The more your toes can move, the better you will run. The toe box is wide, almost comically so, but after wearing these you'll never want to go back to a smaller toe box. The leather uppers are the softest leather I've ever owned and, surprisingly, don't make my feet overly sweaty (which I was worried about going in). The soles are minimal, like those in the rest of this guide, but for some reason they seem softer and let me feel the ground more than the others. I agree these are my favorite shoes for running trails that I can't run in sandals or barefoot (usually due to mud). My wife came back from her first run in these Softstar Primal RunAmocs and said they were so good, she'd never wear any other shoe again. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day. com and our print magazine (if you'd like). Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). Updated March 2023: We've added the Xero Prio Neo and Xero Tari boots and updated prices and links throughout. They're as close as you can get to achieving that barefoot sensation without running afoul of “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service” signs.īe sure to check out our other buying guides, including our Best Running Gear and Best Snow Gear roundups. In this guide, we've got advice on making the transition from padded shoes to “barefoot shoes” (also known as minimalist or zero-drop shoes), and we've rounded up our favorites. You need to ease into all things barefoot-related, and to some degree you need to relearn how to walk and run. That won't work, and it can lead to injuries. That said, please do not buy a pair of these barely there shoes and start walking or running the way you always have. Feet were made to stretch, flex, roll, and bend, and letting them do what they evolved to do can reduce impact injuries and provide a host of other benefits. The technology and padding of the modern shoe protect your feet, but protection isn't always what you want. You were born barefoot, and a growing body of evidence suggests you should have stayed that way.

The long walk a trek to freedom