LINN-S is proactive, health-giving footwear based on the traditional Japanese rubber soled Jika-tabi (tabi boots) worn by steeplejacks and other workmen who require good footing, such as farmers and rickshaw-drivers.
Jika-tabi (meaning “tabi that contact the ground”), the prototype for LINN-S, were developed to provide a good grip in outdoor areas where footing might be poor. Because the jika-tabi separates the big toes from the other toes, it allows the big toe to firmly grips irregular surfaces such as rooftops, or uneven ground, while enabling the thin sole to transmit the texture and shape of the ground to allow the wearer to adjust their movements dynamically.
LINN-S is modern, active footwear that utilizes these characteristics specific to Japanese jika-tabi. Walking in LINN-S, you can feel the ground directly under your feet, and grip it just as if you were walking in your bare feet. Instantly, you will become aware that you have been walking with an unnatural and unhealthy posture, and that the LINN-S are giving you a stronger sense of being closer to nature. As you walk, you will enter an almost Zen-like state of mind, as you rediscover the natural way of walking, acquiring a more intimate relationship with the earth and the energy that flows within it.
Will you initially feel some irritation or pain when walking in them?
Yes, many people do. That’s because the energy from the ground is now being transferred into the soles of your feet in the way that evolution has designed them for. In this way, LINN-S allows you to use normal walking to strengthen and improve your body’s natural architecture.
LINN-S offers you a way of living beautifully, allowing you to live the life you desire.