7 minimalist running shoes that mimic the feeling of running barefoot
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There’s nothing quite like running in minimalist running shoes. These thin-soled, flexible shoes are optimised for responsiveness, so you can really feel the earth beneath your feet.
The minimalist movement is founded on the assumption that a cushion-free running stride leads to a better, more natural run. And there are definitely some benefits. First off, minimalist shoes engage your feet, strengthening key stabilising muscles you don’t activate while running in more padded running shoes. Some question whether that improved muscle tone outweighs the benefits of padding and support reducing strain on your legs. That said, the practice has proven effective for the Tarahumara tribes, who run hundreds of miles without injuries in minimalist sandals.
Although minimalist footwear may not enjoy the same popularity today as it did during its heyday in the early 2000s, the niche remains alive and ever-evolving, with exciting new shoes coming out every year. The best barefoot running shoes should feel like an extension of your feet, allowing your feet to move freely as if you were barefoot. With a little patience, they can offer a fun and freeing running experience.
What to consider in a barefoot running shoe
Adjustment time
Transitioning from regular running shoes to minimalist footwear requires careful consideration and planning. Since they lack padding, these shoes place greater stress on your muscles, joints, and other soft tissues than standard running shoes. Given that, it’s very easy to injure yourself if you aren’t careful and ease yourself into using them.
We do not recommend making the jump from standard running shoes to completely unpadded shoes right away. Instead, it’s best to take a gradual approach: Start with a low-profile running shoe, before going to a barefoot glove or running sandal. When you get a new, less padded shoe, alternate between running in your usual trainers and the new minimalist shoes, and start with very low mileage to avoid injury.
Stack height
Minimalist shoes, by definition, have a low stack height and sit closer to the ground.
The typical minimalist stack height can range anywhere from 3-20mm. We consider any shoe with a stack height under 10mm a 'barefoot' shoe, offering a near-shoeless experience. Shoes with a 10-20mm stack height offer a small amount of cushioning, and work well as that stepping stone new runners need to help build muscle before switching to a barefoot experience.
Drop
Heel-to-toe drop, or 'drop' for short, measures the difference between the stack height in the heel of your shoe, versus the toe. Standard running shoes usually have more padding in the heel to help cushion landings. Most minimalist shoes, on the other hand, have zero drop, with no difference between heel and toe height. A flat shoe offers a more natural running stance, and encourages a forefoot striking pattern.
The minimalist movement broadly encourages runners to go for a more natural feel, which means switching to a zero drop shoe, but there’s really no ideal drop for every runner. That’s why we recommend reducing the amount of stack height in your shoe slowly: As you reduce the amount of drop, you’ll find the option that feels most comfortable to you.
How we selected
Every shoe on this list has been selected by our editors here at Runner’s World. We’ve researched the market, surveyed user reviews, consulted with product engineers, and used our own experience in these shoes to determine the best options. We’ve handpicked each pair based on value, test impressions, expert recommendations, and how the shoe performs overall.
Here are our top picks to consider if you’re making a move on minimalism — just be sure to ease them into your running routine gradually.
Best barefoot running shoes
Xero’s top-selling trail shoe impressed our testers with outstanding responsiveness and grip on the trails, while preserving a connected, minimalist running experience. 'I was very impressed by the shoe’s ruggedness,' said one neutral-gaited heel striking tester.
That protective traction stems from a thin but protective 3.5mm layer of foam underfoot, and an outsole with 3.5mm lugs for extra grip. Inside, a removable 2.5mm insole allows you to adjust the level of cushioning and optimise for protection or a more barefoot feel.
New to the Trail 2, a more durable upper with welded overlays and a protective toe cap gives the upper a more substantial and structured feel. Testers didn't love how the beefy upper impacted the ride, but appreciated the shoe's capability in harsh environments. Still, although the upper compromises its minimalistic nature, the added protection makes it the best 'barefoot' shoe for a trail run.
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Whether you’re new to minimalist running, or an established barefooter in the market for a sympathetic shoe, the Primus Trail III is a sensible choice. It’s comfortable, durable and offers a barefoot experience free of the worry of stepping on something sharp or unseemly.
Similar to Salomon, Vivobarefoot favours a quick-lace system for most of its running shoes. Unlike Salomon, though, it doesn’t provide a snug little pocket in the tongue in which to house the excess laces. Having said all that, once in place, the lacing system feels snug and secure, keeping your foot locked in place.
Marketed as a trail shoe for ‘cooler, wetter, muddier conditions’, it boasts 5mm lugs and a rugged upper. Our tester found it held up well on muddy paths, sandy sections and grass. It also has some decent environmental creds, being made from recycled synthetic materials.
With a light, fast feeling, the Altra Escalante 4 helps you put your best foot forward on race day. With a comparatively thick 24mm stack height – the most in any of our picks – it offers ample cushioning to save your legs without sacrificing that flexible, low-to-the-ground feel. 'For such a lightweight shoe, the cushioning is wonderful,' said one wear tester.
This is still a minimalist shoe, though, with a highly responsive, performance-focused ride. 'There is such a nice springiness to it — great response for workouts and races,' the tester added.
It also fits like a glove. Testers praised the shoe’s snug fit, wide toe box, lightly cushioned tongue, and flexible upper, noting, 'All this leads to immediate comfort,' said another tester. 'There is no need to break this shoe in... it fits perfectly from day 1.'
At the same time, one tester noted the cozy unstructured engineered knit upper offered little support. That should be expected from a minimalist, zero-drop shoe, but it could be a point of caution for those transitioning from something more supportive.
The Altra Escalante 4 offers a balance between comfort and responsiveness that feels unique among minimalist shoes. Its bouncy and responsive midsole ensures that you’re ready to perform at your best right from the start.
Designed for fast, technical mountain and trail running, the Arc’Teryx Norvan SL 3–short for “super light”–employs a semi-stripped-down profile but offers enough underfoot protection in the midsole for you to tear through a technical trail without hesitation.
One tester observed that the Norvan SL 3 feels more like a traditional running shoe compared to the other options on this list. That makes sense, given that the shoe features a tall 19mm stack at the heel and 7mm drop — both substantial for a minimalist shoe.
'It's a nice compromise for runners who might not want to fully commit to the barefoot style,' they said.
New to SL 3 is a Matryx Micro upper with a stretchy knit collar that lets air in and keeps debris out. Matryx, an ultralight hydrophobic material made by French manufacturer Chematex, is used by many shoe brands to make highly breathable, yet durable woven uppers. Testers appreciated the secure and durable feel of the upper, but noted that the fit ran extremely narrow, providing a tight 'racing-fit' toe box.
It's worth noting that the shoe runs rather stiff out of the box, so expect a slight break-in period. After around 50 miles, though, the Norvan SL 3 offers a firm, ground-connected running experience that’s fast and free.
If you want to get a feel for whether a minimalist shoe might be right for you, the Merrell Trail Glove 7 offers just enough cushioning to protect your feet while maintaining a flexible, barefoot-like experience.
With a modest 14mm stack height, one tester who doubted she could run in minimalist shoes due to injury was pleasantly surprised. 'There is just enough firm cushioning in this shoe that it worked for me,' she said. 'I was able to run short and long distances with comfort.'
Ideal for moderate trail terrain and road, the Trail Glove’s Vibram outsole features 2.5mm lugs that effortlessly grips both wet and dry surfaces. 'The traction was wonderful,' said another tester. 'I never slipped. It truly felt like my feet were hugging each surface.'
If you're considering whether a minimalist running shoe is right for you, the Merrell Trail Glove 7 strikes the perfect balance between strong protection and light cushioning, which can help barefoot newcomers find their footing.
As Merrell’s lightest and leanest barefoot shoe, the Vapor Glove 6 adds just a hint of underfoot protection to an otherwise barefoot-profile shoe. We recommend this model for two types of runners: those who are already well-seasoned and highly conditioned minimalists and are seeking something that gets them even closer to barefoot, or those who enjoy running on the beach.
The Vapor Glove is best suited for light technical surfaces. The outsole is made with Vibram’s EcoStep rubber, which is a slightly softer iteration than most common outsole used on trail running shoes, the Vibram MegaGrip, but offers better grip.
One tester noted the softer outsole creates a tackier feel underfoot, which can help you better stick to damp surfaces, wet rocks, and the like. That said, the softer material isn’t as durable as previous shoes in the line. Even with that caveat, though, the Vapor Glove 6 is your best bet if you want a fully minimalist shoe for as little as possible.
There’s nothing more fundamental than running barefoot and feeling the earth under your feet. Going truly shoeless, however, will leave wincing over every sharp rock and branch. For the closest thing to the barefoot experience, we like the Vibram FiveFingers V-Trail 2.0, a natural-fitting shoe designed with five individual toes that adds traction and protection while preserving the barefoot experience.
The V-Trail 2 features a slight 2-millimeter layer of EVA insole cushioning and 3.7 millimeters of Megagrip Rubber Outsole, giving your feet a highly protective and grippy buffer. Cocoon mesh woven into the outsole also adds protection against trail debris.
One tester, who had issues with blisters between his toes in past FiveFingers models, found that this revision kept him blister-free and feeling good. “The shoe fits like a sock around my midfoot, but I still had enough room at the front of my toes,” he said.
Outside running, our testers applauded how much they liked them as a foot-strengthening tool. One certified athletic trainer said, “I find the Vibram FiveFingers V-Trail 2.0 to be a great tool to strengthen your foot and improve balance and proprioception.” Whether you’re running, lifting or cross-training, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more comfortable and capable barefoot shoe.
What are barefoot shoes anyway?
Answering this question has sparked both debate and confusion, since some shoes are more 'minimal' than others. The Journal of Foot and Ankle Research helped bring some clarity to the field with this official definition of a minimalist shoe:
'Footwear providing minimal interference with the natural movement of the foot due to its high flexibility, low heel-to-toe drop, weight and stack height, and the absence of motion control and stability devices.'
Shoes are evaluated on a scale of 0 to 100 to determine a 'Minimalist Index' in which a shoe garners points across five distinct categories (flexibility, drop, weight, stack height, and motion control/stability devices). In essence, these shoes operate on a continuum of support, rather than an exact cutoff — the higher the score, the more minimalist the shoe is. It’s up to you how low (or rather, how high) you want to go in selecting your next pair.
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