Choosing Shoes for Healthy Feet – a Practical Guide to Minimal Shoes
Have you ever wondered what movement teachers talk about when they get together? The answer is: minimal shoes. Yes, we spend a lot of time nerding out and playing around with movement, but the thing we talk about the most is actually our shoes.
Minimal shoes are seriously our obsession.
We swap tips, experiences, information on sales, and any new brands that we’ve scoped out – because picking minimal footwear is much tougher than you’d expect, and gets expensive fast.
Choosing minimal shoes is also a big decision from a health point of view, because what you wear on your feet makes a huge difference in your ability to have happy, healthy tootsies.
Talking the best minimal shoes is a topic that never gets old, and so I wrote this post to help you find the best possible minimal shoes for your feet right now!
Five Things To Look For In A Minimal Shoe
Basically, the more a shoe allows your feet to move naturally, the better it is for your feet. This means that it will allow the foot to do what it was designed to do without interfering, shortening, straining, pushing, squishing or immobilizing. Here are the big 5 things to consider.
#1 How High Are The Heels?
How much is the heel raised above the toes? Any amount of heel raise will mess up your entire body’s alignment. Can you say lower back pain? Pelvic floor issues? meh. Zero-drop is the term for the most nature-friendly choice.
#2 Are The Soles Flexible?
How stiff are the soles? Inflexible soles prevent the foot from articulating as you walk over bumps in the ground, which means the small foot muscles atrophy and the joints stiffen. Instead, a flexible minimal sole should allow your feet to move naturally across the surface of the world. You should be able to bend the shoe entirely double without effort.
#3 How Much Space Is There For Your Toes?
Almost all North American shoes aren’t actually shaped like feet – your toes are supposed to be wider than the ball of your foot. Squished toes are a big cause of bunions and nerve issues. The part of the shoe around your toes is known as the ‘toe-box’ and you want to find a nice wide one that gives you enough room for your toes to spread out when you’re standing. Try this fun test if you want to see how your shoes stack up!
I prefer the widest toe box I can find, so that I can wear my CorrectToes toe spacers when I walk.
#4 Can You Fully Attach The Shoe To Your Foot?
Look for shoes that can be securely fastened to your feet. If a shoe can’t be stuck to you properly (think flip-flops, slides and other barely-there styles), your toe muscles have to work double-time to grip the shoe. Although using more muscles sounds like it should be a bonus, unfortunately this is not the type of muscle use that we’re looking for. It just creates strain, tension and injuries. So get a shoe that attaches by itself, no toe gripping required.
#5 Do The Toes Lie Flat?
You know how many shoes curve up at the toes? This is a feature called ‘toe spring’. This is a strange addition to shoes by people who seem to have thought that toes like to fly in the air. It is a main cause of hammertoes and over time can really mess up your foot mechanics. Look for a shoe that is either totally flat, or has a flexible sole that flattens easily at the toes when you stand.
So the ideal minimal shoe is the shoe that interferes least with the foot’s natural mechanics – the same shape as your foot, flexible, no changes in height at the toe or the heel, and is solidly attached.
However, your feet have probably spent a really long time in regular shoes. Right now, they’re adapted to whatever shoes you wear the most. The body is very adaptable, but you need to work within it’s capacity for change. Going too fast can create damage and injuries instead of the healthy, pain-free feet we both want!
Hi! I’m Petra.
How To Plan Your Shoe Transition
Here are the two things you need to think about for a successful minimal shoe transition.
First, Ya Gotta Train For It
Just like you wouldn’t run a marathon without training for it, you need to prepare your feet for a transition to minimal shoes. A good footwear transition can take months or years, and the way to start is with gentle exercises. It’s easy to forget how hard our feet work and changes that seem small to our brains might be giant to our feet! You will want to mobilize and strengthen your feet – there are lots of ideas in this post I wrote about foot exercises.
For more ideas, I highly recommend either of Katy Bowman’s foot books: Simple Steps To Foot Pain Relief or Whole Body Barefoot.
Second, Ya Gotta Buy The Right Minimal Shoes
You do not want to go from being a regular high heel wearer to being a Vibram Five Finger wearer over night! Well, maybe you want to, but your body won’t thank you for it. You should make incremental changes slowly. For each change you make, first spend a few months letting your feet adjust, then take the next step.
It’s tricky to figure out the perfect shoe for each change.
But a good rule of thumb is to look at the shoes you wear the most right now. Where are they on the handy chart in this classic post from Katy Bowman?
For your next pair, pick shoes that change the variables a bit, but not all the way. For instance, instead of a one inch heel, pick a half inch heel. Then, let your feet adapt to that shoe for a solid chunk of time before your next shoe purchase.
If you find that your body hurts (could be feet, but could also be back, knees, hips, or anything else) and you think it’s the result of the shoes, then back off. Go back to your earlier shoes, or wear the new shoes for shorter periods.
I’ve personally found that the thickness/flex of the soles and the amount of heel drop are the two features that are most likely to cause pain – you can probably transition right away to a wide toe box and a shoe with good foot attachment. I also really like to rotate between multiple shoes – I usually have about 5-6 choices at a time – so I can pick the shoe that feels best on any particular day.
Remember, go slow, be kind to yourself, & do lots of foot exercises!!
My Favourite Minimal Shoe Options
What about actually picking shoes? There are great lists of shoes on Katy Says, for summer and for winter.
But I thought I’d save you some time by highlighting some of the ones I know the most about – that I’ve worn, or that my fellow RES teachers love the most.
And here’s my best tip – make sure you check the return policy!!!
Almost all minimal shoes are sold online (because people who want minimal shoes are such a small market. This means that the the more people who wear them, the easier it will be to find them in stores. So tell all your friends!!). Unfortunately, it can be hard to figure out shoe fit online. I’ve wasted a lot of money by not being careful enough. Ask me about this sometime if you want to see me actually cry.
Best Minimal Shoes For Starting Your Transition
Altra’s have lovely big toe boxes and zero drop. But they have lots of cushioning and a toe spring so they aren’t super minimal – which means they’re a great transitional option. Also great for experienced minimal shoe wearers who walk a lot on hard pavement. These are my top recommendation for when you’re just starting out but want a zero drop shoe.
Lems have flexible soles but still some padding. I find the running shoe styles a bit narrow (I have super wide feet though), but I love the width of the Boulder Boots. In fact, I can wear CorrectToes in my Boulder Boots, which is amazing. Plus they’re pretty cute for either guys or girls. Definitely one of my personal faves.
Kalso Earth Shoes actually have negative heels, which can be a help in getting longer calves. But still lots of structure around the sole and often fairly thick soles. Probably better if you’re already used to wearing zero-drop shoes but apart from that a really nice transition with lots of padding and many styles to choose from.
Regular ol’ Converse aren’t marketed as minimal shoes, but they have flexible soles and no drop, people. The super easiest choice if you want to pick up something fast and cheap. Very narrow though and no squishy padding, so best for a narrow and strong foot.
If you focus on Camper’s flats, they have lots of options, especially for transitioning. A bit narrow, a bit too stiff, and often a bit of heel rise, but they’re cute, and especially good for the office.
*A note on transitions* Your shoe doesn’t have to be officially minimal to be a transitional shoe. If you’re coming from a lifetime wearing heels or extremely supportive shoes (because orthopaedic shoes are all about bracing, they typically are exactly what you don’t want to wear if you’re trying to regain foot health), then just pick a pair of similar shoes with lower heels to start with.
Actually cute
I love so many of the Otz Styles! Not cheap but sooooo cute. Note – they only qualify as completely zero drop (and flexible) if you take the footbed out. Good transitional option.
Vivobarefoot is probably the most successful and well-funded of all the minimal shoe companies. They have lots of styles, and make really attractive shoes. These range from super cute hiking boots to runners to rain boots and more. However I find them quite narrow in the toe box, so if you have wider feet, they may not be the best option.
Another company that makes really adorable shoes! Everything from the Drifter Leather is hand made and custom fit and they have lots of really adorable styles and colours. One thing to watch for is that they like to put a little heel riser into the shoe – I prefer to ask them not to include this.
Volcom isn’t a minimal shoe line, but one of my clients has gotten many great zero drop summer sandals from them. Not the most flexible or the widest, as you’d expect from a regular shoe company. And of course, I’d recommend avoiding the flip flop styles!
Linge ballet flats are really super pretty, wide toe boxes and no drop. Plus they come in large sizes. My clients have reported that attractive minimal shoes in larger sizes are extra hard to find so this is basically golden.
Good for the office
I think Tieks are super adorable and back when I worked in an office, I dreamed of these shoes. They’re a lot more narrow than I’d prefer, but they are really sweet (I also can’t stand narrow toe boxes, I find them really uncomfortable. If you have narrow feet, these could be a great choice). Vivobarefoot JingJings are a less expensive alternative.
For the boys! It is so hard to find nice shoes for the healthy executive – most minimal mens styles are really clunky. These are not clunky, they are gorgeous. The Drifter Leather is another good men’s office choice.
What The Pros Wear
Every one of my teaching colleagues who has a pair of Soft Stars raves about them (and they’re great for kids, although maybe a bit expensive). I invested in a pair of their sheepskin Phoenix boots and just love them.
Yes, they look odd, but the way you can feel the ground in these is amazing. Hiking actually turns into a foot massage. I have several pairs and they are by far my favourite-feeling shoes. Can be a bit much for extended walking on pavement though.
Unshoes sandals look great on, and are amazing summer sandals – the perfect flip flop replacement. I wore through mine pretty fast by hiking in them though. They’ve started making loafers now too though I haven’t personally tried these.
I picked up a pair of Xero Amuri Z-Trek sandals last summer and they seem nice and durable so far. On the other hand, I don’t totally love their adjustment and fastening system. A solid pair of sports sandals as long as you don’t have to take them on and off too often.
It’s been truly awful trying to find a pair of minimal boots that can stand up to winter in Toronto. I bought a pair of Vivobarefoot Kulas last year, which are totally too narrow for me in the toes and are super clunky – a total disappointment. If you have serious snow, slush and winter to deal with, learn from my mistakes and try Steger instead – they get glowing reviews.
Sporty
Many of the Inov-8 styles are really attractive with lots of zero and low-drop options. Like many of the most attractive and stylish minimal shoes, they tend to fit on the narrow side.
Want runners? This is an incredible resource with all kinds of in-depth comparative info about different styles of runners.
***
So that’s what I’ve got so far in terms of shoes. Have you made the transition to minimal footwear? I’d love to hear about your favorites, and anything you’ve learned along the way!
***
Post updated January 31, 2017 with fresh links and some new shoe styles!
Get my Fix Your Feet bootcamp, and get started on a lifetime of happy, healthy feet today!
Plus you'll get my weekly newsletter, packed with movement tips, free goodies, and updates from our world travel adventures!
Petra is a movement educator and personal trainer with a passion for helping people find greater ease, joy and health in their bodies. She believes that better movement can help every body – and she’s always happy to chat about it. She’s on the road right now, travelling the world and moving in as many ways as possible. When she’s not out exploring or working on her movement practice, you can probably find her hanging on some monkey bars.
WOW, what a great amount of work you have done. Excellent post. I will link it to my website, as it is so important to understand what shoes to wear, especially for those suffering with pelvic floor pain.
Thank you so much 🙂
Pelvic floor pain for prolapse too?? 10 months post partum with kiddo #3 and have pelvic organ prolapse I’m trying to naturally heal….
You definitely want to change your shoes for prolapse too! Any pelvic issue will benefit from healthier feet and better alignment!
Thank you so much for this list, especially for the toebox info. Short feet are somehow not supposed t be wide (thank you, Barbie) and it is so hard to find WIDE shoes for littler feet. Even Vibrams are too narrow for me in a size 7. I can’t wait to find Steger mukluks for Montana winters. This year I used my neoprene paddling boots for walking and snow shoeing. Very comfy, but only stylish enough for backwoods use. I’ve got some leather and a customizable pattern to make my own boots, but they may not be weather proof enough.
Hi Lois – You’re so welcome! It really is hard to track down good options, and I hope these are a help to you!
Tell me a kut it! I have a small foot but very wide in the forefoot and toes. Also a nice healthy high arch. Its impossible! All womens shoes are so narrow and my foots too short for mens! Every now and then i can get a wide boys model. And dont get me started on how small feet dont have the leverage to bend stiff sokes.
Wonderful, in-depth article. Thank you so much!! A big concern of mine has always been what’s the best thing to do with all those non-minimal shoes that we have acquired over many years. Is there a recommended way to get these shoes recycled/reused? I know that in the US, there’s a non-profit called Soles4Souls where you can send in shoes. They usually distribute to people in need. It might be good to share this information in articles about making the transition to better feet health.
Hi Sujata – that’s a great idea! Though I confess I always feel a bit awkward about donating unhealthy shoes, it’s also true that not everyone wants minimal footwear, and it seems better for them to go somewhere they’ll be wanted.
I wish I could find office-appropriate footwear for a business setting… not the typical “women’s wear”, but leather professional looking shoes that give your feet some protection (because of the work I do, slip-ons won’t work).
Hi Lori – Did you check out the Drifter Leather? Some of their shoes are a bit more substantial than ballet flats but are still very minimal. What sort of styles did you have in mind?
Thank you – what a great resource! I’m starting the hunt for some good summer sandals.
Good article. I love my LEMS. I have 2 pairs of Primals (an old pair I wear and a pair of Primal 2’s ready for when the others wear out), 2 pairs of boots (one tan, one black) and the Mary Janes.
I’m in the Saskatoon area and I wear the boots all winter.
The MJ’s are nice for a dressier look.
Everyone should unsquish! I recommend them whenever I can.
Thanks, Robin! I love my LEMS boots, too – they’re so cute and comfortable! Good to know you can wear them all winter as well – though the Toronto salty slush is hard on any boot 🙂 Hooray for unsquishing 🙂
You should take a look at Xero Shoes (www.xeroshoes.com). As far as barefoot sandals go, I think they’re the best. Plus they’re less expensive and have a sick 5,000 mile warranty.
I’ve been wearing them for a couple years and just got the new version, the Z-Tek, which I’m practically living in.
Thanks, Lou! I will totally check them out.
Thanks so so so much!
The teiks were definitely narrow, I had to give them away after only 1 day of wear!
The linge look very pretty, but in the images the women are wearing them without the strap and their toes look really squished. Do they really have a big enough toe box, and if you get the right size so they aren’t form fitting and your toes can move, do they still look good or just sloppy?
Hi Jayne – that’s really good to know about the Tieks, but so disappointing! I find narrow shoes so uncomfortable now. My friend and colleague wrote this about the Linge shoes, which might be helpful
“So far, I love these! I think I am going to pick up another pair. I love them waaaay more than my soft stars. It is like I am not wearing anything on my feet. So foot yummy!
I got a half size up from my shoe sizes (so I bought an 8 and am normally a 7.5) and they fit so nicely! I have wide feet and find them very roomy in the toe box. I love that they come up further on the instep than most ‘ballet flats”. I have never been able to wear the fashion ballet flats because they cut into the top of my foot and always squished my toes.
I haven’t worn them out yet. I don’t expect they will feel anything but great, I am just unsure how well they will last given the sole. I will keep you posted but am so over the moon having found a simple, more feminine minimal shoe option. “
Yay great!
Yes i too was wondering how well they’d last considering the sole, but they do look so pretty and could be a nice dressy shoe.
I’m giving them a try!
I hope they work for you! I used to keep my office shoes strictly for inside the office, which helped a lot with wear and tear, but of course, isn’t always that convenient!
Oh and I meant to say for the Teiks, I wonder if going a size up would work for them as well? Maybe someone who has tried them can let us know.
What about Fit In Clouds?
https://fitinclouds.com
Similar to Tieks.
Thanks, Erica! It’s always great to get another option to check out. Have you tried these?
Hi Petra. No I haven’t; they are mentioned here: http://www.katysays.com/shoes-the-list/ and I am considering getting a pair.
I just got my first pair this week. Curious to hear if anyone else likes them. They run a little small, so I bought a 1/2 size larger than my normal size and they fit really well. Looking forward to wearing them this weekend!
Indeed, foot care is important. It all starts with the footwear.
Thanks for sharing such helpful information. Foot wear is indeed important when caring for the feet.
So glad you found it useful!
What about the iguaneye shoe? I think it works better than a flip flop or a flat. Super comfortable and stylish if you like modern. I helped fund their kickstarter campaign and have been wearing them not stop ever since. Inspired by the native central american practice of dipping their feet in latex sap and curing them by the fire.
Ok, those are super awesome looking! I haven’t personally tried them on so I can’t really speak to them but they’re really adorable! If you want to analyze the ‘foot friendliness’ yourself, you should consider a) how flexible are the soles? b) Is there any difference in height between the heel and the rest of the sole, c) are they fully attached to your feet (looks to me like yes) and d) are they foot-shaped – if your toes are wider than the shoe when you’re barefoot, then they could use a wider toe box to get full points. I am going to add these to my list of shoes to investigate though – they’re adorbs!! Thanks for the tip!
I am a nurse and had plantar facititis which kept me from working for almost 2 weeks. This was in 2009. Since then I have only worn MBT shoes. They are based on Masai (?spelling) Barefoot Technology and have not had any problems since. Are these minimal shoes okay for people that have had plantar facitits?
Hi Elaine – so sorry for the late reply! I think it’s wonderful that you’ve found relief! I used to have plantar fasciitis and my feet are definitely fine with minimal shoes. In fact, the whole process of transitioning to minimal shoes can be very helpful for plantar fasciitis, but I’d for sure recommend going slow and making sure you do all the transitional work as well, such as hip strengthening. Otherwise, just switching can create loads that are too great and potentially trigger pain.
I am reading this with great interest. I am a registered midwife which means long hours on my feet on very hard hospital floors most of the time : at homebirths i am usually barefoot .
I tend toward Swedish clogs or blundstones. But my feet plague me after long births – any advice ? Ideally they would be somewhat robust in the face of many bodily fluids
Thanks in advance
hmm – that’s very interesting. If your feet are fine after a barefoot home birth, you might want to try Lems (you’ll likely need to waterproof them), or if you have narrow feet, Vivobarefoot has lots of styles that could be appropriate. I always like to transition slowly, so I’d suggest trying out any new shoes like this in your non-working life first, and doing some foot exercises (lots if you search the blog), then seeing how your feet like the change.
Are Tieks appropriate for a foot that is pronating (only one leg) and wider feet with fallen arches (years of dance) FOR sight seeing in cities (Paris namely)?
This is a great question – but it’s one that only you can answer, because it depends entirely on where your feet are at right now. Do you already wear minimal shoes? Will you be walking a lot more when travelling than normal? How do your feet respond to greater than normal loads? Are your feet strong and flexible (e.g. how much focused exercise/natural barefoot time do they get?) I definitely would not recommend that you start your journey into minimal footwear when you’re heading off on a vacation! But if you’ve already spent lots of time transitioning to minimal footwear, then potentially they’d be a good choice. I will say that every time I go on vacation I end up irritating my feet – it’s too much change too rapidly, and I have no problem walking 5-7 miles in minimal shoes daily when I’m at home and walking on pavement. This is a transition that benefits from you taking it slow and going carefully!
I noticed you didn’t mention Skora. My husband and I both love our Skora running shoes. In my experience, they have a very wide toe box, but my feet aren’t super wide to begin with. https://skorarunning.com/
This is a great list! I’ve always bought Vivobarefoot, Skora, and Soft Star, but I love discovering new options!
Thanks for the tip! I always love to learn about new options too 🙂 I’ll keep my eyes out for Skoras for sure!
I just bought a pair of New Balance Minimus trail runners- fairly minimal. I love them, but my second toe is right at the end of the shoe (my second toes are longer than my big toes). Is it ok that I can feel the end of the shoe with my toes? I’ve always thought I should have more room in my shoe’s length, but I’ve also heard that this isn’t the case for minimal shoes.
Hmm – good question. I haven’t heard that so I’m not really sure – I usually prefer to have at least a little bit of room, personally. Does it bother you?
it’s a little uncomfortable. I’m mostly worried about the cumulative effect of impact. I’m not a runner, but I will wear these shoes all day every day, and walk up to 5 miles a day in them.
maybe I should mention too, that I’m not “all the way” minimal yet, if I ever will be. I have prescription insoles that I wear for arch support and cushioning. I tried the shoes without them yesterday, and they fit better, but my feet were hurting immediately. I’m beginning to feel like my feet are like the Princess and the Pea!
hmmm. Yah, Emily, I would say that if it’s not comfortable it’s not ideal. I had one pair that felt a hair too short for my feet and I ended up not wearing them. It’s so heartbreaking buying shoes and then not being able to wear them but I think it’s worse to wear something that’s actively hurting you! Have you seen the Minimal Shoes Buy/Sell/Trade FB group? Might be a good option? And moving from prescription insoles to minimal shoes is a long process – takes lots of work and commitment! If it’s one you’re interested in doing, I’d recommend being on top of your foot exercises!
I want to like minimal shoes, but I keep screwing up my feet when I wear them. I used to run in minimal shoes, which might be nice on grass, but if you hit a rock or something, or like me run on pavement and step up on a curb wrong, you’re in trouble. My right big toe is permanently messed up from running in minimal shoes and stepping up on the curb wrong. They also don’t work for bike riding. I didn’t think shoes matter riding bike, so I wore minimal shoes. My foot (the other one!) was in so much pain I could barely walk. I need rigid soles for biking. If we lived in a natural environment, minimal shoes would be great, but I guess biking and pavement and curbs are not natural.
It sounds to me like you’ve been trying too much, too soon. It’s easy to overload feet, and to over estimate what is ok for them – I’ve done it many times myself! And I agree – the more natural your environment, the better the input for your feet. For city walking I often pick my Altras – these are cushioned, but they still have zero drop and a wide toe box, so for me they’re a great transition. I also do lots of foot exercises!
I walk outdoors on sidewalks about 3 hours a day. What shoes do you recommend for that type of activity?
What sort of shoes are you currently wearing? How do your feet feel? Have you worked on your gait at all? There’s quite a lot to consider. In general, I find it’s nice to have options for pavement walking – one that’s more minimal and one that’s more squishy. Personally I’ve been using Unshoes Foragers for my thinner soles & Bedrock Sandals for my thicker and I change depending on how my feet feel. Other thicker sole options I like personally are Altras and Lems. I hope this helps!
I did not see this mentioned but I used to wear shoes exactly as you described but was recently told that part of knee hurting had to do with not having sufficient arch support. He recommended I wear running shoes all day and said flats led to fallen arches and knee injury.
There are definitely lots of opinions about this. Personally I believe the human body has the capacity to work all by itself without technology to constantly brace it. In my view, it’s important to think about the whole context. If you don’t expose your feet to textures and make and keep them strong, then walking on pavement with no support can be damaging. I strongly prefer minimal shoes but I also do lots of work to mobilize and strengthen. I also consider the role of the hip muscles and hip aligment and walking technique since these have a major impact on feet.
Petra, Thank you so much for your this. For years I didn’t understand why flat shoes made my low back and feet hurt, or why my flat feet and back liked a 1″ heel. Now I understand and thanks to you and Dr Ray at Correct Toes, I am learning to strengthening my feet and align my body. So many professionals out there are recommending clogs, Danskos, orthodics, small heels, and it takes strong motivation to go against the tide. It’s like being a plant-based eater in the paleo world 😉 But reaping the rewards of a pain-free body pays off! (I’m still figuring out how to wear dresses and not look frumpy, though) I appreciate your website and videos SO much!
I’m so glad to be a part of your journey! It’s hard work and it takes time – and sometimes a change in how we look in dresses 🙂 but isn’t it exciting to feel BETTER!!? Happy for you and honouring your hard work!
First of all I would like to say what a blessing it has been for me to come across your site which explains about transition, that it can take a long time for the body to adjust to minimalistic shoes and to expect some pain with the changes which I did not realise. I have spent a small fortune on “support” shoes and have gone from orthotics to no orthotics, Lems with toe spacers to orthotics and back again. My poor body!!!! I have been so confused because nothing seemed to help my pain and balance. I realised recently I felt more comfortable with my Lems however still not knowing that it could take quite some time for my body to heal itself. Finding your site has stopped my confusion because without it I am sure I would be back on the old merry go round. I have had 2 hip replacements on one hip and in January this year had my other hip replaced, I also have arthritis in my back so I will probably never be totally pain free however having my feet sorted out will go a long way to help me. Thanks once again. Andrea
Wow – I’m so very glad that my work has been helpful for you. There’s so much confusing information out there! Especially when it comes to people selling us things! Bodies can take a long time to adapt, more than we think is reasonable, and most of us are in really rough shape due to a lifelong lack of movement. Kind and gentle movement can bring amazing changes though! I highly recommend reading Katy Bowman’s book, Dynamic Aging, if you want to explore a bit deeper. I’m really excited to be a part of your journey! Thanks so much for reaching out!
I have the loafers by Unshoes and they are amazing! They’re called ‘Forager’. I have several pairs of Vivobarefoot shoes, but I prefer my Unshoes, especially for a summer because my feet never get too hot in them. You get some dye transfer from the suede for the first few weeks, but that has since stopped and I have a well worn in shoe that is super comfortable for the simple fact that it is incredibly minimal.
Oh, good to know! I’ve only ever had Unshoes sandals, which I love!
Do you have any suggestions for minimalist, very warm, waterproof winter boots for kids? I’ve been looking for something with a felted wool liner, but even anything that is minimalist, waterproof and warm enough for -40°C
Wow – that’s really cold! Unfortunately I don’t think you have many options – minimal winter boots are tough even for adults. I really like MyMayu boots for kids rain boots, and they have a model you can use with a liner. I don’t think the liner they make is wool, but perhaps you could use a different brand? For adults, Steger mukluks seem like the warmest and best minimal boots but I’ve never actually had a pair since I bought a different type (and have regretted it ever since). Sorels have some options that are at least zero drop: http://www.sorelfootwear.ca/en/kids-toddler-snow-boots/. Do let me know what you go with and if you find anything better!
What type of mukluk did you regret and why? Any experience with Manitobah mukluks? I am looking at ordering Stegers but shipping is so expensive and am worried about getting the sizing right.
Hi Louise – I bought Vivobarefoot Kulas, which aren’t a mukluk, and they were too narrow for my feet. I have heard lots of good things about Manitobah Mukluks but haven’t tried them myself. Good luck!!
Thanks for the list. I live in Windsor so I know what you mean about the winters. What are your thoughts on these boots. https://www.manitobah.ca I like the fact that they are made in Canada however, I couldn’t find enough information on if they are considered minimalist or not.
Do you mean the mukluks? Those look ok to me (and I think some people do use them as a transition), but it’s hard to tell for sure without looking at the shoe/boot. You need to see if the toe box is narrower than your foot shape – that’s a no-no. These ones definitely look narrow to me. And see how flexible the sole is. and assess if there’s a rise at the heel – if there is on this, I think it’s small. Winter boots are really hard to find in totally minimal, so then you have to consider what you’re ok with and what’s not ok. It’s an art not a science, alas!
Be careful with Manitobah’s. I threw a lot of money at them and had to give almost all of them away. They are very narrow. I found the suede ones have some give and if you remove the insole they can almost work for a time. Flexible-Ish, zero drop yes, little toe spring yes. Only some of them are made in Canada. It is disappointing because a company branding itself as moccasins, natural etc should focus on natural foot splays with wide toe boxes. I have been wearing a variety of deer hide moccasins that are only good to wear outside in fair weather. Some have leather soles, some have rubber soles.
I love my luna sandals. my husband has some earth runners.
I have some soft star shoes but I found too many very poorly made and had to throw out several pairs over the last few years. Not repairable problems. In fact just had to repair the detaching soles on my phoenix boots again. I LOVE my phoenix boots though. I wish Soft stars would just offer custom made shoes based on foot traces. Their regular size tapers too soon in the toes for me. Even the too wide width option tapers too soon at the toes for me.
I have wide square feet, much like those much shown pictures of “indigenous” feet. They are square, like a duck, no tapering going on.
I have loved campers for years but only a few pairs are really wide enough. I sold much of my beloved shoe collection on eBay….sigh.
I just got some vivobarefoot at great cost and they are NARROW!! I will be selling them or gifting them…
I’m going to try lems next. I just ordered a pair from a company in Victoria BC to save on dreaded customs… Internety claims they are super wide, so I will find out, or return them.
Finally after years of dreaming I will order some Drifter Leathers once I send my foot traces and info. The cost seemed to high, but I have since spent too much on shoes that do not fit properly.
Altra shoes have crazy toe spring, no way am I going to even attempt those.
I can attest to the shocking cost. Being in Canada our choices are even more limited and we get dinged unnecessarily, especially if the company ships by courier.
Winter boots and rubber boots can be a minimalist nightmare. I live in coastal BC and it’s endless agony. I found some rubber boots that seemed wide enough in the shoe store, but alas, more foot woes shall befall on me.
Thanks for all your tips! I agree, Vivos are disappointingly narrow. For anyone with real width feet they are a waste of time. Finding shoes can be really hard! Good luck with the Lems! (I’m hoping that MyMayu starts making rain boots for adults soon – their kids models are adorable). Good luck with your search.
Heather and Petra
I feel for you. I have the “same” problem but luckily I am a guy. The vivos can be wonderful shoes the trick is to buy the mens shoes. They don’t taper at the toes. Here is a great website for your feet. I love the correct toes (they are helping fix my toes and neuroma).
NOtice on the link I show one of their best reviewed shoes and how different the mens vs womens are. I suggest checking out other parts of their website. Since you have such wide toes I would only go with shoes they deem “correct toes approved”, it seems like anything else will cut your feet off too much.
https://us2.campaign-archive.com/?u=94fc7b144d20b2fb386bc6353&id=65d701bc69
https://www.correcttoes.com/foot-help/shoe-list/shoe-reviews/
For any men who want dress shoes that actually “look” dressy may I suggest
https://caretsco.com/
They “look” rounded at the toe BUT look at where the foot is to rest. They “look” like they have a heel BUT look at where the footbed actually is; zero drop!
Take care
Thanks for these great suggestions, David! I love CorrectToes and Dr. McClanahan’s work, and I’m so happy you’re finding that your feet are getting better!
Unfortunately I have small feet as well as wide ones, so the men’s shoe option just doesn’t work for me. And I’m a bit too large for kids shoes, so I’m stuck in the middle wishing that Vivos would wake up and make a wider shoe. But it’s a great idea for anyone with larger feet!
Cheers!
I have been wearing Merrill Vapor Glove shoes and they are perfect, but not good for cold weather. Zero drop and flexible soles are important for me, but toe room is essential. I have some nerve damage in my toes and the slightest restriction of movement can become painful. I ordered the Lems Boulder boots based on your review. I tried two sizes. The one that fit my feet best was too short, so that my toes touched the front of the boot. So I kept the larger pair, but it is too wide in the heel and does not have a snug fit. I tried inserts that go behind the heel, but that did not seem to make any difference. I wonder if anyone has a better suggestion.
Oh, how irritating – I’m sorry they haven’t worked for you. Make sure you resell them if you can’t return them – the Minimal Shoe Buy/Sell/Trade group on Facebook was made for this sort of thing. Have you looked into SoftStars? They are very minimal so they aren’t perfect for everyone but they have a really great toe box. Cold weather options can be really challenging!
I’m keeping them. The heel slops a little, but my feet don’t slide in them. I don’t think they make shoes for feet like mine. I’ve looked and looked. I have narrow heels and wide toes, even without considering that I need extra toe room. I’m not looking for snow boots, but something for the “in-between” weather when it’s too cold for sandals or mesh sneakers. These are the best I’ve found. I’ll continue looking for some kind of insert to make them fit better.
Thanks.
I suppose that at some point you might try The Drifter Leather – they customize their shoes so might be a good option if no mass produced brands work for you. I’m glad the LEMS are at least a step forward 🙂
Buyer beware with Linge. Thier return policy states you can’t return if you use a discount code (because that should have anything to do with it?) And they freely offer up discounts. Yet they don’t inform you of this policy before your purchase, you have to dig it up from the corners of their website. Then when you try to email them they don’t respond. I tried to discuss using social media since they would not reply to my email and they simply deleted my comment and blocked me in Facebook. IMHO not the type of company you want to be associated with. BTW they are very narrow and the soles are gathered folded leather under your toes which is quite uncomfortable to walk on
Thanks very much for the heads-up. I haven’t bought from them myself so that’s really good to know. And I’m sorry you had such a bad experience.
I’m not sure why, but Earth stopped re-stocking Kalso athletic shoes years ago. I’ve e-mailed several times with no response. Only ones across various sotes are size 5 (assuming these were sample sizes they’re trying to get rid of) Same problem with Altra intuition. Working on my feet all day for too many years, taken it’s toll. My toes actually get numb. On vaca this week & dug out old ratty Kalsos, finally have toe sensation. Not sure why companies always discontinue these foot healthy lines of shoes?
It’s so frustrating, isn’t it? I thought the Altras were still pretty good – have you tried their other models?
Two big questions. 1. Is it going to mess my body up if i do altras all day for city walking and a more supportive shoe for running? I just dont trust myself to running in a low heel yet, but is it bad for my body to have change?
2. I need a super wide toe box but a narrow heel. Any recs
Great questions! I’d say it’ll be fine to switch between shoes – I often go between my Altras and my other shoes just to give my feet a bit of variety, especially since I mostly walk in the city on pavement, which isn’t the ideal surface. You’re still improving the environment for your feet just by spending more time in zero drop. Altras are actually made for running so you might end up finding that you like them for that as well – but for both running and walking, definitely transition slowly and do foot exercises! As for your second question, I think that some men’s Vivobarefoot are recommended for that foot shape. Soft Star chukkas. Anything custom of course – Drifter Leather or Unshoes for sandals. Wildlings. None of these are ones I’ve tried personally – that’s not my shape – I went to the very excellent FB group “Minimalist Shoe Buy/Sell/Trade” and did a search for ‘narrow heels’. There’s lots more reccos there so I’d definitely suggest you take a look if you’re on FB. Good luck!
Any suggestions for golf shoes for wide feet with a wide toe box? Thanks!
Hi Bob – Unfortch I don’t know anything about golf shoes or what’s required for golfing – if you can tell me a bit more I can see if I can make a suggestion.
Thank you for this great resource! Much appreciated
You’re so welcome!
Hi! What is your current winter boot situation? I live on the slushy east coast of Canada where fleece lined rubber boots have been the choice in the winter and a pair of Blunstones…. however, after a summer of minimalist sandal wearing and barefoot walking, my old Blunnies won’t fit anymore 🙁 My feet have widen significantly and I feel my arch/instep has gotten higher too (is that possible?) I’m looking into the Lems – do you have the regular or the leather? Very much looking for a lightweight, minimalist boot 🙂
Winter boots are always the challenge! I have Vivobarefoot Kulas – discontinued now unfortch – but I understand that they have new styles that are pretty great – check out the Gobi. I have LEMs and love them but not for snow. Manitobah Mukluks seem to be the most popular winter option among my colleagues up on the East Coast. Have you seen Katy’s post on shoes for winter?
What a great resource.! Here are my personal experiences and updates with some of these brands. I should mention that I have extremely wide feet, in the forefoot and even more so at the toes. so that even most men’s shoes (including Vivobarefoot, Lems and Xero) would fit only if I amputated my pinkie toes.
Unhoes: their mocassins are great — very minimalist, and because they are made of soft leather, with ample volume in the uppers, they fit my feet. The sandals can be “customized” by selecting from 5 basic sole templates — one of which is shaped like my foot. I love the Pah Tempe model. It’s hard to find a good minimalist sandal that doesn’t have straps between the big and second toes, which I cannot tolerate.
Drifter Leather: they now only add the 5mm riser upon request, and they totally get the need for toe space — they even sell Correct Toes now. The workmanship is impeccable, the materials beautiful, and the service is outstanding.
Softstar: their standard-model shoe is too narrow in the forefoot/toe area for me (though Ican wear t heir slippers, since the fleecy insides are squisahable). However — check out the Primal Runamocs. They Have a crazy wide toebox and come in wied as well as regular. They tie securely on my feet, though the heel cup feels low on my Achilles tendon. The leather is supersoft. The photos make them look very shallow, but they do work for my thick feet — they are very flexible.
Thanks so much, Karen! These are super helpful comments, I really appreciate it and I’m sure others with wider feet will as well!
You forgot Minnetonka :). They are completely flexible. They don’t initially come with a wide toe box but being made with good quality suede, that area always molds to your feet. A few of them actually come in wide widths as well.
Not so much forgetting as just I personally don’t know that much about them, so thank you for this! I’ll definitely check into them further next time I update this post!
Wanted to post about a kids zero drop shoes that I love! They are called Tikki and are made in Romania, they are just incredible, cute , leather and so so flexible!
Thanks for the recommendation, Susie! I’m going to be updating this post soon and it’s great to get a new recommendation! Appreciate it!
Hi Petra,
I’ve really enjoyed your foot boot camp!!!I found this post and wanted to mention Leguano shoes. I started transiting to minimalist shoes about two years ago. I discovered Leguano’s and they are now all I wear. My only complaint is they don’t have a sandal so I will look at some of the brands you’ve suggested. I’m in Canada and with the exchange on the dollar minimalist shoes tend to be very pricey.
I’m so glad you liked the boot camp! And thanks for the shoe mention; I haven’t tried them myself but I’ve heard good things about them. It’s true, the exchange rate is super challenging for Canadians buying minimal shoes.
Thank you so much for writing this! The simple list of five things to look for in shoes is very helpful, and I also really appreciate the information about transitioning to minimal shoes.
I’ve been troubleshooting some foot pain and realized today that the flats that I wear in the house are part of the problem (toe-gripping! so glad there’s a term for that). So I think I might start with a pair of red ballet slippers from Linge for wearing inside. Anyway, thank you!
You’re so welcome! Transitioning is so helpful for so many reasons, and almost everything can be improved with better feet! FYI if I were writing this today I don’t think I’d recommend the Linge, as they’re quite narrow. So I’ll be updating this at some point but just something to keep in mind.
Thanks for the information about Linge. My feet are fairly narrow, and the Linge slippers are inexpensive enough that I might give a single pair a try and see how they do. But it’s always good to know!
Hello! I am a teacher and I am thinking that is no better time for this transition than now, going back in person after a year of working at home. I have to admit I am a little concerned about being overweight and on concert floors all day as a teacher if I will really succeed. Any specific advice or suggestions?
I think it’s a great choice but I think you’ll find it helpful to listen to how my body is reacting and moderate accordingly. Shoes with some squish – Altras – in the sole or anti-fatigue mats would be great options to explore for your trans. I’d also want to check in on your standing alignment – can you stand in a relaxed way with your hips over your heels? I have a blog post on this if you take a look. Finally, how many ways can you vary your position in front of a class? I had a teacher once who used to stand on one leg all the time! We laughed at him then but these days I think he was pretty smart – plus you’d be modelling movement which is a really big deal! You can also switch shoes over the course of the day to moderate out the loads. Lots of options!