Minimalist or "barefoot" shoes are what all the shoes should be like. Flat shoes that protect us from the elements and spacious and flexible enough not to hinder the natural biomechanics of the foot. By wearing this type of footwear on our day to day we gain 3 things: Improved intrinsic foot muscles. Improved proprioception and balance. Improved foot and leg flexibility. Check out our blog article "Guide to a healthy transition into barefoot shoes" for more information.

They're for everyone. Everyone can wear this kind of footwear; the question should be for how long? This is where oneself must be aware of its capabilities and limitations. If you are not used to being barefoot all day or have a pathology that prevents or limits you, we cannot pretend to wear this footwear from the 1st day 24/7. Take it as another form of training, but this time for your feet. Ration it and remember that rest is part of the training. Check out our blog article "Guide to a healthy transition into barefoot shoes" for more information.

Most people will have to go through a transition period and it will vary greatly between each person. Like all training, results take time. Enjoy it, learn what extra work you can do and at the end of the road you will enjoy a significantly healthier and freer foot and body overall. Check out our blog article "Guide to a healthy transition into barefoot shoes" for more information.

Cushioned shoes were designed to improve athlete performance. Cushioned shoes allowed them to increase the impact while avoiding the consequences, thus, allowing them to go faster. However, the widespread use of such shoes resulted in higher impacts on non-trained individuals that ended up with recurrent injuries. The use of cushioned shoes limit the feedback that your feet can get from the ground, which results in reduced muscle tone of your feet and propioception of your anckle and knees. In addition, the higher distance between your feet and the ground increase the instability which, in turn, increases the chance of rolling your ankle. Not everything is bad about cushioned shoes, some cushioning can be a great companion when running long distance, or when extra protection might be needed. But first, focus on your walkin and running technique! You can find cushioned shoes that allow your feet to be comfortable with a wide toebox and 0 drop in the Topo catalog. Check out our blog article "Cushined shoes and why they are destroying your body" for more information.

Spacious, foot-shaped toe-box that allows your toes to expand. Traditional shoes normally tighten the toe at the front. The extension of the toe is important to improve the balance and overall flexibility/function of the foot, especially around the big toe joint. This can affect ankle/knee/hip/back alignment. Flat soles ("zero-drop" from heel to toe must be the same height). Having no difference in heel height, the foot posture returns to its natural position. We don't evolve to move around wearing a heeled shoe. And even traditional sneakers come to have a heel height of 8-12 mm. Adapting to this "drop zero" can take a while while the foot and lower leg "relearn". Achilles tendon, sole, long finger flexors... they may feel a little tension as they work a longer range of motion in the flat shoe, being accustomed to the conventional shoe. This exposure promotes adaptation and a stronger foot and leg. Fully flexible upper to allow natural movement of the foot. Zero restrictions. A good shoe should fit your foot and not the other way around. In this way, you can be sure that they will affect its biomechanics (i.e. the way it moves) as little as possible, allowing the foot to naturally condition and strengthen. The soles are flexible and thin. These should provide grip while allow the foot to "connect" to the ground. We have evolved to receive feedback on the surfaces on which we move. This helps our balance and reaction to surface changes. Our feet have 200,000 nerve endings to help this, which is why your shoes should allow that conversation between floor and foot.

It is likely that after years of thick cushioned shoes the bottom of your feet is thin and sensible. You will progressively build up some muscle tone and your feet will get their “natural cushioning”. What does that mean? Well quite frankly, the first time you put barefoot shoes (or simply take out your shoe and walk) you might feel like there is nothing between your feet bones and the ground! It will feel strange, but this is something that improves rapidly, and that can be mitigated by starting with barefoot shoes that have less ground feel, meaning, they are either having a thicker sole (6-10mm) and/or have a removable insole that you can take out once you progress and look for more ground feel.

Luckily the market has evolved greatly and you can find now a wide array of shoes for ANY season. Some might just wear the same shoes with thicker socks, but you can find winter ready shoes that might have waterproofing, or wool inside to increase warm and comfort on very cold conditions ( even on snow!)

The goal of the barefoot shoes is precisly that, protecting you from potential harm due to objects on your path. With that said, some brands include an extra membrane to protect from sharp objects. However, it is also important to think, when was the last time you got something through your shoe? ( during 7 years on barefoot shoes I have yet to have this situation). If the answer to the last question is that you are regularly exposed to sharp objects, definitely look for shoes that have a protective membrane! (Aka vivobarefoot)

Indeed, there are! There are hiking shoes (or trail running shoes) and also hiking boots. Here it will depend on what you are looking for, normal, groomed trails will require less aggressive soles (Merrel trail glove) while muddy messy hikes will likely need a tad more aggressive pattern (Xero Xcursion).

Of course! Barefoot shoes are for everyone* no matter your weight. As explained above, the key will be an easy transition into walking and/or running on them. Those muscles on your feet have been dormant for a long time and you want to wake them up gently! * If your doctor diagnosed a condition that directly affects your footwear please follow your medical professional advice!

A very common question that has a few points to take into account. Firstly, the market of barefoot shoes is relatively small and is plagued by small companies. As a result, they cannot make use of scale economy and therefore the cost per unit is increased. In addition, some brands like zaqq have their shoes handmade! Secondly, barefoot shoes trend to last longer than their traditional counterparts. The soft, springy foam on cushioned shoes trends to start to deform and lose properties somewhere between 200 and 500km of use. Barefoot shoes will keep their properties until you punch a hole either on the sole or on the upper. Thirdly, how much is your health worth? We spend loads on clothing accessories, the latest gear for our favorite sport, traveling… Most importantly, what is the cost of physiotherapy, doctors and the discomfort of injuries? By taking care of your feet with appropriate footwear you will significantly impact your life in a positive way. Stop neglecting your feet and take care of them! They support you, why don’t you support them too?

It has been show that the use of minimal footwear reduces pronation on subjects with flat feet ( which typically overpronate, resulting in joint pain). By working out your feet and calf muscles your arches will also get stronger and your body posture will improve. As a result, you will significantly improve you’re your feet health and go pain free. As always, take it easy and slow and enjoy the process. Have a look at that article by Xero Shoes: https://xeroshoes.com/foot-health/does-arch-support-help-or-hurt/

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation on the ligament that runs from the heel to the toes. This typicaly happens due to weak foot muscles, tight plantar fascia, misalignment and weakness of the first toe or a tight calf muscle. In addition, obesity, poor running/walking technique, repetitive stress from heel striking are also among the risk factors. Barefoot shoes have the potential to help you with plantar fasciitis as they will teach you over time how to walk smoother as well as increase the muscle tone of all the muscles on your feet and calf, hence, reducing the impact taken by the ligament. It is very important to start slow with barefoot shoes, going too hard to soon could also end up on plantar fasciitis! Take your time to condition your feet and calf!