The Vivobarefoot Tracker Decon has a wide toebox, suede leather upper, breathable wool blend collar, medium 7mm zero-drop sole with excellent flexibility, and hybrid sole for roads and trails.

Unlike the original Tracker FG, the Decon is made with a softer leather that’s agile enough for faster hikes, or even a bit of trail running, and the FG2 sole has some great versatility for both dry and wet terrain, although it can get worn down faster on roads.

42. Vivobarefoot Tracker Forest ESC (93%)

The Vivobarefoot Forest ESC has a wide toebox and water-resistant leather upper, high-cut Tracker or wool Magna collar, beefy 9.5mm sole with great flexibility, and aggressive Michelin tread for hardcore trails.

43. Vivobarefoot Magna Forest ESC (96%)

For hotter climates and faster hikes the Magna Forest ESC provides some nice breathability and agility, while the Tracker ESC is better for cooler weather and wet conditions, but although the tread is versatile for both sharp rocks and slippery mud, it is heavier and can feel like overkill for casual hiking.

44. Softstar Switchback (96%)

The Softstar Switchback has a wide or extra-wide toebox, soft leather or vegan upper, warm wool insulation, thick 9.5mm zero-drop sole with great flexibility, and aggressive Vibram Megagrip tread for roads and hardcore trails.

Being almost 10mm you’d expect the Switchback to feel cumbersome, but the lightweight leather and bendy Megagrip rubber literally make it agile enough to use for trail running, while still offering some of the best durability, traction, and temperature regulation of any barefoot boot, although it does have less ground feel and lower water resistance.

Barefoot Sandals

While barefoot shoes get most of the attention, a good pair of barefoot sandals can be just as versatile with the added benefit of being more breathable for summer and light enough to stow in a pants pocket!

45. Xero Genesis (73%)

The Xero Genesis has a medium wide toebox, minimal huarache cord straps, medium 5mm zero-drop sole with excellent flexibility, and semi-aggressive tread for roads and trails.

Despite it’s slim lacing the Genesis is actually quite comfortable for hiking and trail running and it’s also one of the only barefoot sandals I’ve tried that’s thin enough to feel comfortable for walking and running on roads, although the lack of support isn’t as practical for steep hills.

46. Xero Z-Trek (75%)

The Xero Z-Trek has a medium wide toebox, soft cross straps, medium 6mm zero-drop sole with excellent flexibility, and semi-aggressive tread for trails.

While you might be skeptical of Xero’s 5,000-mile warranty, my original Z-Trek’s are still going after seven years of trekking and the lack of anything between your toes makes them nice for casual use, although the sole does feel a little hard on roads and the rubber footbed can get slippery in wet conditions.

47. DLD Perception (78%)

The Deliberate Life Designs Perception has a custom toebox, multiple strap options, thicker 7mm zero-drop sole, and semi-aggressive Vibram tread for rougher trails.

Because each DLD sandal is fully customizable, they’re a great option for anyone with picky feet, but I loved the grippy/textured footbed on my Perceptions, and the combo of wider straps and Vibram rubber made them a powerhouse for rocky terrain, although they do feel like overkill on roads.

48. Shamma Warriors (81%)

The Shamma Warriors have a wide toebox, vegan or leather footbed, high support strap system, medium 5mm zero-drop sole with great flexibility, and Vibram tread for trails.

For anyone who likes sandals but finds them a bit insecure, the Warriors have the best lockdown in the world for faster hikes and trail runs with a super durable Vibram sole, although I did have to add some DIY padding on the posts, which are a bit hard.

49. Monk Ruivo (94%)

The Monk Ruivo has an extra-wide toebox, leather footbed, cross straps, medium 5mm zero-drop sole with great flexibility, and semi-aggressive Vibram tread for trails.

Basically the Ruivo’s are a more classy version of the Shamma Warriors but with minimal cross straps that some people might like better for casual use, although it does make them slightly less secure for trail running and the sole also feels a bit hard on roads.

50. Toetem Alpha BlackBear (98%)

The Toetem Alpha BlackBear has an extra-wide toebox, premium leather footbed, soft huarache straps, medium 5mm zero-drop sole with great flexibility, and semi-aggressive Vibram tread for trails.

While some toe thong sandals can be uncomfortable, the BlackBear’s feel completely natural and have a nice balance of agility and support for hiking and trail running with tons of room for toe splay, although, as with the others, they do feel somewhat hard on roads.

Barefoot (100%)

Finally, bare feet have a custom toebox, premium human footbed, and infinitely regenerative callus tread for roads and trails.

Let’s face it, as light and flexible as barefoot shoes can be, they’ll never match the joy of being completely barefoot and getting to feel the world without any limitations or money spent, although for terrain with broken glass, thorns, or snow, it’s always nice to have some minimal footwear as a backup.

Conclusion

So those are the best fifty barefoot shoes I’ve tried, but, honestly, this list only scratches the surface—and maybe next time I’ll have to go even bigger with a “Best 100 Barefoot Shoes” video!

Resources

That said, you can always browse and filter hundreds of styles with the shoe finder tool at my website barefootwear.org or watch my Zero-Drop Transition video to learn more about barefooting.

Finally, if you have a question about choosing barefoot shoes or want to request a future review video, let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading, catch ya next time. Peace!