[nunez]

Barefoot running might have died as a fad, but, fortunately, the biomechanical benefits from the minimalist footwear inspired by the movement haven't gone away.

I only own minimalist footwear (zero heel to toe drop, wide toe box, no toe spring). Dress shoes, sneakers, sandals; all of it.

They helped me get off of orthotics, which I've worn for over 20 years, while reducing stress on my knees (I have osteoarthritis in my right knee) and making what little arches I have in my feet stronger.

It's a shame that pop culture seems to have _ran_ in the other direction (maximalist ultra-cushioned clown shoes). I honestly have no idea how people walk in those things. I purchased a pair of BOHEMPIA minimalist hemp chucks the other day. It came with a ~2-4mm insert for comfort. It felt like the cushion from the inserts made my legs work so much harder. All felt right once I took them off.

That said, I never ran barefoot except for a very short segment one time. Actual barefoot running is a whole other experience. Huaraches, which I've also run with, don't compare. I'm scared to do it more often due to glass shards and other fun things on the road, but if I ran more often and on smooth, unobstructed pavement, I'd absolutely do it barefoot.

[bloopernova]

What footwear brands do you recommend?

[hombre_fatal]

Before you try expensive brands, definitely try the budget brand Whitin.

I have bunions which make wide toe box especially necessary for me with toe spacers, and I found these $40 running shoes to be more comfortable than my $120 Altras: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DD36GZG5 (zero drop + wide toe box)

It's pretty sweet when a cheap option is also your favorite option whether that's shoes or pants or bikes—you get to buy extras and it's no big deal if it gets scuffed/damaged. Meanwhile you'll probably baby your $120 shoes.

[nunez]

x/post

I do not recommend WHITIN or, by association, any "Amazon-only" brand. They copy styles from more expensive sneakers at much lower quality to hit cost.

I purchased a pair three years ago as a replacement for Merrell Vapor Gloves that were difficult to find. (Merrell stopped making their Vapor/Trail Gloves for a while, though they appear to be back.) They were heavier than the Merrell's while using cheaper fabric and less comfortable soles.

While affordability of minimalist sneakers is a real issue, I'd recommend spending a little more and getting XERO's.

[hombre_fatal]

Meh, the only litmus test is whether something is high enough quality for you at the price you paid. Nothing about Whitins seems particularly low quality to me running 10km/day.

Especially in the shoe market, just because you pay more doesn't mean you're getting higher quality. Brands are just showrooms for shoe factories in Bangladesh.

I'm so tired of being price discriminated for wanting wider shoes, so I'm not about to feel bad for paying $40 for shoes that cater to me. Whitin is the equivalent of going to the Adidas outlet shop and paying $40 for decent shoes.

[kayge]

I was pleasantly surprised by a brand I'd never heard of called Whitin. The ones I got[0] have a wide toe box and claim to be zero drop (I'm far from an expert on judging this). My criteria was a new minimal-ish running shoe, that would also look okay for casual wear with shorts, and cost less than $100 because I'm cheap :D

[0] https://amzn.to/4iG2eAV

[nunez]

I do not recommend WHITIN or, by association, any "Amazon-only" brand. They copy styles from more expensive sneakers at much lower quality to hit cost.

I purchased a pair three years ago as a replacement for Merrell Vapor Gloves that were difficult to find. (Merrell stopped making their Vapor/Trail Gloves for a while, though they appear to be back.) They were heavier than the Merrell's while using cheaper fabric and less comfortable soles.

While affordability of minimalist sneakers is a real issue, I'd recommend spending a little more and getting XERO's.

[JimDabell]

They look like a cheap knock-off of Skinners.

[kayge]

Might be! I'm definitely not an expert in the space but like I said I was pleasantly surprised, especially for the price. They've already held up to a few months of use (5-10km per week, plus lots of casual walking) and they still look and feel great.

[mamoul]

Not OP, but look into Jim Green's barefoot line, Vivobarefoot, Vibrams, Xero shoes, etc. There are more and more brands adopting barefoot styles, includig Merril! I live in my Jim Green Barefoot Africna Rangers. I use them for every occasion besides working out. I use Vivobarefoot and Vibrams 5 Finger shoes for running.

[nunez]

This will be a long post, as this is one thing that I actually happen to know a lot about!

Vivobarefoot is the best if you want stylish minimalist footwear. They are also my preferred brand, as of my sneakers and boots are supplied by them. I'm a huge fan of their casual and winter boots. You can wear their winter boots barefoot in the winter and still keep your feet warm as long as it isn't extremely cold. US$100-$300.

Xero makes good, affordable minimalist footwear. I'm not a fan of their designs, but they are increasing in popularity enough for it to possibly become an acquired taste for me. I wonder how their collab with the NBA helped sales. They also make great huaraches and minimalist sandals (which is how they got their start, actually), including a DIY kit which you can use to make sandals that match the shape of your foot. US$20-$150.

BOHEMPIA makes hemp minimalist sneakers in the Chuck Taylor All-Star design. Because they are hemp, you can wear them without socks and not worry about your shoes smelling. They look almost EXACTLY like Chucks. Highly recommend. (US$150)

There are lots of options for minimalist sandals:

- Xero, as stated above. (US$20-100)

- Luna makes really good ones, especially for trail running (so I've heard). They also have a traditional, upstyled huarache (Vibram rubber sole instead of car tire), though I found the leather laces to be extremely uncomfortable on my cramped toes. (US$50-150)

- Shamma Sandals is good also. I really like their leather Numa Warriors; these are part of my daily rotation. I hacked them so that I could use Earth Runners straps instead of the adjustable lacing system they come with. Super solid, though I have to adjust my heel strap every few hours because of how my feet pronate while I walk (having flat feet's the best! /s). (~US$100)

- Earth Runners are similar to Shammas, though I haven't bought from them because I've been happy with my Shammas. Lots of people seem to really like them, though.

- More that I haven't mentioned.

For dress shoes, many (Vivobarefoot, Lems, etc) make "dress" shoes that are really sneakers with an Oxford design. They'd look terrible with a suit.

For _real_ dress shoes, there are only two real players in town (that I know of): Carets and The Last Shoemaker.

Carets look fine, and I tried to order from them two years ago, but they were having major logistical issues that caused them to push my order indefinitely _without telling me_. They seem to have sorted this out, as they now have plenty of options in stock now. (US$250-$500)

I ended up going with The Last Shoemaker. It's run by two Brits working out of Vietnam. They are handmade with high-quality leather. I LOVE their shoes. Reminds me of the Allen Edmonds I used to have. Aside from the widened toe box, you can't tell their minimalist at all. I've also gotten custom dress boots and loafers from them that look spot on. They take a while to get, but I can't recommend them enough. (US$350-$500+)

[ValentineC]

Vivobarefoot had massive quality issues many years ago. I owned many pairs of their shoes, and most of them eventually had the sole flake off in 1-2 years. I don't know if it's because I live in the tropics with extremely high humidity, but I think their shoes are poor value for money.

Lems is my go-to now. I have a few pairs since 2022, and none of them have spoilt on me yet.

[kubectl_h]

For those in the states, Vivos occasionally show up on sierra.com and can be bought at a pretty good discount. Around 60% of retail is about the price point where I can tolerate the long term delamination issues.

[bloopernova]

Apologies at not thanking you earlier, I really appreciate your comment, thank you very much!!