Here’s a question:  do you like cushioned shoes or do you prefer the barefoot feel?  For most of my life, I’ve worn shoes with padded soles.  Cushioning seemed especially important back when I ran half marathons.  During the second one, I fractured my ankle, and have since relied on shoes with some stability for running.

Barefoot Lifestyle Shoes

Some believe that the natural/barefoot feel is healthier for your feet than heavily structured shoes.  There’s even a new documentary out touting these claims… I leave it to you to research the issue further.  I received two pairs of Vivobarefoot shoes recently, and for the last month or so have been transitioning away from shoes that squish my toes up and wearing the Vivobarefoot barefoot lifestyle shoes more often.

Technical Specifications

I’ve been wearing the Kanna Hi Textile and the Bloom barefoot lifestyle shoes.  They boast the following features:

• Thin, wide and flexible soles
  

  Shoes made from algae

• Lightweight and adaptable
• Vegan materials (the Bloom shoe is even made from algae, making it the first sustainable alternative to EVA)
• Breathable
• The Kanna shoes offer sealed seams and thermal insulation

Testing Conditions

I’ve worn both pairs of barefoot lifestyle shoes as part of my everyday life:  walking the dog, relaxing with friends, running errands around town.

Results

First of all, I am really impressed with the thoughtfulness that went into the Vivobarefoot shoes.  I really like the Kanna Hi Textile in particular.  I think it’s a cool looking shoe that is super comfy to wear.  Friends give me both positive and negative remarks about the barefoot lifestyle shoes.  Some agree that they are cool looking; others just think they’re odd.  But I don’t care!  My feet have gotten used to the freeing larger toe box and simple sole.  So much so, in fact, that traditional leather shoes with a smaller toe box feel constricting.  The Bloom shoes are great for hanging out by the pool or in other wet environments.  However, I would not recommend them for an everyday shoe.  My feet tend to get a little sweaty from the plasticy material (natural though it may be).  In addition, walking around Cherry Creek North gets very dusty with the construction going on.  The dust seeps through the holes in the shoes and onto my feet, so I need to wash them thoroughly upon removal.

If you’ve tried barefoot lifestyle shoes, I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback.