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Best Barefoot Shoe Brands For The Gym

Discover barefoot shoes that rock your workout and keep your feet feeling
So, you're on the hunt for the perfect pair of workout-ready barefoot shoes, huh? Well, strap in because we're about to introduce you to a world full of minimalist footwear that'll have you leaping (and squatting, and lunging) with joy. In this delightful treasure trove, we've gathered top-notch brands that are just itching to revolutionize your exercise routine. What are you waiting for? Dive in and discover which barefoot shoes will help you shatter those personal records while keeping your feet happy and free.
Minimalist barefoot shoes for everyday performance
Minimalist barefoot shoes for everyday performance
the UK

Minimalist barefoot shoes for everyday performance. Our shoes allow you to move as nature intended and rebuild your natural foot strength, helping you move pain free and build a more resilient body. Perfect for gym, running, travel and casual. Based in the UK

Maker
Maker
Based Barefoot
Minimalist barefoot shoes for everyday performance
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Handmade shoes from the Czech Republic by beda.
Handmade shoes from the Czech Republic by beda.
Czechia

We are a czech manufacturer of kids & barefoot shoes. We produce barefoot shoes primarly for children and for each season and occassion (outdoor, indoor, leather, textile, mesh and other models). Newly we also produce shoes for adults too.

Maker
Maker
Beda
Handmade shoes from the Czech Republic by beda.
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⚡️The 1st Athletic Footwear Brand to Custom Engineer your Shoes from Scratch to Expand your Athletic Potential. Made in USA
⚡️The 1st Athletic Footwear Brand to Custom Engineer your Shoes from Scratch to Expand your Athletic Potential. Made in USA
the USA

Custom engineered cleats designed to work in direct response to the natural mechanics of YOUR feet. (Nobody else’s)

We process your foot scans & data to craft your ideal pair with just enough stability to keep your feet naturally functioning. Our goal is to help athlete’s maximize their potential while strengthening their feet at the same time. For most of us, we need to address the ill effects of conventional footwear. With our CODE system, you will be able to reverse those effects and set yourself up for prolonged health.

Each shoe is manufactured and handmade in the USA with 3D printing technology. Your custom metatarsal pads, toe spacers & textured insoles are key components to get the most out of your foot/shoe relationship.

We recommend wearing a combination of toe spacers and met pads with Code Footwear to give yourself a stronger/wider base that is also less susceptible to injury.

Get an unfair advantage over your competition and allow yourself to reap the rewards of barefoot training with shoes that cater to your movement... Because strong feet are the foundation of a healthy body.

Maker
Maker
Code Footwear
⚡️The 1st Athletic Footwear Brand to Custom Engineer your Shoes from Scratch to Expand your Athletic Potential. Made in USA
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Minimal/barefoot shoes under one roof!
Minimal/barefoot shoes under one roof!
Canada

Minimal and Barefoot Shoes and Asian-inspired Shoes under one roof! Find Xero Shoes, Lems shoes, Leguano, Vivobarefoot or Tabi shoes and socks for martial arts and fashion! Many vegan footwear options. Foot health resources accessories like Correct Toes and Naboso! International shipping or Toronto, Canada location.

Retailer
Retailer
Cool East Market
Minimal/barefoot shoes under one roof!
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DIY & Custom-Made Leather Barefoot Shoes, Boots & Sandals
DIY & Custom-Made Leather Barefoot Shoes, Boots & Sandals
France

Our moccasins are custom-made barefoot shoes like, 100% in leather. In fact, they truly are like a second skin that can be worn on all occasions and on all grounds. If you are looking for natural footwear with high sensory feedback, you're at the right place.

Maker
Maker
Earthing Moccasins
DIY & Custom-Made Leather Barefoot Shoes, Boots & Sandals
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MINIMAL-LIST10 for 10% off
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Reconnect
Reconnect
the USA

Maker of GAIA Grounding Sandals. Crafted with silver, copper, and full-grain leather.

Maker
Maker
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Functional footwear.
Functional footwear.
Germany

For almost 40 years now, we´ve passionately been engineering shoes with natural toefreedom®! Our concept can solve most of the problems, why your feet hurt. We´ve named that concept 'Functional Footwear':

Maker
Maker
Joe Nimble
Functional footwear.
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"JNAFFMI10" for 10% off
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Shop for Boots, shoes, sandals and socks at MEC.
Shop for Boots, shoes, sandals and socks at MEC.
Canada

Shop for Boots, shoes, sandals and socks at MEC. FREE SHIPPING with $50 minimum purchase. Get inspired gear, informed advice, 100s of brands – all backed by our Rocksolid Guarantee.

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Retailer
Mountain Equipment Company
Shop for Boots, shoes, sandals and socks at MEC.
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Making minimalist field cleats and basketball sneakers to enable natural movement for every sport
Making minimalist field cleats and basketball sneakers to enable natural movement for every sport
the USA

Why did I start Natur Athletics? It grew out of an over decade long passion for barefoot running and my acute needs as a barefoot runner navigating the regulations of the Marine Corps. I saw so many Marines I trained with, and were under my command, falling prey to completely preventable non-combat injuries coming from the damage their combat boots were doing to their feet and their whole movement system.

Combat Athletes=Athletes

I recognized that the stresses of the modern combat athlete in poorly designed boots were very similar to the debilitating non-contact injuries plaguing modern athletes because of poor footwear design. Athletes, no matter their sport, can live up to their full potential by unlocking our common evolutionary superpower, strong muscular arches in our feet.

Minimalist Child Athletes

As a father to two young children being raised in minimalist shoes, I wanted to make shoes that would allow them to play any sport and unlock the full advantage of the superpowers that my wife and I had so carefully invested in. I didn’t want them to start playing a sport up to 10 hours a week in footwear that would damage and reverse all the benefits of their natural foot development that had been cultivated while barefoot or in minimalist footwear. Natur Athletics is a company that makes revolutionary sport shoes that will help everyone unlock their superpowers and be wild!

Maker
Maker
Natur Athletics
Making minimalist field cleats and basketball sneakers to enable natural movement for every sport
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Minimalist footwear | casual, urban and sporty style
Minimalist footwear | casual, urban and sporty style
Spain

In nummulit we believe that a great footwear is the one that protects the feet and does not constitute an obstacle in the performance of their functions. For this we make minimalist footwear with the following characteristics: Flexible, thin sole, rounded toebox, zero-drop an minimum weight.

Maker
Maker
Nummulit
Minimalist footwear | casual, urban and sporty style
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We are changing the way the world walks by reimagining footwear.
We are changing the way the world walks by reimagining footwear.
the USA

Walking the path to optimal health and fitness

The** Peluva® **story begins with a pioneering vision to change the way the world walks, and a dream collaboration between Mark Sisson and his son, Kyle Sisson (pictured above.) Through their own deep research and applied knowledge, Mark and Kyle have identified the greatest design challenge facing the minimalist shoe movement and taken it head on. Over the last two and half years, they've charted a course for blue ocean by reimagining the concept of minimalist shoes, with the first-ever design to deliver all three crucial buying criteria: greater comfort, function and style.

However, the real road to Peluva began almost 40 years ago when co-founder Mark Sisson began his transformation from an elite endurance athlete to a world-renowned health and fitness investigator. Since then Mark has been researching and discovering ways in which we can all achieve optimal health and fitness, eventually culminating in a grassroots health movement that has grown to have a global impact. His blog MarksDailyApple, launched in 2006, is widely recognized as a primary source of reliable, well-researched articles on ancestral health. He has written several best-selling books based on the ancestral lifestyle and ketogenic diets. In 2014, he founded Primal Kitchen® foods in order to change the way the world eats. It became the leader in the “better for you” food revolution and continues to grow impressively under the leadership of its co-founder Morgan Zanotti at Kraft Heinz.

During his decades of looking for ways to improve the health of millions – whether through altering the dietmixing up exercise patternschanging sleep habitsgetting more (not less) sun and developing easier, more delicious ways to eat healthy – Mark has been obsessed with shoes and foot health. He was an early proponent of barefoot living and the minimalist shoe movement. Despite owning hundreds of pairs of minimalist shoes, his disappointment and frustration at the industry’s inability to produce a comfortable, good-looking minimalist shoe led him to create his own. In 2021 he joined forces with his son Kyle to start Peluva, with the sole purpose of creating attractive and comfortable shoes that address the four pillars of the best minimalist shoes: little-to-no drop from heel to toe, increased flexibility, a wide toe box, and thinner soles. The result is the shoes you see here on our site today.

Sisson has always been primarily an educator. For two decades, he has promoted walking as the single best exercise (or form of movement) that anyone can do. The more the better in most cases. These shoes encourage the user to do just that. The time has never been more appropriate for a massive change in how we walk.

Maker
Maker
Peluva
We are changing the way the world walks by reimagining footwear.
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Customer first, quality first
Customer first, quality first
the USA

The SAGUARO barefoot shoe has a completely flexible sole. An important and convincing factor for every barefoot shoe. Furthermore, the sole is thin and the shoe has zerodrop. The points are convincing and make a barefoot shoe. So we have no heel and stand flat on the ground. The ground contact and a barefoot feeling are given. The thickness of the sole is a very good choice especially for beginners. Here SAGUARO can definitely keep up with common manufacturers.

Maker
Maker
Saguaro
Customer first, quality first
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Plant-based barefoot shoes ethically made in Spain
Plant-based barefoot shoes ethically made in Spain
Spain

Sambas is an act of love.

After years of working in the footwear industry, we felt we could do more and in a different way. It all started as a family mission to find natural and respectful footwear and we went for it! We’ve spent years working out how to do it; not just to make them look great, which they do, but more importantly to make you feel like you’re running barefoot in a spring meadow. As good for your feet as it is for the planet you are walking on.

Hi! We are Victoria and Manuel.

Made in Spain

Because of our know-how, principles, efficiency and proximity, we manufacture in Elche. The long Spanish shoemaking tradition is highly valued within and beyond our borders: a mark of quality.

The natural step

Maker
Maker
Sambas The Bambas
Plant-based barefoot shoes ethically made in Spain
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minimal-list7 for 7% off
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Minimal shoes handmade in Oregon.
Minimal shoes handmade in Oregon.
the USA

Our minimal, lightweight footwear will keep your feet comfortable and strong all day long. Every shoe is handmade in our Oregon workshop with soft leather and flexible zero-drop soles. Our versatile designs include casual styles, cozy indoor slippers and moccasins, and barefoot athletic and running shoes that offer wide toe boxes for amazing, natural toe splay. So whether you're hopping on a trail, heading to work, or relaxing at home, we have a shoe for you.

Maker
Maker
Softstar Shoes
Minimal shoes handmade in Oregon.
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Strong legs, strong base, that's how our legs go everywhere and in a pleasant way!!!
Strong legs, strong base, that's how our legs go everywhere and in a pleasant way!!!
Greece

Our Philosophy - What are "barefoot" Barefoot shoes

The intense and fast rhythms of everyday life and the wrong choice of shoes, are often the reason that the feet and then the knees and the waist, hurt. "Barefoot" Barefoot shoes have the unique property of allowing the natural function of the feet, without putting limits on movement. Just like walking barefoot! With a comfortable shape and space for the toes to spread (normally), with a soft and flexible sole that allows the natural movement of the foot, made of recyclable and environmentally friendly materials, Barefoot shoes are the new philosophy in shoes! Strong legs, strong base, that's how our legs go everywhere and in a pleasant way!!!

Retailer
Retailer
The Barefoot Lab
Strong legs, strong base, that's how our legs go everywhere and in a pleasant way!!!
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'barefoot5' for 5% discount
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Simple. Sophisticated. Radical. Convertible+Adjustable
Simple. Sophisticated. Radical. Convertible+Adjustable
the USA

Finally! Adventure Sandals Done Right. Buckle-Free Design - No Clunky Plastic or Metal. Nylon/Poly Straps - NOPE! Plush Performance Wet or Dry. Box Store Colors - NOPE! Customize Yours. Your Style. Your Adventures. Your Sandals.

Maker
Maker
Toetem
Simple. Sophisticated. Radical. Convertible+Adjustable
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5% off with code - 'Minimal-List'
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The ultimate in minimalist footwear.
The ultimate in minimalist footwear.
Italy

You are the technology when you engage the motion of bare feet with the ultimate training shoe from Vibram. FiveFingers shoes have highly durable, flexible Vibram soles that contour to the shape of the natural human foot while offering the protection and grip for optimal all-around performance. These minimalist shoes stay grounded while hiking, trekking, working out, bouldering, running, and indoor or outdoor adventures.

Maker
Maker
Vibram
The ultimate in minimalist footwear.
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Less shoe, more you.
Less shoe, more you.
the UK

VIVOBAREFOOT is a revolutionary, back-to-basics design based on the simple principle that being barefoot is the healthiest way for you and your feet to be. An ultra thin puncture resistant sole allows your feet to be as millions of years of evolutionary design intended - Barefoot!

Maker
Maker
Vivobarefoot
Less shoe, more you.
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The ultimate minimalist shoes
The ultimate minimalist shoes
the USA

Over 80,000 people in 94 countries wear Xero Shoes for walking, hiking, yoga, biking, working out, Crossfit, even running 100-mile ultramarathons through the jungles of Costa Rica. Xero Shoes let you enjoy natural, barefoot movement, with just-enough protection, an authentic style that's your very own, an affordable price (starting at just $19.95) and a 5,000 mile warranty!

Maker
Maker
Xero Shoes
The ultimate minimalist shoes
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Barefoot Shoes for Kids | Make Every Step Count
Barefoot Shoes for Kids | Make Every Step Count
the USA

Zuna Shoes makes an amazing-looking foot-shaped minimal barefoot shoe for healthy walking, playing, running and all the fun stuff kids love to do.

Maker
Maker
Zuna Shoes
Barefoot Shoes for Kids | Make Every Step Count
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Buyer's Guide for

Best Barefoot Shoe Brands For The Gym

Introduction

So, you're on the hunt for the perfect pair of workout-ready barefoot shoes, huh? Well, strap in because we're about to introduce you to a world full of minimalist footwear that'll have you leaping (and squatting, and lunging) with joy. In this delightful treasure trove, we've gathered top-notch brands that are just itching to revolutionize your exercise routine. What are you waiting for? Dive in and discover which barefoot shoes will help you shatter those personal records while keeping your feet happy and free.

Top 4 Best Barefoot Brands For The Gym 🥇

  • Saguaro: Known for their lightweight and versatile footwear, Saguaro has made a splash in the gym scene for a good reason. Their shoes are designed to support natural movement and provide excellent grip during workouts.

  • Softstar Shoes: Handcrafted with quality and care, Softstar Shoes offer a wide range of minimalist footwear perfect for your gym routine. Their commitment to sustainability and "Made in the USA" guarantee make them stand out.

  • Xero Shoes: A popular name in the barefoot shoe world, Xero Shoes offers extremely flexible and lightweight gym shoes that promote natural foot motion. Read our Xero Shoes Prio vs 360 comparison review for more information on some popular choices.

  • Vivobarefoot: A pioneer in stylish and functional minimalist footwear, Vivobarefoot never disappoints. Their gym collection is designed for optimal performance in various fitness activities, from weightlifting to HIIT workouts.

What To Look Out For 👀

When choosing the best barefoot shoes for the gym, consider these essential features:

  • Flexibility: Look for shoes that allow for unrestricted foot movement, helping you maximize your workouts and strengthen your feet.

  • Grip and Traction: A non-slip sole is crucial for stability during gym exercises, especially when engaging in dynamic movements or weightlifting.

  • Breathability: Opt for shoes with adequate ventilation to keep your feet cool and dry throughout your workout.

  • Durability: Gym-ready barefoot shoes should withstand wear and tear from various indoor surfaces and workouts.

  • Fit: Ensure a comfortable and secure fit with a wide toe box, and minimal-to-no arch support for a truly grounding experience.

Keep these features in mind as you explore your options for the perfect barefoot gym shoes. Don't forget to read product reviews and consider your specific workout needs!

Final Thoughts 🤔

In conclusion, finding the perfect barefoot shoes for the gym can be a game-changer, enhancing your workouts and foot health. Consider brands like Saguaro, Softstar Shoes, Xero Shoes, and Vivobarefoot to find your ideal fit, and remember to prioritize flexibility, grip, breathability, durability, and overall fit. We'd love to hear about your favorite workout-ready barefoot shoes or any questions in the comments below! For more on barefoot shoes, don't forget to subscribe to our email newsletter. Happy exercising!

FAQ

Barefoot shoes can be a healthy choice for your feet as they allow natural movement, encourage proper foot posture, and provide sensory feedback. However, it's important to transition gradually and choose shoes that fit your foot shape and activity level to prevent injury. Consult with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns.

Yes, there is science behind barefoot shoes. A study has shown that walking in minimalist shoes can be effective for strengthening foot muscles, which may help reduce the risk of loading-related injuries. By providing increased stimulus to the foot muscles, barefoot shoes can help promote foot health and overall strength.

Minimalist shoes and barefoot shoes are similar but not exactly the same. Both are designed to allow for natural foot movement and promote foot strength and health. However, barefoot shoes are generally more flexible and have a wider toe box, while minimalist shoes may have some level of cushioning or support.

Yes, barefoot shoes work by promoting natural foot motion, allowing the feet to move and function as they would barefoot. Studies have shown that wearing barefoot shoes can help improve foot strength, flexibility, and balance, as well as reduce the risk of injury. By enabling natural foot movement and providing adequate support, barefoot shoes can help promote overall foot health and comfort.

Yes, it can be good to wear barefoot shoes. By allowing the feet to move and function naturally, barefoot shoes can help improve foot strength, flexibility, and balance, as well as reduce the risk of certain injuries. However, it is important to transition gradually into barefoot shoes to avoid overuse injuries and allow the feet time to adjust to the new way of moving.

Wearing barefoot shoes can help promote healthy foot mechanics and muscle development, which may lead to changes in foot shape and appearance over time. However, these changes are often positive and result in stronger, more functional feet. It is important to gradually transition into barefoot shoes and choose a style that provides adequate support and protection for your individual needs.

Barefoot shoes can be a healthy choice for your feet as they allow natural movement, encourage proper foot posture, and provide sensory feedback. However, it's important to transition gradually and choose shoes that fit your foot shape and activity level to prevent injury. Consult with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns.

Yes, there is science behind barefoot shoes. A study has shown that walking in minimalist shoes can be effective for strengthening foot muscles, which may help reduce the risk of loading-related injuries. By providing increased stimulus to the foot muscles, barefoot shoes can help promote foot health and overall strength.

Minimalist shoes and barefoot shoes are similar but not exactly the same. Both are designed to allow for natural foot movement and promote foot strength and health. However, barefoot shoes are generally more flexible and have a wider toe box, while minimalist shoes may have some level of cushioning or support.

Yes, barefoot shoes work by promoting natural foot motion, allowing the feet to move and function as they would barefoot. Studies have shown that wearing barefoot shoes can help improve foot strength, flexibility, and balance, as well as reduce the risk of injury. By enabling natural foot movement and providing adequate support, barefoot shoes can help promote overall foot health and comfort.

Yes, it can be good to wear barefoot shoes. By allowing the feet to move and function naturally, barefoot shoes can help improve foot strength, flexibility, and balance, as well as reduce the risk of certain injuries. However, it is important to transition gradually into barefoot shoes to avoid overuse injuries and allow the feet time to adjust to the new way of moving.

Wearing barefoot shoes can help promote healthy foot mechanics and muscle development, which may lead to changes in foot shape and appearance over time. However, these changes are often positive and result in stronger, more functional feet. It is important to gradually transition into barefoot shoes and choose a style that provides adequate support and protection for your individual needs.

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