Feature Articles

Jambu Bath-Barefoot Review

As a minimalist shoe reviewer, it is wonderful when we’re given the opportunity to review multiple products from the same manufacturer and extremely validating when the shoes improve over time. This is the case with Jambu products. The first Jambu shoe Living Barefoot reviewed was the Barefoot Vegan and I found it to be somewhat narrow in design and included a truly non-minimalist insole. The latest Jambu shoe provided for review has a much wider, more comfortable fit and the insole design has been updated and improved as well. The result is that the Jambu Bath-Barefoot is an attractive and comfortable leather casual sandal fit for any spring or summer urban adventure.

Feature Articles

The Swiss Barefoot Company – Swiss Protection Sockette Review

Have you ever wanted to be as close to barefoot as you could get but still have a little bit of cut-resistance for sole of your feet? The solution to that problem is the Swiss Protection Sock or Sockette (SPS), depending on the height of the sock you prefer. The SPS is a Kevlar-knit sock with a welded polyester bobble sole, for added grip suitable for most outdoor terrains. They feel as close to barefooting as you can get, because you’re not wearing a shoe, with just a bit of protection from sharp edges. They’re pretty much perfect for people who wish they could go barefoot but are afraid of getting cut or are working on toughening their tender soles.

Feature Articles

VIVOBAREFOOT Achilles Review

There are few truly minimalist women’s sandals on the market with decent ground feel if you’re looking for more than a piece of rubber underfoot and the Achilles delivers with plenty of proprioception. Although I don’t find them that comfortable for my feet for long periods, that doesn’t mean they won’t be my go-to, slip-on sandals for short trips this spring and summer. They’re more than comfortable enough for quick trips to the store, lunch with a friend, or other places you wouldn’t want to go barefoot and want to wear a light, airy sandal. They are well worth their price in versatility and durability. If you love their unique style, which reminds me of a futuristic flip flop, they’re well worth a try. I do, however, highly recommend trying them on before you buy them so you know they work for you and your feet.

Feature Articles

VIVOBAREFOOT Legacy Review

The VIVOBAREFOOT Legacy is an excellent all-purpose leather shoe with fantastic minimalist qualities and great grip. They are an exceptionally high-quality product that will last a long time. For a narrow or average width foot, they are just about perfect. For an extra wide foot, they may be a bit restrictive in the toe box. The Legacy is stylish enough for office wear while comfortable enough for urban adventures and equally suited for running on the road or light trails. The high-quality leather softens with minimal wear making them even more comfortable the more you use them.

Feature Articles

VIVOBAREFOOT Aqua Lite Review

VIVOBAREFOOT has grown over the past two years from an innovative company producing great footwear to an innovative company producing some of the best minimalist footwear available. The Aqua has evolved into a refined, stylish, versatile, and comfortable shoe. Another winner from VIVOBAREFOOT!

Feature Articles

Vibram Fivefingers Trek LS Review

Overall the Fivefingers LS is a great looking, functional, fun, breathable, and comfortable Fivefingers option. It's difficult to judge if the leather between the toes is an issue that is unique to our sample pair, or if the issue is more widespread. In an online search, I was unable to find anyone else who had the same complaint, but I must review the product as I experience it. As with all Fivefingers shoes, the best way to purchase them is to try them on first, or buy from a retailer who offers a good return option.

Feature Articles

New Balance Minimus Outdoor 10 Review

Comfort is a primary feature of shoes for me; if it’s not comfortable and functional, I’m not going to wear them. The Outdoor 10 is not a shoe I consider comfortable and I don’t intend on wearing them again. If the shoe were wider from top to bottom and there wasn’t a constricting band across the top length-wise and width-wise, I think this shoe would be much more comfortable. If you have a narrow foot and you find the shoe comfortable, this might be a footwear option if you’re looking for a water-resistant transition shoe for light trail or road running. The Outdoor 10 was built on the same foundation as the Minimus Trail, and as a first foray into minimalist shoes, it could have used some improvement. Thankfully, New Balance listened to consumer feedback and made significant improvements in their Minimus Zero line of shoes. For more information about this and other models, take a look at the New Balance website.

Feature Articles

New Balance Minimus Trail Zero Review

The Minimus Trail Zero is the best minimalist shoe NB has made to date and the best model so far of the big brand shoe companies’ forays into minimalist shoe design. I doubt this level of greatness could have been reached without the lessons learned from their original Minimus models released in previous seasons. The Minimus Trail Zero is beyond lightweight, exceptionally wide, fantastically flexible with great ground feel. The futuristic style and materials make for an eye-catching shoe. Although perhaps not well suited for extreme trail terrain, they work well on light trail and incredibly well on road. NB has reset the bar for minimalist running shoes and I can only hope the other big brand shoe companies take note and follow suit. Congratulations New Balance!

Feature Articles

New Balance Minimus Road Zero Review

The Minimus Road Zero is far superior to its predecessor the Minimus Road but there is still some room for improvement in the width department. I would love to see this model offered in different widths as many New Balance models are and, if this becomes available in the future, I think this would be a very different review. If you have a narrow foot and are looking for a zero drop running shoe with a small amount of cushioning, compared to a conventional shoe, for those longer runs this may be the shoe for you. I don’t recommend them for those with wide feet.

Feature Articles

New Balance 110 Trail Shoe Review (WT110) Review

Although not a true minimalist shoe, the NB 110 is a good transition trail running shoe, which can be used for those occasions where you might not want to feel all the rockiness of a rugged trail. They have a 4 mm heel rise for those not quite ready for a completely flat shoe. They are a little too inflexible and narrow in the midfoot for my liking but I can see how someone with a narrower foot needing a shoe for trail running might appreciate the design of the 110. They are definitely more stylish than your average running shoe and definitely built to last

Feature Articles

The Living Barefoot Show Episode 44: An Interview with Asher Clark and Lee Saxby

We interview Lee Saxby and Asher Clark. Asher Clark, the head designer at Terra Plana and Vivobarefoot, tells us about his career path, shoe design, and gives some hints about the product we can expect in the coming months and even years. Lee faces a challenging question about whether Vivobarefoot training clinics are a conflict of interest. We discuss recent Harvard study results and the effects these results have on both Lee and Asher's work. See and Asher give their predictions for the future. Join us for this frank and interesting interview.

Barefoot & Minimalist News

Living Barefoot Updates

• In addition to the Coaching link in the top-right link corner, we have added a few new pages for easier navigation. We have remade the Reviews page with an organized layout of all the Living Barefoot reviews and will be updating it as we progress. We have also added a Getting Started page for easy reference to articles we've written related to getting started barefooting on the right foot. The last update is a new Resources page that shares many of the barefoot resources on the web including websites, forums, and blogs. We hope you enjoy the new pages! Read More
• We learned about 15 minutes ago that Living Barefoot was not sending updates to our email subscribers.  We have fixed the error.  For those of you who follow us through email, we have posted a number of news articles over the last couple of days you might want to check out! Read More