The Best Barefoot Shoes for Walking or Running
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You were born barefoot, and a growing body of evidence suggests you should have stayed that way. The technology and padding of the modern shoe protect your feet, but protection isn't always what you want. Feet were made to stretch, flex, roll, and bend, and letting them do what they evolved to do can reduce impact injuries and provide a host of other benefits.
That said, please do not buy a pair of these barely there shoes and start walking or running the way you always have. That won't work, and it can lead to injuries. You need to ease into all things barefoot-related, and to some degree you need to relearn how to walk and run. In this guide, we've got advice on making the transition from padded shoes to “barefoot shoes” (also known as minimalist shoes or zero-drop shoes), and we've rounded up our favorites. They're as close as you can get to achieving that barefoot sensation without running afoul of “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service” signs.
Be sure to check out our other buying guides, including our Best Running Gear and Best Snow Gear roundups.
Updated April 2024: We've updated our top picks to add the Xero Scrambler Mid boots and Vivobarefoot Pluma Knit baby shoes. We've also updated prices and links throughout.
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I love these shoes. They are the only shoes that have ever inspired me to write 1,000 words. They are really that good. Think of these as the barefoot answer to Chacos. Except where Chacos are like putting tractors on your feet, the Z-Trails still flex and bend as you walk, giving your feet the freedom of movement you expect from a barefoot shoe. Despite being sandals, these have 10 millimeters of cushion, which is more padding than most of the shoes you see here. That makes the Z-Trail a good option for newcomers. If you want an even more minimalist sandal, I also love Xero's Z-Trek sandals ($60), which have less padding.
The Vapor Glove 3 was the first barefoot shoe I ever tried. They're still fairly shoe-like, with a wide toe box and tight heel cup. But they have zero drop (the heel is the same height as the forefoot) and minimal padding, putting them firmly in the barefoot shoe camp. It's a solid, comfortable shoe that will fit a wide range of feet and stand up to all the abrasion and other abuse of trail running.
My only problem is that Merrell feels the need to update the Vapor Glove constantly (the latest model is the 7, which I have not tested yet). Those of us wearing them don't like change. A like-new Vapor Glove 3 sells for more on eBay than a brand-new Vapor Glove 7 straight from Merrell. That's not to say there's anything wrong with the Vapor Glove 7 (I haven't tried it yet), but it is a warning that if this version is your favorite shoe ever, you might want to buy a few pairs. The Vapor Glove 8 will inevitably be slightly different. You'll use those pairs if you like them. The one thing I don't like about these shoes is that they only last me about six months of average use.
If you've never run in sandals before, Luna's Mono Winged Edition is a great way to start. These are technically what I (and Luna) call “zero-drop,” rather than “barefoot.” The soles are thick enough to provide a good cushion—you're less likely to bruise your feet the first time you run in them. At the same time, the strap design allows your ankle to get used to moving around in a way that modern running shoes do not allow, easing the transition to sandals. That's not to say that veteran barefoot runners won't enjoy them as well. I love them for hard surfaces, like concrete and asphalt. Experienced barefoot enthusiasts looking for a thinner sandal might like Luna's Venado sandals ($90), which lack the trail-friendly sole but are much thinner.
My wife came back from her first run in these Softstar Primal RunAmocs and said they were so good, she'd never wear any other shoe again. I agree; these are my favorite shoes for running trails that I can't run in sandals or barefoot (usually due to mud). The soles are minimal, like those in the rest of this guide, but for some reason they seem softer and let me feel the ground more than the others. The leather uppers are the softest leather I've ever owned and, surprisingly, don't make my feet overly sweaty (which I was worried about going in). The toe box is wide, almost comically so, but after wearing these you'll never want to go back to a smaller toe box. The more your toes can move, the better you will run.
If you routinely run in muddy conditions, I'd suggest the Megagrip model, which uses a Vibram sole with more traction on it. My other suggestion is that you use Softstar's sizing guide but then order a full size bigger, as all three pairs I tested were on the small side. I should also note that Softstar makes some great barefoot shoes for children as well.
Remember when you were a kid and you just had shoes? Like one pair of shoes? They were your shoes. There were not shoes for the gym and shoes for a night out. There were just shoes. If you want to return to that world of minimalist fashion, I recommend these. Xero calls them “athleisure” shoes, which gets most of their appeal into a single word. They're trim, light, flexible, and well ventilated, making them good for a run, but they're also nice enough to wear around town as a causal shoe. If you want something even nicer, there's a Prio Suede ($110, Men's/Women's), which is more or less the same shoe in suede.
WIRED readers are big Freet fans. I got quite a few emails suggesting I try these, and I'm glad I did because the Tangas are my new favorite around-the-house shoes. The single-piece mesh upper is made of recycled coffee grounds, so they lean on the positive side of the sliding scale that is environmental friendliness. They're also very comfortable, and the mesh fabric is nicely breathable for warm days.
The Tangas sport a thicker 6.5-mm sole out of the box, but it's easy to pull out the insole and reduce that down to 4 mm if you want a thinner feel. This makes them a good way to start your barefoot journey, since you can reduce the amount of padding as you go.
★ Alternative: Xero's new Pagosa slippers ($70, Men's/Women's) aren't nearly as robust as the Freet Tangas, but make a good slip on for around-the-house wear in cooler months. They're vegan (fake wool) and keep your feet toasty without feeling trapped.
If you're headed out on rocky trails, or just want some additional ankle support in your barefoot shoe, my favorite barefoot boot is Xero's Scrambler Mid II. The Scrambler was just updated for spring 2024 with a new waterproof version (using PFAS-free waterproofing), which I tested this past fall.
I'll confess that when it arrived I was dismayed at the thickness of the sole. Turns out that's an optical illusion designed to make it look more like a hiking boot. The sole has two parts. The outsole lug layer uses a Michelin-designed material. Above that is the typical padding layer you'd find in any Xero trail shoe. The result is a strong, but still thin and flexible sole.
The waterproof upper worked very well in my testing, but you do lose some breathability compared to regular mesh (there's a not-waterproof version available as well). I like these because they're very light (about 12 ounces), have great traction, but don't sacrifice too much of the barefoot feel. They're also made of high-quality materials that have stood up to considerable abuse on the trail.
★ Alternative: If you want a heavier lug sole for hiking on rough ground but don't want a full boot, Xero's Mesa Trail II ($120, Men's/Women's) makes a great hiking shoe. They can also double as trail runners when you want to move faster.
This slip-on boot has kept my daughter's feet warm from the cold winter beaches of Texas to the frigid plains of Colorado. While technically a slip-on, it does have an adjustable strap that runs from the top of the arch, down to the sole, and then through a buckle near the back, which means you can snug it down a little if you need to. That said the fit on these is pretty true to size so unless you have a very low arch, you shouldn't need the strap too much. I am the last person you want to go to for fashion advice, but to my eye these look great. Unless they're really familiar with barefoot shoes, most people probably won't notice these as anything other than cool boots.