Everyday we wake up and cram our feet into shoes that majority of the time don't fit right and even when they do, they damage your feet and cause countless issues.
That's where barefoot grounded shoes come in.
Believe me, there's not many more skeptical then me when it comes to something like this.
More often then not they look silly, but what can they do for you?
β’ Strengthen Your Feet
β’ Feel Good
β’ Fit Right
β’ Relieve Pressure From Feet & Joints
And so, I've embarked on testing damn near every pair of barefoot shoes on the market.
I've encountered every scenario you can think of with barefoot shoes, low quality material falling apart, looking like a clown, and more.
Now while most pairs of barefoot shoes, especially those promoted by influencers turned out to be garbage, I have stumbled upon a few diamonds in the rough.
Shoes that trully:
β’ Enable me to spend all day on my feet
β’ Good for both exercise and every day wear
β’ Look more like a normal pair of shoes rather then "clown" shoes
β’ Non Slip
Want to find out what barefoot shoes we recommend the most after our countless (and often painful) experiments?
Read below to find our top 4 pairs of barefoot shoes designed for both everyday wear and exercise.
At the bottom of this page you can read our full review on our #1 rated pair.
β Orthopedist-Approved Design
β Unisex (Woman & Men alike can look sharp in these)
β Durable Construction (We hiked a literal mountain in these)
β Wide Toe Box for Natural Toe Placement (allow your feet to sit how they should)
β
β Pressure Relief for Feet and Joints
β
β Enhance Stability & Non Slip Soles
β All-Day Comfort and Slip-Resistant Traction
β 30-Day Guarantee (no questions asked)
β Ultra Lightweight
β Limited stock due to high demand, often leading to sell outs.
β Designed more for hiking
β Enhanced foot protection
β Grippy soles
β Built with durable materials
β More on the pricey side
β Some sizing complaints
β Quick dry material
β
β Designed for natural toe spread
β Promotes a natural gait
β Breathable material
β Non-slip sole
β May wear out quickly
β Not the most durable
β Stiff for some
β Offers mid foot stability
β Zero non non elevated sole
β Thin and lightweight build
β Achilles support
β Low quality materials
β Not very nice looking
β Soles don't last long for some
Pros
β Orthopedist-Approved Design
β Unisex (Woman & Men alike can look sharp in these)
β Durable Construction (We hiked a literal mountain in these)
β Wide Toe Box for Natural Toe Placement (allow your feet to sit how they should)
β
β Pressure Relief for Feet and Joints
β
β Enhance Stability & Non Slip Soles
β All-Day Comfort and Slip-Resistant Traction
β 30-Day Guarantee (no questions asked)
β Ultra Lightweight
Cons
β Limited stock due to high demand, often leading to sell outs.
Now, it's not just that Grounded Footwears shoes were the best by an inch, they were actually best by a mile.
Realistcly the majority the barefoot shoes myself and the other testers tried just sucked.
And when you're constantly testing out rubbish products the diamonds in the rough stand out more then ever.
And that diamond was the barefoot shoes by Grounded Footwear.
Here's why:
The more pairs of barefoot shoes I tried the more I realized most designs were just guess work.
These shoes have been approved by Orthopedists to actually be good for not only your feet but also your legs.
Recommended by doctors due to the pressure relief for both feet and joints that these shoes provide.
As someone whos been wearing shoes all my life (most likely much like you) trust me when I say I noticed a world of difference after just a few days of wearing these.
This was a big one for me particularly, I didn't want my chosen pair of barefoot shoes to be screaming out at people as I walked past.
In an ideal world no one would even take a second glance or question if they were barefoot shoes, and these turned out to provide that ideal scenario.
They might look completely normal (in-fact I actually like the style of them) but I've worn them out on all kind of occasions:
β’ Hiking
β’ Work
β’ Gym
β’ Running
It's safe to say they're multi purpose.
β
Construction is the only work suitable for the quality and durability of these shoes, they're built to be as tough as a concrete slab but as lightweight as a feather.
With 70% less weight then regular shoes, paired with their insane durability (we tested it) and anti slip traction they are as tough as they come.
Testing involved:
β Hiking up a mountain (a literal mountain)
β Training for and completing a full marathon
β Daily wear
β
In a very short amount of time the pain alleviation is noticeable.
Sore joints, feet, hip, back, or knees like myself actually benefit from barefoot shoes.
These grounded footwear strengthens foot and leg muscles, promoting a natural stride that alleviates pain.
A big playing factor is this is the wide toe box and flexible sole, enabling your feet to actually sit how they were designed to and not be constantly scrunched up by regular shoes.
While many barefoot shoe companies charge in the hundreds of dollars, often for shoes that haven't actually been designed by Orthopedists, these ones are genuienly affordable.
And right now, they're running a limited-time offer that makes them even cheaper to buy then your standard pair of sneakers. (This makes it a bit of a no brainer)
Best part? You're totally covered by their "30-Day Guarantee". If you dont like them and arn't feeling the different in your feet and joints (I'm sure you will be) then you're more then welcome to return them with no questions asked.
Bottom line? If you want:
β’ Orthopedist designed & recommended by Doctors
β’ Great looking barefoot shoes
β’ Relieved joint and foot pain
β’ Premium quality without the premium pricing
...then Grounded Footwear's barefoot shoes is it.
They're selling out fast (again), so grab yours while it's still on sale.
Every product gets at least 100 hours of real-world testing. No lab-only reviews here.
Unlike most review sites, we purchase everything we test. No free samples or sponsored reviews.
Last Updated: APRIL 23, 2025
Next Update: MAY 23, 2025
β’ 100+ hours of hands-on testing
ββ’ 50+ customer interviews
ββ’ Durability stress tests
ββ’ Price-value analysis
ββ’ Long-term wear testing
β’ 2 certified running coaches
β’ 1 former physical therapist
β’ 3 everyday users
β’ 1 professional ultrarunner