Shoes best for road, track and light gravel. See the best road shoes. Shoes best for trail, off road, mountains and other unstable surfaces.
See the best trail shoes. As long as you stick to the road or path, and if you want just one running shoe, buy a road running shoe. Best for people with normal, high or medium high arches. See the best neutral shoes. Best for runners with a low arch. See the best stability shoes. Shoes for runners who needs a lot of arch support. Best for runners with flat feet. See the best motion control shoes. Disclosure: We earn affiliate commissions at no extra cost to you when you buy through us.
If you find a good deal on RunRepeat, you click to the retailer and you buy the shoe, we get a commission of the sale. This is how we pay ourselves. It does not make the shoe pricier for you. Runners trust the global shoe brand, Merrell, when it comes to outdoor performance footwear, since its collection of shoes rank high in over , 00 shoe reviews. Professional runners love the protection and performance they get from Merrell minimalist shoes, while casual runners start going natural with these.
If you need a pair of minimalist trainers for your trail and track adventures, consider Merrell. Best Merrell minimalist running shoes- November Running shoes Merrell Minimalist Merrell Minimalist. Select size for the best results.
Terrain Road Shoes best for road, track and light gravel. But if you are looking to build a foundation from your feet up, the Vapor Glove 5 continues to set a high bar for barefoot shoes. Read review: Merrell Vapor Glove 5. While running can certainly beat up your shoes, often strength training can be even more demanding on your feet. That's why it is so important to build athleticism from the ground up, starting with your feet. The Inov-8 Bare-XF V3 is a gym-specific trainer with the capacity to crossover as a running shoe — once you build up strength in your feet.
Unlike other models we tested, a supremely padded upper is designed to provide stability and protection to stand up to even the most rigorous training sessions. While the upper may be padded for extra comfort, the V3 has an unbelievably low stack height of merely 1. The even platform of the zero-drop outsole, combined with the dual-layer mesh toe box, provides you with a stable, low-profile shoe that aims to help you improve your performance in weight lifting.
Unlike other barefoot models we tested, the V3 does not shy away from adding extra material to the upper to improve comfort and durability, even if it negatively affects its weight and barefoot feel. Distinguishing features, like TPU-reinforced quarter panels and a padded tongue, improve gym-specific performance and are worth the weight sacrifice. While they excel in the gym, the completely smooth, lugless outsoles decrease versatility as a running shoe — and can even lose traction when the gym floor is dirty.
But for those who already own a dedicated running shoe, we couldn't suggest a better barefoot option for indoor strength training. Based on the innovative FiveFingers platform that helped launch the barefoot-running movement, the V-Trail 2. Asserting the definitive qualities of an adventure racing shoe, this model is a great choice for trail running.
Striking a nice balance between minimalism and brawn, the V-Trail 2. We had a blast setting out at speed on our favorite alpine trails, knowing that our feet were protected from rocks and roots. The fully-wrapped upper also did an impressive job of keeping our feet dry, even through multiple creek crossings.
As a trade-off for comfort and confidence, this shoe loses some points in terms of ground-feel. While the shoe has a small, 3. Where we mainly found problems with regard to barefoot accuracy was in the dexterity of the toes. The relatively thick rubber outsole continues to wrap up the front of each individual toe, restricting flexibility and diminishing proprioception.
Despite its few pitfalls, we thoroughly enjoyed trail running in the V-Trail 2. Read review: Vibram V-Trail 2. Our barefoot and minimalist shoe expert is Aaron Rice. Growing up on the Atlantic coastline, he spent summers comfortably barefoot — only donning sandals to navigate hot pavement. One of his earliest coaches encouraged Aaron and his teammates to go barefoot as much as possible, explaining the important role our feet play in developing strength.
Moving westward to Colorado for college, Aaron embraced his natural roots — and maybe a bit of a hippy mindset — often hiking the trails around Boulder barefoot. Now living full time in Santa Fe, NM — a city that sits at 7, feet above sea level — Aaron maintains a lifelong devotion to mountain fitness to further his ambitions in endurance sports like trail running, alpine climbing, and ski mountaineering. He works as a writer, farmer, ski patroller, and avalanche educator.
He spends much of his time outside and draws on past experience as a retail buyer to dissect and discuss the nuances of technical gear. As a point related to barefoot running: Aaron hates wearing socks.
We purchase all of the models discussed in this article and put them through a rigorous testing process. Based on the fact that each shoe is designed for specific purposes — road running, trail running, or gym training — each pair is given preference in its respective specialty. But based on the mantra of minimalism to do more with less, we also consider how well these shoes perform when crossing disciplines.
We compile research, closely examine each shoe, and take a lot of notes to put together our opinions on which models work best in each particular discipline. Most importantly, we workout in these shoes; each shoe sees at least 15 miles of pavement, trail, or both, as well as multiple gym sessions. A few things are worth pointing out before we dive into the metrics we used to score each shoe. First and foremost, all of the shoes included in this review comprise some of the best and most popular options for barefoot and minimalist shoes available on the market.
Since our side-by-side testing is based on comparisons, a low score does not mean that a particular pair of shoes isn't worthy of consideration. It simply means that they do not perform quite as well relative to the competition — all of these shoes are excellent in at least one aspect, and often low scoring shoes are fantastic options for specialized use.
The other — and perhaps the more important thing to consider — is that your specific needs may differ from the weighting we applied to each metric. We encourage you first to consider your own preferences and your specific athletic habits. Then, with that as a baseline, use our suggestions to help inform your purchase. Related: Buying Advice for Barefoot Shoes. We rate our selection of barefoot shoes on five scoring metrics: natural feeling, weight, traction, versatility, and durability.
Then, we assign scores ranging from 1 to 10 based on how well they perform relative to the competition within each metric. We consider some qualities to be more important than others, so these metrics weigh on our overall performance rating more heavily than the others.
Whether you are a seasoned barefoot enthusiast or looking to purchase your first pair, it can be tricky to figure out which shoe is going to offer the best value. While many assume that the highest-priced product will perform the best, our experience in this category — and with outdoor gear in general — has proven that this is often not the case.
We highlight products as exceptional values only if they perform well across the board, in addition to being reasonably priced. But it is worth noting that the Vapor Glove 5 may not be the right shoe for everyone, particularly those new to minimalist footwear. Without an optional insole, there is very little material between your foot and the ground, and you are guaranteed to feel every bump in the road. An optional 3mm insole is a highlight of the award-winning Xero HFS ; though it is a bit more expensive, its capability as a cross-trainer and small amount of added cushion make it a bit more reasonable for those transitioning away from conventional footwear.
Freeing your feet is what running in minimalist shoes is all about, and it all comes down to ground-feel and responsiveness — how close can each shoe come to feeling like you are actually running barefoot. The soles of the feet are among the most sensitive parts of our body because the information feed through our feet is directly related to proprioception , or our sense of positioning in movement.
With an activity like running, in order to understand our body positioning as we move through space, our feet must flex, move, and feel the ground. The best minimalist shoes limit their interference of our natural "sixth sense. Most designs allow for increased proprioception through a precise combination of design features like a thin outsole, zero-drop, a wide toe box, a lot of flexibility, and, of course, a lack of conventional support that would otherwise inhibit the foot's ability to feel the ground.
True barefoot designs — like the award-winning Xero HFS — incorporate all of these design attributes and will provide the highest level of natural, or barefoot, feeling.
Minimalist shoes are more of a comfortable crossover from conventional trainers. Shoes like the Altra Lone Peak 5 may include some of the barefoot attributes — like zero-drop — but will still include some cushioning or support structure, like a midsole or some sort of stability or motion control device. We examine the structure of each shoe, indicating design-specifics that likely influence the natural feeling, or lack thereof.
First and foremost, we look at flexibility, both in the upper and outsole. A highly flexible shoe — like the Merrell Vapor Glove 5 — is going to allow for unimpeded, and thus more natural movement. As we mentioned above, other key barefoot attributes include: zero-drop; light weight; minimal outsole thickness and an overall low stack height; a wide tox box to allow for toe splay a critical factor for balance and stability ; lack of conventional support like a midsole, arch support, toe lift, or stability control devices ; minimal ground protection like a rock plate ; and a breathable upper.
In its conceptually ideal form, a barefoot shoe would feel as if you weren't wearing a shoe at all. Certainly, flexible shoes like the Xero HFS and Merrell Vapor Glove 5 offer tremendous freedom of movement and an overall accurate ground-feel. This is an updated model of the original FiveFingers shoe and is, without a doubt, the closest thing to actually running barefoot.
While this is the shoe for barefoot diehards — for those times when they still need to actually wear shoes — the natural feel may be a bit too intense for many who are not used to this style of footwear. A barefoot shoes represent an ideal, but not everyone interested in the benefits of minimalist footwear wants to take it to the extreme of wearing a shoe with a 1.
That is why minimalist shoes exist — to bridge the gap between conventional footwear and barefoot shoes. Based on our scheme of evaluating natural feel, these shoes will always score lower in this metric than the barefoot options. With this in mind, we make sure to do our best to judge them equitably. If a minimalist shoe includes a midsole and has a thicker stack height — like the Arc'teryx Norvan SL 2 — but despite a more conventional design, still checks all of the boxes for flexibility, a breathable upper, and weight, then we adjust the score appropriately.
It is also important to consider each of these shoes through the lens of their intended discipline. If it is a trail runner, like the Vibram V-Trail 2. If it is a road shoe, how well does it handle the abrasion of concrete and rough gravel in road shoulders? If it is a gym-specific trainer, how well does it allow you to engage the natural support structure of your feet without slipping or feeling off-balance? Other versatile trainers — like the Vivobarefoot Primus Trail II FG — may be designed for a particular use but perform well in many disciplines.
A shoe's weight can greatly influence the overall experience, particularly if it is specifically designed as a running shoe. But even in the gym, a lightweight, highly breathable trainer will allow you to push the limits of your workout without feeling like a pair of cement shoes are weighing you down.
For both minimalist and barefoot options, we want our feet to feel as free and unencumbered as they are in their natural, barefoot state. The top performers are not only objectively lightweight but provide the airy experience of going barefoot. We start by weighing each shoe on a digital scale and comparing those numbers against the manufacturer's stated weight.
We award points based on a sliding scale, with the lowest weight earning the highest marks, then decreasing in value with each additional ounce. At merely 4. But almost more amazing is the fact that the Arc'teryx Norvan SL 2 , as a full-fledged trail runner, tips the scales at only one ounce more per shoe. We take each of these shoes out on many, many runs and make subjective comparisons about how light they feel when running.
Shop Now. Filter By: Filter 23 Products. Offset is the incline that your foot sits on, measured in the difference in height between the heel and forefoot of the shoe. Featured Barefoot. Women's Trail Glove 6 Eco.
Men's Trail Glove 6 Eco. Men's Vapor Glove 5. Women's Vapor Glove 5. Women's Cozy Glove. Men's Cozy Glove. Men's Trail Glove 6 Eco Dye. Women's Trail Glove 6 Eco Dye.
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