You had been born barefoot, and a rising physique of evidence suggests it’s best to have stayed that method. The know-how and padding of the fashionable shoe shield your ft, however protection isn’t always what you want. Feet had been made to stretch, flex, roll, and bend, and letting them do what they advanced to do can reduce impact injuries and supply a bunch of different advantages.
That stated, please don’t purchase a pair of those barely-there sneakers and begin strolling or operating the best way you all the time have. That will not work, and it might result in accidents. You have to ease into all issues barefoot associated, and to a point, it’s essential to relearn the best way to stroll and run. In this information, we have recommendation on making the transition from padded sneakers to “barefoot shoes” (also called minimalist or zero-drop sneakers), and we have rounded up our favorites. They’re as shut as you will get to attaining that barefoot sensation with out operating afoul of “No shirt, no shoes, no service” indicators.
Be certain to take a look at our different buying guides, together with our Best Running Gear and Best Snow Gear roundups.
Updated June 2022: We’ve added the Xero Aqua Cloud water sandals and up to date costs and hyperlinks all through.
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