In particular 2 stand out: Earth Runners and Luna Sandals. Wildlings alternatives: No one! Best barefoot sandalsĪ few companies have made their mark in the barefoot sandals space. Yes I love the style of Vivobarefoot (and other brands) unequivocally, however there really is just something special about the beauty and Japanese-inspired aesthetics Wildlings goes for. They use excellent materials, have a super comfortable feeling, and are a nice smaller company to support. Sure Vivo has great looking shoes that are very contemporary and ‘normal’ looking, but that’s not what I am going for here. They have this designer, home-made, haute-couture type look to them.

Material science, engineering, looks great.

They look excellent, feel likewise, and tbh you will be hard-pressed to find a more capable performance shoe. As a barefoot shoe for the gym, cardio, training, sprinting, running, etc there’s nothing better. Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III take the cake. Like putting cheap ties on your car – it’s fine for light/daily stuff, but not for pushing any limits or consistent high output. To add to that, these are shoes aimed towards activities and athletics. To add to that, there’s a lot of inconsistency in sizing between models. Still, they’re pretty decent for the price but expect them to wear out quicker. Quality control is meh, the toe-box is known to be tight, and in the long run you’ll be happier with a company that cares.

You’re far better off saving up and getting something better. I don’t recommend these unless budget is really tight. While Xero shoes are around $90-$130 to Vivos’ $120-$180, you can get barefoot shoes on Amazon for about $35-$50. Imitation ‘Vibram’ sole, odd design Key features: Vivobarefoot Primus Trail II FG alternatives: Tracker Decon Low, Xero Terraflex II, Freet Feldom, Groundies All-Terrain Just a pleasure to use through and through. Just enough tread to grip everything but without removing that barefoot sensation. They can fit almost any situation and excel. They’re simply the most versatile shoes ever made in my opinion. Nothing has dethroned them yet and to me they’re worth every penny! I usually find them on sale for 30-50% off which makes them a whole bunch more affordable. The Primus Trails have been on my feet for 80% of any sport, activity, adventure, and experience I’ve had in the last 4 yrs. I use them for soccer, climbing, music festivals, going out, hitting the trails on my janky custom mountain bike, literally anything you can think of. Lightweight, comfortable, durable, grippy, stylish, athletic.

Up countless mountains, down for many parties!

Barefoot trail running shoes