r/barefootshoestalk

Wide toe box + support for Hypermobility

Hi all! I’ve been on a barefoot/minimalist shoe journey now for a few years. I have pretty wide feet (too wide for vivos and xero shoes) and they used to be completely flat. I wore strictly minimalist shoes for about a year and a half, primarily lems primal zen and Chelsea boots, and did a LOT of foot strengthening work to try and restore my arches. Now, I have hit a bit of a road block. I am extremely hypermobile, with a lot of joint laxity in the talus and the rest of my ankle. After working with a pro-minimalist shoe PT for the last year, I have come to the conclusion that even with strengthening the support muscles of the foot, I have days that the muscles just can’t support enough and I end up with pain and instability all the way up the chain. I need some support in my shoes to minimize this. But! I refuse to give up my wide toe box and I need to maintain a minimal heel toe drop to help stabilize my knees and hips. So ultimately I need a shoe that is wide (ideal for straight shaped feet rather than the inverted triangle shape), has some arch and heel support, but very little heel rise and no super squishy foam bc I really need to feel the floor. Does anyone know if such a shoe exists? Or have any resources that may help me find one?

TL;DR: I am familiar with minimalist shoes but need more support due to Hypermobility. Looking for shoe recs with wide toe box, arch support, and low/no heel drop without too much foam.

TIA!!!

u/perpetual-hobbies — 9 hours ago

In need of boot recommendation

Can’t wear anything else comfortably anymore so I need some boots. Looking for boots with similar vibes as doc martins but that won’t break the bank

u/anxiouslurker_485 — 13 hours ago

▲ 2 r/barefootshoestalk

Cheap shoes for cycling with toe clip pedals?

I've recently switched to a road bike with toe clip pedals and I've been having some issues riding it with my current barefoot shoes:

Shoes with a super wide toe box are difficult to slide into the pedals
Very flexible soles with deep treads get stuck on the pedals and have too much give for efficient pedaling
The clips seem to cause a lot of wear on materials such as top grain leather

Given the three issues above I'm looking for sporty shoes with at least a slightly wide toe box (for cycling I don't need to be able to splay my toes so ideally I'd need something narrow enough to be snug but not so narrow to compress my toes inwards), a firmer sole with shallow treads and preferably cheap so it's not too much of a waste if the clips damage them over time. Honestly I probably don't even need true barefoot shoes for this but all the regular sneakers I see in stores are comically narrow. I've been wearing barefoots exclusively for half a year now and yesterday when I tried cycling in my old chucks I ended up with my toes hurting like crazy.. I don't think I can go back to "normal" sneakers even if it's only for cycling..

So the TL;DR is do y'all know any sports shoe brands that have relatively wide toeboxes and aren't expensive?

u/exwirus — 14 hours ago

https://preview.redd.it/rl0jyhm3fg2h1.png?width=881&format=png&auto=webp&s=73b1fa4902d11bdc5cf0799975aa8daa2ed8ba67

How dirty is too dirty? Light colour barefoot shoes (allrounders/Vivo primus trail knit)

I'm thinking of replacing my worn-out black Merrells with the Vivobarefoot primus trail knits, but I'm stuck at the colour choice. People stared at my Merrells frequently because they look too much like gym shoes/climbing shoes/just weird in a daily urban life setting. I don't care what people think but I'd rather blend in. So I lean towards these off-white "peyote" ones because the casual sneaker look goes with everything.
I am aware they will 100% get a bit dirty, but I actually like my shoes to look a bit worn and not brand new. Dirty white is good as long as it's... still somewhat white.

My question: Has anyone had light coloured shoes they used for everything & can tell me how they took the dirt of daily life over long-term use? Is it fine if you wipe/wash them every now and then, or do they just look ruined for good?

I wear them for: everything. I'm a minimalist longterm traveller so I wear that one pair of shoes for urban walking, day hikes in nature, cycling, shopping, going out for dinner, being in transit (unless it's hot, then I wear sandals!)

Thank you!

u/LaundryLineBeliever — 15 hours ago

Are my Hobibear Barefoot shoes fake?

Hey people. I am a student and I'm not in a state of being able to spend arpund 80 to a 100 dollar on barefoot shoes.

I got myself some Hobibear shoes to move in. These are my first barefoot shoes by the way.

Could anyone check if these are real or a copy??

The tongue's label is different from the ones I see on the images on Google. Also, the insole has a bit of cushioning at the heel. Other than that? All seems normal.

u/FahadMichelle328 — 1 day ago

▲ 5 r/barefootshoestalk

Just got my first pair. A little more than an inch of space past my toe. Is that too much?

Just got my first pair today and obviously it feels loose in no small part because of the more open toe box that I'm not yet used to. But one thing I'm not sure about is the space past the toe. The tip of my finger in this picture is the tip of my big toe. Is that too much space? It's a little bit more than an inch it's almost an inch and a half maybe? Just need to know if I need to return them for a smaller size or if there's not much I can do because there's no half sizes with this brand. Thank you guys.

u/Captain_Fach — 1 day ago

▲ 34 r/barefootshoestalk

Maybe I should make some reviews - my collection so far

Clockwise: vivo modal tabis, xero aqua sandals, whitins canvas, lems primal 3, peluva runners, peluva slip on, altra lone peak, vivo Primus lite

u/extreme_cuddling — 1 day ago

▲ 10 r/barefootshoestalk

Xero Shoes is up to nonsense

I'm posting this both as a warning of sorts, and also to get feedback on similar experiences with Xero and other manufacturers.

My recent experience is what I believe to be pretty conclusive evidence that Xero has reduced the toebox size of the Prio over the last year. I've been wearing them for 3 years, and have bought a new pair each year since I walk a lot. Last month I bought pair #4, and noticed after a week or so that my toes were right up against the front of the shoe. I attributed this to the sizes being made smaller, so I purchased a half size bigger. All seemed well, but a few weeks in I started to have irritation on the inside of my big toes from them rubbing up against the nail of my #2 toes.

After 3 years of wearing Prios and not having these issues, I can only conclude the toe boxes have been made smaller. Why an existing shoe model would be changed like this is beyond my comprehension - really annoying. But it tracks, because it seemed like something was different every time I bought a new pair - e.g. the shoe laces got shorter (harder to tie) over the years too.

Some research into this also made me wonder about the stack height, since I recall from prior years Xero often not including this in the specs. At the moment their website says the Prios have a 5.5mm outsole and a 3.0mm insole, but there's no "stack height" listed - which makes me wonder if there's a midsole they've snuck in. I ran across the Run Repeat website which, remarkably, cuts shoes open to measure these kinds of things, and the results are fascinating.

Prio: 12.2mm (!!) measured at the heel, an apparent 3.7mm delta from specs 11.8mm at the forefoot, a drop of 0.4mm (So much for "zero drop") https://runrepeat.com/xero-shoes-prio#heel-stack

And another model just for kicks:

HFS II: 13.1mm at the heel, 12.1mm at the forefoot No height specs on Xero's site for this one, but it's also advertised as zero drop - which it isn't https://runrepeat.com/xero-shoes-hfs-ii#heel-stack

I'm thus relegating Xero to the "pound sand" category.

u/ac-slater-43 — 1 day ago

Anyone know where to find these other than Etsy for $200+ usd? Outrageous & to see over 750 reviews. Can’t believe the retail here

u/Anon_Man_USA — 1 day ago

https://preview.redd.it/9w7hq39u9f2h1.png?width=1105&format=png&auto=webp&s=98b975bf4b04096ff3de8dc88e7df35849b0945f

Thoughts about Vivo's new Primus Flow Knits?

Vivobarefoot recently released the Primus Flow Knits (link):

I currently use the Primus Flows for shod road runs, and I really like how lightweight they are. They got me through a marathon, and I really like the midsole protection as road runners, but I was never the biggest fan of their upper material. Quoting the cons section of my initial impressions review of the Primus Flows:

>The insides of the heel are made up of leather-like material, which helps heel lock, but it catches your socks when taking the shoes off. These are the only pair of shoes where I have to tie and untie the shoelaces each time I take them on/off.

>The uppers are not as breathable as my knit shoes (regular Primus Knit and Primus Trail Knit), despite being almost see-through

I also enjoyed the two Vivo knit shoes I've used for their comfort and breathability, but I started preferring the non-knit versions for their weight savings. But the knit version of the Primus Flows is only 2 grams heavier than the regular Primus Flows (161g vs 159g), which is a pleasant surprise.

Given how new the shoes are, I don't see any reviews of the shoe. Has anyone tried the Primus Flow Knits, or does anyone have any thoughts on the shoe?

u/imjms737 — 19 hours ago

▲ 0 r/barefootshoestalk+1 crossposts

Tariff surprise ordering from EU to the U.S.

I just ordered a pair of Groundies Panama from Prague to the U.S. because they had a pair of black ones with white soles, which aren’t available in the U.S., and they were discounted from $140 (the typical price in the U.S.) to $110. With the discount, the high $40 shipping seemed acceptable to me as it was only an extra $10 over the regular price with shipping for a color I really wanted that’s not available in the U.S.

I confirmed the order, paid the money and shipping, only to receive a message from DHL today that they were holding my order until I paid import duties (tariffs). Imagine my surprise when an additional $37 tariff charge was slapped on top of the $150 for the shoes and shipping. What’s infuriating is this tariff charge is not disclosed until you’ve actually placed the order and it’s already in the country, at which point I have the options to either not pay the tariff, which means the shoes would be shipped back to the seller, then I have to deal with a return and lose the $40 shipping, or pay the tariff.

Just a warning to anyone in the U.S. ordering shoes (or anything else for that matter) from the EU. Thanks to the “stable genius”, this is life in the U.S.

u/katanastormshadow88 — 1 day ago

https://rutsubarefoot.com/products/massaging-insoles
https://run619.com/products/wide-flat-insoles

Looking for suggestions for zero drop insoles

As the title says I'm looking for zero-drop insoles to add into my Lems Primal Eco's. I don't need any arch-support or any drop but the impact on paved roads and asphalt (living in a city) is hurting my knees most of all. That's why I need to add some cushioning to my shoes.

These two are capturing my attention:

However they're not very wide so I worry there will be awkward spaces on the sides inside the shoe.

If anyone can tell me of other options I'd appreciate it! Thanks!

u/sultanamana — 1 day ago

▲ 19 r/barefootshoestalk

My barefoot shoe collection

First picture: left Vivobarefoot Primus Lite knit natural (worn once so far) middle: Wildling Tejo olive right: Wildling Nebula

Second picture: bottom: Vivobarefoot Primus trail knit fg top: Primus Lite knit

Third picture: Vibram five fingers Kso Evo

Not on pictures: Wilding Atmodois, Merrell Vapor glove 6

Recently binned or sold: Leguano Beat, Leguano Husky and Merrell Vapor glove 7, Wildling Feder

Everything but my hiking boots and running shoes are now switched to barefoot. Still have a pair of On Cloud and Cloud Coast left that I rarely use

If there are any questions feel free to ask them.

u/Psc0905 — 1 day ago

Long distance multi-day hiking with the Xero Mesa Trail II

Hi everyone,

I am looking for opinions and advice on deciding between the Xero Mesa Trail II and the Xero Scrambler Low EV.

I'll be hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc later in the year and I'm having trouble on deciding if the Mesa will have a generous enough stack height, as well as stone protection, over the many days of alpine terrain.

While I'm used to wearing minimalist shoes day-to-day, it's not as if I'm accustomed to multi-day hiking in them. That being said, the shoes I wear all sit around that 14mm total stack height. I'm concerned the Mesa may be too much too soon in terms of transitioning that stack height.

On paper, the safe option feels to be the Scrambler. I like everything about the Mesa but my reservation is the stack height. If anyone has any experience or opinions on this, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

u/Ok-Independence-9064 — 1 day ago

Origo Huarache Wide still too tight - sizing help pls

Hi! I just received my pair of Origo Huarache Wide in size EU37. I’m usually size EU38-39. My foot measurements are 23.5cm length and extra wide at 10cm, and high volume (high arches).

So I followed the recommendations by other redditors here and sized down one size (because, logically, leather shoes stretch and the woven huarache design stretches considerably). I didn’t want the shoes falling off my heels.

But after trying it on, it’s so tight around the midfoot that it hurts. In my photos, I’m pointing to where my toe is (shoe length looks slightly too short for me too).

Should I size up to EU38 or EU37.5? See attached size chart.

These shoes a high quality, well built and feel great. I love the way they look. Just too tight.

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!

u/superology — 1 day ago

▲ 12 r/barefootshoestalk

Can anyone reccomend some budget toe socks to buy in the UK?

Just after investing in some decent toe socks, since these are all I've got lol.

I have these women's toe socks I bought years ago, that are rather snug round the big toe, and quite thin material. Don't get me wrong, they aren't exactly made as quality socks, but I'm not sure if I should consider mens toe socks instead to fit that monster of a toe properly?

I'm in the UK and ideally want to order from ebay or amazon.

I'm after some ankle socks for summer and longer ones for winter. I do prefer my socks to be thicker material, most women's socks I find are so thin and wear down after barely any time.

Just wondering if anyone can suggest any to try out that aren't gonna break my bank?

u/Abwettar — 1 day ago

▲ 2 r/barefootshoestalk

Jim Green Advice

Reaching out to folk who have experience with Jim Green boots - I recently bought a pair of Barefoot African Troopers from them after doing a fair bit of research on barefoot shoes that can be resoled, and barefoot boots that can be versatile. Also looked for taller boots as I live in Scotland and many hill walks don't have established paths, so the height really comes in handy. Was looking at leather specifically for longevity and the ability to apply wax for water resistance, as well as zero-drop and adequate width (not too fussy about ground feel for a boot I'd be using on wet/rock/mud trails). The thicker, nubuck-quality leather, speed hooks and resole-ability are all what I'm after!

I bought a size UK 9.5 after reaching out to them for advice on sizing, as the guidance isn't very helpful on their website. My feet measure 27.6cm in length and 10.8cm across the ball, with a ball circumference of 26.8cm (medium/high volume?) - but I don't have a wide toe splay so that's definitely the widest part of my foot. Definitely not a super toe spreader and a shoe like Realfoot's last would not be appropriate!

However, after wearing them it's clear that the width isn't nearly enough. I absolutely love everything else about these boots so I'm a bit torn and looking for advice.

The picture shows where the ball of my foot (circled) and my pinky (arrow) press against the side.

My options seem to be:

-I COULD wear these as is, and count on the leather stretching to accomodate.

-Or I could size up to a UK 10, which would give me a bit more width, but would also include more length and the sole already overhangs a fair bit on these.

-I could look at their AnatomX line up, which don't have the toe cap (which are good for kicking rocks on trails!) and only the new 719 limited run has decent height to it.

-Other brands? Nicks? Turiff? Bearfoot?

Hoping people can provide some help or guidance on what might fit for me! Otherwise ordering online is a game that can cause headaches.

u/Tidder_Me_Pink — 1 day ago

▲ 10 r/barefootshoestalk

New vivo code

Last time I was unable to utilize the discount in time and hoped it would happen again. Today I received an email from Vivo with a 50% discount valid until friday. I don't know what are the limitations but I'll copy the terms and the code

ARCHIVE50.

One code use per customer. Limited to 5 pairs per order. Discount applies to the 5 highest priced eligible items per order.

Offer applies on selected full priced Vivobarefoot footwear and excludes the following: Tracker Leather AT II Women's, Primus Lite IV Men’s, RA IV Mens, Sensus Yin Slide Men’s, Gobi Sneaker Kids, Gobi Sneaker Pre-school, Gobi Sneaker Toddlers, accessories, apparel and E-gift cards.

(Sorry, don't know what flair was right)

u/Wilhelm_Rienieschi — 1 day ago

▲ 15 r/barefootshoestalk

Pelvic tilt exposed from transitioning to BF shoes

I've been slowly transitioning to BF shoes for a few months now. As soon as I started walking in them, I immediately felt as if one leg was shorter than the other. I do not actually have that condition and several chiropractors have indicated that I have a pelvic tilt. Has anyone else experienced this and how did you overcome it?

I have forced myself to become conscious of how I stand and balance out my weight and of course walk deliberately so my 'shorter' leg doesn't slap down but I'm just wondering if there are any other tricks. My guess is time alone will work in my favor. I would like to just not have to think of it so much.