I’m a male, in my mid 60s….retired military and retired LEO….active my entire adult life. I don’t run anymore, but I hike with my dog, 4-9 miles, 4-6 days a week. Due to an old Navy back injury, I’m attempting to adopt a zero drop-wide toe box-minimalist shoe life style. This video, sir, is outstanding as an introduction to the various brands. One more thing, never stop the “dad jokes”. All my three kids, in their mid 20s to early 30s, still get a kick out of my “dad jokes”. Bravo-Zulu, sir…..well done on this great video!
I’m a half crippled Army veteran. Have a foot injury from Iraq. I have 2 pairs of Lems Boulder boots (vegan-all nylon upper). I love them. I scarcely have a desire to wear my Dr. Martens or Born Shoes anymore, not least because with an all nylon upper the Lems are far more breathable. The soles are far more durable than I expected when I first got them. I got my brother a pair. He calls them “slipper shoes”. Highly recommended!
@@edwardhoward4708 Thank you, brother…too damned funny! My brother is retired Army, and he gives me hell…he calls them “bozo boots”! Whatta ya gonna do ‘bout brothers?!!?
I imagine you lifting you a heavy box of dirt cheap hoodies at your part time job at Old Navy and slipping a disc, resulting in your Old Navy back injury.
This is my favorite barefoot shoe review video to date... quick and to the point with no excessive vlogging, but having links with more in depth reviews. Perfect!
@@MauricioMartinez0707 not a female business shoe, unfortunately. I’m looking for something that looks nice with dresses & skirts. Thanks for the thought though
Looks like those last shoes are the first of their kind. With any luck, more brands will step up and follow suit; but for now, unfortunately it looks like we'll all just have to wait and hope for the best
Thank you for the overview. There are more great brands in Germany as Leguano (but lots of plastics), Zaqq, Groundies, Sole Runner .. As well as other European brands as Freet from UK or Belenka from Czech Republic. Both for wide feet 🥰
Awesome video! Would be cool to see a video talking about barefoot shoes from narrowest to widest toe box, since there is a lot more variation than I or others would expect. Frustrating getting a pair of 'barefoot' shoes, slipping them on, and realizing that they aren't wide enough.
That's where I'm at! I'm not quite willing to buy other brands because my Xero river shoes were too narrow. Lems has been great but pricy and the canvas is fading badly.
@@tatiaxyt8564 I ordered Xero Prio and Xero HFS after seeing a lot of reviews. But the shoes still quite narrow and rub the side of my pinky toes. So far, I enjoy Splay freedom :wide enough for my feet but hug my ankle and heels like a sock(I have pretty small heels). the price is affordable. FYI: Vivo Primus Lite III shoes aren't wide enough( pretty much like Xero) but the heels are really loose.
I'm now wearing Splay shoes because of this video and I LOVE them. I can't get over how long I wear them and don't feel the immediate need to take them off like all other shoes lol. I grew up taking ballet and loved being barefoot and running around outside so my feet are already adapted to this kind of shoe and its so freaking perfect I want ALL my shoes to be like this.
I just bought my first pair of barefoot shoes. I needed a dress shoe for work, so I bought a Xero Phoenix. I was worried they wouldn’t fit because I have really wide feet, but surprisingly they fit perfectly. I normally wear a 7 wide. I bought a 7 and they actually fit because of the wider toe box. I love them!!! I am going to try out barefoot tennis shoes next.
I run in Skinners. Genius idea for foot covering. Even the most minimal shoe is still a beast compared to the socks. Even in 100 degree heat in the middle of summer they protect you from asphalt.
I started a barefoot transition the last june, i started with a veeeery cheap shoe of an unknown brand on amazon, good but it was somthing like a toy, then i discovered Saguaro, and i really love it, I already know some brand of this video, like vivo, vibram, xero, Feyue, skinners, i dicovered the last one on kick starters years ago, nowdays it's not changed so much but it's a good minimal shoe. Some Barefoot shoes are too much expansive in my opinion, other don't gives me the rigth vibe. This video it's amazing for a beginner or for someone who want to start with a barefoot transition even outside the gym or home. Thanks for everything.
Wow ...I love this session... I'm 74 and need to walk and I've been scanning some barefoot shoes but it gets so confusing and you've just given me a direction... thank you so much. GA USA 👍 YOU JUST MADE MY DAY! 🙋🌹
I hate feet. Ive been overweight all my life, and obese all my adult life. Nevertheless, this channel has really helped me realize I want to take care of my feet before I get old. Currently losing a lot of weight and trying to learn how to run again. I never really cared much for what kind of shoes I wear either but it looks like I'll be able to look good while taking better care of my feet, with all these recommendations to check out. Im truly, truly thankful for the content you've put out and the knowledge you've given me
Try the plant based diet and you will lose weight like crazy. You'll feel better and no naps needed. I went from 185 to 168 in a month. I eat all I want but only veggies fruits seeds nuts and berries. I do eat salmom or steak once a week. No fast food no processed food no sugary anything and only thing with caffeine or sugar is my coffe. No dairy. Try other milk alternatives. Do this and slowly add other foods. This is a start point to detox from sugar and all bad foods. You will be doing a reset to your whole body.
In response to these 2 comments, carnivore diet has been getting a lot of positive testimonials of health benefits as well as losing weight and eliminating chronic diseases similar to plant diet. It’s not as studied compared to plants, but I would say quality of food is most important whichever diet route you choose. And above all else, we’re all humans and unique, your body may react better to one or the other diet. It’s up to you to experiment and see what works best for you. Good luck! Rooting for you on your road to a healthier life!!
Skinners 2.0 in depth video from you would be really valuable to see, both from perspective of the user and umm..barefoot activist(?):) Thanks for all the content so far!
I Love the Wildlings, i had no Idea what barefoot shoes where. Then i googled sustainable shoes because i wanted to be more aware of the resources of our Earth. They looked so good, i wanted to try them. I needed long to adjust to this shoes, but now i don`t want to change them! I would like to see an video about sandals, especially the wildings because i like how they look. Sry I´m German but i hope i written well enough.
I don't have wide feet, and the Merril Trail Glove 6's are my first barefoot/zero drop shoes. They fit me very well and I'm extremely happy with how they've felt thus far.
I just can't understand why companies insist on taking a successful formula and completely ruining it! My 1st barefoot shoes I owned were the Merrell Trail Glove 4. They were AMAZING in every way, especially the way they looked, and that's important for me, as I'm sure it is to most people, but only a few like to admit it. I used to do some serious hiking with them, including rock scrambling and mountain climbing-though they were not designed for that but still performed spectacularly. I seriously got addicted to them and did not want to go back to your every day hiking and trail running shoes with thick, heavy soles like Asics, New Balance, La Sportiva, Salomon, etc..., which I owned and used before. By the time I was done with the Trail Glove 4, I went looking for the same shoes to replace the old ones. To my horror, I discovered they were replaced by the Trail Glove 5 then the Trail Glove 6, the worst iteration of the Trail Glove yet since their inception. Now they look like geriatric shoes from hell and are not near as comfortable as the TG4. Gone are the vibrant vivid colors and attractive styling only to be replaced by boring, bland grey colors and a toe box that looks like Donald Duck's bill after smashing his face into a concrete wall. Makes you wonder what they were smoking in the Merrell's boardroom when they thought that was a good idea to go that direction! Talk about if it ain't broke, don't fix it! Looking at the other barefoot shoes brands available today, sadly none of them come close. The Xeros are a potential contender but can't judge until I get some on my feet first. I really wish I can walk into Merrell HQ and knock some sense into the heads of their head honchos and convince them to go back to their original design philosophy when they first started the Trail Glove series. I'm willing to bet my bottom dollar their sales figures for the recent Trail Glove models have plummeted in comparison to their earlier generations.
Companies start with passion for the beat product they can make, but as time goes on, they have to start thinking strategies as to make product weaker or less perfect just enough so consumers come back for more,than just be content with everlasting perfection.
Same. I did some SERIOUS hiking in my TG4. We're talking All over the southwest. Up mountains. In the snow. Running in the desert. Shoes provided just he right about of minimal support and my feet got tough as tails. Now my TG4 are in tatters and I have no replacement. Drats. IF Merrell ever re-releases them I'm buying ten pairs.
I have experienced this over and over with companies of all sorts. I don’t wear barefoot shoes, most of my walking is in my yard and it is way to rocky, and fir cones for me to want to feel the ground. And the one pair of toe shoes I had, Vibram brand, left my feet cold. And they did not hold up well at all. All that said, I like to wear brogue oxfords in the winter. When it became obvious Clark’s was not going to renew the ones I like I bought a second pair and put them away. They are now wearing out and nothing much like them from Clark’s. It is really frustrating.
“Shocks” are a real thing?! Dream come true. I have some whitins I’ve been running in, and they make my feet feel like I’ve been standing for 12 hours straight. I grew up barefoot and have almost always run truly barefoot or in 4mm heel drop trail runners before deciding sidewalks were just too hot this summer and I needed protection. I noticed the spring in the whitin toe just earlier today as it happens. I adjusted my evening sprint with the crazy dog to put slightly more focus/weight on the toes to compensate for the spring and the run went a touch better with less pain afterward.
Loved this video! Puncture resistance, socks, formal dressing... You guys resumed all that I've been looking for some time now. I work in very demanding and variable conditions and I need all terrain, including hours standing or inside a vehicle, changing scenario from woods to concrete in a short run. Please give me your opinion (or recommended video) about promoting the use of barefoot shoes for my little girl (10). Thanks again!
I recently purchased the carets and pretty happy. Not quite as good looking as a traditional dress shoe as they are wider, however a good trade off given the extra room in the toe box and zero drop.
Excellent video. Thank you. These types of information videos really save customers $$. I've only purchased Xero shoes to date and have been really satisfied. However, that being said, the sandals, while amazingly comfortable, would be a better fit if they came in half sizes. Cutting to size, as recommended, really ruins the esthetics plus slightly interferes with the support.
Food for thought: some people do have narrow feet, and a super wide toebox makes them slide around inside the shoe and therefore may not be a positive! I'm personally like you with a much wider than average foot, but I've tried on some barefoot shoes that take it too far haha.
I have a narrower foot but have some bunion issues. Trying to get that balance between foot shaped shoe but not too wide is difficult. One of my pairs I didn't realize is actually too big for me until I had used them for a bit. My feet were sore after a workout because I had been trying to brace myself from my feet sliding around inside the shoe. I'm always nervous about ordering shoes because of how particular I am about how they fit. I end up spending money on shipping for returns that I just lose and then makes me not want to order shoes.
Thanks for this awesome review~~ vibram five finger shoes saved my feet. I couldn't walk anymore. I've had multiple spine surgeries. My brain literally had to reconnect with my feet. I put my first pair on and I literally slept with them on for a week...they changed my life! It took several months to fully understand the shoes and my feet. a lifetime of regular shoes literally ruined my body because of the way my feet are made.
Inov-8 Bare-XF 210 V3 have been my go-to everyday wear shoes since I bought them a month ago. 1mm sole without the insole. Best ground feel compared to all the other ones I've tried over the past 4 years.
I know I'm late to the party but this video is amazing. Insane amounts of information on every shoe included and great production quality. Fantastic work. Post comment comment, I have never before seen a foot with a genuine haircut. Looks like Clarke Kent if he were a foot.
A great rundown of the most popular brands, thank you. I have enjoyed Vivobarefoot, Xero, and Lems. My favorite everyday shoe is the Vivobarefoot Gobi ii, Xero Prio for running, and Lems Chillum for casual. I'm saving money for later in the year getting Vivobarefoot Tracker Forest Esc for winter, outdoor boots. Thank you again.
Woah I never heard of Splay or Carets but they look great! I find typical barefoot shoe designs to be a bit wacky. Fine for most occasions but not really for style. These look great for casual and formal dress up events. Thanks for the video!
Thanks Chris, really helpful. Would love to see full reviews on Skinners, especially if they are puncture resistent (I have heard they are not), and how they perform in cold and wet. Also appreciate more of a review on Vibrams, also which models perform best for wet and cold runs. (The winter insulated models I think will be too heavy. I am used to the super light KSO, which I love, but unfortunately let water in when you are anywhere near water! So especially reviews for light running shoes suitable for cold and wet UK weather. Thanks so much 😁
I’m glad I watch this, I only knew and bought Vivo, and even though they’re great, I don’t see many varieties and had no knowledge about the other brands. From what I saw, I would pick Wildling, Splay! and Carets. Just hoping they ship to the US or Mexico.
I don't like to actually go barefoot in my house because of dogs and also getting chilly, so those Skinner booties are intriguing to me. I want some kind of "slipper." Thanks for this great review!
I have an older fivefingers model (7+ years?), same up top just a more detailed grip / traction on the soles. I really love doing anything in them, they've been used for running, calisthenics and basketball. It's been my second time now that's I've had to have their soles re-glued cause in certain angles I put a lot of stress on the sole vs the material up top. So I'd say they're super durable but design wise can be slightly improved to divide stress better at extreme bends.
Thank you for such a great video I've never heard of splay, but I'll defitinely check them out now! I'd love to see more videos on testing your own ankle strength.
Great video. Can we get a ranking list with multiple categories, including ranking the most pure barefoot shoe, the best casual shoe, best hiking shoe, best versatile shoe. Things to consider would be sole thinness, widest toe box, how lightweight it is, flexibility, etc. brands I would like to see in the showdown of barefoot shoes would be wildlings,splay, vivo, vibram. It would also be cool if you could collab with Andrew folts on this video..
You should try a Brazilian brand called Feet of Tomorrow. I usually run barefoot, no shoes or socks at all. And with the Feeet of Tomorrow I felt myself very comfortable for my recovery and daily use. It is basically the only shoes I use during the last months, as I'm barefoot everytime it is possible.
If you want a high end bespoke custom made boot with minimalist sole, wide toe box, look to Russell Moccasin. Expensive, but cutom made to your foot, traditional styling and worth every penny. They've been making a couple minimalist styles for about 20 years. I have and love the country squire minimalist boot. With a second pair in order.
Need help finding work boots. My life has changed since transitioning to minimalist shoes and being barefoot. But, I can't find a heavy-duty safety toe boot (work required) that is zero drop with a wide toe box. I wear keen work boots now, but I want something better. I love my job so I won't be entertaining any suggestions to find a job that doesn't require safety toe boots.
I would love more on vegan womens shoes thanks. Just found your channel and all I can say is WOWWWWW. I remember years ago wandering into a Barefoot store and wandering out lol very unimpressed so this is a fresh start for me 😯 shoutout from UK 🙌👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💯💐🇬🇧
Great review but didn’t address sandals! Perhaps for another video. I’m loving my xero z-treks as a newbie barefoot shoe person. Had no idea I’d love them so much. They are changing the way I think about shoes and feet.
Great reviews! I have just ordered from a couple of companies on the list Virobarefoot and Saguaro and thinking about Vibram five fingers. My first barefoot shoe I bought was from Barestep. (Have you ever done a review on them.) I’m so far pretty happy with them they are comfortable and fit well.
VFF KSO is my favorite shoe, been wearing them for over 14 years now. They are also awesome when doing deadlifts. Missing some brands though in this overview: Feelgrounds, Groundies, Leguano Shoes and Inov8 Minimalist Shoes
Feelgrounds mentioned. Criticised for the horrible synthetic materials that promote bacteria and odor. Praised for looks. Exactly how I feel. Still wear them. Wish they upped their material quality
@@HansenFT by now i own 2 pair of vivobarefoot shoes and i love them. I have the Geo racer knit mens and the primus lite 3 mens. They dont smell even though they are made from recycled items as well. The are super airy.
zaqq, peerko, Aylla, feelgrounds, be Lenka, joe nimble i have no since few hours the deep brown patrol lite winter shoes from feelgrounds in 39 as woman and i love them♥️. I will also give sanguro a chance in summer or running, but altra is like dream if less cushioned... need 9,8 mm wide length forefoot. PS: zaqq was the first with more business shoes than the rest
Unfortunately, due to my medical condition, feeling every stone or whether or not the coin is heads or tails does not work for me (it is a real pain). But I am a true believer in wide toe (shape) box and zero drop. So for those of you who cannot wear feel everything "barefoot" shoes, Lems are fantastic. As he says, they are padded but most are zero drop and so wonderfully wide (my toes are free). Great comparison video!!! Thank you!!!!
I've been super happy with Vivo Geo Racer for outdoor, Geo Racer Knit for indoor use. Love the design so much and the quality is outstanding. Definitely wanna try some more manufacturers in the future - very helpful video! 👏
Outstanding Video! I can see the amount of work you Guys put in this ten minutes. You showed brands I didn't even know they exist. Greets from Germany P.S. Love the Wildling Brand too ;-)
Great list of barefoot shoes and brands here, I've tried almost half of them and a couple others not mentioned. If you ever get a chance my go to (5 pairs) is Soft Star shoes, their original Runamoc with a bull hide sole is absolute bliss. Other than full days on concrete or asphalt it's essentially a leather glove for our leg hands🤘
I would love to see a video recommending dress shoes for women. In daily wear I can use sneakers or boots, but I’m pretty active in my church and it’s traditional for women to wear lots of semi formal dresses. And this has me struggling because I can’t find shoes that look well enough for those occasions. I have a painful bunion on my right foot and I can’t wear anything with a heal or too tight around the toe box without feeling pain.I found a brand of shoes called Calla shoes. The brand markets to women with bunions, but I don’t see to shoes any different from regular ones. They seem to conceal the bunion rather than aim to improve it. I would love some help in this area since is something I’m battling daily.
Hey Chris! Would be interesting to see Ahinsa in a future video (even thought a just ordered my fist pair a minute ago). Might also satisfy those that are looking for vegan options :) And thanks for yet another great video!
Thanks for all the reviews and videos, I've switched to barefoot for the past year or so. My first shoes were Xero's but I wasn't happy with the durability so I ordered some Vivo's now and used your discount code. Hope you get something in return for all your hard work.
Anyone have any suggestions for construction workboots? As much I'd love a minimalist shoe I've had my foot saved from nails and drops with my workboots. Just wish they had a bit less drop, more toe room, lightweight safety toe, and a protected sole for nails with minimal thickness to do the job. Obvious a compromise and I take my boots off once home. Working on dirt, concrete floors or climbing ladders and uneven surfaces needs a bit of protection and comfort for 8hrs+ a day. Also the rain, snow and summer heat. Have also considered the custom route, but those are not similar to minimalist in any way.
Love a full review of the current Merrells. Was the also the minimalist shoe I started with and wore for several years; however, it's been a while since wearing barefoot shoes and looking to get back into it. Wanted to go with Merrell because it was familiar, but now leaning towards Xero 360 as I do a lot of cross training.
Awesome list! The whitins make me think they would be a good alternative to my feiyues (although I find the feiyues to be so nice looking and still fairly barefoot, minus the narrow toebox), and the carets look like a fantastic design!! Love the heel and pointy toe despite being barefoot!
Yes, I agree with your assessment of the Whitin’s Barefoot Socks, love everything about them with the exception or the somewhat narrow to normal toe box. I would be interested in seeing a review of the Skinners! I believe you’ll have a better ground feel but not sure of the durability or how long they would last.
I used my first pair of skinners 2.0 more than half a year with constant all day use, even in the winter. They are still in good shape, the texture of the sole worn down at the contact points with the ground, but still watertight. The top fabric became a bit fluffy at the color changes, that was the main reason (and that I wanted an other color too) that I ordered a second pair. With that, I had less of a luck, after some months, some cracks began to form on the sole at the heels, however, after contacting the manufacturer, they immediately sent a new pair, no questions asked. Overall, despite the sole being very thin, it is really durable and even if you would have any problems, their customer service is also great. Totally recommend.
@@zoli232 Thanks for your review and experience with the Skinners! Whitin Barefoot Socks are currently $26.99 compared to Skinners $59.90 (Double the price!) Although I would like to try them, I’m not sure if they justify the cost?
@@ABC-gv1kf I just started barefoot with Skinners, I've just watched this video, because I was also looking for some more traditional looking shoes, so I cannot say anything for the other makes. However, looking at som pictures at the Whitin, I don't like the pads they have at the bottom (I understand, that are the exact location the sole of my skinners wore the most), for the most minimal feel, I would choose the skinners. Also, they look much better in my opinion
@@zoli232 I just noticed the the 2.0 are $66.90. the regular skinners are $59.90, what’s the difference? How’s the toes box for both? Also, I’m usually a size EU 42 or 9 - 9.5 US, which the chart states is a Medium but if runs small (or if I wear socks with them, as I would like that flexibility, would I need to size up to a large?
My saguaro shoes came today. The company sent the wrong pair, so refunded my money, let me keep the shoes and gave me a coupon to reorder for the style not currently r available in my size. Excellent customer service. I went with the Vigor ll. Not sure what the 1st pair are called, but instead foot pain relief. 😊
ive got some of the Lems chukka shoes. they are great for work, roomy toe box but enough of a sole that my feet aren't hurting at the end of the day. I also like that so many of their offerings are 100% vegan.
Forty years ago, nylon running shoes had just emerged with barely any heel and were very flexible. They were butt-ugly but the touted thing for running and jogging (and everyday wear). Somehow that evolved into padded cast type joggers with extremely high heels and actual metal shanks in the arch: bizaare painful shoes, and they were uglier than ever and drove me to the Vans and skate shoes and occasionally I scored some nice cheap flat sole sneaker. Since my last pair of Vans blew to pieces I now walk in Speedo water shoes with really old sorboair insoles (from a long worn out pair of mid high boots) So nice to see the barefoot shoe evolution. . . even if they are charging and arm and a leg for shoes. Sometimes that's ok.
Love the Splay ones they are true to size for me. The Vivo is on the loose side but those shoes are so good it’s like wearing nothing…..love these both so far. Thanks for the recommendations
Wow, been waiting for a review like this from your channel.. A barefooter for years now, can't think of going back to cushioned shoes... love your detailed explanations on all issues foot related and those painful disection of shoes... Thanks
