Barefoot Dupes: Barefoot Sandals Like Birkenstocks

Want the Birkenstock style, but not the incredibly thick, stiff and structured sole that comes with them? Here are six barefoot sandals like Birkenstocks.

Switching to barefoot shoes can often feel like you have to give up all your favorite brands and styles. Fortunately, as more brands and styles come to the market, we now have a lot of similar styles. Birkenstocks have been a popular sandal for decades, but seemed to experience another swell in demand these last few years.

Are Birkenstocks good for your feet?

This is a frequently asked question, so let’s talk about it. 

Birkenstock does two things really well:

First, they have a wider, more naturally shaped toe box that allows the toes to properly splay.

Second, most of the Birkenstock sandals are zero drop, or flat from heel to toe, so they do not alter your natural alignment.

Where Birkenstocks fall short:

When I’m evaluating whether a shoe is good for your feet, I don’t want the shoe to interfere with you natural foot function, meaning it can move naturally, so the foot maintains or improves it’s strength and mobility.

The signature cork footbed in Birkenstocks are thick, stiff, with a lot of contouring and support. This arch support and other foot support acts like a sling or a crutch. It can be helpful during a recovery period, but muscles that don’t get used get weak. If we want our the muscles in our feet to be able to support and stabilize our feet and body, they can’t rely on a shoe. 

These very stiff and thick cork foot beds limit your mobility and change your walking gait.

Lastly, many Birkenstock sandals are open back slides, which do not securely attach to your foot. People often compensate by toe gripping or shuffling. 

Birkenstocks can be a starter tool as you work towards healthier feet, but ultimately your feet can’t get stronger when they’re supported by shoes. [watch this video about Birkenstocks here]

So, if you’re looking for styles you love that will help you on a path towards healthier feet, then check out this list of barefoot and minimalist sandals like Birkenstocks. Keep the style, but not the parts that are limiting your foot mobility.

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Barefoot Sandals like Birkenstocks

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All of these barefoot shoes feature a wide, anatomically shaped toe box and a flat and flexible sole. They range in sole thickness, from moderately cushioned to very thin, so you can find one that best suits your preferences. These are all most similar to the Birkenstock Milanos.

Softstar Camino Sandals

Leather Uppers | Retail: $130 and up | Sizes: Women’s US 5.5 – Men’s US14 | Stack height: 7 to 15 mm

Softstar now has several versions of the best barefoot Birkenstock dupe called the Camino sandal, with stack heights ranging from 7mm to 15mm. The Camino sandals are inspired by the Birkenstock Milanos, with thick, oiled leather straps, which make them feel most similar to the original Birkenstocks out of all of the sandals on this list.

For a barefoot sandal that prioritizes cushy comfort, look to the original SoftStar Camino Sandals. The original Camino (pictured above in brown) has a thicker sole and more cushion than most of the other options on this list, with a total 15mm stack height. This consists of a 5mm Vibram outsole and a 6mm Vibram midsole, topped with a foam and suede footbed that will mold to your foot. You’re giving up some ground feel and flexibility, but they can be a good transition option as they don’t have the stiffness and support you’d find in a Birkenstock. 

The second “Street Edition” camino sandal is more flexible, made with a thinner 2mm outsole for a total stack height of 8mm.

And new in 2025, Softstar introduced the Camino Sandal Lite. These have a total stack height of 7mm, made with a 2mm Vibram Street Rubber outsole and a 3mm Vibram midsole. The Camino Lite also comes in new colors: Blush Pink (pictured below), Beach Glass (a stunning green-blue nubuck), and Black. This is stripping away 8mm of extra cushion that was on the Original, but note that neither are the most flexible option out there. The original feels like more squishy cushion, while the Lite is thinner, but the sole materials have some hardness and stiffness to them.

Fit & Sizing: Softstar has a unique sizing chart, so it won’t line up to other brands. I’m wearing a 6U in these Camino sandals and they’re just long enough. Because of the foam topper, the footbed isn’t totally flat, so you don’t have quite as much length as what you measure on the outsole. In Softstar’s size guide, it recommends size 6U for feet with length 23 to 23.9. I wouldn’t recommend much longer than my foot length (of 23.3cm) as your feet will start to overhang the bump of the foam. Therefore, I’d generally say look at the lower half of the range for size recommendations; if you’re on the upper half, I’d go up to the next size.  

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Mukishoes Nazaré

Leather Uppers | Retail: €89 | Discount code: KELLYMUKI for 10% off | Sizes: EU36 – 48 | Stack height: 6.5mm

If you’re going for more of a minimalist feel, then the Mukishoes Nazaré highlight how barefoot this style can be. The Nazaré sandals feature a 3.5mm flexible rubber outsole and a lightly cushioned cork midsole for a total stack height of around 8mm. The adjustable straps are made from soft suede that comes in light brown. They aren’t as thick as the straps on the Softstar Camino, but they don’t feel too thin where I forsee stretching out to be a big issue.  

I went with an EU37. These fit medium to wide feet well and offer good adjustability to accommodate different foot volumes. They’re unisex, and available in sizes EU36 – 48. 

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Freet Salcombe

Leather Uppers | Retail: $100 | Discount code: KELLY for 10% off | Sizes: EU37 – 48 | Stack height: 11mm

The Freet Salcombe has become another fast favorite for barefoot shoe wearers looking for a replacement for their stiff Birkenstocks. They come in a brown, thicker full-grain and unlined leather upper. The total stack of 11mm consists of a 5mm rubber outsole, and 3mm firmer midsole, and a 3mm softer insole. These are a good fit for wider feet. Freet sizing can vary between styles, and these tend to run a little large.

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Wildstride Leather

Bison Leather Uppers | Price: $179 | Sizes: US6 – 14 | Stack height: 10mm 

Wildstride is a US-based brand that hand makes their barefoot sandals from locally-sourced bison leather. Bison leather feels similar to cow leather, but it’s supposed to be 40% stronger, so I’m expecting these are going to be exceptionally durable sandals. The brand notes that these may need some break in time, but I felt that they were so soft out of the box.

Since this is a smaller brand, they do have a lead time of about 2 weeks to make your sandals, but on the plus side, they do offer custom orders. And if you really want a slide, they make those too.

These feel like the perfect middle ground of not too thick and not too thin with their total 10mm stack height. This includes a 4mm Vibram outsole that is both durable and flexible. I opted for the size US6/6.5, which is their smallest size (it’s similar sizing to my EU37 sandals from other brands).

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Sambas the Bambas Freya

Vegan Leather and Fabric uppers | Price: €119 | Discount Code: KELLY for 5% off | Sizes: EU36 – 44 | Stack height: 10mm 

The Freya sandals from Sambas the Bambas share a similar minimalist design with other barefoot-style sandals like Birkenstocks, but with a more playful and refined twist. They feature thick vegan leather straps layered with recycled microfiber and finished with gold buckles—Sambas is a fully vegan brand known for its creative use of sustainable materials.

The midsole includes about 4mm of coconut fiber for light cushioning, and the cork insole feels smooth underfoot without being slippery.

Fit and sizing: They’re fully adjustable with two buckle straps and velcro at the heel. They fit my medium-width feet comfortably, but might feel snug on wide or extra-wide feet. I’m wearing a size EU37.

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Posh Panda Sandals

Leather Uppers | Prices start at $107  | Sizes: Women’s US 5 – Men’s US13 | Stack height: 4 to 10mm 

Posh Panda Sandals are the barefoot sandals that can be fully customized—chose your sole thickness, buckle color, and from 40 different leather colors and patterns. These are also similar to the Birkenstock Milanos.  

The leather on the Posh Panda sandals is thinner and softer compared to something like the Softstar Camino. The underside is the sueded side of the leather, so it’s really soft on your foot. My main concern is that it could stretch over time, but so far my pair has held up well. 

You can choose from soles that are 4mm to 10 mm. For the most barefoot sandal like Birkenstocks, I opted for the 4mm. It is a very thin and flexible sole. As I’ve mentioned in my other posts on barefoot sandals, sometimes there is such a thing as too much flexibility for a sandal as it increases the risk of the front catching. While I love the feel, I may opt for the 6mm next time just to prevent any issues. 

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Ruby Barefoot Sandals

Leather Uppers | Price: $84  | Discount code: KELLY35 | Sizes: EU35 – 43 | Stack height: 6mm 

Ruby Leather offers barefoot shoes and sandals on Etsy. These also have softer, thinner leather strap and a sole with a total 6mm stack height. These soles aren’t thick, but they’re still a little stiff. These run longer than the size chart. I originally ordered an EU38 which was much too long, so ended up sized down to an EU37. Ruby Barefoot also offers some customization in sizing and shape; you can message them about custom sizing. 

Use code KELLY35 for an extra 35% off.

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Bioworld Sandals

Vegan Leather Uppers | Price: $88  | Sizes: EU35 – 45  

For those wanting a barefoot vegan sandal like Birkenstocks, look to the beautifully made sandals by Bioworld. These sandals are handmade by two brothers in Spain and available on Etsy. The uppers are faux leather or faux suede. They use a flexible, durable Vibram sole. This specific Vibram soling is one of their more flexible options.

Shipping is about $30 to the US and returns are only accepted from EU countries. 

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Other barefoot sandals like the Birkenstock Milano

There’s a few more options to check out here:

Wildstride: These are made in the US from bison leather, which has a more rugged, textured appearance.

Crupon Sandals on Etsy: These aren’t quite as similar to the Birkenstock Milanos as some of the others, but still have a similar style.

Butterfly Your World: This is a one-person shop based in the US that periodically opens for orders, with current processing times around 8 weeks. All the sandals are custom. Find more about them on Instagram.

Tara Soles: These are slip-on sandals that only have the two front straps like the Birkenstock Arizona. They do have a flat and flexible sole, but I generally recommend a sandal with a back strap and secure fit that doesn’t impact a natural walking gait.

Tomar Creation: These affordable handmade sandals start at €50 and are made in Slovakia.

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Slip-on sandals like the Birkenstock Arizona

Slides aren’t usually part of a barefoot shoe lineup, since they lack a back strap—something that helps keep your foot secure and supports natural movement. But even barefoot shoe fans can appreciate the convenience of a slip-on now and then. These barefoot-style slides are similar to Birkenstock Arizonas, but with a wide toe box and flexible sole for a more natural feel.

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Find any other barefoot sandals like Birkenstocks that you love? Share in the comments!