Here you’ll find a quick guide to barefoot shoe features to help you identify barefoot shoes whilst shopping.

Read on to find out more.

We’ve listed all the barefoot shoe attributes. We’ve put them in order of how important we think they are.

1. Untapered toe box
2. Zero drop
3. Flexible sole
4. No toe spring
5. Secure fit
6. Thin sole

Order of Importance

There seems to be some consensus amongst barefoot experts that tapered toe boxes and heel rise are the most problematic issues in conventional shoes, which is why they’re at the top of our list.

Flexible soles are also important but impossible without a zero drop sole, which is why they’re lower on the list. Similarly with no toe spring, it’s impossible to have the toes lie flat if the sole is not flat. Secure fit is also important but seemingly not as urgent as the previous factors.

A thin sole is of course desirable, but some people require more cushion for specific activities, because of their environment, or due to their stage of transition, which is why it’s last on our list.

Other desirable features:

Ideally, a barefoot shoe will also be lightweight, and the upper constructed of soft, flexible materials.

For more detail about how these factors affect your feet, see What Are Barefoot Shoes? and Benefits of Barefoot Shoes

For more help in buying barefoot shoes, see our Barefoot Shoe Shopping Guide.