Barefoot Shoe Guide

Barefoot Shoe Guide | Your Guide to Healthier Feet and Comfortable Shoes

new to barefoot shoes? Start HERE.

BAREFOOT SHOE GUIDES

Barefoot Shoes for Adults

Barefoot Shoes for Kids

Barefoot Shoes for Toddlers

Looking for something? Search here:

Barefoot Shoes FAQs

About Me, Barefoot Shoe Guide

Hi, I'm Kelly | Barefoot Shoe Guide

I was tired of painful shoes getting in the way of things I loved to do. When I found barefoot shoes, I realized my feet didn’t have to hurt anymore and comfortable shoes did exist! On the Barefoot Shoe Guide, I share how you can have happy, pain-free feet by choosing healthy footwear and strengthening your feet and body. This blog is full of barefoot shoe reviews and practical tips on making your transitional to minimal footwear. Read more

POPULAR POSTS

Lems Primal Zen have a wide toe box and zero drop sole

Best Barefoot Shoes for Beginners

Whitin Wide Barefoot Shoes on Amazon | Affordable barefoot shoes

Affordable Barefoot Shoes

Splay Freestyle, Affordable barefoot shoes for kids

Affordable Barefoot Shoes for Kids

Wide toe box shoes for specific occupations, including steel toe and slip-resistant shoes

Specialty Wide Toe Box Shoes for Work

Barefoot Shoes Discount Codes and Sales

Find my latest barefoot shoe reviews on Instagram

thebarefootshoeguide

If you’re a fan of Lems signature barefoot shoe

If you’re a fan of Lems signature barefoot shoe the Primal 2, it got a big update with the recent release of the Primal 3s. Pictured is the Primal 3 Eco that was released today. I’ve been testing them out for a few months, including taking them on a hiking trip to Arizona.

The Primal Eco features the same design as the Primal 3, but with 50% recycled materials in the uppers. This light beige fossil is my favorite color way I’ve seen on the Primals so far, and I like the more tightly woven mesh.

If you compare these to the Primal 2s, the main difference is the shape and flexibility of the sole. They’re both built on Lems widest last, so you won’t feel a change in the toe box. The changes come in response to a lot of customer feedback, mainly that the arch area was too thin and the heel area was too rounded. The Primal 3 has a wider footprint, and doesn’t look like it’s molded to your foot as much.

The main change I see is in the stiffness of the sole. The outsole is stiffer, and the insole is slightly stiffer and thicker. The Primal 2s are easy to fold up both length and width-wise. I can still fold the Primal 3s both ways, but there’s more resistance (I’ll link a video in my stories).

The Primal 3 shoe is zero drop, but the included insole does have a very slight drop 1mm because the toe area was pressed down to 3mm, and the heel was pressed down to 4mm. This can even out over time as the heel gets pressed down. Personally, I prefer them without the insole for more volume and a more flexibility.

If the Primal 2s were your idea of a perfect shoe, then you might want to buy an extra pair or two of the remaining primal 2 stock, because they don’t have a lot of inventory left.

Fit & Sizing: I opted for a women’s US8 for the Primal 3s based on my 23.3cm foot length. My sizing has varied for Lems in the past, but generally I find myself getting an 8 for most of the Lems shoes as they’ve started to get more consistent with sizing. These fit medium to wide feet well, and can accommodate higher volume with the insole removed.

❓Are you happy to see these design changes?

If you’ve switched out your regular, restrictive

If you’ve switched out your regular, restrictive footwear to barefoot shoes, the next obvious question is often, what about socks? Most socks are often tight in the toe box too! To get the most of your newfound toe freedom in your barefoot shoes, check out toe socks!

🧦 Comment “TOE SOCKS” to get a list of my favorite toe socks, including no-show socks, socks for hiking and running, crew socks, and more.

#barefootshoes #toesocks #widetoebox #minimalistshoes

✅ Shoes should move like feet. ✅ Shoes should

✅ Shoes should move like feet.
✅ Shoes should be shaped like feet.

So why are so many big companies making shoes for kids like the ones at the start of this video?? They don’t bend, they’re too narrow for natural movement, and they’re so thick, it’s impossible to feel anything.

For those of us that find barefoot shoes later in life, it can be a slow transition as we work to repair the damage from decades in conventional shoes and regain our foot strength.

The easiest way for kid’s to have healthy feet is to start them off with shoes that won’t deform their feet or alter their walking gait.

These @feelgrounds kids shoes are exactly what I look for in a good shoe: foot-shaped, flat and flexible. The blue mesh ones are perfect sneakers for summer. And if you’re starting to look for sandals, Feelgrounds will be releasing their first kids sandal in the next few months. It’s closed toe and made with a cotton canvas upper; I’ll be excited to see them when they come out closer to summer!

#barefootshoes #minimalistshoes #kidsshoes #foothealth #barefootshoesforkids #healthyshoes #functionalfootwear #zerodrop #barefootshoeguide

Are toe spacers just a gimmick? Or can they actual

Are toe spacers just a gimmick? Or can they actually help cramped toes get their splay back?

I’ve tried out almost every type of toe spacer and used them for several years. I’ve got a full blog review on all the different toe spacers, with options starting at $1.

👉Comment “TOE SPACERS” and I’ll send you the blog post.

When you’re trying to pick a toe spacer, remember that the goal is anatomical alignment. You want your toes to be where they’re supposed to be, not just stretched as wide as possible.

🌟If toe spacers have helped you, share your tips below!

#toespacers #toespreaders #widefeet #barefootshoes #naturalfeet #foothealth

Adding some spring color to your wardrobe with aff

Adding some spring color to your wardrobe with affordable, breathable barefoot sneakers from Saguaro Shoes. Most of these are under $50 using code KELLY15.

All of these styles come in a few different colors, but I’m including the color they are in the video so you know which one is which.

Luck II - Pink - Flyknit mesh with faux leather accent

Luck III - Light Purple - Uppers are a tight weave flyknit mesh and microfiber.

Agile II - White - Mesh with sock-like fit

Blue Mesh - these are not currently available on the website, but the Luck I is another great mesh option.

While Saguaro shoes started out with a few water shoes, they now have tons of casual styles. The quality for the mesh or knit sneakers is very good for the price. (I find that the faux leather shoes look plasticky, so if you do want a leather/faux leather shoe, I think there are other barefoot brands that will provide a better value for this)

Fit and Sizing: All of these sneakers use the same outsole, so have very similar fit and sizing. This is my favorite outsole that Saguaro uses for casual shoes as it’s wider and more flexible than some of the others. Sole is 4mm plus an insole.

I find that they fit true to size. For me, that’s an EU38 based on my 23.3cm foot measurement. The size chart gives you a recommendation based on your foot length; I was between the EU37 and EU38, and was glad I chose the size up.

They fit medium and wide feet well and can accommodate a higher volume, especially if you remove the insole.

#barefootshoes #minimalistshoes #barefootsneakers #widetoebox #zerodrop #foothealth #healthyshoes

Deciding which shoes to pack for a trip used to be

Deciding which shoes to pack for a trip used to be tough, because it seemed like no matter how cushy or supportive the shoes were, my feet were always tired and sore at the end of the day.

That’s because I was trying to use shoes to cover for my weak feet instead of focusing on making my feet strong.

Then I switched to barefoot shoes. It wasn’t an instant miracle cure, but over time, my feet did get stronger.

I’ve packed my @feelgrounds Seaside sandals on lots of summer trips. They’re versatile and can be dressed up or down. They come in faux leather or cotton twill uppers. The cork footbed is comfortable, even after walking for miles. The sole is 7mm which provides good groundfeel without being too flimsy.

I opted for an EU38 in the sandals based on my 23.3cm foot measurement, which is the same size I wear in my Feelgrounds sneakers. The Seaside sandals are slightly shorter than the sneakers, with the goal of making sizing consistent across styles.

The toe area fits a fairly wide splay, and they fit those with low to medium volume best.

#barefootshoes #minimalistshoes #barefootsandals #foothealth

I have seen so many cute clogs…and I was so happ

I have seen so many cute clogs…and I was so happy to find a barefoot version made by @rubybarefootshoes on Etsy.

The toe box on most clogs is usually pretty generous, but the soles are often very thick and stiff which obviously isn’t great for natural movement. And many are backless too, which means a lot of toe gripping or shuffling to keep them on.

The Ruby barefoot soles are thin and flexible. The outsole is flexible rubber, and the insole is leather. These are handmade in Turkey, and they come in 7 different colors. These are the color mink.

These fit narrow to medium width feet best, but because the leather is so soft, they stretch and mold to your feet.

While I typically look for about 1.2cm of extra space in my shoes, I only recommend about 0.5mm of extra space on these as your foot will push forward, and most of the extra space will just end up behind your foot. I originally got an EU38 for my 23.3cm feet and it was much too big. I exchanged for an EU37 and it’s a much better fit. There is a size chart on the Etsy posting that shows length/width measurements for each size.

So far they’ve been really comfortable and I’ve loved adding a new style to my barefoot closet. My main concern is that the strap around the back may stretch with wear as it so soft (so at least it doesn’t rub). But you could continue to notch it tighter as it does stretch.

These retail for $84 on Etsy, and you can use code KELLY35 for an extra 5% off.

Let me know if you have any questions, or drop “LINK” in the comments if you want the link to these shoes!

#barefootshoes #clogs #barefootsandals #widetoebox #healthyfeet

❗️ PSA: Not all barefoot shoes are wide❗️

❗️ PSA: Not all barefoot shoes are wide❗️

Barefoot shoes should have an anatomically shaped toe box, which is sometimes called a wide toe box, because it is wider than a conventional tapered shoe. But that doesn’t mean all barefoot shoes fit wide feet.

Here you see a barefoot shoe that has a foot-shaped, but narrow toe box on the right, and a foot-shaped, but much wider toe box on the left.

To get the full benefit of barefoot shoes, they need to be wide enough for your particular feet.

Check out the Barefoot Shoe Guide to find lists for both narrow and wide feet.

#barefootshoes #barefootshoeguide #minimalistshoes #widetoebox #healthyfeet #functionalfootwear

Foot health is a long-game, and what you do and we

Foot health is a long-game, and what you do and wear every day matters.

🛑 Stop doing these 3 things if you want healthier feet:

1 Stop wearing shoes all the time.
2 Stop wearing shoes with a narrow toe box.
3 Stop relying on your shoes for support.

Barefoot shoes are not a complete cure in and of themselves, but they’re one of the best ways to avoid foot problems in the first place.

Barefoot shoes allow the feet to move naturally. Daily use is the best way to keep your body strong and mobile, and that includes your feet!

The @feelgrounds mesh and knit barefoot sneakers featured in this video are great options as the weather is getting warmer. Feelgrounds still has a 50% clearance on discontinued models—you can get all the details in my blog post.

#barefootshoes #widetoebox #foothealth #minimalistshoes #barefootsneakers #barefootshoeguide

Follow on Instagram