The Best Barefoot Shoes in 2025

I suffered from plantar fasciitis for years before I discovered barefoot shoes. I used to wear Nike Air Max everywhere I went and I’d stuff Dr Scholl’s plantaar fasciitis insoles in them because I thought my arches needed more support. I could hardly walk without both these shoes and insoles underneath my feet.

Then I discovered barefoot shoes, and they changed my life. But this post is not about how barefoot shoes have changed my life. It’s about who makes the BEST barefoot shoe. If you want to read about how barefoot shoes changed my life, you’ll find that post here.

The Best Barefoot Shoes

First of all, I haven’t tried every single barefoot shoe, but I will add to this list as I try more and more. I’ve been wearing barefoot shoes for about 5 years now, so I have tried a decent amount.

There are a lot of factors to consider when getting a barefoot shoe. If it’s your first pair, you might want something with a bit more cushion. Going straight from a pair of Hokas or Air Force 1s will be way too much for your feet. They’ll be in pain for days and you’ll only be able to wear them for minutes at a time.

Here are some things I like to consider.

Durability – how long will this last?
Looks – do they look like normal shoes? Some barefoot shoes look extremely weird – do you wanna get questions from people every day about what you have on your feet?
How minimalist are they? Will I feel every pebble on concrete?
Wide toe box – I want my toes to be able to spread out, not all barefoot shoes have a wide toe box.

Here are my reviews of all the minimalist shoes I’ve tried.

Vivo Barefoot Primus Lite

Retail: $160 ($128 with 20% discount)

Pros: Stylish. Wide toe box. Durable. 100 Day free trial.

Cons: Expensive. (but worth the price in my opinion)

These are by far the best barefoot shoes I’ve owned. They are stylish and don’t make you look foolish. They have a wide toe-box and they’re very durable. Plus, you get a free 100 day trial. If you don’t like them within 100 days you can send them back and get a full refund.

Even though they’re expensive, they last a long time, and they’re made with quality.

Flux Footwear Adapt Knit Trainer

Retail: $130

Pros: Very stylish – looks like a normal shoe! Zero Drop. Cushioning on bottom for comfort – not too minimal.

Cons: Not a wide toe-box. Wear out quickly. Expensive.

I bought a pair of the Adapt Knit Trainer’s because I really liked the look. They honestly don’t look like barefoot shoes at all. They’re clean, and resemble the Reebok shoes that a lot of people wear for everyday use.

The best part of these shoes is the looks, they’re zero-drop, and they’re comfortable. You can wear these pretty much anywhere and no one will say anything about your shoes being weird or anything like that.

However, these shoes have some downsides. First, they really don’t have a wide toe-box. This is why they look so normal … because they kind of are. Your toes are much tighter in the toe-box than they are with Vivos. Second, they’re not as durable as Vivo’s. I wear through these shoes very quickly, and while Flux used to have a good replacement policy, they don’t anymore. My last pair ended up with holes in the bottom and Flux wouldn’t replace them because they said this demonstrates a problem with my “gate” and not with the shoe.

I still have a pair and wear them out when I want to look like a normal person and not get questions about the shoes I’m wearing.

Xero Shoes Prio

Retail: $89.99

Pros: Wide toe box. Very minimalist bottom – can really feel the ground.

Cons: Ugly to wear. Razor thin bottom – you’ll feel every pebble.

Xero Shoes are what I’d wear if I was living in a bubble and didn’t care at all about how I looked. They are definitely zero-drop, and have a very thin bottom. They have a massive toe-box. It truly feels like you’re wearing almost nothing on your feet.

However, I will say they are pretty ugly. The design and material aren’t made for someone who cares about how they look. Also, the bottoms are very thin. You will feel every little pebble.

Because of this, I can’t really recommend Xero Shoes. They’re just too ugly, and too minimalist for every day use. However, if all you care about is minimalism and price, and 0% about looks – this is the shoe for you.

Merrell Trail Glove

Retail: $120

Pros: Decent cushion on bottom – good for hiking. Wide toe box.

Cons: Mainly a hiking shoe. Not as minimalist. (which can be good for hiking)

The Trail Gloves aren’t exactly zero drop. Merrell says they are on their website, but there is clearly some arch support in the middle of the shoe, which hurts my feet after a while. The shoes just aren’t flat on the bottom.

Second, they’re not very good looking. Fine for hiking, but not really socially acceptable to wear to a restaurant.

Third, the treads on the bottom fade fast.

The Merrell Trail Glove’s should primarily to be used for hiking – but if you want a minimalist hiking shoe I would recommend the Vivo Trail instead. They’re more durable, zero-drop, and look better. However, the Merrells are cheaper than the Vivo trail shoes, and certainly are good enough for minimalist hiking/trail running, so if you want to save some money on some shoes that are definitely good enough, go with these!

Altra Lone Peak

Retail: $140

Pros: Zero drop. Stylish. Thick bottoms – good for real hiking with sharp rocks. Great traction.

Cons: Thick bottoms – hurt my feet after a while. Bulky – nothing like a minimalist shoe.

These are what I wear for serious, rocky hikes. The reality is if you’re going on a hike with tons of sharp rocks, no barefoot shoe that I’ve tried is going to give you the protection you need.

Altra’s are definitely not barefoot as they have a pretty big bottom, but at least they are zero drop. If I’m going on a serious hike with a ton of sharp rocks, these are what I wear.

They do hurt my feet after a while as they are raised up a lot from the ground, so I try not to wear them as much. I also don’t like to travel with these as they take up a TON of room in my bag, and I don’t like to wear them on the plane because they hurt my feet after a while because of how high up off the ground they are.

Other Barefoot Shoes That I Haven’t Tried Yet

Lems – I’ve been thinking about trying out their Primal 3’s for a while now. They claim to be Zero-drop on their website, but I’ve heard they don’t feel too minimalist once you put them on. Haven’t tried them yet though! Soon enough I’ll try these and put my thoughts on here.

My Final Recommendations

If you want a durable barefoot shoe that gives you all the benefits of a barefoot shoe and that looks cool – get a Vivo Barefoot Shoe. The Primus Lite or the Geo Court would be awesome for casual use. If you’re looking to hike – get the Primus Trail.

If you’re looking for something super minimal to wear to the gym and walk around on the pavement, AND you’re looking to save money, get the Xero Shoes Prio. I see a ton of people wearing this shoe in Boston. It’s cheap and gives you all the benefits of a minimalist shoe.

If you want to be stylish and get most of the benefits of minimalism, go with Flux Footwear’s Adapt Trainer. It’s zero drop, and others won’t even notice that it’s a barefoot shoe.

Finally, if you’re looking to hike or trail run and you want to save some money, go with the Merrell Trail Glove. They give you some distance from the ground so you don’t feel every pebble, and still come with a wide toe box.

Sam