WHITIN Shoes Review – Affordable Beginner Barefoot Shoes on Amazon 

WHITIN Shoes offer several casual barefoot shoe styles plus a minimalist trail runner and a running shoe on Amazon. With an affordable price point and a wide toe box, WHITINs make a great transitional option for those new to barefoot shoes. 

If you’re just starting your journey of foot health and barefoot shoes, it can be overwhelming to figure out where to start and which shoes to buy. And if you’ve been holding out because you don’t want to spend a fortune on expensive shoes and high shipping/return costs, then the affordable WHITIN Shoes on Amazon may be a good place to start.  

I’ve recommended WHITIN shoes to several of my own family members as beginner barefoot shoes to great success. In addition, dozens of readers here and on Instagram have followed up to let me know how much they like them.  

The whole family can get in on WHITIN barefoot shoes as they now have styles for both adults and kids!

I included WHITIN Shoes on my list of the Best Barefoot Shoes for Beginners, where you can check out more options if you’re new to barefoot shoes.

In this WHITIN Shoes review, I’m going to review six of their wide barefoot casual shoe models so you have everything you need to know to pick the right pair and size for you. 

Note: This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on one of them, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information, read our full disclosure.

Definition of barefoot shoes 

If you’re on this blog, you may already be familiar with barefoot and minimalist shoes. But, if you happened to stumble over and have no idea what I’m talking about, here’s a quick definition. Barefoot shoes (sometimes called minimalist shoes) are meant to be as minimal as possible so as not to interfere with your natural walking or running gait. This usually means a wide, anatomically shaped toe box that don’t squish your toes, and a thin, flat and flexible sole. The goal is to have stronger feet, not supportive shoes. You can find more information and FAQs about barefoot shoes here. 

Why are WHITIN shoes a good shoe for someone new to barefoot shoes? 

There are several features that make WHITIN shoes a good option for someone transitioning to barefoot shoes. 

1 Wide Toe Box  

A wide, foot-shaped toe box is the most important feature I’m looking for in a healthier shoe. It’s not difficult for your foot to transition to a wider toe box (trust me, your toes aren’t going to be missing those tight toe boxes), and you’re preventing further damage and issues. WHITIN does sell shoes in a range of widths, so make sure you’re opting for their Wide Barefoot shoes, which are anatomically shaped shoes. 

I compared my WHITINs to a range of other barefoot shoes, and I was impressed with the overall toe space. I found them wider than brands like Wildling, Mukishoes and Vivobarefoot. They were sligbeghtly wider in the toes than the Altra Lone Peaks, and and slightly less space than the Lems Primal 2s and BeLenka Eazy slip-ons. It can be hard to get an exact measurement for width as the upper materials come into play, and the widths of a brand can vary from style to style, but this is to give you a general guide as to how wide they are.  

2 Moderate Cushion 

Lack of cushion can be one of the hardest parts for people transitioning to a thin barefoot shoe. Most of us have spent decades in cushioned shoes and removing that cushion can be uncomfortable.  

As beginner minimalist shoes, WHITINS have a moderately cushioned sole, so most people I’ve talked to don’t notice a huge adjustment.  

The sole is still flexible for the amount of cushion. These shoes do have a moderate toe spring to accommodate for the greater amount of cushion. A toe spring is the upward curve at the toes, and it is usually there to help combat the thickness and stiffness in a sole and make it easier to walk. You can read more about toe springs here.  

3 Zero Drop, Flexible and Flat soles (after removing the insole) 

These shoes are listed as zero drop, but they come with a removable insole that may have a slight heel drop and some arch support. For more of a barefoot experience, you can simply remove the insole for more space, or replace it with a flat insole (see more insole options here). The soles are flexible, which means it’s not going to impact our natural walking gait like a super stiff shoe.

If you’re already used to barefoot shoes…. 

Some of these things that make Whitin Shoes a safe choice for a barefoot shoe beginner is also what make them less than ideal for later in your barefoot shoe journey. Everyone has different goals with barefoot/minimalist shoes, and you may be happy with the WHITIN shoes for the long-term, and that is totally okay! But, if you want to continue to move towards more natural footwear that has less built-in support or walking assistance (like a toe spring), then you may eventually want to move on from WHITIN Shoes and try something with a thinner, flatter sole.  

How is the quality for the price? 

I think WHITIN shoes represent great value. At $40, they are one of the most affordable barefoot shoes out there. I was skeptical about their quality and durability, but by most accounts they hold up well. My mom has worn her WHITIN Shoes almost daily for 6 months (shown below), and as a travel guide, she walks a lot of miles on concrete. Hers still look like they’re in great shape, especially for such a cheap barefoot shoe. I’ve heard similar thoughts on durability from a number of people I’ve talked to about them.

That said, when you compare the shoes to other barefoot shoes with a higher price, the materials and build don’t feel as high quality. On some of the models I could see the glue coming up around the top of the outsole. I haven’t had any issues with separation, I think it’s more of an indicator of quality of construction.  

Ease of ordering and returning 

If there’s one thing anyone in the barefoot shoe community can agree upon, it’s the fact that figuring out sizing, and ordering and returning shoes is usually difficult and expensive. WHITIN shoes offers free shipping and free returns on Amazon.

Quick Tip for Ordering Whitin Shoes 

WHITIN makes both barefoot and traditional shoes. It has the same style of shoe in both a barefoot and a traditional version, and sometimes it still lists terms like “wide” and “wide toe box” in the narrower traditional version (super confusing, I know).  

The best way to differentiate is to make sure that the shoes have “wide” in the sizing, as shown in the screenshot below (i.e., the size is “8 wide” NOT just 8). 

All of the casual barefoot WHITIN shoes with an anatomical toe box are listed on the “Wide Barefoot” Tab on WHITIN’s Amazon storefront. The Trail Runners can be found on the “Barefoot” tab. 

Fit & Sizing 

The fit and sizing for WHITIN Shoes varies slightly from style to style, but generally I’ve found that they fit true to size and I’m the same size in all styles. In the range of barefoot shoes, these have a wider fit like I noted above in the toe box discussion. Most of their shoes fit medium to high volume feet, especially when taking out the removable insole. 

WHITIN makes adult barefoot shoes for beginners in sizes EU 36 through EU 48. This equates to women’s sizes in US 6 wide to 11.5 wide. For men’s, the sizes range from US7 to US 13. While the sizes listed on Amazon are US sizing, the actual shoes are marked with EU sizing. The size charts show the US and EU sizing. 

Most of the Amazon pages have a link to a size chart for that specific style, so I would use the specific chart for reference when comparing your measurements. I always recommend measuring your feet before any purchase and comparing it to the size chart. I typically look for an insole measurement that is 1.2cm longer than my longest foot measurement. See a guide on measuring your feet for barefoot shoes here. 

It’s mostly whole sizes, though they do have size 7.5 and 11.5 for women. I’m typically a US7.5/UE38, and the women’s 7.5 fit me well with my 23.3cm foot measurement. My husband is usually a size US10.5/EU44, and the US11 in the WHITIN shoes fit him best. Generally, most feedback I’ve received is that these fit true to size when referring to the size chart.  

WHITIN Shoe Reviews 

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1 WHITIN Barefoot Casual Fashion Sneaker  

WHITIN Shoes has four different casual barefoot shoes styles. First up is the casual fashion sneaker, which is made from a knitted upper which is very soft and flexible.  It also has a suede strip along the side and reinforced eyelets for the laces. 

The back half of the shoe is lined with a soft, smooth fabric for comfort, and there’s some padding built-in around the back of the ankle.  

This casual shoe is one of their roomiest options – it can accommodate wider and higher volume feet, especially if worn without the insole. I’m wearing a size US 7.5 wide based on my 23.3cm foot measurement.

They come in a range of color options, mostly black, white, grey and beige, but also have a nice light blue and bold red if you’re looking for some color variety in your minimalist shoes. 

2 WHITIN Barefoot Athletic Sneaker 

These shoes have more of an athletic/sporty look, with a sock-like fit and a knitted upper. The knitted mesh is stretchy enough so that these are easy to slip on and off. The side piece on the shoe is a softer plastic, and you can use the laces to tighten down the shoe over the knit fabric. 

These sneakers feel like they have slightly less width and volume compared to the casual style above.  Similar to the casual style, these also feature built in padding around the back of the ankle.  

3 WHITIN Canvas Casual Barefoot Sneakers 

The Canvas Barefoot Sneakers by WHITIN look similar to the Vans Era Shoe, but with a much wider toe box and thinner sole. Plus, they are way lighter. I forget how much some of these conventional shoes can weigh, but when comparing them, the Vans felt like a heavy rubber brick.

Like the Vans, the WHITIN canvas sneakers have a padded collar around the ankle and metal eyelets around the laces. These come a few neutral colors, including black, white, brown and grey.

4 WHITIN Barefoot Slip-on Loafers 

Many people turn to HEYDUDE shoes for a more comfortable option, but the toe box is still too narrow to allow for a healthy, natural toe alignment. The WHITIN Boat shoes are a HEYDUDE dupe with a wider toe box and zero-drop sole. 

The uppers on these minimalist slip-ons are made from a woven jacquard fabric that has some texture.  

See a quick video comparison of the HEYDUDE shoes to the Lems Chillum – the WHITIN boat shoes are more in line with the Chillums as far as toe box width. 

5 WHITIN Minimalist Trail Runner 

While all of the casual shoes listed above are built on the same outsole, the WHITIN minimalist trail runner has a more rugged outsole with a deeper and more varied tread. The lugs aren’t super deep, so they’re probably not going to cut it for tough, rocky trails, but these are a good option for easier runs. The outsole extends over the front and is somewhat reminiscent of Vibram Five Fingers as it marks the individual toes.  

The WHITIN trail runners are similar to a few other beginner minimalist trail running shoes, like these Saguaro Shoes and the Merrell Trail Gloves. 

The uppers are a stretchy mesh with an elastic lacing system and velcro strap. They are  lower volume compared to the casual models.  

Note that these are NOT included on the wide barefoot tab on Amazon, but just the barefoot tab. Other shoes in this barefoot tab have a much narrower toe box.

6 WHITIN Zero-Drop Running Shoe

This running shoe has more cushion than all of the other WHITIN styles, but they’re still zero-drop with a wide toe box. The additional cushion includes an EVA midsole, and the uppers are a breathable synthetic mesh. Because of the additional cushion, they have a more pronounced toe spring. This minimalist running shoe is comparable to brands like Altra Running and Topo Athletic.

Currently, these shoes only seem to be available in men’s, with sizing starting at US Men’s 8. They come in 5 different colors.

7 WHITIN Chelsea Boots

I included these on the list as so many have asked about them. These women’s Chelsea boots have a decent toe box and are better than most conventional boots. And at $46, they’re incredibly affordable. But if you’re used to barefoot shoes, you’ll probably find the stiffness of the sole and toe spring disappointing and uncomfortable. I’d recommend opting for a different barefoot Chelsea boot if you can.

8 WHITIN Kid’s Barefoot Shoes

Now you can get a pair of WHITIN’s for your kid’s too. And for $37! These feature the same sole design as many of the adult shoes, and use a breathable mesh upper plus a protective bumper around the toe for added durability. So far, they’re offered in sizes Little Kid US 11 – Big Kid US 3.

FAQ about WHITIN Shoes 

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Are WHITIN shoes durable? 

Yes, WHITIN shoes are reasonably durable, especially for their affordable price point. As I mentioned in the body of the article, one person that helped me review the shoes has been wearing them almost daily for 6 months and logged a lot of miles walking outdoors due to their occupation as a tour guide.  

Do WHITIN shoes have arch support? 

WHITIN states that the soles are flat, or zero-drop. However, the insoles do have some arch support. Remove the insoles for more of a barefoot fit with a flatter sole.

Are WHITIN shoes good for bunions? 

Due to the wide toe box and soft upper materials, WHITIN shoes are a great option for those with bunions. This wider toe box can comfortably accommodate bunions, and it also doesn’t contribute to the problem as your toes can stay in proper alignment.  

Someone that helped me review the WHITIN shoes for this article had a prominent bunion on one foot. They found the WHITIN shoes the most comfortable option compared to other barefoot shoes they tried due to the width of the toe box and softness of the uppers. 

Can you wash WHITIN Shoes?

A number of people have commented to say they’ve washed their WHITIN Shoes in the washing machine (cold water, gentle cycle) with success, and then let them air dry. I typically say wash your shoes at your own risk as a washing machine can be harder on shoes, and sometimes there are issues with bleeding colors or glue.

Where can I find the WHITIN Shoes size chart? 

Each separate style and listing on Amazon has a link to the related size chart. The link is included right before the bullet point descriptions of the shoe.  

Who manufactures WHITIN? 

The WHITIN Shoes appear to be a private label that manufactures their shoes in China and distributes them directly through Amazon. The individual/entity that owns the trademark to WHITIN owns the trademark to several popular Amazon brands, including Joomra. WHITIN is not listed among Amazon’s private label brands and does not appear to be owned by Amazon. 

Where are WHITIN shoes made? 

Per the markings on the shoes, WHITIN Shoes are made in China.  

Hobibear vs WHITIN

Quite a few of you have been targeted by the Hobibear ads over the last few months, so you want to know the difference between Hobibear vs WHITIN. This looks like the case of two companies using the same supplier/manufacturer, and just changing small details on the shoes (like color, branded tag, etc). This is pretty common among many industries–I’ve seen a few recent TikTok videos showing the same piece of furniture sold at three different stores, or the same dress sold by 5 different retailers, all with different price points.

Because of that, you can use this post would basically be the same for a Hobibear shoes review, though it looks like they don’t offer quite as many styles yet. The main style is the barefoot casual fashion sneaker, the first reviewed style on this post. They also have a lot of non-barefoot shoes. Find the Hobibear barefoot shoes on Amazon here.

Whitin and Hobibear have a very similar price point (around $40), so it mostly comes down to which of the small details or colors you prefer. You can purchase both Hobibear and Whitin from Amazon, so that makes both shipping and returns free and easy.