What Barefoot Minimalist Shoe is best? (The SHOES we wear)

We have been testing out a lot of barefoot-style minimalist shoes and we want to give our reviews of which shoes are best and why. Hopefully, you'll understand why minimalist shoes are important, why going barefoot is important, and what to consider when getting a minimalist shoe! We review the top brands like vivobarefoot, xero, lems, feiyue, merrell, vibram, and more.

Why Minimalist Shoes? - 00:00 - 01:13
How Much Should you Wear Your Minimalist Shoes? - 01:14 - 02:30
Xero Shoes - 02:31 - 04:20
Vivobarefoot Shoes - 04:21 - 05:40
Lems Shoes - 05:41 - 07:14
Feiyue Shoes - 07:15 - 08:40
Honorable Mentions - 08:41 - 10:51
GIVEAWAY! - 10:52 - 11:57

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Have you considered the effects of shoes? Mainstream shoes usually prioritize style over the actual health of our feet. Sure, there are shoes that are designed for comfort with things like extra padding, or they're designed for balance or for athleticism, but they still end up constricting the sides of our feet which doesn't allow our feet to spread out or grip like our feet naturally do. So let's think about how are feet naturally move, how wide our feet are, and how are feet move when we're barefoot. For optimal feet health, check out these minimalist shoe options. Let us know what you think!

[Strengthside]

Comment below what your favorite minimalist shoes are. Are there any that we missed?

BAREFOOT GIVEAWAY WINNERS CHOSEN! Thank you to everyone who entered!

[grungegarden]

My mom never allowed me to be barefoot, so I develop lots of issues with my feet, I entered martial arts and realized I had a huge problem, I got the Vibrant 5 fingers and started walking barefoot as much as possible, working on extending my fingers(for that the shows were awesome) and now I have strong healthy feet🙌🏻

[judithbritos-tmgu]

My favorite are the Vibram Five fingers. I love that I have the feeling of walking barefoot . And the toes are spaced apart and not squished together. When I hike in my Vibrams it’s like acupressure treatment for my feet. At the end of my hike my whole body feels more energized and alive. It’s amazing.

[tanty]

Vibram is the one I would go to for every run, long or short. It took me a while to get use to them but once you are, you would love the ground feel, the ground grip. and the natural toes movement. I am used to people looking at me weirdly because I just love them.

[erichoel]

I off with a pair of hand-me-down five-toe shoes. I loved the feel. Chronic knocks on the looks from others. When they wore out, I was hooked. I got a pair of Xero Prios and loved their "solid" feel and started to wear them everywhere. I also bought a pair of Vivo waterproof, insulated hiking boots for winter wear. I didn't want to wear the Prios while doing home remodeling, so I bought a cheap pair of Saguaro shoes. I LOVE them! They are super wide in the toe box and feel like I'm wearing socks. Two issues with them. The soles do wear quickly. AND, I cant stand wearing the Xero or Vivo shoes anymore. They feel too constricting and hurt my pinky toe that just wants to spread out and move! I'm buying more Saguaros. $40/pair.

Love your content! Thanks for helping me get this 50+ year old body in the best moving condition of my adult life!

[vrszqux]

For me the Wildling shoes soles are the most minimal and comfortable. I like their minimalist designs and responsible attitude to manufacturing. Another favourite brand that I wear in the midseason is Softstar, the model is Primal Sawyer.
In Summer I wear Shamma sandals.

[kriskline]

I love my Vibrams. I don't wear them all the time but I do wear them a lot. I've ran in them, did mud run and obstacle course races with them. They are my favorite to ride my Onewheel with too. I'm sure they can look nerdy because of the individual toes and such but I think having the toes separated really help keep them tight to my feet like a glove which I appreciate. Now that the weather is getting warmer I plan on wearing them much more.

[alterfit]

Hi there ! Big Vibram Fivefingers nerd here 😆I've been wearing them for years, as well as different models from Vivo. I'd say their biggest advantage of the toe separation is it actually gradually reverses the toe compression you get from wearing regular shoes. Also I really get the sensation of gripping the floor to a larger extent than with other barefoot shoes. I'd say another advantage (could be considered a drawback) is that people ask about them, and you get to spread the message about barefoot shoes ! 😉

[Terryt]

I thought it was crazy that you guys put out a shoe video RIGHT after I received my new Feiyue shoes in the mail! Yes, I ordered them after watching one of your videos. Copying you, even though I’ll never be as strong as you (69 years old), but I’ll strive this year to be stronger! I saw a quotable quote awhile back: “If you think you can, you probably can, but it you think you can’t, you’re correct!” I want the Xero in a size 9! Keep the videos coming, they are very motivating - even for old folks. Terry Pownall

[fnaust]

I’ve been wearing the Altra Escalante, love them. Wide toes, zero drop, feels very natural with a minimum of arch support. And their Lone Peak hiking boots for rougher trails.

[TruthCompassInc]

😢sad I only discovered your channel today. As martial artist I began wearing Vibrams when they originated. And have owned approx 15 different pairs since. I have tried other other barefoot ( now referred to as minimalist footwear) but none have been as good as Vibram. I am now 51 and my feet are happy to have used ALL the muscles consistently. I feel most shoes are like coffins for your feet and people keep trying to convince me barefoot shoes are bad. Happy 😊 to have discovered your channel! Thanks for sharing all functional mov’t which is critical for all regardless of athletic abilities! 😉

[noman]

Both my wife and I began moving into minimalist shows ~ 3 years ago and have found tons of benefits to date (disappeared knee, low back pain etc) so we're sold and almost wear ONLY minimalist shoes. Appreciate this brand overview.

[Krptokrayon]

Barefoot snow boots. Steger Mukluks. Ely MN. The camo boots. They don't know how to size their own boots. Buy a minimum of 2 sizes bigger than your actual size. And if your going for super cold weather (-50 degrees F.) Go for the largest size so you can wear extra liners.

[ms.yvonne]

I am a yogateacher and over time, my feet changed: they became wider, more flexible, stronger too. It then became difficult to find comfortable shoes, not to mention that I do not tolerate discomfort.
In summer, I occasionally trail-run. My first barefoot shoes came from a Spanish brand (Camper), that does traditional shoe crafting, yet has a model that functions much like a barefoot shoe, which is the Camper Peu. As mentioned, I value comfort very much and they were just like "slipping on a glove" (and pretty, too), so I have 3 pairs of them. My second brand, consciously chosen, were 5 fingers, where I have two pairs of, a summery one and a pair I did trailrun with. In my opinion, they come closest to walking barefoot. I had no issues with transitioning (other than a sore soleus from switching to run on the forefoot), yet I do not run further than 3k. Yes, you will stick out of the bunch. It is a VERY special esthetic. Plus, I find them difficult to maintain. I put them in the washer at least once a season (rather twice). They do not respond well, over time (the glueing starts to loosen). Note that I'm talking European technics. I don't know whether you still have those weird washing machines w/the spinner in the middle, in the US. I guess, washing them in these might make it even worse.
Last year, I discovered Groundies, who do super-stylish minimalist shoes at a very reasonable pricing. They have training shoes, too. I highly recommend checking them out, though I don't know about the shipping conditions when you live outside Europe. They even offer different toebox sizes (regular & wide - I'm good w/regular, and I consider my feet being wide). I am especially in love w/the model that looks very much like Converse, which I like style-wise but could never wear, due to my unwillingness to suffer from foot pain.

[Panazoniac]

Vibram 5-fingers is the OG! Been wearing them for over 15 years. I get compliments when I'm in the gym. It helps that some of the women's styles are dainty and kind of cute, but I think barefoot evangelists recognize them easily and are quick to acknowledge me as "tribe". I'm 53, so its kind of cool when a 30 year old athlete seems impressed with my footwear LOL. I like the 5 finger design /toe separation. I wear normal shoes to go out in, so the more separation when I work out, the better.

[DarnellNeely]

Thank you for this video.The truth is that I never knew about minimalist shoes. I have learned so much from your channel. My flexibility and strength continues to improve. I like the Xero forza shoe. I will be 52 years young next month and I keep pushing my body to the limits for the next challenge. Thanks again guys. Keep inspiring 🪬

[potrebitel]

Also lots of shoes on Amazon sometimes sold under "water shoes", sometimes "running". I;ve had 3 different companies. Loved them all. Wide toe box. Removal cushoning. I've tried 3 different Hiitave models and Saguaro. Much, much cheaper too!

[Wizoch]

I’ve been wearing the Vibram Five Finger shoes for running since 2014. I rolled my ankle in a pair of Nikes back then and haven’t been able to run in a “normal” pair of running shoes since because, I consistently roll my ankle over the sole of the shoe.

The Vibrams are great because, the toe spread is the best I’ve found in a minimalist running shoe. These shoes don’t rub the foot too bad if you put them on correctly and wear socks with them so you won’t have to worry about blisters too often. Overall, the shoe pretty much feels like a glove for the foot rather than an actual shoe. I believe it allows the runner to get very close to primal barefoot running like how our ancestors did.

I recommend listening/reading “Born to Run”. It’s a great book. There is a guy in the book that is referred to as Barefoot Ted. This book is what helped me get into the realm of minimalist running.

[Slowmowlawnandhome]

I use the Xero street runners($120) to run urban terrain, do handyman jobs, driveway car repair in the same pair of shoes. I've worn them everyday for a year now, they are starting to look old but not a single hole or tear anywhere, not even the outside after dragging it on concrete. The sole just started to wear thin in the front. It has the most dense tread I've ever seen but still flexible. Have the $89 pair too that I'm going to give a try once these are completely shot. A few times while walking on concrete or pavers for days at a time on vacation I put a second pair of insoles in and it was a great fix. Also, I used the Altra Trail Runners for Lawn Care, they were very comfortable but wore out pretty fast in that daily usage environment, they also did not have much ground feel due to the huge soles and the treads wore out before my eyes. I would stay away from them if you expect to be on concrete every now and then. I'm trying out the Xero trail runners this lawn season. I put 2 insoles in and so far I can tell they are much more durable and way more responsive to the ground than the Altras. The dense tread feels more like a baseball cleat but the double insoles make it work. Thanks for the videos!

[MPS]

I found a pair of minimal boots that fit the bill for my job and have been wearing them at my standing desk for over a year now. They feel great! The Xero shoes would be a great addition to my growing minimal footwear collection.