These casual barefoot shoes and minimalist sneakers are perfect for every day wear. Your shoes can be comfortable, promote healthy feet, and look great too!
I started my barefoot shoes journey while looking for hiking shoes that were lightweight and perfect for travel. After researching the barefoot movement I was a bit intimidated, like I had to be an ultramarathon runner that wore huarache sandals or Vibram five fingers for hiking. I wanted shoes that were comfortable and better for my feet, but didn’t forgo all style in the name of practicality.
Barefoot shoes are simply shoes that are made to fit human feet. This means they can be comfortable, casual, and look great too. The barefoot shoes category has expanded a lot in recent years, and now there are so many stylish options for casual barefoot shoes.
After a lot of research, testing and wearing casual barefoot shoes over the last few years, I’m sharing the best barefoot casual shoes.
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Looking for other types of barefoot shoes? Check out these posts:
- 7 Most Comfortable Barefoot Hiking Sandals
- 11 Best Barefoot Winter Boots: Waterproof, Warm and Zero-Drop
- 9 Best Barefoot Hiking Boots (Wide Toe Box and Zero-Drop)
- 8 Best Wide Toe Box Hiking Shoes
If you’re new to barefoot and minimalist shoes, here is what to look for:
1 Wide Toe Box – Look for shoes that fit the natural shape of the foot, including the toes. There should be enough room to freely move and wiggle your toes.
2 Thin, Flexible Soles – Soles should provide protection, but still allow for a sensory connection to the ground beneath and easy movement. Thin soles also mean the shoes will be lightweight.
3 Zero-drop Platform – A zero-drop platform means a flat sole, just like our feet. Many traditional shoes have a raised heel (yes, even causal sneakers), which can cause strain on our body from the unnatural position and make injury more likely.
4 No toe spring – A toe spring is the curve of a shoe’s toe box above the ground. This is incredibly common in sneakers and athletic shoes, most featuring a 15 degree curve. Toe springs were added as more and more cushion was built into shoes, trying to compensate for the lack of bend in thick soles. Your feet shoes be flat, and with flexible minimalist sneakers, you don’t need a toe spring to help your foot roll forward.
How to choose the right size:
Most of the companies have a sizing guide with either a printable foot template or a list of measurements. My feet measure 23.3cm, and I’ve noted the size I ordered for the shoes below.
I’m typically a size 7 or 7.5 in US sizes, or 38 in EU sizes. As a point of reference, here are my sizes for a few pairs of traditional casual shoes and sneakers: Vans Old Skool 7; Nike sneakers 7.5; and Adidas sneakers 7.
Casual Barefoot Shoes
1 Splay Freestyle
Cotton Canvas uppers | Starting at $70 | Coupon code KELLY10 for 10% off
Splay Athleticsmakes affordable barefoot shoes with cotton canvas uppers. There are three different styles in adults sizes: Freestyle lace ups, Freestyle slip ons, and Splay’s first shoe, the velcro Explore. Splay also makes shoes for kids.
I’ve been such a fan of the children’s Explore for its thin and flexible outer sole, clean and simple styling, and great price point. Most of the adults sizes are around $70, making these one of the most affordable barefoot shoes brands. Kid’s sizes are around $45, depending on the style. Sizing runs from child’s 8C to Men’s 13. They have a variety of colors, including special editions.
➳ Shop Now: Splay Athletics
2 Vivobarefoot Sneakers
Leather | 4.5mm sole | Starting $150 | Coupon code KELLY10 for 10% off
Vivobarefoot launched in the early 2000s, and is one of the largest and most well-known barefoot shoe companies. The goal of Vivobarefoot is to create shoes that allow the feet to do what’s natural. The company offers an extensive range of barefoot and minimalist options, including some stylish barefoot sneakers.
The Vivobarefoot Geo Courts are clean and simple and offered in several different materials. You can opt for leather, nubuck leather, or the eco edition made from recycled canvas. The 2.5mm barefoot golf ball inspired tread on the outsole is light, flexible, grippy and durable.
Vivobarefoot has several other minimalist casual shoes, including the Opanka slip ons, and the Addis, a minimal retro lace-up design that is handmade in Ethiopia as part of Vivobarefoot’s Soul of Africa range. I also love the entire Primus line, which is more of a sporty tennis shoe, but I wear casually all the time. The Primus Asana is a more casual version of this shoe, with wild hide leather and knitted uppers. Vivobarefoot shoes are an invesment with the high price point, so I recommend watching for sales at the end of a season. You can also use code KELLY10 for 10% off.
All Vivos are backed by a 100 day trial; if after 100 days you don’t love them, you can return them for a full refund.
Fit & Sizing: I find Vivoabarefoot shoes tend to run true to size. For me, that’s an EU38. They fit narrow to medium width feet best. The men’s and women’s shoes vary slightly in width, so if you’re size EU40 and above and have wider feet, you can opt for the men’s sizing for a wider fit.
➳ Shop Now: Mens | Womens
3 Lems Shoes
Variety of textile uppers include | Most 8-9mm sole | Starting $105
Lems has a full line of barefoot and minimalist shoes, from super grippy hikers to some cool, casual kicks. I often recommend Lems when people are transitioning to barefoot shoes since they have great styling, and the soles offer a little more cushion than some of the most barefoot shoes out there. As someone who’s worn barefoot shoes for years, I still love them too! Most of Lems’ soles are made from air-injection rubber, which mean’s they’re really light even though their a little thicker. The casual shoes are usually 8-9mm and most are zero-drop (there are still a few older styles like the Mesas and Trailheads that do have a slight heel raise).
Here are a few of my favorite casual minimalist shoes from Lems:
Lems Primal 2/Primal Zen Sneakers
The Lems Primal sneakersare more on the sporty side of casual. The Primal 2s are Lems original shoes, and the Zen are the 2022 update version. They’remore athletic and versatile if you want a shoe that works for running, workouts, and light hiking too. They make a great travel shoe if you’re planning on doing a little of everything and want something super comfortable.I have these in my typical size of 7.5, and they fit just right. Lems does vary sizing from shoe to shoe, so be sure to check the size chart.
➳ Shop Now: Mens | Womens
Lems Chillum
If you’re a fan of the Lems Boulder Boot, then you’ll likely be pretty stoked aboutLem’s minimalist casual shoe called the Chillumreleased in 2021. The Chillum is built on the same 9mm zero-drop air injection rubber outsole as the super popular boot, featuring a wide toe box and good flexibility. The uppers are made of canvas in the front, wool in the back, and a small suede piece around the ankle. My husband found these as a good replacement for Vans, but so much more comfortable. The Chillum has a cork insole, which helps keep your feet and shoes dry and smelling great. Cork wicks moisture, absorbs odor and is anti-bacterial.This shoe is available in spruce green, varsity blue, black, and white.
➳ Shop Now: Mens | Womens
4 Feelgrounds Sneakers
Mesh, knit or vegan leather uppers | 5mm sole | Starting at $99
My go-to pair of shoes used to be a black pair of Vans Old Skools, but they were quickly replaced once I tried a pair of the Feelgrounds Original barefoot shoes. Feelgrounds’ mission is to make barefoot shoes available and appealing to more people, and they did that with their clean, cool styling. The company launched in April 2019 and has quickly gained popularity. Besides the Original, Feelgrounds also sells Droptop slip onsand Highrise sneakers.
The Feelgrounds Original are a casual lace-up shoe. They come in a breathable, 100% mesh upper or a water-repellant knit fabric. I’ve been wearing the Originals in mesh for over a year, and they’re just as comfortable now as they were on day one.The lightweight mesh makes them perfect for warm summer weather, plus they’re easy to slip on and wear without socks.The knit fabric is still lightweight, but better for wet weather in fall and winter.
The rubber sole on these barefoot sneakers are super flexible at 5 mm thick; such a huge contrast to my old Vans with a stack height over 20 mm, much less flexibility and a lot more weight.
The toe box is wide, but doesn’t look too square or odd. A wide toe box is one of the styling giveaways of a barefoot shoes that seems hard to do well, and this shoe has a great balance between enough room for your toes and a nice curve to the shoe.
Feelgrounds’ focus on sustainability means most of their vegan materials are recycled. They also note that their shoes are manufactured under fair conditions in Vietnam.
I used the sizing template on the Feelgrounds website, and opted for a size 38. I double checked this by measuring both of my feet, taking the longest measurement (23.4cm) and adding 0.5cm. You should add about 1.2 cm to your foot length to determine your shoe size. I compared my measurements to the length insole on the sizing chart and that put me just above a size 37. With the 38 I have enough room for my toes and it doesn’t feel too big.
➳ Shop Now: Feelgrounds Sneakers
5 Barebarics Sneakers
Vegan | 4mm sole + lugs | $150 | Coupon code KELLY5 for 5% off
Be Lenka’s new brand Barebarics launched in 2022is all about urban, stylish barefoot sneakers. The entire Barebarics line is wide, zero-drop, and vegan. I’ve been wearing the all-white Barebarics Zoom, which may be the widest shoes I own. The are more minimalist/transitional shoes as they have a thicker sole with a bit more cushion, but they’re still pretty flexible. There is a cork insole, plus a 4mm outsole plus lugs.I found these shoes true to size; I went with a size EU38 based on my 23.3cm foot measurement. You can see a side-by-side comparison of the Barebarics brand shoes next to other popular barefoot brands in my Instagram Reel.
➳ Shop Now: Barebarics
6 Be Lenka Sneakers and Slip-ons
Leather or canvas uppers | 4mm sole |Starting$149 | Code KELLY5 for 5% off
Be Lenka was founded in 2017 by Lenka Cenigova, a former long jump Paralympian that is passionate about barefoot shoes. Be Lenka has continued to release styles, and now has a large array of casual shoes, summer sandals, winter boots, andkids sneakers.
Be Lenka’s barefoot sneakers are all designed and made in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where they are sustainably and ethically manufactured under EU laws.
The Prime is Be Lenka’sclassic, low top minimalist leather sneaker that comes in a lots of colors.For a cute barefoot slip-on, try the Be Lenka Eazy. You need to be a bit more exact with sizing and volume with slip-ons; I found the Eazy to fit well for lower to mid-volume feet, compared to the Feelgrounds slip-ons which work better for higher volume feet (I’ve got a highlight bubble on Instagram you can check out here).
DHL shipping from Europe to the US is $19.90, and in my experience very fast.
➳ Shop Now: Mens | Womens
7 Xero Shoes
Canvas, mesh and vegan leather uppers | 5.5mm sole |Starting$79.99
Xero Shoes focuses on running and hiking shoes and sandals, but they have several zero-drop casual shoes too.
- Aptos: Canvas slip-ons
- Zelen: minimal running shoes that’s great for everyday
- Tari boot: leather chelsea boots
- 360 shoe: cross-training shoe that has simple, everyday styling
The outersole is built on Xero Shoe’s high-performance FeelTrue sandal base, which is 5.5 mm rubber with great ground feel. Xero Shoes tend to be a bit more budget budget friendly than most barefoot shoes brands. They’re a great option of you’re not ready to drop over $100 on a pair of barefoot shoes. I’ve often seen older models go on sale for 50% off or more, so search the Xero Shoes website for a really great deal. Overall, these fit people with narrower feet.
➳ Shop Now: Mens | Womens
8 MukiShoes Barefoot Sneakers
Leather and Textile Uppers | 3.5mm sole |Starting €95 (about 135USD) | Discount Code KELLYMUKI for 10% off
MukiShoes was founded in 2019 by Madlen and Marta, whose goal was to create a minimalist shoe out of natural materials that looked great. MukiShoes features several low cut and high top minimalist casual shoes in a range of colors, from classic white and black to some fun bright pops of color, like the sunny yellow Sol, seafoam Moss high top, and a cantaloupe colored Rust high top. I’ve worn
Mukishoes uses local, organic and fair-trade materials as much as possible. The shoes are manufactured in Portugal, which is where the company is located. Most of their shoes are made using organic cotton, vegetable tanned leather, linen and hemp. The cork and wool used are sourced from Portugal. Read more about their sustainability policy here.
I’m always searching for the perfect, minimalist pair of white leather sneakers. The Mukishoes Raw Leather Cloud, an all-white leather minimalist sneaker. The leather is a beautiful creamy white as opposed to a bright white, and the laces and outer sole are slightly whiter. The design is so simple and clean, these look great with everything.
The 3.5 mm sole is made out of recycled rubber, and easily folds over and balls up in your hand. The inner lining is made of organic cotton, and the leather uppers are REACH certified, which means it does not use chemicals that are harmful to humans or the environment. All the materials feel high-quality, and the stitching is strong. Both me and my kids have wornMukishoes whole range of shoes over the years, from sneakers, sandals, and boots, and all of them have held up well.
Shipping is €16 worldwide outside of Portugal.
Fit & Sizing: I find that Mukishoes usually fit true to size according to their size chart. Note that the Raw Leather Cloud model tends to be 2-4mm smaller than the other fabric models due to the materials used.
➳ Shop Now: Mukishoes
9 Origo Shoes
Textile, leather, vegan cactus leather uppers | 5-6mm soles| From $80 | Code KELLY for 10% off
Origo Shoes is a brand that recently launched out of Mexico, and took some inspiration from the surrounding landscape. Their shoes use cotton canvas, leather, or vegan cactus leather harvested in Mexico that isbiodegradable, water-resistant andstain-resistant. Their styling is really classic and simple. The cotton canvas sneakers are a reasonably affordable barefoot shoe option at $87, but you can get 10% off with the code KELLY. This usually stacks with any sales they have, so you can often get 20% to 25% off.
Origo’s minimalist casual shoes are zero-drop with a wide toe box; recently released the Gen 2 version of their sneakers, and made them a bit wider and more flexible due to customer feedback. I love barefoot shoe companies that are responsive to feedback and continuously working on improving their shoes.
➳ Shop Now: Origo Shoes
10 Bohempia
Vegan hemp uppers | 5mm soles | Come in extra wide version | Starting at €115 | Use code KELLY10 for 10% off
Bohempia makes barefoot shoes with natural hemp canvas uppers.What’s so awesome about hemp? It has a few properties that make this great for warmer weather. Hemp helps keep your feet cooler, wicks away moisture like sweat, and is antimicrobial.
Bohempia’s barefoot line comes in a regular barefoot width and a wide barefoot width. I opted for the regular barefoot width, which is already pretty generous with width and volume. I have medium volume feet, and still have some extra space even with the included insole. The wide barefoot version could accommodate those with wide, high volume feet. Note that Bohempia also sells traditionally shaped shoes, so just make sure you’re in the barefoot section if you want the wide toe box.
I got a size 38, which is the size I have in most barefoot shoes. They do feel pretty roomy based on the volume and width, so I may have been able to size down, but it’s hard to tell without actually trying on the smaller size.
Flexibility: I found these plenty flexible, able to both squeeze the sides together and role into a ball. These have a 3.5mm outsole and 4mm insole so they have a little bit more cushion than some of the most barefoot shoes out there. Use code KELLY10 for 10% off your next order.
➳ Shop Now: Bohempia
11 Wildling Shoes
Various Uppers | 2.5mm sole | Starting at $89 | Free shipping codesWN_KellyUS for US website and WN_Kelly for International website
Wildlingis a small company out of Cologne, Germany that only makes barefoot shoes, both for children and adults. It’s rare to find goods where the quality of the materials and craftsmanship holds up, even after extended use. We’ve long been fans of Wildling shoes for this very reason – natural, sustainable fabrics and innovative materials are handcrafted into shoes that are good for your feet and made to last.
Wildling barefoot shoes are the closestI’ve experienced to being barefoot while still using footwear. The 2.5mm outer sole is just enough protection and there’s a thin inner sole with cushion for comfort. The inner sole is removable on many of the shoes, which means you can pop them out and give them a good wash when they get dirty.
Wildling uses natural materials for the shoes uppers, including organic cotton, linen, hemp and wool. Here are some of my favorites:
- Tanukis: Made from Japanese Washi paper. This innovative material is incredibly lightweight, breathable and durable.
- Nebulas: As a huge fan of merino wool, I also love the Nebulas, which are made with a breathable merino wool knit mix fabric.
- Manul: This is a spring/summer shoe made from undyed linen. I love the look, texture and simplicity of this shoe.
- Wool Winter Shoes: The styles change each season, but I love Wildling’s winter shoes made from wool. My son who doesn’t like wearing socks really loves these too. They keep his feet warm, and the odor-resistant properties of the wool are a huge plus.
All Wildling shoes are unisex, and they have a FitKit on their website to help with sizing. They typically have the same models available from toddler through adult sizes, with small changes to adjust for smaller sizes (like elastic drawstring laces for kids).
For first time customers, you can get free shippingg with the codeWN_KellyUS for the US website or WN_Kelly for the international website.
➳ Shop Now: Wildling US & Canada| Wildling International
Other barefoot casual shoes to check out (in Alpha order)
If you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for in my top recommendations, check out this list below. All of these shoes are great too, and as every foot and situation is different, you may find something here that is a better fit for you.
Altra Running– Altra is a brand focuses on running and hiking shoes, but they are a great starting point if you’re transitioning to barefoot shoes. Their Original foot shape fit offers a wide toe box and zero-drop platform, but has plenty of cushion.
Anatomic Shoes – Anatomic offers affordable casual barefoot shoes! These linked ones are $58. Use Code KELLY for 10% off on PedTerra.
Feelmax – Finnish brand. Shoes are reasonably priced (some under €50), but shipping to US is around €30.
Freet – British brand with casual shoes, and hiking shoes and boots. Use Code KELLY-10 for 10% off.
Icarus – Minimalist white leather sneakers meant for both casual wear and the gym. Code KELLY10 for 10% off.
Magical Shoes – Polish company that ships barefoot shoes worldwide (shipping to the US is only $7). Very minimal and flexible sneakers, casual shoes and boots. Use code KELLY10 for 10% off.
Skinners – Skinners are more like durable socks than shoes, but they are a great option if you’re looking for seriously minimal, no fuss-footwear. They’re machine washable and have a 500 mile life span.
Tikki Shoes – Leather and vegan leather shoes and sandals made in Romania.
Tolos – Vegan tennis shoes from a new US barefoot shoe brand. Use code KELLY10 for 10% off.
Whitin – This is an affordable brand on Amazon that makes transitional/minimalist shoes. They have slightly thicker soles and a toe spring, but they are zero drop with a wide toe box. Whitin also sells conventional shoes, so I recommend sticking to the “Wide Barefoot” options.
ZAQQ– handmade barefoot shoes from Germany. They have a lot of really nice leather boot and shoe options.
Know of any other greathealthy, barefoot and minimalist casual shoes? Let me know in the comments below!
Besides being incredibly comfortable and promoting healthy feet, these are a few more reasons to buy casual barefoot shoes:
Supports small business – Most barefoot shoes brands, including the ones on this list, are small businesses. Several of these companies just launched within the last few years. These entrepreneurs are working hard to create innovating products and continue expanding the barefoot shoe space which means more options for you and me!
Sustainable business practices – As small businesses that are promoting a healthy lifestyle option (healthy feet!), most of these business are also conscious about their sustainability practices. I’ll highlight the companies below that use sustainable and renewable resources and employ local companies to craft their shoes to support their local economy and avoid long transport distances.
All of these shoes use high-quality materials, are carefully crafted, and made to last. In the US, approximately 300 million pairs of shoes are dumped into landfills each year, where they’ll spend 30 to 40 years slowly decomposing. The best way to reduce this kind of waste is to buy fewer, better things, like quality shoes you can wear for many years.
I hope this helps you find a pair of barefoot shoes you’ll love to wear everyday! Please let me know if you have any questions, or have a new barefoot shoe brand to share.
More Barefoot Shoes Posts
9 Barefoot and Minimalist Hiking Shoes Perfect for Travel
Barefoot Winter Boots: Waterproof, Warm, and Zero-Drop
The Most Comfortable Barefoot and Minimalist Hiking Sandals
7 Best Barefoot Shoes for Kids (Great for Exploring the Outdoors)
