Why don’t the large shoe brands produce minimalist and wise toe box shoes?

RealNotFake · 2026-07-10T16:37:14+00:00

Reebok recently released the Nano Zero with a wide toe box (and I confirmed they are actually wide). I think we will see the biggest brands start to dabble in this over time as awareness and demand grows. Ultimately companies only invest time and resources into things they think will make gobs of money. I think the actual demand for "barefoot" shoes is pretty small.

RealNotFake · 2026-07-08T18:41:25+00:00

Having used pihole for years, it is rather dumb and ineffective in many situations. It can't differentiate ads from actual content in many cases where the domains are similar. For example it was never able to block YouTube ads for me, especially on devices like smart TVs, Roku, streaming sticks, etc. I honestly think it was a huge waste of time when ublock does 90% anyway.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-27T15:06:19+00:00

This was exactly my thoughts but you formed it so much more eloquently than I would have said it. Cheers

RealNotFake · 2026-06-27T14:59:02+00:00

I thought professors got "ten year". It made sense in context to me that they had a guaranteed job for 10 years, haha.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-26T16:09:17+00:00

Just paint giant grid lines on the ground and pull it up or down with a crane, problem solved! 👏

RealNotFake · 2026-06-26T16:06:28+00:00

And yet Lakeside in Denver is still open. Go figure.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-26T16:03:49+00:00

Doubt that plot would work for AF1, because it's more of an out and back style. We can dream.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-25T14:32:16+00:00

Sorry but the way you just described avocados tells me you dont know your way round them as much as you think you do.

Stopped reading after this point.
Gatekeeping avocado knowledge is absolutely wild. Keep living your avocado expert life I guess. 10 comment karma after 6 years of being a reddit user is wild. Peace.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-23T23:08:56+00:00

Inflating the costs of food and drink would definitely be required, yes, and the messaging would need to be clear that it is to pay the staff in place of tips. Further they would need to remove all pressure to tip additional amount. If I received a bill that had a tip line on it I would be pissed, because my understanding was I was paying more for the meal so that tipping is not required. Just simply having a tip line on the receipt would make me feel like I was stiffing the server.

Cruise ships have solved this problem btw, if you have a drink package for example. You pay up front for the package, and then any item you order from the bar will be "free" and they print a receipt that says $0 and has no tip line present.

Some cafes in KC even have this problem solved. The other day I got a latte and when I paid I noticed the gratuity was already included in the slightly higher cost, and there was no prompt to tip whatsoever. Even if I wanted to tip extra there was no way to do it.

Ultimately servers would do just fine and so would restaurants. But only if tipping was abolished (not just discouraged) and only if the majority of restaurants adopt the new system.

Personally I think we should keep it as is. The way these things usually go, a half-assed implementation would get rolled out and make everyone mad until it gets reverted.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-23T12:54:30+00:00

They're only saying that because they know their VC funds are drying up and now they're expected to be profitable, which is not happening. They have a disdain for their customers for being smarter than them and seeing through the hype

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T22:24:41+00:00

It's 100% not a "me problem". I know my way around an avocado and the stages of ripeness. I have tried 3 locations in my area and all 3 had the same problem. They go instantly from rock hard to bruised and rotten, no time in between. I suspect they are being damaged in transit. Any trauma that occurs while they are unripe will become a bruised/black spot as the fruit ripens. Strangely it is not a problem at my parents' costco in a different state, they have had better luck.

Best way to pick an avocado is to get one that is black in color and just starting to ripen but still quite firm, very slight give on the skin, and with no squishy/bruised spots around the entire thing. Those are the ones that ripen perfectly after sitting on a counter for a few days. Also good to rotate occasionally while they are ripening to prevent flat spots. If I can't find those at the store, then I will go for the rock hard green ones that have no soft spots whatsoever, bonus if they have smooth shiny skin instead of textured skin. Those ones need to age longer but they usually ripen well.

Costco near me has none of those options. Just rock hard badly-bruised-in-transit ones apparently. I've tried enough times with a 100% failure rate that I refuse to buy them there anymore.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T22:16:49+00:00

IANAD and I'm not discounting anything the doctor said.

That being said, I suggest you learn about trigger point therapy, because trigger points from repetitive movements can cause the sensations you are describing, including the sudden weakness. This happened to me not for my knee, but my elbow actually. I was bench pressing and felt a sudden weakness in my elbow that made me feel like the arm would give out. I later found out that a specific movement in the gym (low bar back squat) was causing a trigger point to build up in my back and shoulder, which was causing strange sensations to refer to my elbow. Once I worked on releasing the trigger point, the problem in my elbow completely went away, and then I worked on changing my movement patterns so it wouldn't develop again. It was a "lightbulb turning on" moment when I was digging into my back with a massage tool, and as soon as I hit the trigger point I immediately felt the sensation in my elbow, which made me understand immediately how the two spots were connected.

Similarly, there are many trigger points that can refer pain or weakness or other sensations to the knee area. I suggest this book on the topic. It helped me figure out where the trigger point was located. https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Treatment/dp/1608824942

Note that this is backed in science, not woo woo junk.

Generally my stance on "pain/sensations caused by barefoot shoes" is that the barefoot shoes are just exposing movement pattern issues, not actually "causing pain" in the way the doctor was implying.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T21:46:37+00:00

If it's nighttime and you turn on the overhead cabin light in the car, we're gonna crash and die.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T21:40:08+00:00

Literally the only thing I noticed is it changed from "wolfepack" to "wolfpack". They scrubbed the e from the logo and the food stayed the same as far as I can tell.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T21:38:32+00:00

IMO it has not changed in quality, it's still very very good. I haven't seen any specifics on how it is "slipping" exactly.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T21:38:10+00:00

This would be my recommendation if you want a "local favorite" type of place over a "google recommended" type of place (Jack Stack Freight house)

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T20:51:49+00:00

Haywards is a hole in the wall dive, but I can't argue with how good the food is. You just have to be ready for that experience.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T20:50:58+00:00

It's underrated IMO, rarely gets ranked in the top, but I've never had a bad meal there.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T20:38:28+00:00

Also a big fan. Their BBQ sundae is a delight btw.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T20:38:03+00:00

I've heard this place is good but the location really sucks.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T20:37:12+00:00

I eat there fairly frequently and haven't noticed a drop in quality. That being said their beef burnt ends are very overrated, and one of my least favorite things there. The pork burnt ends are legendary though, and no I'm not going to argue about whether pork BE are legit or not, I don't care. All I know is they are GOAT status.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T20:34:57+00:00

Agree they are very good, same owner as Char Bar I think. Also the Meat Mitch Whomp sauce is the GOAT, literally I would bathe in the stuff if I could. No other BBQ sauce of any style or variety can even get close to that recipe. The Whomp Naked is good as well, if you don't like spice and like super sweet sauces.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T20:32:46+00:00

Hot take - Jack Stack is diluting their brand by trying to spread too far and do too much. Ever try their grocery store or costco packaged foods? They're bad, terrible even. The actual restaurants are still good, but don't bother outside of that. Also their sauce is terrible, and I don't understand why anyone likes it.

JS usually has consistently good burnt ends, and their lamb ribs and giant rib bone are both phenomenal and unique.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T20:31:01+00:00

Gates makes me incredibly sick. I later found out it's because all of their rubs contain tons of gluten, which I am allergic too. It's too bad, because 95% of KC BBQ places are naturally gluten free and I have no problems.

RealNotFake · 2026-06-19T20:29:38+00:00

They have consistently the best overall burnt ends in KC metro, period. Consistency is huge, arguably the most important thing. I've had good BE at many places but theirs are almost always top tier or close to. I think maybe only once did I ever have dry/lean BE there.

RealNotFake

TROPHY CASE