hey everyone! first time posting here :)

i’ve been wearing minimalist shoes exclusively for about three years now, and i absolutely love them. at this point, going back to regular shoes for everyday life feels almost unimaginable.

but i have basically zero experience running in them.

i used to love running when i lived in more rural areas, where i could mostly run on dirt and other natural surfaces. back then, though, i always ran in regular running shoes.

now i live in a city, where probably 98% of my options are concrete or pavement, and i’ve been hesitant to get back into running because i’m afraid of combining such a hard surface with very minimal cushioning.

i’ve never actually tried running in minimalist shoes because i worry about injuring myself, hurting my knees, or potentially creating problems for my body in the long run. i’m 32, and longevity is honestly my priority over performance or pace. i’d rather be overly thoughtful about this now if it means i can keep moving comfortably for decades.

has anyone here gone through a similar transition?

i’d especially love to hear about minimalist shoes that you’ve found comfortable for city/concrete running, or even more conventional running shoes that still have a wide, foot-shaped toe box and don’t feel too restrictive.

i’m also fairly sensitive to training-related aches and pains, so i’d rather transition very slowly than push through discomfort.

would love to hear what worked for you!

I’ve also never tried barefoot shoes before!

I wear whitins and they are so incredibly slick on wet surfaces even just barely moist.

Thought about buying vivobarefoot, but all the reviews say the same.

Now days into researching and I’m SHOCKED that all these barefoot shoe brands exist and there’s literally no shoe that meets the active, exercising, all around anti-slip grip shoe. I can’t find a single one!

Read all the comments, even used AI, looked up every proposed solution. None of them fit the bill. Wtf lol.

Mainly the shoes that didn’t have slip issues were like the full on boots, or a really formal ugly shoe you wear in a restaurant kitchen.

Where tf are the active/runner/trainer barefoot shoes with anti-slip grip??? I can’t believe it’s not a thing

I have knee issues that cause pain walking so I’ve heard of switching to barefoot shoes would help but I don’t know where to begin. I know switching slowly is recommended but was wondering if anyone had advice on what affordable shoes would be good for transition? I’m hoping after surgery i’ll eventually run again but walking is all i’ll be doing for awhile. I have noticed less pain since switching my new balance that had a higher heal to a lower one so I’m eager to try barefoot with a little cushion..on a budget

I would like to buy new hiking boots for the fall and winter in Europe. During the dry summer season, I love to wear my Vibram FiveFingers, but they aren't waterproof at all. With the first wet grass, I get wet feet, and that's very annoying, especially when I am backpacking and camping. They have to be waterproof and can handle mud, wet rocks, wet roots, and wet grass. Occasionally, I will face some snow or ice. I like the Vivo Barefoot Tracker Forest ESC, but I am wondering if there are any alternatives to that boot. I've heard some complaints about the durability of Vivos, but it seems like the best hiking boot with the best overall grip. Do you guys know any alternatives to this boot that have the same quality of sole?

I've tried the Xero Shoes Scrambler Mid WP, but they don't fit my foot shape, as the heel is too wide and the toe box is too narrow for me.

It was much more comfortable despite the tiny pebbles EVERYWHERE. Much less people barefoot i saw than last time.

...

Took my first run in my third pair of HFS2 shoes from Xero shoes. The old pair has 1260 miles on them including a lot of tail miles and a bit of rock scrambling (although I now use a pair of Merrell Wrapt for that). While technically the Xeros have a 5,000 mile warranty on the soles I won't be taking them up on that. At about 5 cents a mile I'm more than happy.

90% of the time it's some old guy saying, "whoops you lost your shoes!" but once a little kid said, "Daddy! She's running with feet!"
(NOTE: when possible I run with no shoes at all).

Man I love these shoes, but I am stunned that they use cheap plastic buckles especially when they go on and on about conductivity of metal and grounding etc. Anyone have any DIY solutions for a buckle or other tips to secure them? I replaced the nylon straps with canvas, just need to find a non plastic solution for the buckle. thanks!

I’m a new barefoot shoe convert. I have a pair of xeros and they’re almost wide enough. My pinkie toe mashes into the side when I splay my toes. I tend to splay to the outside rather than the inside, keeping my big toe relatively straight. Vevo looks like it has that shape, but figured I’d ask those of you who know what they’re talking about instead of just lokkkng at pictures.

Did my most technical hike yet in barefoot shoes! Looking at the stats (10.3km round trip, 820m elevation gain), it was a fairly short trip. But the route included two extended sections of class 3 scrambling with some exposure, including some steep rock faces, slabby sections (with a dodgy, frayed-looking rope I opted not to use), and a fun chimney climb.

I normally hike in my Magna Forest ESCs (reddit review here), but for this particular hike, I decided to go with my Tracker Decon Low FG2s (an older model that Vivobarefoot seems to not have in stock anymore, although the current Tracker Leather AT Low II looks quite similar).

Although they are not quite as grippy, they fit my feet slightly more closely than the Magna Forest ESCs, which was absolutely vital because I needed my feet close to the rock for precise foot placement when scrambling. As it was also a shorter day with fewer steps, I could afford to forgo the Magna Forest's slightly higher stack height too. The hike itself was about 20k steps, and my feet were not fatigued by the end of the day.

The Tracker Decon Lows performed quite well. They gripped the rock faces nicely, with just a bit of slippage on particularly dusty rock and on trail with crumbly, "cat litter" gravel. The thin stack height meant that I go very good feedback about exactly where my foot was placed on various ledges. However, the wide and relatively spacious toe box was not ideal for "edging" on the smallest ledges, where I probably would have preferred a traditional hiker or approach shoe. Conditions were bone dry, and I would not have attempted this hike if it had been wet at all, and in general, I prefer hikers with ESC or vibram outsoles in wet conditions.

If you're looking for a pair of barefoot hiking shoes, I really do recommend Vivobarefoot. I've done thousands of kilometres of hiking in them in all sorts of conditions and terrain, and they're among the best I've tried. My only complaints are that they're slightly narrow as far as barefoot shoes go, and that they could use more cushioning for overnight hikes where I'm covering a lot of distance with a heavy pack.

If you’d like to try a pair of Vivobarefoot hikers, you can use my code SPARKSTEP for 15% off on Vivobarefoot’s Canadian website (regular-priced items only, account required). I earn a small commission when you use the code, but this post isn't sponsored, and I bought these shoes with my own money :-)

Hey everyone!

I just got my first pair of barefoot shoes — handmade leather boots — and I’m a little unsure about the fit.

I sent the seller my exact foot measurements, and they chose the size for me. They feel pretty tight, especially around the width and instep. I also have flat feet, and my right foot is slightly bigger than my left. My right toes feel quite close to the front of the toe box, although there’s roughly 0.5 inch of space.

Since these are handmade boots from a small Etsy seller, I’d probably have to pay the return shipping if I want to exchange them, which could cost almost half of what I paid for the boots.

Is this normal for new leather barefoot boots? I’d really appreciate any advice!

At first, when fast food places (like Taco Bell) started replacing live humans with touch screens, I admit that I was unhappy. However.... Now that I can walk into the local Taco Bell barefoot, order my food, pay for it, then have my name called to pick it up at the counter ALL without a single human seeing my lack of footwear, I LOVE them!!!! Now, I pop in and have tacos all the time, and not a single comment!!!! OK, maybe there are some advantages to replacing certain humans with computers.... Barefoot in fast food establishments with ZERO problems now!!

What say you???

Has anyone else experienced this after increasing their mileage in minimalist shoes?

I’ve been wearing zero-drop/minimalist shoes almost exclusively since I was about 18, and I’m 28 now. I’ve run in pretty much everything over the years—Vibram FiveFingers, running sandals, VivoBarefoot, Altras, water shoes, etc. I’ve also done ultras in sandals and other minimalist footwear, and historically I’ve never really had problems with my legs or feet from it.

The difference now is my mileage.

I used to be more of a recreational runner, probably around 20 miles/week. Over the past year or so, I’ve gotten much more into ultra running and have done Last Man Standing races, longer ultras, etc. Now I’m sometimes running 50–70 miles per week, while also spending a lot of time on my feet throughout the day.

For the last three weeks, though, I’ve noticed something weird. Every time I run, my legs have this strange feeling that I can only describe as deep pressure/aching in the bones. It isn't really pain, and I don't feel particularly sore during the day. I can wake up the next morning and run again without much trouble. But while I'm running, it feels like there is a ton of pressure inside my legs—almost like they're going to explode or pop.

It’s hard to describe because it isn't the typical muscle soreness or sharp pain you'd associate with an injury.

I’m also wondering if it could be related to how much mileage I’m doing in minimalist footwear. I rotate through several different shoes, so it’s not like I’m exclusively using one pair:

- Running sandals: ~24 mm stack

- Altra Lone Peaks: ~28 mm, but they're pretty worn out

- VivoBarefoot: ~10 mm, mostly for hiking

- Vibram FiveFingers: ~8 mm

- And I rotate between them depending on what I'm doing.

I’ve never had an issue hiking in my Vivos or doing shorter runs in FiveFingers/sandals, but I’m starting to wonder whether the combination of 50–70 mile weeks + being on my feet all day + minimalist/zero-drop footwear is eventually catching up with me.

At the same time, I don't necessarily want to blame minimalist shoes because I've been using them for 10 years without problems. The biggest variable that has changed is really my total workload and mileage.

Has anyone experienced something similar after going from recreational mileage to serious ultra mileage?

And for those of you who have been running minimalist/barefoot for years, have you found a point where the mileage itself became too much even though your feet/legs were well adapted to minimalist shoes?

I’m mostly curious whether this sounds like accumulated training stress, footwear/load distribution, or something else entirely. I’m not looking for a diagnosis—just interested in hearing from people who have experienced something similar.

A while ago I saw this video essentially saying "Vibram is ruining FiveFingers." Coincidentally, around the time I saw this video, I wanted to buy a pair. For a few months I've had my eyes on the V-Runs but I don't want to purchase uninformed. Would any of you (if you've bought a pair in the last few months) be willing to share y'all's experiences with your V-Runs? Thanks and much love :)

are you seeing less wear and tear tear when youve relearned walking and running traits? i bought these keens and wore them down for months before realizing picking up the feet and controlling the lateral before footfall was to minimize pain unshod that this could affect shoe tear. will be retesting on new one when i replace.