Thin Soles, the next big thing???

[Transient Being]

Ok, so I've recently been experimenting with the thin soled shoes, and have recently picked up a pair of Five Fingers, which I must say are very comfortable, unlike any shoe I've ever owned. I feel much more balanced and planted in them. I've been hearing how thick soled shoes, especially in the heel, causes an unnatural gait, where the heel strikes instead of more weight on the ball which is the natural way of walking. It makes perfect sense to me, and since I've purchased the thin soled New Balance 790's and the Five Fingers, I can tell that they require a different gait, especially with the FF's. I can also tell that they are making my feet, ankles, and calves stronger compared to thick soled conventional shoes. My question is, would thin soled shoes be a good choice for a thru hike attempt? I'm guestimating that my pack is gonna be around 25 to 30 pounds to start with, and get lighter as the summer rolls around. I'm 6' 170 lbs. Anyone have anything they'd like to share? I'm all ears.

[Toolshed]

My experience with thin sole shoes are when I am kayaking and I find it is very painful on my soles to walk on rocks and pebbles with them. YMMV... I do see a lot more walking around with 5fingers though.....

[Sarcasm the elf]

I own a pair of Merrill minimalists, which are similar to the five fingers except with a closed toe. I wear them almost everywhere including to the gym and sometimes while day hiking. However I personally would not rely on them for a long backpacking trip. I have found that the soles are too thin to navigate through rocky new England trail comfortably, take your five fingers on a hike through a boulder field while wearing a pack and you'll get an idea of whether or not they are right for you. When I'm on a multiway trip I now use trail runners with superfeet insoles. On a side note, I have found that because I am now wearing my minimalists everywhere, my gait has changed. I now tend to walk on the ball of my foot even when wearing thicker shoes or boots.