Newer minimalist shoe wearers, be warned: this is not a pair of shoes to put on and run out the door in without doing some serious foot strengthening beforehand. No sponsored content. For spot cleaning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests mixing water with 70% alcohol. For most, the value of a product relates directly to how well it performs in the activities you love. New Balance Minimus 10v1 Women's Running Shoes, Best Budget: This shoe gets an award for versatility thanks to its ability to tackle various terrain and hold up well. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. We hope this review has helped you gain insight into how to carefully and thoughtfully approach the task of transitioning to minimal footwear or to going barefoot entirely. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. We also learned that as much as we like to have just a straightforward gear solution, it is wise to have a few running shoes. However, due to the nuanced nature of this type of footwear, we recommend investing in a couple of different pairs to cover you appropriately through different terrain types. Altra Running Womens Lone Peak running shoes are ready for any kind of weather or terrain you want to tackle. Testing minimalist and barefoot-inspired footwear was a great adventure. So ensure that the store where you purchase minimalist running shoes offers a reasonable return policy, such as a 30-day return even if you've worn them. The KSO EVO features an excellent, low profile sole that allows water to drain and therefore handles wet terrain well, but also navigates loose and dusty terrain with relative ease mainly because you are really close to the ground, well balanced, and your feet can flex and grab through the ultra-thin soles. With so many footwear options to choose from, and so much passion and dogma circulating alongside anecdote and science, we hope this review will help you find the right shoes for you! Runners who get shin splints or stiffness often need a higher level of cushioning, and minimalist running shoes might not work for you. For runners, think about carrying a pound of weight on your feet and how many strides you make in an hour-long run. For this metric, we assessed each shoe based upon what terrain it is designed for. That said, if you've been training and toughening your feet, you'll hardly notice you're wearing shoes when you put these on, except that you'll feel more comfortable walking into public restrooms or through scruffy, less-hygienic terrain of all sorts. The lead tester behind this review is Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, AMGA Rock Guide, and AIARE avalanche instructor Lyra Pierotti. It could take a number of miles for your feet to adjust to this new pared-down version. There are many ways to enjoy the process, and we hope you enjoy your journey as much as we did. Through our training, and plenty of trial-and-error, we grew to understand the role of footwear in our running program and ultimately felt humbled by it all. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Overall these are a pleasing, minimalist pair of shoes that will help you keep your strong feet very strong and your wallet just a wee bit fuller. Her CSCS certification also gives her more in-depth knowledge of strength training and conditioning, further underlining her passion for fitness, training progression, and the relentless pursuit of healthy and efficient movement patterns. This footwear category is designed to help you feel free and light, and footwear designed to help you climb as part of an ordinary gym workout is pretty darn cool. This way, you can choose something that will happily get used on the regular. While not the very cheapest, shoes from Xero are also a fantastic way to get a top-tier shoe for a more reasonable price point. We want to help you make sure your favorite footwear is worthy of its price tag. The Xero Shoes HFS design has a little more traction added to some of our favorite design features from that company, with an excellent lug pattern. We can tell that a lot of passion and expertise went into the design of these shoes. For that reason, we like shoes that perform well for a variety of tasks, over several terrain types, and through several seasons. GearLab is reader-supported. That said, If you've trained your foot strength and can adapt your technique and speed, you can certainly venture well off-road in these trail runners. Users love the shoes lightweight feel and responsiveness, as well as its comfort and durability. No ads. It is a classic "Jill-of-all-trades" but master of none. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, WHITIN Women's Minimalist Barefoot Shoes | Zero Drop Sole | Wide Width Fashion Sneaker, WHITIN Women's Barefoot Minimalist Shoes, Natural Foot-Shaped, WHITIN Women's Transitional Barefoot Shoe for Beginners, Lifestyle Inspired. Footwear has evolved over several hundred years, and today Seeking a women's running shoe to help you pick up the Ready to make the switch to minimalist or barefoot shoes Are you seeking a running sock that will suit your needs After months of researching the most popular running packs Getting ready for summer running and needing a new running To find out which running jacket is the best, we selected Searching for the best hydration bladder? However, some companies have approached this issue by increasing the quality of the materials used. Our top pick is the New Balance Minimus 10v1 Women's Running Shoes because they're comfortable and durable and provide great traction. She also trains individual runners to achieve their fastest time in anything from a 5K distance to a full marathon. Trying to find the limits of our minimal footwear adventures proved an exciting and increasingly difficult task! Barefoot shoes are more of a niche purchase for most folks, it's true, but it's always smart to think about the full scope of the activities you plan to undertake. The standout shoe for a reliable go-to was the Xero Shoes HFS, so good it even got an award for versatility. It is imperative to strengthen your feet diligently before launching out on a run in your new pair of kicks. Known for its comfort, the Vapor Glove from Merrell is a solid minimalist womens running shoe thats a great option for cross-training, hiking, trail running, or even just walking around. The Vapor Glove feels like an extremely durable running sock. This allows you to mix things up and vary the amount of strain you put on your feet daily. 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They also have a molded heel counter and inner support strap for stable and secure fit. These shoes need to hold up to a variety of terrain types and a whole lot of footsteps. Consisting of an entirely leather upper, it still maintains an impressively low weight due to the simplicity of the design. It's important to note that we spent a lot of time actually barefoot to prepare our feet for minimalist footwear. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. The Merrell Vapor Glove 5 is the solution for barefoot enthusiasts who aren't into the toe-separated design of some minimalist shoes. There really isn't a notable downside to the HFS. Whatever the effect (or goal) might be for you, we wanted an objective way to report how well the shoe would let you feel the ground. Being close to the ground also dramatically improves balance and reduces the amount of material between your feet and the ground which can shift, squish, or otherwise throw off your sense of place. You also might not like the feel of them once you try them. Minimalist shoes are preferred by some runners because they have qualities that are unavailable in typical running shoes, such as a purer running experience and supporting ankle strength. Ready? New Balance does offer returns within 45 days of purchase, however, they do require the shoes to be in new condition. We weighed each pair of shoes on our own scale to double-check the manufacturer's specs. One common treatment is to implement top-of-the-line soles from Vibram into the design. Price and other details may vary based on product size and color. And the confusingly named Vibram FiveFingers KSO (not the EVO version) has a unique feature for traction on wet surfaces: a sole design that opens up narrow slits when bent. Because it's made with lightweight materials, this shoe isn't as durable or weather-resistant as other models out there. Her career depends upon it. All of this is to say that the weight adds up, especially over time. If you are prone to injury, especially plantar fasciitis or shin splints, you should slowly incorporate minimalist shoes into your running habit. This gives your foot room to expand as you run. We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best They even look like bare feet! Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2022, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Seven Lakes Basin, Olympic National Park. When shopping for minimalist running shoes it can also be helpful to look for brands that offer sales, bundles, or generous return policies. These shoes are expensive and you don't want your investment to go to waste if the shoe is not comfortable. The Speed Force meets all the criteria of what we're looking for in a minimalist shoe and takes the cake as our favorite shoe overall. This has been suggested to help improve balance and foot proprioception and to stimulate the nerves in your feet. If you have a specific use in mind, it might be easier to assess the value of a shoe. These shoes have no heightened heel, little-to-no padding, thin soles, versatile and bendable materials, and don't have much arch support, making them comparable to running barefoot. Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. So, this also means that they might not be your first choice for rugged terrain or sharp and rough surfaces. Then we twisted and flexed each shoe, comparing them, to see how supple the soles were, side-by-side. If going barefoot or with minimal footwear is appropriate, be sure to make the transition slowly and progressively. It's not always butterflies and roses when we go out for a run barefoot or in minimalist footwear. She is also an active member of the American Mountain Guides Association. You'll also find high-quality upper materials, as well as thoughtful, streamlined designs and quality manufacturing. The Vapor Glove 5 is durable for off road use. Privacy | Cookies | Terms, We hopped, skipped, jumped, and ran in minimalist shoes from Xero, Vibram, Merrell and more to bring you a seriously comprehensive review. The StoneGuard offers flexible protection from rocks and other trail debris, and the TrailClaw outsole combines uphill and downhill lug traction for any kind of rough trail conditions. The Xero Speed Force is a very lightweight performance shoe that we reached for any time it was appropriate. Here are the best minimalist running shoe options on the market for women, according to a running coach. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Sometimes going out for a run is really more about stopping to enjoy the wildflowers. Vibram's iconic FiveFinger shoes have long defined minimalist and "barefoot" footwear. The shoe is also treated with an antimicrobial solution to help reduce funky shoe odors. The only nuance here was how balanced the weight felt on our feet. You can wear running shoes for walking, although you should skip minimalist shoes when walking if you are prone to any foot injuries (as you could need extra cushioning). Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. New Study Sheds Light on Mental Health of Elite Athletes, New Balance Minimus 10v1 Women's Running Shoes, Sketchers Performance Women's Go Run Ride 6 Running Shoes, Effect of minimalist footwear on running efficiency, Systematic review of the role of footwear constructions in running biomechanics: implications for running-related injury and performance. For hikers and backpackers, we have long known that adding one pound of weight to your feet in the form of heavy footwear is equivalent to having added anywhere between 6 and 10 pounds of weight to your backpack. With similar features and performance of some higher-priced minimalist shoes, the Skechers Performance Women's Go Run running shoes are an excellent value for your money. The winners of this category are, not surprisingly, also overall winners in this review. This allows you to try them out without worrying about losing your investment. When trying on a shoe, place your thumb at the top of the shoe and make sure it leaves a half to a full thumb's width of space at the top of your foot. Overlooking the Moscow River, Moscow, Russia. GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Consider checking in with your doctor to be sure you're aware of the possible risks, but also keep in mind the benefits and all the health and fitness gains you can make if you take a progressive and mindful approach. Not the most versatile shoe in the review, but the Vibram KSO is great for water sports. Go! Material on GearLab is copyrighted. At the end of months of training and testing, we are delighted to report stronger feet and more fun overall while running. And then we were off. productslearn more about These shoes need to let our feet do their thing with minimal inhibition. You also need to feel a high level of comfort with your running shoes, especially if you put in high mileage. If so, you should switch to trail or hiking shoes, which have rubber or slip-resistant soles for safety. We've updated our Privacy Policy, which will go in to effect on September 1, 2022. Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. How much weight are you lifting over the course of that run? Set? The main error was a lack of adequate foot strength from years of cushioned footwear and shoes that disrupt the natural movements of the toes and feet. The 6 Best Minimalist Running Shoes for Women. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. But once you have done so, we are pretty sure you'll be hooked. The shoes are also treated with M Select Fresh to prevent sweat and moisture from causing shoe odor. Happy running! The synthetic leather and breathable upper material keeps your feet feeling cool and comfortable. Our favorite "closest-to-barefoot" model in this review will likely come as no surprise: the Vibram FiveFingers KSO EVO. There is a lot of hype around the barefoot shoe industry and also a lot of horror stories. That said, many barefoot enthusiasts do report having a quiver of shoes, and we agree with this approach it is wise to vary your footwear and match it to the terrain. The Vapor Glove 5 is a not-too-close second. This model is extremely lightweight, with a soft sole that allows you to feel the ground easily underfoot. When you click on links to buy products we may earn money to support, How to Choose Barefoot or Minimalist Shoes for Women. The minimalist footwear category is not one to be taken lightly even if the footwear is, in fact, very light.