Hey Chase, I just wanted to say that I really appreciate that while you clearly have your own opinions, astestics and desires, you're still super nice. It's great to be able to playfully make fun of something without truly taking jabs at someone else's opinions or taste. Especially when were just talking bout shoes. That's really rare especially on the interwebs. Thanks you.
I work in Australia’s only barefoot store. Do not buy the size below. The shoe is meant to feel big at first, this gives your foot enough room to move naturally and allows for your foot to swell when it’s hot and spread out over the first few months.
@@DunderOz the vivobarefoot Tracker fg is the way to go. It's fully waterproof and is half the weight of any traditional boot. Great flexibility and a lot of adjustability with the laces.
@@liammcleod159 Thanks for speaking on here, Liam! I am a new registered nurse and want to start wearing barefoot shoes, but I'm struggling to find any that are not boots and are water-resistant in order to be easily wiped off when working in healthcare. Can you help me, please?
@@sublimesamoyed vivobarefoot have a shoe called the geo court. They are leather and come in an all black version. If you are new to barefoot shoes you might find the Altra Torin 5 Leather easier to stand in for long shifts. That shoe has foam but is still 0 drop and has a natural foot shape.
Thanks for the honest reviews, I find that a lot of these shoes have an almost cult-like thing going on where any negatives aren't mentioned. I've had breathability issues too with Xero Hana but like their sandals. As others have said, the Vivobarefoot Gobi are awesome and also the Ra (low top equivalent).
I wear vibrams every day, because IDGAF what people think of my shoes, and they're the most comfortable things you can put on your feet. Most people don't notice, and I've gotten a ton of random compliments which is weird. Only 1 or 2 people have straight up told me they don't like 'em. Moral: wear what you want and carry yourself with confidence.
I land on the front of my feet, just behind my pinky toe, and roll inward toward my big toe while setting my heel down. The whole point of wearing zero drop or minimalist shoes is to facilitate walking and running like this, as landing with your heel sends the shock of impact directly up your shins to your knees. You definitely have to make the change slowly, though. The connective tissue, bones and muscles in the arch of your foot aren't used to the strain and need to be allowed to get stronger. If you have any pain, it's best to go back to your old shoes and heel strike for a bit rather than force it. If you're having trouble figuring out the stride, walk barefoot outside for a bit. After a bit, it just sorta "clicked" for me.
I own the Lem’s boot in black leather. I literally wore them everyday through the winter. I just bought the Lems’s Primal 2 sneaker which I now wear almost everyday. I have two pair of xero shoes- they’re ok, but Lem’s is in a class all its own. Highly recommend the Primal 2.
I work in a Osha regulated working environment and I wish I could find shock proof, water proof, zero drop, barefoot shoes with steel toe. Is that too much to ask for ?
@@benjammin8510 the most useless requirement on a boot it the heel. I say this because it you put the ladder rung in the heel grip it puts you off balance on the ladder making it less safe to stand on. But how would we be able to expect someone who makes a regulation to know anything about what they are regulating.
I was surprised to see you reviewing shoes, but I'm so glad! I switched to barefoot running shoes this year when a friend convinced me my regular running shoes were causing my injuries. They've made a huge improvement in my running and I have a hard time wearing regular shoes now just for everyday wear. I've been looking for some casual barefoot shoes so thank you for giving me a few new companies to check out!
I have those Birkenstock Boston clogs. I didn’t like them at first because they were uncomfortable. Then the cork footbed comforted to my feet and - heaven. So damn comfortable! I wear mine all the time and will buy another pair when mine wear out. Awesome.
@@poweredman the Lems specifically run a little warm. My feet are def sweaty at the end of the day even in cold weather. I recommend wearing them with socks although the flannel lining makes them comfy without socks, you'll get sticky to the insole. That said I love them. I've never worn boots that keep me from getting damp from sweat.
I am using Merrel Vapor Glove 4s as biking shoes. They are great. A couple of days ago I ordered a pair of leather Vivobarefoots from the "soul of Africa" series. Can't wait to get them.
Quick question Chase, which pair would work best aesthetically with someone who often carry papers... business papers.. man? In all seriousness, once again a fantastic review/overview. Even when your review is not about bags, it's so in-depth and well-researched it's incredible. Love your work and channel.
I have this model since 5 years : caretsco.com A bit on the pricey side but quality leather and stitching, formal look, and Mountain proposes resoling services so on a long term, It is not that expensive. I have the black model since 5 years and last year I ordered a oxblood version. I don't want to wear any other formal shoes now that I have two of them. FYI, I work in financial sector in Europe so I wear a suit from Monday to Friday. If by any chance you get in touch with Mountain (the founder), you can tell him you heard about him by Victorien from Luxembourg. :-)
I have Morton's Neuroma, and after TOO many shoes, decided to go to zero drop. LEMS Primal 2. Really like it. first day standing all day on concrete still hurt the Neuroma. Will take a while to get acclimate. I love the feel of the shoes. So glad you have this video.
style wise, you seem like you might like the ANI brand shoes, give them a search personally i like the nimbletoes by joenimble...expensive, but great quality and feel like a ninja whilst wearing them..
I really enjoy your videos….your vigor, humor, your general “vibe”. (How about that? I’m in my mid-60s, retired military, retired federal LEO….and I almost sounded “hip”. Uhh…almost, I guess). I adopted the zedwit * minimalist philosophy approximately 4 years ago, when I attempted a thru-hike of the AT. I hike 4-5 miles 5-6 days a week with my Aussie….I work hard to stay slim, in shape. While working out, my Xeros are my “go to shoe”. But when going out with the wife, family, any time when dressing business casual, I have to resort to conventional footwear. I almost think it criminal that conventional shoe companies still make “pointed toe boxes and elevated heels”….and I’m not sure why they don’t at least offer a zedwit line. I did buy a pair of Lems for backpacking…like you, l like their feel, look, and quality. But still looking for the Goldilocks zedwit,,for casual wear. And I want to avoid that “platypus look” (too damned funny, brother!). Bravo-Zulu, a welcome and value-added video, sir! Oh! BTW….zedwit. It’s my word…acronyms. It’s my Navy time, I guess. Stands for *ZD, WT….zero drop, wide toebox. Be well, be safe, enjoy life.
9:45 Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. From The Poems of Dylan Thomas Don't really know why this video was recommended to me, maybe a bit lol, but I enjoyed it. And even came back to find this reference. Thought I'd leave the poem if anyone else wanted it.
Not a Birkenstock guy, but now you have me thinking that pair you showed are pretty cool. I live in Central Oregon in the boonies, so my normal day shoes are Vasque hiking boots and Justin ropers. And your style is great, I laughed a couple of times. And those Dad shoes seemed very interesting, but at 71 years of age I ain't going merrily into the night either. But the Birkenstocks seem cool. And yes, I subscribed like some others. Thanks.
As you get older, with barefoot shoes, you will feel the ground not only in your foot, but also at the knee and the hip. Thats why I like to switch up every so often to a more cushioned shoe. Altras are great for that....they are zero drop, wide toe box, and have a decent amount of cushion.
I was looking at Shoespiracy (in the market for some zero drop shoes and yes you're right, they're butt ugly) and RU-vid offered your video to watch. I subscribing to your channel even without knowing what you mainly focus on, because you are so freakin much fun to watch and you are hilarious!! This video was great! Thanks.
I know this is an older video but if you are still looking for a Vans style barefoot shoe I'd recommend S.O.M. Footwear. They have a Vans/Converse style look to them, probably the closest thing you'll find in minimalist shoes right now. They fit well, act mostly how you'd expect a barefoot shoe to act, they're durable, and they're American Made.
You should have gotten vivobarefoot Ra and Gobi... those are the two casual shoes they have been doing the longest and in my opinion are the absolute best on the market for casual barefoot!!
Altras are my favorite. They are similar to barefoot. They have a wide toebox, are zero drop, but you choose the cushioning level. They are heaven. The Lone Peaks are the most popular hiking shoes on the AT and PCT.
My favorite brand aesthetically is tadeevo but I wear holes into the soles all the time. Xero shoes don’t have that problem, but they don’t look great and they cramp my toes.
@@OgdenM it depends non the style because some are narrower. I find the Hanas are fine but the running shoes and hiking shoes do cramp. The coolest thing about all xero shoes is they have a straps that run from the lace area to the sole in a few spots and these hold the shoe in place around your heel and laces. So you can go a size or so big for more toe space and still have the shoes nice and snug. The side view of the white shoe in the vid thumbnail shoes a good view of the straps.
Which are best for disc golf? What is the stitching/glue strength. Grip on concrete, in grass, dirt/mud? Can they handle cold and wet? How long do the soles last?
honestly, IDGAF about "fashion", "pretty colors" or "vegan" crap. I DO have issues with having any heel on my shoes, rigid, confining footwear on my feet, and seams that irritate my skin or toes! All I want is an affordable, brown boot with appropriate spacing around my little toes, flexible soles that'll protect my feet but allow the feel of being barefoot and a simple brown leather color. In warm weather I do not wear anything on my feet (unless I have to go somewhere because facilities require shoes). In cold weather though, I do need something to wear to protect my feet... and I'm about to teach myself how to make the protective footwear my ancestors wore - similar to moccasins - since I'm really not impressed with the choices available for my small feet. I do appreciate all the people making videos like this though to share their experiences & information with us. Thank you!
Do you guys wear them with or without the cork sole? I have them and wear them mostly but i kinda dont like the wide look and I feel like a duck because i have big feet :/
I bought the Boulder boot leather based on your recommendation. Favorite shoe I have ever owned. Now I’m debating between the Xero Hana and the vivo Primus lux. Did you find any long term quality issues for either of them?
The Lems boots have zero traction if your roaming around in the woods. And they have a much thicker sole. I own Vivos Tracker FG & a pair of lems boots, and I by far love the vivos over the lems.
I feel you on the barefoot shoes. I had a horrendous case of plantar fasciitis a few years back, and after struggling with it for 2-3 years, I went to minimal shoes and I've yet to go back. Currently rocking Cairn Bedrock Sandals.
Vivobarefoot shoes are actually perfectly sized. Brands like Nike actually are to small for their size so that I have to choose 1 or 1.5 size steps above what usually buy
I have had Lems, Xero, and Vevo. I found all to wear out easily. In order of most durability would be Lems with Xero very close, the Vevo I had cracked at bend near the toe box the material used in the sole was just not up to the others standards. All had problems with the sole glued to the upper. Shoe goo was used a few time on all shoes, oh except the Vevo as in the manner of the crack shoe goo wouldn't fix it The Vevo was the least used shoe out of the bunch as well. I am expecting to get into a pair of Xero's new wool shoe I forget the name very similar to the Hanna. And a Black leather Lems boulder boot. I have come to accept the longevity will not be what I expect or want, but it will have to do. Now, for the ultimate boot , which you did not cover, I almost expected you to, and at the same time didn't expect. Is the Mukluk. Specifically Steger Mukluks Extremely durable, I have 6 years of full time use, about 6 months of the year and its daily use not something I throw on for the even out thing, hard use in the out of doors. www.mukluks.com/Traditional-Maple-Mukluks/productinfo/TDMAM/#.W6e_WiRKi1s
Hilarious when around 4:45 you go into talk about liking shoes that provide you that warm swamp foot feeling, and later about wild animals being used in construction. Thanks for illustrating options.
Try Birchbury. They make two styles, both leather. One that’s like a classic sneaker and the other is a dress shoe. They look and feel great, and don’t even look like a barefoot shoe!
Glad to hear about your experience with Xero. I love the look of them but I ordered two pair and had to return them because they were so narrow and I had ordered men's just to be sure they would fit. Love your humor in all of this!
Great video again. LOVE the Xero Ipari Hana shoes. I've been wearing a pair for a while now and yes... they have a bit of a "socks with laces" look to them, but the wide toebox is super comfy. I wear them around town, on short hikes and have had to use them in water activities too (lost my water shoes in Jamaica and had to use these).. and they performed great in all situations. I've heard great things about the Lems too... but haven't pull the trigger on getting those yet. May need to look into them too.
Love Vivo. Lems are nice but something you did not mention is that they have a pretty beefy sole. This means they feel much more like a normal shoe but you lose out on a lot of the tactile feel (and really benefits) of barefoot shoes. I ended up returning mine and sticking with Vivo.
True. And for me there’s still so much tactileness with the Lems compared to my standard shoes that it still feels like a serious upgrade. But the Vivos and the Xero definitely have a more nuanced feel underneath.
I like the way Xero's Hana Casual Canvas Comfort and Xero Coalton look, but they're pricey.. even though, they're less expensive that the Vivo Primus Lux! Any thoughts on the Lems' Nine2Five? Vivobarefoot's Ra II or Addis Mens? What about shoes that aren't marketed as barefoot, but have the flat bottom, and wide toes? Something from Vans? NAUTICA Classic N83 Sail? AllBirds?
I would love to see a redo of this video with some of the new styles. Xero has a lot of new shoes and there are some vans style shoes from feelgrounds that I would love to hear your opinion about.
Really nice review 👍 I recommend you try out "Merrell vapor glove 3 Luna LTR". Made of a felty leather upper and look just nice. Would be a good fit as casual barfoot shoe!
Another great company that makes a very durable shoe is Sense of Motion. They're made in Colorado and have a Vibram sole. I get a new pair once a year, and their designs keep getting better and more durable.
The platypus style tow is supposed to be natural once your foot adapts and spreads out... I just got my first pair of vivo's and it's definitely weird and feels big, but i feel that it is intentional by the company to do so.
Re: Xero Shoes - Be careful Cute Shoes; Difficult Return Process For a couple of years now, I’ve been looking for a lightweight pair of closed toe sandals for travel. The Xero Colorados looked like they’d be perfect. They looked super cute on my feet, even my husband complimented me on them and he never comments about my shoes, except to say that I have too many! These sandals are a minimalist style and there is zero arch support, which I knew. I have a pair of FitKicks, another brand of minimalist shoe, and this hasn’t been a problem. But I had the Colorados on my feet less than a minute when I felt a telltale twinge in my lower back. I know from prior experience that this is a sign that shoes just aren’t going to work for me. Plus the fit wasn’t the greatest, the width was just right but there was about an inch of extra length in the toe. I probably would’ve tried exchanging for the half size down if it weren’t for twinges in my lower back giving me clear warning. I walked around the house for a bit to be sure and reluctantly acknowledged the sandals just weren’t going to work. I was really disappointed but I knew they had to be sent back. I lightly brushed the soles of the sandals to remove any carpet fibres and packaged the shoes for return in the original packing materials as the packing slip advised. I was stunned to receive an email from the company a couple of weeks later saying that their warehouse team had determined the shoes showed “visible signs of wear” and that they were willing to offer me 70% of the purchase price for a refund OR 100% store credit. I was gobsmacked. I had been so careful and the shoes were on my feet no longer than they would’ve been had I been trying them on in a store. I emailed back saying surely there had been a mistake?? Then I got smart. I did a bit of research online and discovered that this scenario had happened to at least two other customers. Apparently the email stating returned shoes “show visible signs of wear” is the standard response of this company. I then initiated a PayPal dispute and sent the company an email to inform them and to request a refund for 100% of the purchase price. Within 24 hrs I received a response from the company saying they had received photos from the warehouse team and had determined that the shoes did not show signs of wear after all. They apologized for “the confusion” and said they’d refund my purchase price less the cost of shipping. I knew beforehand that I’d have to absorb the cost of shipping both ways. I was just relieved to get the purchase price refunded. This all played out in the early weeks of March before all the pandemic shutdowns. Nonetheless I want to issue a caution about doing business with Xero Shoes. They have a very friendly, “we’re a small company” vibe and initially I felt good about supporting them, especially since Chase recommended them. But behind their clever marketing and hip social media presence lie some deceptive business practices. I would advise anyone to think twice before ordering from this company. At the very least, if faced with having to make a return, document with video or photographic evidence in case you have to prove the unworn condition of the shoes being returned. I didn’t think to do this. But fortunately I had paid with PayPal; I’m not sure that I would’ve received my refund had I not initiated the PayPal dispute. Tl;dr: Be careful ordering from Xero Shoes. They do not honour their stated return policy.
New Balance 10v1 Minimus shoes are pretty nice looking. 4mm drop, but I really like them to walk around in, even if its going to the store or hanging out with friends. Comfy and breathable!
I just want to state the vivo is twice has much as xero. So i would except them to have better material. But i just got the day hikers and it you have wide feet, then xero is perfect. I have never had a shoe to fit as good as the xero shoe does.
@@matthewbucklin1391 it really depends on how you look at it. The upfront cost of the shoes can seem more expensive than I--like many others--might normally pay (though they are comparable or less than a lot of non-barefoot running shoes from Nike, New Balance and Adidas), but they have lasted longer under daily and active wear than any other shoes I have owned. As work shoes I get about 15 months out of them before they started to break down or smell of anything but leather vs a max of 3 months before breakdowns or smell makes most other shoes I've owned questioable to useless (New Balance, Nike, Adidas, Tade Evo, Vibrum 5 fingers, etc.). Upfront cost of $100-160 is comparable to higher but cost over time has thus far been much less.
Chase, did you order these all online and just cross your fingers? Did Vivo Barefoot shoes run true to US sizes? The size chart on their site has them running larger than my Nikes etc
While putting away pennies for these shoes, just get a $5 pair of watersocks at Walmart. Chances are you can wear them for at least 2/3 of your walking, and they give you the chance to start developing those muscles again until you find the right barefoot shoe for you.
I LOVE my black coaltons. At first i wasnt sure if it was the right comfort but after break in, they have a unique feel that i find desirable in my other zero drop shoes.
The Primus Trek is a great hiking shoe. I use them with hot weather, cold weather, rain, submersed them in water and mud, not a problem. They dry very fast, but I use merino wool socks with them.
I like my Merrell Vapor Glove shoes. They're the only shoes I wear anymore when I have to wear shoes. As close as you can get to barefoot without actually being barefoot..........
That platypus comment had me laughing. I do like the Vibram five finger and they only look silly if you get the brightly colored ones. And then you say; the dad's shoe look... I almost fell out my chair from laughing! My best bare foot shoe is a Japanese tabi low cut canvas shoe.
A word of caution on Birkenstocks - any backless slip-on shoe will force your toes to grip while walking, and will interfere with a natural walking gait. So for people with bad backs, avoid at all costs! If you really do want the Birkenstock sole then opt for a style with a closed back.
