Barefoot shoes can sometimes have a reputation for looking a bit…well, awkward. That’s due to the early days of Vibram FiveFinger shoes and similar models, as these shoes certainly had a unique style. Fortunately, those days are in the past. Today’s barefoot shoes are just like your average footwear, but better. What are some examples?
Here are some shoes you’d never guess are barefoot from looking at them:
- Vivobarefoot Ra II
- Feelgrounds Highrise Knit
- Xero Shoes Toronto High-Top
- Astral Loyak
- Wilding Shoes Nessie
- Lems Primal 2
- Ahinsa Ananda Bare Brown
- Softstar Adult Rogue
- Vivobarefoot Geo Court
- Magical Shoes Winter Barefoot Boots Alaskan X
- Ahinsa Bindu 2 Bare Burgundy
- Xero Shoes Mika Boot
That’s right, we found 12 pairs of barefoot shoes that redefine what these shoes can look like. Now you can go to work, on casual outings, and even outside for winter fun in barefoot shoes with no one the wiser!
Yes, These 12 Shoes Are All Barefoot Shoes, We Promise
Listen, even on this blog about barefoot shoes, we have to admit these shoes can look a little strange at times, sometimes downright silly. The main reason for this is that many barefoot shoe brands tend to focus more on the functionality of the shoe than the looks.
As the popularity of barefoot shoes has grown, so too has the need for these shoes to blend in a little more into the mainstream. That’s why today you can shop for nearly any style of shoe, but a barefoot version.
Still don’t believe us? Well, seeing is believing, and you’re about to see what today’s barefoot shoes can look like!
One of the best names in barefoot shoes is Vivobarefoot, so it’s no surprise they’re leading to charge to normalize this form of minimalist footwear. The Ra II is an especially polished shoe that looks just like your everyday business loafer.
The Oxford style of the Ra II almost belies its barely-there sole, which is a TPU non-marking sole that Vivobarefoot calls it’s most durable and thinnest yet. The insole is an anti-bacterial cork, but it’s removable if you’d prefer there to be as little between your feet and the ground as possible.
The whole outer of this shoe is made of wild-hide leather with a scarred appearance that comes that way naturally. Crisscrossing laces let you tighten the fit of these shoes, then you’re ready to go to the office or even on a hot date.
The Vivobarefoot Ra II is a men’s shoe that comes in two colors: dark brown with a tan sole and obsidian with a black sole.
Feelgrounds Highrise Knit
What about if you want an everyday casual shoe? The Feelgrounds Highrise Knit is it. This unisex shoe has all the coolness of a pair of Chucks but without the bulk.
These zero-dop shoes feature a 5-millimeter stack height and a Feelgrounds TPE outsole that’s flexible yet soft. You’ll feel every step as you take it.
The laces and uppers are made of PET plastic, all recycled. A silicone and paraffin layer makes the shoes water-repellant, so you’re free to get them a bit wet without worrying. The Highrise Knit is also surprisingly breathable despite being a rather encompassing shoe. It features slip-resistance and a wide toe box so your feet can wiggle and wriggle.
You can select from all sorts of fun colors for the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit, including olive green, off-white, gum graphite (dark gray), cloud gray (light gray), or black and white.
Xero Shoes Toronto High-Top
You can also hit the streets in style with Xero Shoes’ Toronto high-tops. These sporty shoes are made of canvas and hemp for the ultimate in comfort. The materials are vegan too, so no animals were harmed in the making of your shoes. That’s always something to feel good about!
The Huarache style explains the inclusion of a heel strap, which you can adjust for a fit that’s customized to your feet. Each shoe weighs between 8 and 9.5 ounces; the lighter weight is the women’s shoe (link above), and the heavier ones are the men’s shoe.
The TrueFeel rubber sole, only 5.5 millimeters, protects your feet from the ground while not preventing you from getting the full experience of wearing barefoot shoes. An insole, 2 millimeters, is removable so you can walk even more unobstructed.
With a Xero-drop non-elevated heel and a sizable toe box, these shoes have all the barefoot features you love but wrapped up in a cool-looking high-top. Xero even promises a warranty on the soles for 5,000 miles.
You can buy the Xero Shoes Toronto High-Top in black or pine green with white accents.
Astral Loyak
Do you want to splash around on the lake or even in the ocean but in barefoot shoes? The Astral Loyak is just the shoe you need. These barefoot water shoes feature the brand’s Flex-Grip outsole made of durable rubber for balance and grip. The Razor Siping along the edges of the outsole dig into the ground when you flex your feet, and the lugs are separated to keep you secure even on loose, dusty dirt.
This is possible in part to the G15 compound included in the Loyak shoes. The compound keeps the rubber outsole soft yet able to move with your steps.
The Loyak shoes also feature a heel-to-toe drop of 1 millimeter to keep the footbeds even. The heel and instep are both tapered so you’re in control when you walk. Like the other shoes we’ve covered so far, the Loyak has a spacious footbed too.
Astral designed all parts of this shoe to be water-friendly, including the addition of drainage holes so your shoes don’t stay soaked and squishy. You can shop your Astral Loyak in hues like Cedar Green and Beet Red.
Check out the women’s version too, which comes in such colors as Rosa Red, Classic Khaki, and Turquoise Gray.
Wilding Shoes Nessie
Barefoot shoes are favored for all sorts of athletic endeavors, so it makes sense that would translate to outdoor shoes for hiking or walking as well. The Nessie by Wilding Shoes is also an ideal-cold weather shoe thanks to its felted wool inner lining. That liner is designed for managing moisture and temperature. Your feet will be warm yet feel freer than ever.
The outsole is mostly synthetic rubber with some cork and recycled materials. It’s also slim, 2.5 to 3.5 millimeters according to Wilding. Microfiber edging is made of durable polyurethane and polyamide. The upper is all herringbone, which is virgin wool that’s organically cultivated.
Lems Primal 2
Boulder, Colorado shoewear brand Lems favors barefoot and vegan footwear. The Primal 2 is both! This cool athletic shoe will have all your gym buddies asking you where you bought it from.
Although the heel doesn’t look it, it is indeed zero-drop. The stack height of the Primal 2 is 9 millimeters when excluding the footbed, which is an additional 3.5 millimeters. That footbed includes a PU, moisture-wicking insole that you’re free to take out if you’re so inclined.
The outsole is LemsRubber, a type of air-injected rubber that’s the brand’s specialty. The outsole measures 8 millimeters. Inside the shoe is a moisture-wicking liner made of polyester. The upper includes an open-weave mesh and microfiber that’s very soft to the touch; both products are vegan.
There won’t be any toe squishing here with a plentiful toe box. These shoes are compactible and quite lightweight as well. The men’s edition, which we linked to you above, weighs 7.2 ounces in a size 10. For a women’s size 8, the shoes are 6.2 ounces.
Ahinsa Ananda Bare Brown
You won’t mind going to the office if you can wear the Ananda Bare Brown shoe from Ahinsa, yet another brand that produces vegan barefoot shoes. These sleek men’s business shoes feature cruelty-free leather-like material that’s resistant to abrasions yet breathable and water-resistant.
The Ultradry lining is designed to wick away moisture and sweat, and much more quickly than those non-vegan animal skin liners can. The Lifo+ sole includes a compound known as Lifoprene. Developed in Germany, Lifoprene is a tough yet lightweight material.
The appealing brown hue of these shoes will make them one of your favorites. You’ll probably want to start taking walks around the office complex on your lunch break!
Softstar Adult Rogue
Nicknamed after the nomads who are always finding new circles, the Adult Rogue by Softstar is a comfy slipper shoe. Make that a very upscale slipper shoe considering it’s covered in leather. As this list has shown you so far, barefoot shoes can be very polished, and this is no exception!
The Vibram Geo sole measures 8 millimeters and lends the Adult Rogue great traction. The sole flexes with your feet so that as you take a step, the sensation of the grass or concrete beneath your feet is one you don’t have to miss out on. You also get four inner soles, two that are made of sheepskin and another two that are suede. All are optional, but they’re nice to have!
When we said this shoe has a leather outer, it is indeed the real deal. Softstar uses full-grained leather that’s aged to perfection. Beneath that leather is an upper Breathe-O-Prene liner that promotes breathability and ventilation.
Probably one of the best parts of these barefoot shoes besides their looks is that they slip right on! They’re also unisex, so men and women alike can choose between the Aged Walnut and Aged Black color of these Softstar Adult Rogue shoes.
Vivobarefoot Geo Court
We’ve shared plenty of casual sneakers for men, but not so many for women. Let’s change that with the Vivobarefoot Geo Court. These are some of the most renowned barefoot shoes that don’t look like barefoot shoes.
The outsole is one of the thinner of the shoes we’ve discussed, only 3 millimeters, which is the Vivobarefoot signature. There will be no shortage of sensory feedback in these shoes, that’s for certain. The insole is a Bloom EVA and the exterior of this shoe is real leather.
You tie these shoes up like any sneaker with soft laces made of organic cotton. The paneling on the heel is trendy color-blocked, and Vivobarefoot included its logo on the sidewall too. The rubber sole has a hexagon texture underneath that goes up the heel and provides traction while you walk.
You can buy the Vivobarefoot Geo Court shoes in two color schemes: all white or obsidian, which is black with tan and white color-blocking.
Magical Shoes Winter Barefoot Boots Alaskan X
When the cold winds of winter start howling, answer the call in these Alaskan X winter boots from Magical Shoes. These are indeed barefoot boots and not the only pair we have on this list today.
The Alaskan X is a men’s boot with a zero-drop sole and an appropriately lightweight feel. The toe box is wide too, just the way you like it.
With a Rubber Trek sole, walking in these boots is easy, even in inclement weather. After all, the Alaskan X features treading on the sole that allows you to traverse slippery, icy ground. A hydroponic membrane will keep your feet drier too. The membrane works in temperatures as low as -53.6 degrees Fahrenheit or -12 degrees Celsius!
If you’re worried about spending a lot of time trying to zip these shoes, that’s not a problem. Magical Shoes designed the Alaskan X with zip fasteners you pull on rather than having to wrangle with laces.
Ahinsa Bindu 2 Bare Burgundy
Another pick from Ahinsa that will redefine how you see barefoot shoes is the Bindu 2 Bare Burgundy. These shoes have a lot in common with the Ananda, including the Lifo+ outsole and the cruelty-free materials.
The CF+ Ultradry lining is certified to keep your feet dry, and the uppers are water-resistant too. As if all that wasn’t great enough, these shoes feature 4D flexibility, which means that the more you wear them, they mold to the shape of your feet. That’s a customized fit you don’t get in most shoes! Plus, check out that sweet red outer. You’ll turn heads in these shoes!
We told you we’d have a warm-weather winter boot for women, and here it is. The Xero Shoes Mika Boot is a tall boot that’s still lightweight enough that you shouldn’t even feel like you’re wearing shoes. Seriously, each boot in a women’s size 7 weighs just 12 ounces!
Xero’s beloved TrueFeel zero-drop sole is back so you get the ultimate in traction. Speaking of traction, chevron threading throughout the sole also lends you greater stability if you’re out playing in the snow.
You will indeed want to reach for these shoes when it begins flurrying thanks to their heat-reflecting insole, flannel liner, and outer canvas, which is water-repellant. You won’t just be able to listen to the snow crunch under your feet, but feel it as well.
Conclusion
There you have it. These 12 barefoot shoes buck the conventional norm of what barefoot shoes look like. They’re trendy, stylish, and you couldn’t tell them apart from any other non-barefoot shoe on the shelf.
If the looks of barefoot shoes made you shy away from them, you can now see how many styles there are for you to try!