a couple of occasions where I felt DOMS in my calves and cannot remember working out and then I remembered that I was wearing MBTs. Sometimes when I get antsy, I have started a habit of doing toe raises -- good exercise, but could become compulsive. These shoes are like having a constant massage when you have calf DOMS from another workout.

I would not recommend these shoes for anyone that has to negotiate slippery walking surfaces or people that are required to work in emergency situations. I normally have to wear orthotic inserts, but do not need to in these shoes. My initial impression of quality is that the uppers are of European quality, and the soles are of Asian quality. If you are comfortable with having these shoes resoled, they will last a lifetime.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First set of shoes purchased online., May 18, 2010

By 

Alfred Barrios (Saint Petersburg, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: MBT Men's Fanaka Shoe (Apparel)

This is my first pair of MBT shoes and I have to say they were well worth the expense. Since I purchased these at the mall I have seen other less expensive options online. I have already ordered my first set of MBT sneakers here at Amazon. The MBT sneakers are actually my first attempt at ordering anything I wear online but I really love this brand of shoe.

I guess I should have mentioned that, thanks to an accident last year, I have quite a bit of metal in my right arm and leg. I actually walk a lot better when I where these shoes as opposed to any other. As a matter of fact I wish these could be considered some type of medical expense as I limp when wearing normal shoes but not in my MBT's. I thought I could save some money by purchasing similar set of Sketchers sneakers but I could feel a difference immediately that has only gotten worse after a few months.

Anyway I loved these MBT shoes and hope to be able to afford a few more. The only gripe I could say is they are not as professional looking as I would have liked but they were they only set in the store in my size at the time.

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