VIVOBAREFOOT Off Road Mid Men’s Boot

VIVOBAREFOOT has brought us some amazing shoes this year. Anyone looking to fill every niche with a VIVOBAREFOOT product, the Off Road Mid boots come close to being a great fit. There is, disappointingly, some room for additional improvements to make these boots great. A wider last would be first on my list of improvements, especially given the width of the typical VIVOBAREFOOT shoe. A repeat VIVOBAREFOOT customer might be surprised to find such a narrow fit. A slightly more flexible upper would allow a more natural fit and more comfortable movement.

Review of the VIVOBAREFOOT Boxing Boot – A Comfortable and Fashionable Boot for Any Woman

VIVOBAREFOOT has introduced some truly stellar minimalist products this year and the Boxing Boot is another to add to the list. They are a versatile, comfortable, stylish, all-weather boot suitable for any casual wear or adventure. They have the added quality of being great for winter conditions as well, a niche that is poorly represented at this point in the minimalist market. I’m impressed yet again at VIVOBAREFOOT’s understanding of the minimalist market and not only listen to customer’s desires but also develop products that fulfill their needs.

Invisible Shoes Connect and Contact Huarache Running Sandal Review

There is no other shoe in the minimalist footwear industry as truly minimalist as the huarache. It just doesn’t get simpler than a piece of sole material cut to the size of your foot and a lace to tie it on. The Invisible Shoe huarache running sandals were great when all there was was a do-it-yourself kit. The new 4 mm Connect and 6 mm Contact blow all other huarache running sandals out of the water. Their attention to detail, comfort, durability, and especially price, are second to none. They are as close to being barefoot as you can possibly get with a shoe with only the slightest width of rubber protection on the soles of your feet. The choice between 4 mm and 6 mm allows you to customize your ground feel as well. Your feet are free to move in the most natural way with no fabric upper to impede or constrict foot movement in any way. Invisible Shoes has clearly done their homework in the development of these two new fantastic products and it shows!

Deep See Beachwalker Review

Sometimes, a good deal is just too good to pass up. The Deep See Beachwalker is one of those deals if you’re looking for a cheap yet comfortable, flexible, warm, water resistant, lightweight minimalist shoe with no heel rise and excellent ground feel. Again, what more could you ask for in a shoe that costs $20? They are more than durable enough to outlast some of their competition that costs 4–5 times as much. And I have no doubt that the company did not intend these shoes to be used as minimalist footwear, they just happen to fit the bill, and quite nicely at that. Deep See has a number of aqua shoes to choose from as well, which you can see from their catalogue. You can find the Beachwalker at Atmosphere, online, or probably at any diving shop near you.

Jambu Bare Feet Designs Birmingham Barefoot Review

Jambu is one of those shoe companies with great ideas, and even the occasional great execution, but the Birmingham Barefoot is not one of them. This shoe is not comfortable, not wide enough in the forefoot and too wide in the heel seat to accommodate most feet, doesn’t hold your foot in place, doesn’t have good ground feel, and has a slight heel rise in the outsole. They look great but, sadly, don’t feel as great as one would hope compared to their looks. I would recommend trying them on in a store before buying them and determining if the fit is one that you can live with. Jambu has several types of shoes in the Bare Feet Designs line, and although I liked the Barefoot Vegan, I do not like the Birmingham Barefoot. I still think that if you’re interested in Jambu products, they’re worth trying on and seeing if they work for you.

Vibram FiveFingers Jaya Shoe Review

The Jaya is another excellent product by Vibram FiveFingers. Although this particular model doesn’t have the outstanding ground feel of some of the original VFF models, they are considerably more stylish than some with well-thought out details in colours and accents. They are incredibly lightweight and comfortable against the skin. They have some distracting qualities in the design of the sole, which are probably sacrificed due to increased durability and grip with the use of the TC1 rubber pads. If you like the toe pocket design of VFFs, you’ll probably like the improved esthetics and casual look of the Jaya.

Merrell Lithe Glove Shoe Review

Merrell’s Pace Glove shortcomings were not improved in the release of the Lithe Glove. As a minimalist shoe, the Lithe Gloves are too narrow to allow the foot to function naturally and the sole has a myriad of issues that make them uncomfortable to walk or run in. The upper isn’t even comfortable as the heel seat digs painfully in the back of my heel. The only things going for this shoe are its added warmth for cooler temperatures and excellent grip.

Oetzi Troop Leather Review

There’s a fine line between minimalism and adequate cold protection when it comes to footwear. Often you sacrifice great ground feel for sufficient insulation from the cold ground, not to mention style. In the Oetzi Troop Leather, you get the best of all these features in a comfortable, warm, water resistant, and stylish package. I love these boots and look forward to many winter walks with warm feet

Grippy Paperfeet Review

The first time I tried on a pair of Paperfeet, I decided not to review them on the grounds that my safety was more important than a properly wear-tested review; they were so slippery on every surface I tried them on, I was fearful of falling. Thankfully, Al reviewed a pair of the original Paperfeet (found here), and my somewhat guilty conscious was assuaged because I felt that our readers deserved a review of the product. Paperfeet has since come out with a ‘Grippy’ version with recycled rubber on the wear points for added grip. I now feel like they are safe enough for me to wear. But do I want to? Read on…

Review: GoLite Tara Lite

The GoLites Tara Lite is a shoe we have been asked to review by a number of our readers and so, while this is not a minimalist product to our definition, we are reviewing it specifically for our readers. The Tara Lites is a fascinating product whose purpose is one that we don’t understand. It is a performance product with some unique features, one in particular that has never been seen in an enclosed shoe to our knowledge. The shoe’s concept is that of a sandal with a “second skin stretch upper”. In other words, the shoe is based around a thong sandal, one that has an upper and a protective toe guard. A strapping system provides more refined fit. Is this a viable design? Read on…

Review: New Balance Minimus Trail

The Minimus Trail is a good all-round shoe designed for light trail activity and everyday use. Designed for narrow to mid-width feet, the fit is snug yet the toes have ample room for natural movement. The strapping system desperately needs adjustment points for versatility, but so long as your foot feels snug and comfortable inside the Trail, these seem to be a good choice.

Review: VIVOBAREFOOT Ra – Perhaps the Perfect Minimalist / Barefoot Dress Shoe

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 quality, style, and comfort of these shoes is top-notch and indicative of the exciting things to come from VIVOBAREFOOT. These stylish business appropriate shoes not only tick all the boxes but do so with the refined quality of a company who really knows what they are doing and where they are going. If you suffer at work, don’t waste any time and get your feet into a pair of these great shoes! They are, after all, the only truly minimalist business appropriate men’s oxford. Finally someone has filled this niche, and filled it well. READ MORE…

Review: Kigo Drive

Kigo has done a magnificent job of listening to customers and reinventing an already good product into an excellent product. These are excellent every day shoes with a wide last and a loose fit. They are well made and look great too. They provide good grip while providing good ground feel and natural movement with a thin and flexible sole. Rather than providing another technical performance product, Kigo has managed to make a shoe that is perfect for the everyday. Put on a pair of stylish Kigos. READ MORE

Review: OeTZI3300 OTZ-300GMS

Although these aren’t the most minimalist shoes, considering the insole and the sole inflexibility, they are wonderfully comfortable and I have already enjoyed much use out of them. The insole is easily removed giving the shoe a zero differential between heel and toe. The style is the definition of simplistic and easily works casually with either pants or shorts.

Review: Jambu Bare Feet Designs Barefoot Vegan Review

The Jambu Barefoot Vegan is an exciting new arrival to the casual women’s minimalist shoe market. It has incredibly unique styling with the criss-cross lacing and contrast stitching. When you remove the unnecessary and non-minimalistically designed insole, it has a slight positive heel but probably no more than 3 mm. It should fit a narrow or average width foot well but may be snug on a wide foot. They are tremendously breathable and perfectly suited for hot spring or summer urban adventures.

Review: VIVOBAREFOOT Ultra

VIVOBAREFOOT has done it again. Minimalist shoes have been with us for a couple of years now, and yet in the last year VIVOBAREFOOT has put out some of the most innovative shoes I have ever seen. I could hardly be more impressed. The Ultra is yet another winner in a long line of innovations this year. Because of the unique insert, consider the width of your feet and how you plan on using the Ultra before buying. If the fit is right, the Ultra may become your go-to shoes. This is truly a shoe that can work in almost any situation.

Review: Injinji Performance Lightweight Toesock Review

  Injinji Performance Lightweight Toesock Review By Tina Dubois Review of the Injinji Performance Lighweight Toesocks – The softest, thinnest second skin yet! Some time ago, Living Barefoot released a comparison Toe Sock Review including some from the Performance series from Injinji, which proved to be the best quality of toe socks that were tested. [...]

Review: VIVOBAREFOOT Achilles

              VIVOBAREFOOT Achilles Review By Al Gauthier Review of the VIVOBAREFOOT Achilles Sandal – A split toe minimalist running sandal that will blow your socks off! We have always respected VIVOBAREFOOT not only for the high quality shoes they produce, but for the innovative, fashionable, and truly minimalist approach. [...]

Review: Inov-8 Bare-Grip 200

            Inov-8 Bare-Grip 200 Review By Tina Dubois Review of the inov-8 Bare-Grip 200 – A Light-weight, Grip-galore, Minimal Off Trail Shoe This is the first Living Barefoot footwear review for the UK-based shoe company inov-8. The Bare-Grip 200 is designed as an off trail shoe, meaning across hills and [...]

Teva Zilch Review

Teva Zilch Sandal Review By Al Gauthier Review of the Teva Zilch – A Minimal Minimalist Sandal One of the biggest ironies of most minimalist shoes is that it’s almost impossible to find a comfortable shoe your foot can stay cool in. While there are numerous home-made style sandals, there are very few that offer [...]

Review: Merrell Trail Glove

Merrell Trail Glove Shoe Review By Al Gauthier Merrell has been making shoes for 30 years now. The most difficult part of writing reviews is when we have to write a review on a product that we have been excitedly anticipating only to find they fall short.  In the case of Merrell, the review process [...]

Review: Merrell Pace Glove

Review of the Merrell Women’s Barefoot Pace Glove By Tina Dubois Merrell has been a maker of high performance footwear since 1981. The company recently developed a barefoot line of shoes to satisfy the needs of the consumer-driven minimalist footwear market. The Barefoot Pace Glove is Merrell’s natural adventure shoe specifically designed for women. Although [...]

Review of the VIVOBAREFOOT Neo

              Review of the VIVOBAREFOOT Neo We’ve been reviewing minimalist shoes since before the term was such a household name.  It’s very gratifying to see such continual improvement. There is a real drive from consumers to want the best products.  This is rather unique in the footwear world.  While [...]

Review: Zem Booties

Review of Zem Booties By Al Gauthier Overview Zem booties are another “beach” shoe that has wandered onto our radar as a good minimalist product.  As with many products in this category, the company has realized the untapped market of minimalist shoe enthusiasts after having already aimed at a different market. Zem booties come in [...]

Review: Vibram FiveFingers TrekSport

Review of the VFF TrekSport The TrekSport is a vegan version of the KSO Trek (made of kangaroo leather) with the same aggressive tread designed for trekking and trail running. It is made of a stretchy coconut active carbon fiber material with TPU toe protection. The TrekSport upper also features a number of padded areas [...]

ASICS Mexico 66 / Minimalist Shoe Updates

We’ve had the opportunity to discuss minimalist products with ASICS today.  We contacted ASICS in the hopes that we could review the Mexico 66.  This shoe has had a lot of positive response from our readers and listeners and we have been contacted on several occasions asking us to review the Mexico 66 as it [...]

Review: Vibram FiveFingers KSO Trek – By Andrew Searle

The KSO Trek is a great trail running shoe that is best for dry, light trails but not the best for really rocky or wet trails if you’re planning on running at high speeds. They are a fantastic trail running tool to improve running form, cadence, agility, and balance. They will also help you become more aware of your foot placement as well as strengthen the muscles of your feet and lower legs, which can all lead to overall improved trail running performance

Review: VIVOBAREFOOT Evo II

We are very pleased to review the new Evo II running-specific shoe from Terra Plana’s VIVOBAREFOOT product line. They are essentially the same as the Evo but made with a denser nylon mesh upper for increased water resistance and a microfiber lined interior for added comfort. They are spectacular minimalist running shoes made for colder temperatures and/or wet conditions. This review will be similar to the one written for the Evo but with additions to reflect the changes in the Evo II.

Review: VIVOBAREFOOT Brooklyn Boot

Review of Terra Plana’s VIVOBAREFOOT Brooklyn Boot There are few truly minimalist footwear options currently on the market for cold, snowy, winter weather; the Brooklyn boot is definitely one of these few. The VIVOBAREFOOT Off-Road Sole, measuring 5 mm thick including 2.5 mm of grip, does a stellar job at both protecting your feet from [...]

Review: Soft Star Roo

Review: Soft Star Roo By Al Gauthier Review of the Soft Star Roo The Soft Star Roo is a cozy, cold weather moccasin made of real leather.  In the true sense of a moccasin, the sole is also made of leather—allowing for all the great ground sensations to be transmitted through the sole. Comfort You [...]

Review: Barefoot Ted’s Luna Sandal

Barefoot Ted’s Luna Sandal Review By Tina Dubois Review of the Original Luna Sandal We are very pleased to review the Original Luna Sandal, an huarache running sandal made in the Pacific Northwest, USA by a company started by Barefoot Ted McDonald. The Luna is as minimal a shoe as it comes, made of simply [...]

Review: Vibram FiveFingers Performa Jane

Vibram FiveFingers Performa Jane Shoe Review By Tina Dubois Review of Vibram FiveFingers Performa Jane Shoe We are very pleased to review the Performa Jane, a women’s specific Mary Jane-style indoor shoe with amazing barefoot feel. These shoes are very similar to the Performas that were released last year but the upper is made of [...]

Review: Kigo Footwear Curv

Kigo Curv Shoe Review By Tina Dubois Review of Kigo Footwear’s Kigo Curv Shoe We are very pleased to review the second generation of Kigo Footwear’s Mary Jane-style shoe: the Curv. There are a few improvements to the Curv compared to the first generation, the Star, but for the most part, they are the same [...]

Review: Vivo Barefoot’s Kali Shoe

Vivo Barefoot Kali Review By Tina Dubois Overall impression The Kali is a brand new Mary Jane style pump for the Spring/Summer 2010 collection. It is the perfect footwear for women looking for a minimalist show in a professional environment.  It is an extremely well-made shoe with an elegant and attractive design yet has a [...]

Review: Vibram FiveFingers Bikila

Review – Vibram FiveFingers Bikila A running-specific FiveFingers Model Overall impression What can I say, Vibram is starting to seem like a company that can do no wrong – and the new running-specific model of FiveFingers, the Bikila, is another great example of a use-specific model that does a great job of providing the most [...]

Review – Nike Free 5.0

Review – Nike Free 5.0 Overall impression While these shoes have taken the world by storm as being the first shoes that take advantage of the foot’s natural ability, they lack many of the qualities needed in a true minimalist shoe. For some these may make a temporary “transition” shoe on the path towards a [...]

Review – Flexible Footwear Shoes – Possibly The Dress Shoe We’ve All Been Waiting For!

Review – Flexible Footwear Oxford Dress Shoes Is this the answer to the minimalist dress shoe we have all been waiting for? History When we stumbled on Flexible Footwear online, we knew we had to get a pair for review. One of the largest holes in the minimalist shoe spectrum is in the formal shoe [...]

Review: The Barefoot Running Book by Jason Robillard

Review of The Barefoot Running Book by Jason Robillard First I have to gush about how nice it is to have authors writing more and more books about barefooting and barefoot running.  Since Christopher McDougal’s book, Born To Run, the interest world-wide has grown from a trickle into a stream. Jason Robillard’s book is another [...]

Feelmax Niesa Re-Review

Feelmax Niesa RE-Review History When we originally released the review of the Feelmax Niesa in August of 2009, the response from Feelmax was strong. Feelmax felt that we had not done our homework and that the review was not accurate. They also insisted that we had not spent enough time with the Niesa. As our [...]

Review – Vibram FiveFingers KSO Trek

Review – Vibram FiveFingers KSO Trek Overall impression This beefy, tread-happy KSO upgrade with kangaroo leather is the perfect solution for trail runners and those who have been looking for a little more protection underfoot. Despite the substantial sole and the use of leather, this KSO remains as comfortable as the previous incarnations. It is [...]

Review: Feelmax Kuuva Boot – Winter Barefooting Series

Feelmax Kuuva Boot Review By Tina Dubois For barefooters and minimalist shoe enthusiasts alike finding winter footwear products that can stand up to northern climates can be challenging. As part of our winter barefooting series, we are pleased to review the Feelmax Kuuva boot. We are very pleased to review our second minimalist footwear product [...]

Review – Vibram FiveFingers Performa

Vibram FiveFingers’ new fall 2009 collection includes three new designs; we are pleased to review the Performa. I am thoroughly impressed with this new addition and find it an all around perfect indoor shoe. My feet and toes literally get the urge to dance while wearing them. Vibram FiveFingers has outdone itself with the Performas as they are extremely comfortable, are lighter weight than all their other shoes, and have extraordinary flexibility and comfort.

Review – Vibram FiveFingers Moc

This is another strong product from Vibram’s FiveFinger lineup. The Mocs are incredibly comfortable, pleasantly warm, and feel luxurious. They are the most pleasant feeling FiveFingers I have tested to date. They are appropriate for most indoor activities, and offer some protection and warmth in a comfortable package. More than any other FiveFingers model, these are truly gloves for your feet.

VFF Review on Wired

The Vibram FiveFingers KSO and Classic have been reviewed by Wired. You can read the review and watch a cool video comparing barefoot, VFF, and normal running shoe running form at: http://www.wired.com/reviews/product/pr_vibram_fivefingers_kso.

Review – Vivo Barefoot Aqua by Terra Plana

While you may realize the health benefits of going barefoot, and may even love the sensation, you may find that your feet are too tender to be barefoot all the time, and you likely have social reasons for not being able to bare your feet as often as you wish. You may live in a part of the world that is too cold during the winter to walk barefoot.

Finally shoe companies have started responding to a growing market that craves a more minimalistic shoe – one that is more healthy, simple, and more like being barefoot. READ ON…

Nike Joins our Barefoot Shoes Review

We are pleased to announce that Nike has agreed to have us review the most “barefoot” of the Nike products – the Nike Free 5.0