Are Minimalist Shoes the Same as Barefoot Shoes?

In short, NO. “Minimalist” was a term that big shoe companies came up with in mid-2010 to describe the shoes they created to capitalize on the sudden interest in running barefoot. While “barefoot shoes” are minimalist, not all minimal shoes are barefoot. Harvard’s Dr. Irene Davis defines minimalist/barefoot shoes as: No unnecessary cushioning No unnecessary […]

Why Are They Called “Barefoot Shoes”?

You’re absolutely right. Being in bare feet is not the same as being in shoes.  We’re the first to admit it. Barefoot is ideal. But it’s not always practical. The term “barefoot shoes” came about to describe footwear that gives you as much of a “barefoot feel” as possible, that let’s your feet bend and […]

Why Barefoot Sandals and Not Minimalist Shoes?

New to “barefoot shoes”? Trying to decide between the minimalist shoe options? I know the feeling. Back in 2009, when I knew I wanted the benefits of being barefoot, but with a bit of protection (and something that would let me get into restaurants), I tried everything. I LOVE our new minimalist shoes… they’re built […]

Where Can I Buy Xero Shoes?

If you want to buy some barefoot shoes, it’s getting easier and easier. Obviously, you can find them on our website, XeroShoes.eu/shop, and we have stores all around the world and more and more coming on every week. I’m making this video in 2016; in 2017, you may see Xero Shoes in as many as […]

Is There Leather In Xero Shoes?

People sometimes ask us if we use leather in our sandals and the answer is as of now, in all of our sandals, we do not, and we don’t for a couple of reasons. One, we like having a product that if you’re vegan that you can wear. We’re not vegans ourselves but we like […]

Can I Wear Barefoot Shoes and Sandals During the Winter?

Once you get used to wearing barefoot sandals for running or for walking or hiking or anything else, it’s pretty addicting. In fact, both my wife Lena and I have the same story. We started wearing the Xero Shoes that we made and then, after a couple of weeks, had some reason to put on […]

Beach Wedding Shoes

If you’re looking for a barefoot sandal for a beach wedding, then you’re in good company. We have all these pictures of entire wedding parties who have outfitted themselves in a pair of Xero Shoes because it seems like the right thing to do to wear a pair of sandals on a beach instead of […]

What Can You Use Barefoot Shoes For?

What can you do in a pair of Xero Shoes? People have done everything – walking on the beach; just going to work; running, of course, everything from a 5K to ultramarathons; taking a stroll down the street; hiking on trails; running on trails. We’ve had people playing golf. We have a lot of people […]

What Are The Benefits of Barefoot Shoes?

I’m not going to say that getting out of running shoes and into a barefoot shoe or, better, a barefoot-inspired sandal, is going to give you amazing benefits. It may not allow you to slam dunk a basketball and throw the shot put 75 feet and make you more money and help you get a […]

Are Barefoot Shoes Good for You?

Are barefoot shoes and sandals good for you? The simple answer is this: there’s no really good science that unequivocally says yes or no. I’m the first one to admit it and I’m the first one that if the science comes out saying that everything that I’m telling you is completely nonsense, I’ll be shouting […]