Minimalist shoes for daily wear?

Sapphira

Barefooters
Feb 8, 2013
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Hi everyone. I've switched entirely to the merrel pace glove from normal shoes probably about a year ago now. I ran in them, walked in them, and have been wearing them daily. My old pair is now far too small - my foot is a size larger!

so I'm looking at shoes again - the female merrel pace glove size 8 now fits ok (I wear with very thin socks for daily use). But already getting small. The trail gloves I got in the smallest available men's size seemed too large at first but now I'm really confused.


I'm thinking of trying out a more minimalist shoe for daily wear. My jogs include trail jogging, and pavement so I like the tread for actual running. But how about daily wear to help train my feet more barefoot style?
 
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I've noticed that my feet have gotten larger as well with barefoot running. I've worn several men's shoes from Vivobarefoot, and pretty much have had to upgrade to larger or wider shoes each year, and I'm on my third pair since switching to casual minshoes for work.. I just upgraded recently, and it's nice to have a bit of extra room now. I don't think that my feet will continue to get bigger, but who knows for sure? Vivobarefoot used to have more models, but doesn't appear to have as much variety anymore for men's and women's casual shoes. I think that women's shoes in general may have more flats, but width may be an issue, unless they are specially designed to be minshoes. I've used a shoe stretcher before, and it buys a bit of time in making the shoes fit longer, but eventually I've given in and bought a bigger pair.

I started with minshoe running shoes as well. When I started doing barefoot running, I figured why run barefoot, then cram my feet into regular shoes for work? I suppose the same would apply in your case. Minshoes for running and minshoes for work/casual makes sense.
 
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Yep - my feet got wider and a little longer too. I've been exclusively wearing minimal shoes for a few years now. It's easy to find summer shoes and sandals - so many pretty thin flat sandals (or mostly flat with less than 1/4 in heel) to choose from out there. Love my Unshoes Pah Tempe's too.

Most winter days I either wear my Merrell pace gloves or my Vivobarefoot Neo Trail shoes.

On super snowy or wet days, or when I ride my motorcycle I don't stick with minimal at all, but I wear a pair of knee high leather boots - they're Merrels and they only have a 1/2 in heel so they're not horrible as long as I'm not walking long distance in them.

For when I have to dress nicer and can't wear sandals (winter) or my Merrel's I wear Vivobarefoot Kalis, they're a bit pricy but so roomy and comfortable and worth every penny.
 
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I use Vivobarefoot Mary Janes and SoftStar Runamok Dash for work (office). For casual When its too cold for huaraches, I wear Lems (formerly Leming and Stem) and Vivobarefoot Lucy Lite and Neo.

Left Lane Sports and The Clymb have Vivobarefoot on sale quite often.
 
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I love my vivobarefoot kali's, a pair of ocean minded waveseeker flats, merrell pure gloves and 2 pairs of not quite as minimal chooze (yes I still fit in kids sizes as well as women's) for running when not bare, work, and everything else... BUT I have regular winter boots and need to make the switch, and I want a few more pairs of shoes for work (the waveseeker's aren't winter appropriate and the pure gloves are dying of old age). I've gone barefoot most of the time most of my life and had multiple foot surgeries as a teen, so my feet don't seem to be changing size much like everyone elses, but they have changed a bit..

Any winter boot type suggestions (preferably something that would let me run outside when there is snow out since I live on dirt roads)
 
I wear my Merrell's Trail Gloves at work (I know that seems like overkill but I do work in a hostile office environment), they are my go to bumming around shoe.
 
I love my vivobarefoot kali's, a pair of ocean minded waveseeker flats, merrell pure gloves and 2 pairs of not quite as minimal chooze (yes I still fit in kids sizes as well as women's) for running when not bare, work, and everything else... BUT I have regular winter boots and need to make the switch, and I want a few more pairs of shoes for work (the waveseeker's aren't winter appropriate and the pure gloves are dying of old age). I've gone barefoot most of the time most of my life and had multiple foot surgeries as a teen, so my feet don't seem to be changing size much like everyone elses, but they have changed a bit..

Any winter boot type suggestions (preferably something that would let me run outside when there is snow out since I live on dirt roads)


How about a vivobarefoot's winter boot? There seems to be Mia, Karma, Sheep mid and Ryder. For some reason vivo's boots seem to be more narrow though..
 
I have wondered- no one local carries them, and I go back and forth on ordering without trying on at the prices I saw for the Ryder's.. but I imagine I'll wind up with a pair soon.. I have narrow heels, but wide toes... do you know if they are narrower than the Kali's are? I can wear those, but couldn't go much narrower
 
Personally I rely heavily on the Ra and Gobi from vivo for my everyday workshoes, or if I can get away with it a pair of el-x :)
Short of a wedding, the black leather Ra or Gobi will be just fine with a suit and nobody has given mine a second glance for about a year now.
these two shoes are luckily build with a wider toebox than vivos running models and truly comfy shoes.
Until I can go barefoot to a business meeting, I will be wearing the Ra.
And unlike other vivos which I have not found super durable, they still look great after a year :)