What are minimalist barefoot shoes?
In a nutshell, minimalist barefoot shoes are shoes that provide a barefoot like walking or running experience and are usually worn barefoot. They are considered minimal, because they provide no or only minimal stabilization, usually have a thin sole, are lightweight and flexible. In many cases they are also built from a minimal amount of material.
Why use them?
There are many reasons to consider using minimalist barefoot shoes, or even better, no shoes at all. The main reason is that the human body is designed to perfection, by nature, to walk and run barefoot. Our feet are not meant to wear shoes. Shoes are a relatively recent invention by humans. Wearing shoes usually causes an unnatural foot movement, particularly when running, which results in a great variety of foot injuries that never existed before the age of the shoe.
In fact, the whole story about modern (running) shoes is so controversial that Christopher McDougall’s dedicated this subject a major part in his book, a book that we can highly recommend: Born To Run.
So why not take a step down and give our feet back the freedom of movement?
Benefits
The following is a non-exhaustive list of some benefits of minimalist barefoot shoes vs regular shoes:
- Minimalist barefoot shoes offer a walking or running experience that is much more similar to barefoot, yet protect the feet from most external dangers and injuries, for example inflicted by sharp objects.
- They are usually lightweight which in turn provides a longer endurance and less fatigue, compared to regular shoes.
- There is far less rubbing inflicted on the foot that could cause blisters on many people, particularly on the heel.
- The feet can breath, and will hence be less smelly. Also you will less likely experience warts or fungal type skin infections.
- Using minimalist barefoot shoes will most likely strengthen the muscles, ligaments and tendons in the feet and calves, as the shoe does not stabilize the foot.
Downsides
Well, of courses there’s always also some disadvantages, so here they are:
- The biggest drawback, clearly, is the greater danger of injuries inflicted by external objects. Particularly when using no shoes at all.
- Most minimal shoes are not suited for winter, since they just don’t keep the feet warm, however there are also minimalistic winter shoes.
- When switching to barefoot running, the feet are not used to the new strain. It takes a while for them to adapt. Strengthening the muscles, tendons and ligaments and hardening the skin. During this adaption phase, people tend to experience achilles and calf pain. Even blisters on the foot sole have been reported. We assure you though, that this is only temporary, until the foot has adapted. We also recommend to start slowly, and not overdo it on the first run. This will massively contribute to a pain-free transition.
- They may be less fashionable, but then again, this is just personal preference.
Shoe Types
There are several different types of minimalist barefoot shoes. We did not try all of them, yet, but these are the ones that we are currently focusing on.
- Flip Flops and Slippers The most popular barefoot shoes are undoubtedly the traditional flip-flops and slippers. However, these type of shoes don’t provide a barefoot-like walking experience, since with every step one must “grab” the shoe with the toes. The reason is simply the non-existent attachment on the back of the foot.
We are big fans of flip flops, and use them for many things, including hiking sometimes. But due to the insufficient attachment, they are clearly not suited for sports and should only be worn occasionally. - Minimalist Running Shoes A hybrid of barefoot shoes and traditional running shoes. This type of shoe is probably a good choice for people that would like to ease into barefoot running. Our experience was that a sudden change was no problem, as long as the running distance was initially decreased and then gradually increased again, in order to allow the feet to build up the muscles.
We did not try this kind of shoes by ourselves, as we did not see the need for them. They are also pretty pricey. Personally, we feel like this is the answer of large shoe-manufacturers to the barefoot-movement. - Minimalist Sandals There are two main styles of minimalist sandals: the open toe and toe-strap types. The toe-strap sandal is like an extend version of a flip-flop. The open toe style is more similar to a regular sandal, but just more minimal. This kind of shoes are constructed fairly simple and can therefore easily be made at home; here’s a good instruction article for DIY Huarache sandals by XeroShoes. Due to their simplicity they are very lightweight. The soles are typically very thin (4–12mm) and the lacing system is rather basic. They are very versatile and suited for almost any kind of activity.
For more information on minimal sandals and different sub-types you can visit this guide by adventurous habits. - Five Finger Shoes A type of shoe that experienced significant popularity in the last couple of years. The idea is to surround the foot with a protective layer, whilst preserving the original shape and flexibility of the foot. They are called five fingers, because they surround each toe individually, just like a glove, which allows to move the toes freely. They are said to be very good for running and natural foot movement. Also great in the water. The downside seems that they tend to get pretty smelly after sports, and the rather high price tag.
- Swimming Shoes We found that most swimming shoes actually provide a tight and flexible fit, a good sole and grip—even in water, obviously—and allow for a pretty natural foot movement. We’ve tried them for running and were pleased with the experience. Disadvantages include the usually silly look and the rather heavy design, however there are many different models. Also the tight fit might squeeze the toes if the material is not flexible enough.
If you have a pair of swimming shoes laying around, why not give it a try? - Outdoor Socks Essentially just a pair of socks, but one that is extra sturdy, water- and windproof, yet breathable, and may have an integrated sole. They can be worn with or without shoes and keep the feet warm. They are very versatile and easily washable. If there would be super-heroes among socks, it would be them.
We did never try them out, but like the idea—especially for winter. - String Shoes Last but not least, and just for fun, the string shoes. They are not actually shoes but strings that you bind around your feet to make it look as if you’re wearing shoes. They can be decorated and bond in different ways to match up with your clothing.
Our Experience
You may have already guessed it, but we really enjoy the new freedom that comes along with abandoning our shoes and using our feet, our bare feet. It feels like connecting back with earth. We still have to endure our normal shoes during the snowy winters though, but are also grateful for their warmth.
Most people would feel silly to walk barefoot and are worried about externally inflicted injuries. We think that with minimal barefoot shoes you get the best of both worlds, a barefoot like experience, yet protection and look.
Preference
As yet, we personally prefer the open-toe style minimalist sandals, with a thin and flexible sole. They put less strain between our toes, while still providing a very secure fit. The extremely thin sole allows for a barefoot-like feeling and more natural walking and running. They are our go-to shoes for everything, ranging from hiking to running, relaxing, shopping, camping and playing with the kids. They are even suited for water. And during mild winters, they can be combined with a warm sock. They are ultra-light and durable. And on top of all, they even look good. Our current favourite this model from Xero Shoes.
The sole is synthetic rubber, made from petroleum—plastic in essence. Now, that’s not really green, or is it? Well, this specific sole is unmatched in terms of durability, being manufactured from cherry-vibram, it can easily outlast several pairs of regular-sole-shoes. Plus it replaces many other shoes, due to its versatility. So you’ll end up just having one long-lasting multi-purpose shoe with minimal material, rather than a bunch of them that need frequent replacement.
Of course, there’s many other good quality shoes, and that’s great. We advocate quality, not quantity. This is just our preference. What is yours?
