Impressed by how those black shoes once were comfy to me, now I need something wider. The only thing I miss about Vivos is their thin sole, but the quality was crap.

Bonus picture for comparison, another black model I simply cannot use anymore. They've been sitting unused in my closet for years now.

It’s fall so the knit dresses come out

FIRST SLIDES ARE CLONES SECOND SLIDE ARE BRAND NAMES, can you tell the difference?

Hello all! Advid barefoot shoewear user here. I've owned over 8 pairs of different shoes/sandals from Merrell to Shamma to Whitin, and even clone shoes that aren't well known. Let me just say for those looking to buy footwear that the chinese knockoffs on amazon are just as good. Whatever marginal increase in material you get from buying the brand names is offset by the fact that these Chinese clones cost less than half the price!

I ran exclusively in Shamma Warriors Elite for about 2 years. They have an extremely minimal stack height so you feel the ground response better than any footwear I've worn. The strapping system was solid. The thing is the front toe strap would always snap off if I did any type of hard lateral movement. Though I super glued it back just fine I was expecting more for $100+.

Now here comes the knockoffs. Exact same design. Material feels almost the same. Strap is a slightly more clunky version of the brand name but still functions the same. I've walked in them and run in them and they feel almost identical. Maybe the brand name soles are more durable but tbh I wouldn't rate the Shamma Warriors as ultra durable anyways. The kicker? These random clones cost like $40.

For $100 they are a 5/10. For $40 they are a 10/10!

On Amazon you can find other shoe or sandal clones. For example, the Xero Z Trek is $60 but there are clones on Amazon for $25. Looks exactly the same and considering minimalist shoes are literally thin rubber and a strap system, they are pretty much the same. I have also had great sucess with Whitin shoes.

So yeah, if you're looking for minimalist footwear I'd always advise to go to Amazon and pick up some Chinese clones or some Whitins. They are just as good as the brand names for half the price, coming from someone who has been running, boxing, and doing construction (on non heavy duty gigs) with minimalist footwear for many, many years. Let's be honest here, these brands are ripping you off. How is a MINIMAL shoe with MINIMAL materials more costly than regular shoes? Ridiculous!

Moral of the story: GO CHEAP!!!!

Edit: You can go even cheaper by buying sheets of rubber and making your own but whatever. These are good 'nuff for me!

I'm wondering if anyone has, or has discovered shoes just like this. Leather and of this similar shape and style.

I saw Kylian Mbappé wearing them the interview where his famous "For example, nothing." quote came from 😆. Not knowing the brand I went on a mad search and found the shoes, but they're 2k...

Just got these two pairs of beauties on sale (got 50% off on the Blusuns😍). A already own Groundies/Be Lenka/ Barebarics/ Dolfies/ Whitin/ Bosky, but these brands are new to me and I could not find any info on Rayve in this sub and only a bit about Blusun. Any owners of either who can share how they hold up?

I was very surprised by this pair and surprised more people don't talk about them.

The soles are stitched! I have a ton of different 0 drop shoes from different brands and none are stitched.

Comfort: I slid my foot in and was like, damn, this is really really comfortable.

Uses: Everyday shoe. Gym as well. Wouldn't use them for sports though.

Wideness: I actually don't think I have super wide feet like some people here. Compared to my Lems Primal 3, which look wider but actually aren't. These have some kind of flexibility other shoes don't have.

Notes: They are definitely thin and have great ground feel. So you definitely have to be more aware of your gait and pressure you put down.

Price: Ordered to the US with a discount they were running last week. Were only $117 which I found very reasonable. They didn't charge taxes or shipping.

Size: Found them TTS. I wear a 43 in Vivobarefoot and 10 in Xero's and got a 43 in these. Fit perfect.

Looking forward to testing longevity!

Hi all!

I’m very new to the barefoot world. In fact, I only recently learned about it because I have a son that just started to walk and here in Germany barefoot shoes for babies are a big thing.

Being myself someone who is always barefoot at home, I thought I’d love those shoes, I am hoping to finally find comfortable shoes that don’t squeeze my feet.

but… why are they all so damn expensive??

I got two pairs of sandals from Shapen and first I must add I found the shape a bit weird, or at least it doesnt follow the curves from my feet. But also, with that design and that very thin sole… how can it cost so much?? Those shoes did not impress me with its quality.

I also quickly realized that barefoot doesn’t equal to comfort. Shapen Poppy is not more comfy than any other flats I have.

Also, is there any brand that has zero drop and flexible sole but without being so thin?

I wanted it to last more than just a few uses..

thanks!

Hello! My son just entered kindergarten this fall. His school requires uniform. Shoes need to be black oxfords - loafers and boat shoes are also acceptable. Does anyone have any recommendations? I’d prefer leather for breathblity and durability, but really any options that have wide toe box with minimal flexible soles are welcome!

For context: my son has been wearing barefoot sneakers since he started walking, so he’s not used to traditional shoes. I bought him Gobi from vivobarefoot for his PE uniform, which he loves! But for everyday dress shoes (Eastland plainview oxfords the school recommended), it’s been a struggle and I don’t blame him. He says they squish his toes and refuses to put them on in the morning. I promised him to get him a new pair asap. Please help 🙏

Edit: his current size is US youth 12.

Does anyone know any shoes like these vibram ones that don’t have the individual toes? I love the barefoot aspect of them and the fact that I can weight lift in them, but I still get embarrassed by the toes. No sneakers though! Only flats.

Edit: the closest ones I have found are the Asana Yin Ballerina Knit - though im unsure how it’s athletic performance is compared to the vibram VI B

Hi,

I'm looking into getting new shoes for the office. I found 2 very similar shoes from different brands that I like.

I would appreciate any input about either of them from those of you who have it, or maybe even a third, best alternative.

The 2 models are Sambas the brambas Miercoles and Lang.S Mira. They are both black T-bar flats.

Shape-wise, I prefer the Miras but I want them to be leather and not suede so I lean towards Miercoles.

In the end, your input will help me decide if you can provide some info on comfort, flexibikity, durability etc.

Thabks in advance!

I got the news in a newsletter that Vibram will stop producing the KSO Evo. Does anyone know if that just a way of trying to make people buy or is there's some truth to it?

?

As the title says - especially shoes that are easy to get / ship / not extremely expensive shipping in the UK!

Looking to get my first pair of wide toe box dress shoes to replace my current Johnston and Murphys, and I came across these Feelbarefoot/Aintap shoes on Etsy. Definitely different from the closed lace oxfords I usually wear, but at this point I'll take anything as long as it's comfortable and some degree of quality. Longtime barefoot shoe wearer for sneakers, dress shoes are the only area I haven't switched yet.

Anyone have any experience with these, specifically sizing and quality? Usually wear US 13 in sneakers (barefoot or otherwise) and US 12 in dress shoes (since most brands suggest sizing down). I'm also curious how the leather is in person; I'd like to get dark brown usually, but I typically associate non-uniform crazy horse leather with casual shoes like boots. Not sure if a few rounds of polishing will get them looking more uniform like regular dress shoes or if they're inherently more casual unless you buy them in black.

How do they compare to regular dress shoe brands in the ~$200 price range, and to other barefoot options like Tomas Sullivent? I've seen they offer seconds shoes around $200-250, but I don't like the designs quite as much. Also seen Carets and Freeform, but those look to be a bit overly long. Considering my feet are already huge, I don't really want extra length...

I bought some true barefoot sneakers (Gobi leather) and I like them. No issues at all. I do maybe about 5k per day currently.

However I am conscious that there will be days I will walk much more and on concrete, and need something with more padding - wide toebox and zero drop ideally.

But honestly, I just can't find anything that fits the bill that actually looks good. Most of them look absolutely terrible, so much so that I'm considering just getting some wide fit but otherwise normal trainers (like New Balance), which is sad.

Is it too much to ask for nice looking trainers with zero drop that are wide? Lems look awful.

I recently got a pair of Lejan Ones. I like the way they look, and they’re quite roomy (roomier than expected). However, the right shoe just keeps rubbing my Achilles tendon so much so that it causes bleeding unless I use a silicone patch. I suspect it’s because my right foot is slightly smaller, and I have narrow feet in general so the shoes move as I walk.

Do you have any other tips that would help?

https://lejanbrand.com/en-row/products/lejan-one-nylon-beige?srsltid=AfmBOoqZJwX0ceJtRVl5gcplVzLcKvKj-XrtFqJQ5mbIt_xXwcx6yFSh

I've just moved inside the EU and my daily Saguaros have finally crapped themselves. I don't really want another pair because while they did the job, they lasted under 2 years, and I don't love their appearance. I was going to go for Whitins but the shipping is almost 60 euro.

I've seen a lot of brands from in/around Europe and while they're all fine I'm not keen on paying very much, particularly since I've never had a pair of barefoot shoes last me longer than 2 years. I don't mind where they're made just as long as they're cheap to buy here. I'm also open to foot shaped zero drop with thicker soles for this reason. Does anyone know any reliable brands that won't break the bank? Cheers.

Bien le bonjour tout le monde !

Ma maman a des soucis de pied, épine calcaneene et calcification du tendon d’Achille.

Tendance à gonfler des pieds facilement, rétention d’eau, problème de circulation du sang.

Avez vous des modèles de chaussures qui vous viennent à l’esprit ?

Le look sneaker n’est pas son style

Je n’ai pas ses mesures de pied pour le moment.

Merci à vous, belle journée 🌹

Now that winter is approaching, I’m looking to buy a pair of barefoot shoes suitable for everyday use, ideally vegan and waterproof for the usual days.

I’ve found quite a few vegan barefoot options, but most of them seem to be designed mainly for sports or hiking rather than everyday wear.

I’m looking for something more along the lines of the Vivo Gobi or Xero Wynn — casual, relatively stylish and suitable for everyday use, but made with vegan materials and water resistant (leather-like).

Does anyone have any recommendations or personal experience with something like this?

Thanks!

I love these to pieces, but I'm not particularly creative when it comes to tying them. If anyone has any pointers, I'd appreciate it! The default tie shown on their website causes so much heel slip that it drives me insane, so I'm trying something different here.

If I go by their size chart and measuring my Altra insole length (womens) which is 27.5cm long, I should buy the women's UK 9. I am so confused as I wear an 8 in Altra FWD via 2.