I Tried The Trending “Barefoot Shoes” & My Toes Never Felt So Free

On TikTok, creators are describing barefoot shoes as “life-changing,” very demure, and “very mindful”— all of which are great selling points for footwear. But since the phrase “barefoot shoe” sounds a lot like an oxymoron, you might be wondering what they are exactly, and what all the hype is about.

For a quick rundown, barefoot shoes are designed to make it feel like you’re walking around, well, barefoot thanks to their shape. While there are many barefoot brands out there, most have a few things in common like a wider toe box, a thinner sole, and a “zero drop” heel, which means the sole is a consistent thickness. It’s said that these features help your toes spread out naturally, keep you connected to the ground, and help you maintain good posture so you can walk more healthily.

TBH, these extra-wide sneakers aren’t the cutest to style, but they’re still getting so much love. In July, creator @monrevuelta shared her experience with barefoot shoes. “When you actually start wearing shoes shaped like your feet that is when your life will change,” she said in a viral video with over 15,000 likes. “I’ve prioritized my foot health over shoe looks. My feet have been pain-free for months now.”

As someone who walks a lot, I knew I had to get a pair of my own. I’ve been trotting around town in barefoot shoes from WHITIN for a week now and can tell the difference already. I picked them up on Amazon for less than $50, and I can already see why broad, thin-soled sneakers are such a hit on social media. Here’s what it was like to try barefoot shoes — and a physician’s take on the trend.

Fast Facts

• Price: $41.99
• Best for: Walking naturally, resolving foot pain, feeling balanced
• My rating: 4.5/5
• What I like: Affordable, true to size, lightweight, comfortable right out of the box
• What I don't like: Difficult to style, take some getting used to

What To Know About Barefoot Shoes

According to Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a quadruple board-certified physician and medical reviewer for the National Council on Aging, barefoot shoes allow your feet to move how they’re supposed to — instead of smooshing your toes together in a tighter sneaker.

Allowing your toes to spread out as you walk helps with natural foot alignment, which has perks. “Some people notice less foot pain, like plantar fasciitis, after switching to them,” he says, while others say they feel more stable while they walk.

These days, many sneakers are too narrow, especially if you have wider feet, and some also have a lot of padding on the sole, which can cause more issues than you might realize.

According to Dasgupta, thick, cushioned, or chunky soles elevate your feet too far off the ground, weakening your foot muscles, while a raised heel can also mess with your posture and pitch you forward as you take a step which can lead to knee, hip, and back pain.

Anyone can try barefoot shoes, but Dasgupta says they’re a really good option if you have foot pain, bunions, or toes that feel cramped in regular shoes.

“They also work well for athletes or anyone doing activities that need good foot control, like yoga or weightlifting,” he says, because they keep your feet stable while you move. “You can also run in them, but you’ll want to start slow since your muscles and tendons need time to adapt.”

My Experience

When I’m not strolling with my dog, I’m walking to get a coffee. When I’m not doing that, I’m trekking to pick up groceries. And when I’m not trekking to get groceries I’m on my wy to a friend’s house by foot, marching out to run errands — you get the idea.

While I have narrow feet and a wide variety of shoe styles in my collection, I’ve noticed that my toes always twinge a bit as I walk around. I also sometimes feel unstable when navigating cobblestone streets, tree roots in the sidewalk, and uneven grass in the park, especially if I’m wearing foamy sneakers or chunky boots.

I wasn’t the most thrilled about wearing barefoot shoes — IMO, they look vaguely orthopedic — but as soon as I slipped mine on I felt like a convert, just like everyone on TikTok. For the past week, I’ve been wearing them daily to walk my dog and run errands.

My toes are no longer screaming for help.

On my first trip out, I noticed that my toes felt freer. Instead of being tightly held in one position in a narrower shoe, they were free to wiggle, breathe, and spread out — and it was honestly really nice. On longer walks, I could tell I was more nimble than usual thanks to the thinner sole bending with my foot and keeping me closer to the sidewalk.

It’s not like I detected every pebble, but the easy bend of the shoe allowed my feet to fully touch down with each step — and it made for a much more comfortable walking experience.

The most noticeable difference, though, was how I wasn’t desperate to take off my shoes after a lengthy stroll. While I do pop them off at the door, I did it in a far less dramatic way, since my toes weren’t screaming for help. In barefoot shoes, they feel free and happy all the time.

The Takeaway

Although I don’t find barefoot shoes cute, I can appreciate the benefits. When I look down at them, I can’t help but think they look a bit like flippers. That said, I am at the point in life where I sometimes value comfort over style, especially when I’m just popping out to the grocery store. Since I started wearing them, my feet haven’t been hurting as much, and that’s 100% worth it to me. It’s safe to say I get the hype.

Studies referenced:

Gates, LS. (2019.) Prevalence of Foot Pain Across an International Consortium of Population-Based Cohorts. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). doi: 10.1002/acr.23829.

Trojian, T. (2019.) Plantar Fasciitis. Am Fam Physician. PMID: 31194492.

Source:

Dr. Raj Dasgupta, quadruple board-certified physician, medical reviewer for the National Council on Aging