Barefoot footwear

Barefoot footwear might sound strange as a term, but there’s solid logic behind it: let’s face it, your feet were made to work without shoes. Chances are, however, that the soles of your feet, or your mind, are not ready to go barefoot. Barefoot footwear allows your feet to work in a natural fashion, while offering your soles protection from sharp objects and abrasive surfaces. As you use ...

Barefoot footwear might sound strange as a term, but there’s solid logic behind it: let’s face it, your feet were made to work without shoes. Chances are, however, that the soles of your feet, or your mind, are not ready to go barefoot. Barefoot footwear allows your feet to work in a natural fashion, while offering your soles protection from sharp objects and abrasive surfaces. As you use your barefoot shoes over time your feet, legs and posture will move towards their natural states.

With most modern footwear your heels are higher than the front of your foot. With barefoot footwear this factor is balanced to a natural stance, allowing your lower legs to work as nature intended.

For millions of years, nature has seen homo sapiens as a barefoot species, which makes sense. It’s only during the past couple of centuries that artificial footwear has been allowed to mess with this balance. Especially the running shoe boom of the 80’s and 90’s brought all kinds of artificial shock absorption and support in the picture, allowing for an unnatural jogging gait, based on a heel-first step even when taking running steps. Most of us, however, have the balls of our feet as well as our toes intact, and those are the crucial elements of a natural running gait. The correct use of barefoot footwear allows you to strengthen your muscles and neural connections and develop towards a more natural gait, taking advantage of your built-in shock absorption system!

It’s a good idea to begin barefoot training gradually, bit by bit. Look at it like any other form of excercise: give your muscles and tendons time to recover and with each excercise concentrate on what you’re doing: make sure you’re receiving the shocks with the ball of your foot and make good use of your toes when pushing forward. You’ll be sure to feel a new kind of stimulus in your calves and feet!

Merrell Men's Trail Glove 7

A barefoot shoe for trail use.

Merrell Women's Trail Glove 7

A barefoot shoe for trail use.

The new level of barefooting: socks with durable outer sole.

Merrell Vapor Glove 6

The sixth version of super popular barefoot footwear. Men's sizes.

Merrell Women's Vapor Glove 6 Leather

More supportive women's barefoot footwear, with full grain leather.

Merrell Men's Vapor Glove 6 Leather

More supportive men's barefoot footwear, with full grain leather.

Xero Men's Mesa Trail II

Men's barefoot shoes for use on trails.

Xero Women's Scrambler Mid

Mid height barefoot hiking shoes for women.

Vivobarefoot Men's Primus Lite Knit

Barefoot shoes for gym, everyday wear and running. Men's sizes.

Xero Men's Ridgeway

Traditional hiking boot looks with barefoot shoe structure. Men's sizes.

Xero Men's Scrambler Mid

Mid height barefoot hiking shoes for men.

Xero Men's Scrambler Mid II Waterproof

Mid height barefoot hiking shoes for men. Waterproof model.

Xero Men's Dillon

Sneaker-like looks, with barefoot technology.

Xero Men's Alpine

Barefoot shoes for winter conditions. Men's sizes.

Xero Women's Scrambler Mid II Waterproof

Mid height barefoot hiking shoes for women. Waterproof model.

Skinners Compression 2.0

When socks are not enough, but shoes are way too much. Reinforced socks for barefooting.

Vivobarefoot Women's Primus Lite Knit

Barefoot shoes for gym, everyday wear and running. Women's sizes.

Xero Women's Dillon

Sneaker-like looks, with barefoot technology. Women's sizes.

Xero Men's Ridgeway Chelsea

Chelsea boot looks, barefoot shoe structure! Men's sizing.

Xero Women's Ridgeway

Traditional hiking boot looks with barefoot shoe structure. Women's sizes.

Xero Women's Mesa Trail Waterproof

Waterproof barefoot trail runners. Women's sizes.

Xero Women's Alpine

Barefoot shoes for winter conditions. Women's sizes.

Xero Women's Ridgeway Chelsea

Chelsea boot looks, barefoot shoe structure! Women's sizing.

Xero Women's Nexus Knit

Barefoot footwear for women - a versatile model.

Xero Men's Nexus Knit

Barefoot footwear for men - a versatile model.

Barefoot shoes for men.

Merrell Women's Wrapt

Barefoot shoes for women.

Merrell Women's Trail Glove 7 GTX

Updated, waterproof barefoot shoes for women, especially for trail use.

Xero Men's Mesa Trail Waterproof

Waterproof barefoot trail runners. Men's sizes.

Xero Men's Glenn

Tidy leather barefoot shoes for men.

Merrell Women's Vapor Glove 6

The sixth version of super popular barefoot footwear. Women's sizes.

Xero Women's HFS II

Women's barefoot running shoes, especially for running.

Vivobarefoot Men's Gobi III

The newest version of a long-running favourite - leather barefoot shoes for men.