Barefoot shoes?

[BewareTheBeardedDragon]

Does anyone wear barefoot shoes?
Do you find they help improve health and well-being in any way?
Are there any brands you'd recommend or avoid from experience?

I'm feeling tempted since my current shoes are falling apart, but don't want to make a potentially costly mistake.

Do you mean the shoes that have individual holes for each toe? - like gloves?

I like Vivobarefoot shoes. They are pricey but well made and last a while even with all the walking I do. I should stress that I’m not stylish so can’t advise on that front! But I have various foot complaints from flat feet to bunions and find them much more comfortable than traditional shoes.

Campers make barefoot shoes: their Peu and Right flats. Really comfortable but expensive and the Peu range can look a bit clowny.

I wear vivo shoes and boots too. I walk a lot and I’ve never been uncomfortable in them.

It is vivo who have piqued my interest. How do you find them in the rain @QuiltedBear and @OrionsAccessory?

No - those ones don't appeal 😆

Also - how long do they last with the super thin soles?

I’m a barefoot shoe fanatic!

it’s not as simple as which brands are best etc as they all different. You need to look at your foot shape, then look at the barefoot shoe shape to decide which is best.

I don’t like Vivobarefoot shoes as the shape isn’t suitable for me, however my kids like them.

Be Lenka are super wide and have a clown look to them.

I love Groundies. You can order plenty of styles from happy little soles as they’re free delivery.

Many barefoot shoe brands don’t offer returns from the UK if you buy them from the manufacturer, and if they cost over £137, you are then stung with a customs charge.

You also can’t just stick them on your feet and that’s it, many feet resist them as you have gone from a supportive shoe to a shoe were your feet have to work.

when I first started wearing them I had quite abit of foot pain so I had to ease into them slowly.

also if you’re a heel striker when you walk, then you will need to re train yourself to land on your full foot rather than your heel, otherwise you will end up with sore heels.

I could never go back to normal shoes, yet before my barefoot shoes I was an orthotic wearer!

This is my foot shape and Vivobarefoot are not suitable for me but I’ve had no issues with Groundies.

Be Lenka we’re also too wide. My feet are 9.5cm wide. Each barefoot brand will tell you the internal length and width of each shoe

Oh regarding the thin soles, adult barefoot brands have a guarantee of 2 years

I always wear vivobarefoot trainers now. If I put ordinary shoes on to go out I end up with a painful back and remember that is what I used to feel like all the time! They last well but my walking boots don't have much traction in the rain. DH's boots were better in that respect. My youngest only wears them too.

It depends on the shoe. Some of them are for proper runners and so prioritise breathability rather than waterproofing. Others are labelled as being specifically weather proof. And then in between you kind of have to guess based on the materials/design.

Oops, I should add my personal experience. I’ve had some that are fine in the rain. My first pair were partially mesh and if I shook my hands after washing them I could feel it!

Thanks for all the detailed advice. How the heck do you retrain yourself to land on your full foot without looking like you're trying to run through shallow water? Maybe I'm an inept walker 😆

Reading the trustpilot reviews for vivo - they're rather off putting...

I only wore mine round the house for the first few days. I did have to learn to walk without heel striking. Running took a little longer to get my head around. But worth it , my knees don't turn in so much, my feet are flexible and strong and my back much less sore. My balance is improved also.

I’m not a serious runner. But in regular trainers I always heel struck. As soon as I switched to barefoot shoes I started running on the ball of my foot instead. It’s like my body could read the difference in the shoes and knew to protect me - it wasn’t a conscious choice on my part at all.

I wear some vivobarefoot shoes for the gym but they wouldn't be any good for walking round in the damp UK weather - I wear vivobarefoot walking boots when we're out walking which are more substantial. The little trainer ones are really only good indoors or in dry weather imo. That said DH's vivo trainers have lasted over two years with heavy use and still going strong.

The DCs just wear barefoot shoes from Happylittlesoles, they sell a range of brands

It's OK to walk heel striking. We do that naturally even barefoot. Running/jogging though we would naturally NOT heel strike were it not for padded shoes

Yes, but I had a very heavy tread and am a lot better now I don't do it. My pelvis is in a better position now too.

This is all very interesting. I'm vaguely considering paying for a course to teach me how to walk better by Petra Fischer. Depending on how much it costs of course. Doing a free foot health one at the mo, which has brought up barefoot shoes.

Oh I love my barefoot shoes!

I was struggling with loads of ingrown toenails and starting with a bunion. Toenails are all good now, and the bunion is definitely no worse, maybe straightening a bit!

I have done some foot exercises and massage while I get used to it - if you Google Petra Fisher or search YouTube there will be lots of suggestions.

I can’t get in with Vivobarefoot, they don’t fit my foot shape well. Peerko and Be Lenka are great though.

Take a look at this website, lots of advice as well as things to buy.

www.happylittlesoles.co.uk/

I am thinking of doing a running one. When I was on holiday in sweden this summer I saw a bloke run past and he just looked amazing, just running with little effort and flawless motion, he had barefoot shoes on. It was so impressive I wanted to clap.

Have many people tried barefoot shoes for their kids? I've been looking at BGreatershoe and wondering if anyone has tried them? Thanks

We’ve had school shoes and now trainers from BGreater shoes and I’d highly recommend. Cheaper than some other brands mentioned in the thread and UK brand so no issues with shipping.