Bahé Barefoot Grounding Shoes for Outdoor Adventures: Trail Runners, Hiking Boots and Sandals

Connect with your surroundings through the barefoot design and grounding technology in Bahé shoes. The trail runners and hiking boots both feature a wide toe box, zero-drop sole and moderate cushion.  The sandals use a similar sole, with fully adjustable, secure straps.

I started wearing Bahé shoes last year when they launched their first wide toe box and minimalist sole trail runner, the Revive. They hit that sweet spot of not to thick and not too thin, especially when it comes to shoes you’ll be using to log a lot of miles. Bahe is continuing to expand their line of barefoot shoes, now with a hiking boot and sandals. Read on for a detailed review of the Bahé barefoot shoes.

The new Bahé Rewild waterproof hiking shoes are currently available for pre-order now through December 7. Save 20% when you use code BAREFOOTGUIDE.

Code BAREFOOTGUIDE for 10% off

About the Brand

Bahé shoes are designed to help people reconnect with nature, both through their minimal design and their grounding technology. The brand was founded by Kishan, a passionate runner, and Alex, a footwear designer dedicated to sustainability. Combining their expertise, they aimed to create high performance running and hiking shoes that foster a connection with nature, prioritizing both eco-friendly materials and grounding technology.

The brand’s first product was a conventional running shoe, featuring ample cushioning, a heel to-toe drop and a tapered toe box. However, after delving into the benefits of barefoot footwear, they developed the Revive trail runners, a barefoot-inspired shoe characterized by its zero heel drop, minimal cushioning, and anatomically shaped toe box.

For those curious about pronunciation, it’s ba-HEY, with an emphasis on the second syllable. The name Bahé is derived from Hindi, meaning ‘flow.’

How barefoot are the Bahé minimalist shoes? 

The Bahé minimalist shoes are built with a generously wide, foot-shaped toe box. Out of all the barefoot shoes I’ve tested, they’re on the wider end. What’s nice is that they don’t give that overly wide look some ultra-wide shoes can have.

Bahé used to have a traditional trail runner with a heel-to-toe drop, but everything in their lineup is now fully barefoot with a zero-drop sole.

The stack height depends on the style, especially now that they’ve introduced “Modes” for both the Revive trail runners and the Rewild hiking shoes. Each style comes in three cushioning levels, and all of them include a removable 3mm insole so you can tweak both volume and feel.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

Endurance – 22mm total stack: Their most cushioned option. You can definitely feel the extra bounce here. I’d save these for higher-impact days—longer runs, or anything where you want just a bit more underfoot.

Flex – 10mm total stack: Their most minimal option and super flexible.

Adapt – 14mm total stack: This was the original stack height before the Modes line launched, and it’s the one I personally wore for two years straight. It has that nice balance of moderate cushion while still giving you great ground feel.

So, how barefoot are Bahe’s shoes? If you’re opting for the Flex, it’s feels on the very barefoot end of things. As you go up the modes, you’re trading off some flexibility and ground feel free to more cushion.

See how the Bahé minimalist running shoes stack up to other minimalist styles in this TikTok video.

What is grounding?  

Bahé shoes stand out even among barefoot running shoes due to the unique incorporation of grounding technology. While the primary focus of this article is to review these shoes as barefoot footwear, here’s some additional information if you’re interested in grounding.

Grounding, or earthing, refers to the practice of connecting with the Earth’s electrical forces. The Earth carries a negative charge, and when our skin comes into direct contact with natural surfaces like grass, dirt, sand, or water, it helps balance our body’s electrical charge. Typically, wearing shoes creates a barrier between your feet and the Earth, preventing this connection.

I personally enjoy spending time barefoot outdoors to feel soft grass, smooth stones, or beneath my feet. Being barefoot allows for a more immersive experience in nature and lets my foot muscles move freely. Proponents of grounding suggest that it offers benefits beyond the immediate physical sensations, with studies indicating potential improvements in sleep and reduced inflammation.

The goal of adding grounding technology to shoes is to retain some of these benefits while wearing footwear. To achieve this, grounding shoes incorporate materials that enable the electrical connection from the Earth to pass through to the bottom of your foot. In many grounding shoes, you might find a copper plug in the sole of sandals or leather loafers. However, for the Bahé grounding shoes, Alex and Kishan developed their own ground flow system, as a copper plug isn’t suitable for the sole of tennis shoes. You can learn more about this innovative design on the Bahé website.

Although there are still relatively few studies on grounding, leading some critics to question the evidence supporting its benefits, there’s no harm in incorporating this technology into your barefoot shoes, especially if it might lead to better sleep!

Fit and Sizing 

Bahé shoes are unisex and available in sizes EU36 to EU48, which corresponds to US men’s 4/women’s 5 up to men’s 13/women’s 14. I’ve consistently been the same size across all of the closed-toe styles as they all seem to have the same fit.

The shoes are currently available in whole sizes only. Based on my 23.3cm foot length, with a medium width and higher instep, I’ve been wearing a US7/EU38 comfortably. They’re a little roomier than some other EU38s I have, but I personally wouldn’t want to size down. If you like a slightly snugger fit for running shoes, then you may want to size down. I would say these fit true to size.

My husband wears them in an EU43. For comparison, he’s a size EU43 in Vivobarefoot and a size Men’s US 11 in his Lems hiking shoes. Similarly, he felt they run a little bit bigger than other shoes the same size, but wouldn’t want to size down.

These shoes are well-suited for medium to wide-width feet and medium to high-volume feet. These shoes feature one of the widest toe boxes in the barefoot shoe market. In a comparison with the Altra Lone Peak trail runners and the Lems Primal Zen, you can see in this video that the Bahé Revive runners have a noticeably wider toe box.

I’ve found that many other barefoot runners are too tight around the top of my foot due to my higher instep. I’ve been Bahé Revive shoes provided ample room, even with the removable insole included. This means they can accommodate high-volume feet if you remove the insole. For those with low-volume feet, you might need to swap out for a thicker insole.

Bahé Revive: Minimalist Running Shoes

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Construction and Materials 

The Bahé Revive barefoot grounding shoes combine the look and feel of classic running shoes with the distinctive features of barefoot footwear. True to the company’s commitment to sustainability, eco-friendly and recycled materials are used wherever possible.

The durable rubber outsole is abrasion-resistant, ensuring long-lasting wear—an essential quality for a reliable running shoe.

The uppers are made of 30% recycled polyester mesh, offering lightweight and breathable comfort. This mesh also has some water resistance, keeping your feet dry in light rain. For added durability, the mesh is reinforced with thermoplastic (TP) at the heel and toe.

The Revive is available in four colors: white, black, green, and sandstone. I’ve been wearing the white pair, and as with any white mesh shoe, they tend to get dirty quickly when hiking or walking through dust and dirt. I’ve hand washed them a few times with a shoe cleaner and brush (I recommend this cleaning kit), and while they don’t look brand new, they still clean up quite well.

Performance and Durability   

The Bahé barefoot shoes are incredibly comfortable and versatile, making them one of the sneakers I’ve reached for most often when I’m going to be seeing time outdoors. I’ve tested them in numerous scenarios, including a hiking trip in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, long walks on my local greenway, gym sessions, and casual errands. While they were a bit slippery on the basketball court, I would recommend them for almost everything else.

As one of my most-worn shoes for outdoor adventures over the past year, I’ve included them in my roundup of the best hiking shoes and trail runners.

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Bahé Rewild: Minimalist Hiking Shoes

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The Rewild trail shoes feel like a blend of the Bahé Revive trail runners and the Rediscover hiking boots. I like my hiking shoes as light and barefoot as possible, but I also don’t want to feel like I’m being poked by every single rock and branch underfoot. The 10mm Flex mode hits that sweet spot for me. You get lugs and a touch of cushion, so there’s just enough space between your feet and the ground without losing that grounded, minimal feel.

I wore these on a four-day hiking trip through Sedona and never once wished I had brought another pair. The waterproof uppers were perfect for the rain, muddy trails, and creek crossings.

If I’m wanting just a little more underfoot, the 14mm Adapt mode is perfect. And for comparison, my husband tested the 22mm Endurance and immediately noticed the extra cushion—even compared to the Lems hiking shoes he usually wears. I’d personally save that highest cushion level for higher-impact days like running since you do lose some flex and ground feel.

Overall, if you’re looking for a lightweight, fully waterproof hiking shoe that still feels barefoot, these are an amazing option. They definitely don’t feel anything like the clunky hiking boots I used to wear!

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Bahé Rediscover: Minimalist Hiking Boots

Rediscover Boots Basics

• Hiking Boots with lug soles and waterproof uppers
• Unisex, sizes EU36 – EU47
• 15 – 18mm stack height
• $249, use code BAREFOOTGUIDE for 10% off

Construction and Materials

I’ve been wearing these on hikes during my fairly hot and humid North Carolina summer, and have appreciated that they’re made to withstand tough conditions, but still comfortable on an easy hike. My gripe against most hiking boots is that they’re just too much–too heavy, too padded, too stiff, (and too narrow of course), that even before finding barefoot shoes, I never wanted to wear them if I didn’t have to. The Bahé Rediscover are different. They’re giving me all of the features I want, like lugs for good traction, waterproof uppers, and a padded collar, without adding so much weight. Add to that that they’re still pretty breathable, and you’ve got a solid, all-year round hiking boot.

The uppers are ripstop nylon, which helps make them both lightweight and waterproof. I even stood at the edge of the river with them half submerged for a while, and no water got in.

The reinforcements on the heel and especially the toe give me confidence in the longevity of these boots, and the knowledge that my toes will be protected from all the rocks and branches, even with a few clumsy missteps.

The Rediscover is available in four colors: beige, brown, green and black.

Fit and Sizing 

Bahé Rediscover are unisex and available in sizes EU36 to EU47, which corresponds to US men’s 4/women’s 5 up to men’s 12/women’s 13. The shoes are currently available in whole sizes only. I’ve been wearing a US7/EU38 comfortably with a pair of hiking socks. Remember that feet do tend to swell when hiking after longer periods, so I tend to like my hiking boots a little bit roomier than regular sneakers.

These hiking boots are best suited for medium to wide-width feet and medium to high-volume feet. I have higher instep, and can still wear these with the removable insole.

If I’m comparing these to the Revive running shoes, their insoles seem to line up almost exactly–the Revive looks the tiniest bit wider in the toe box. The outsole on the hiking boots appears longer, but that’s likely do to the having a much more built up outsole–the inside measurements seem very similar on both.

Ordering, Shipping and Returns 

Bahé is based in the UK. Their shoes are currently only available on their website, Bahe.co. They offer international shipping. Shipping to the US and EU is £15.

Any questions about Bahé? Drop them below.