Switching to (Zero-Drop) Barefoot Minimalist Sandals
I never imagined I’d be switching to (zero-drop) barefoot minimalist sandals out of necessity. Yet, that’s exactly what the doctor ordered.
Until recently, I wore Chaco sandals half the year and a pair of boots the other half of the year. I’ve kept my footwear this simple because…
I have toe challenges that make it hard to find shoes that fit (pain-free)
I care about owning as few items as possible
the less I own, the easier it is to pack for slow travel
But I’ve reached an age where my body is talking to me through mirrors, and my posture hasn’t been looking pretty. So I’ve been using free time to catch up on self-care.
I just never imagined I’d hear a doctor tell me it was time to choose an even more minimalist shoe than I already had. And, even though I embraced this change, would my feet?
What are (Zero-Drop) Barefoot Minimalist Sandals?
Here’s how I interpret the various definitions of (zero-drop) barefoot minimalist sandals…
zero-drop sandals do not drop the toes lower than the heel (there’s nothing propping the heel up)
barefoot sandals have as little padding on the sole as possible, so one can feel the ground as naturally as possible
minimalist sandals have as little material as possible, so one can move as naturally as possible
Or, add that all together and zero-drop barefoot minimalist sandals allow one to move their feet and body in a way that we might naturally move our feet and body if we had no shoes on at all. Some consider this a healthier way to move.
How (Zero-Drop) Barefoot Minimalist Footwear Has Progressed
Years ago, I briefly tried a pair of zero-drop barefoot minimalist ankle boots. This was back when options were limited.
As much as I tried to embrace them, the available style back then didn’t really match my wardrobe or my needs. I soon donated them.
Thankfully, as I recently discovered, it’s now easier to find a wider variety of zero-drop barefoot minimalist shoes.
In fact, after scouring the internet, I chose this brand for my first minimalist sandal because this brand…
met the (medical) needs of my feet
makes most of their shoes vegan
uses hemp in some of their shoes
makes sandal straps from recycled materials
eliminates up to 70% of the materials typically used in sports sandals
offers a variety of attractive styles and colors
kindly encouraged all my feedback, including my hope that they incorporate:
natural rubber
hemp straps
My First (Zero-Drop) Barefoot Minimalist Sandals
I wanted to buy several different barefoot sandals, but I (practiced impulse control and) only bought one pair. The pair I bought seemed like the best option to get me through every summer activity, with…
vegan materials
a wide toe bed for my wide toe bed
multiple adjustment points
the thickest and grippiest sole I desired
to ease me into this barefoot sandal adventure
to help me tackle all the terrain I will encounter
a style and color that fit my wardrobe needs
can be dressed up or down (with my minimalist wardrobe)
a soft/neutral color (to match everything I wear)
Receiving My (Zero-Drop) Barefoot Minimalist Sandals
Before ordering my sandals, I asked the manufacturer a ton of questions. Their customer service was so kind and after I placed my order, the sandals arrived in less than a week.
I technically have size 9.5 feet with long toes, but a size 9 in sandals is usually perfect. Their size 9 was perfect for my feet, too.
I ordered the “dusty rose” color because it looked “light taupe” on our computer screens. When it arrived, it was what I would call lavender (not rose; not taupe).
This lavender appears soft to my eye, a bit elegant—a neutral in its own right—and it blends surprisingly well into my wardrobe. As someone who would never have thought to order lavender, it looks beautiful and I’m so happy to have this color.
I also noticed that these sandals are about one-third the size of my old Chaco sandals—and nearly weightless. My suitcase is grateful.
Wearing (Zero-Drop) Barefoot Minimalist Sandals for the First Time
When I stepped into my new zero-drop barefoot sandals for the first time (after wearing Chaco sandals for years), it was a new sensation.
A bit like an animal who wasn’t sure what it was about to step onto—or a human navigating a front stoop in the dark—I took a few funny steps before I was sure how to walk under these foreign circumstances.
Then I noticed my heels were landing first. I wondered if I’d have bruised heels at the end of the day, yet that didn’t happen.
Instead, my body adjusted to the new shoes by simply lightening its step and landing in a more balanced way. Soon, my feet felt weightless, as if I wasn’t wearing shoes at all.
I also found that I could tighten the straps for a snug fit or loosen the straps for a loose fit. Either way kept the sandals on without issue.
(I like the loose fit best because the loose fit allows easy slipping on and off without having to ever adjust the straps.)
The first time I wore my new barefoot sandals I walked about two miles. The second time I walked about six miles. The third time I walked about four miles. On hard concrete and compact ground, mixed with sharp rocks.
My boyfriend kept asking me how my feet were holding up, thinking I must be suffering, yet my feet felt great. =)
By the time I wore my zero-drop barefoot sandals a fourth time, I didn’t want to wear any other type of shoe—only zero-drop barefoot shoes.
Because after I slipped out of my new barefoot sandals that fourth time, then stepped into my old shoes, I literally felt my body lurch forward into a slouch. I can't adequately express what a shock it was to feel and see this.
Whereas, when I’m wearing my zero-drop barefoot sandals, it’s as if I’m being pulled up by a string, encouraged into better posture. I also feel muscles being worked throughout my body—in a good way—that have not been worked in a long time, if ever.
So, simply put, this new experience of wearing zero-drop barefoot minimalist sandals has…
been easier than I thought possible
been more comfortable than I thought possible
not caused heel soreness
not caused foot soreness
not caused exhaustion
Quite the opposite. I feel light and free.
An Unexpected Benefit from Wearing (Zero-Drop) Barefoot Minimalist Sandals
In addition, it appears I might be receiving one more benefit from wearing these new sandals.
I’ve had numbness throughout my body for years. The assumption is that it’s from autoimmune disorders, but nobody knows for sure.
Essentially, sensation began disappearing in my feet when I was in my twenties. It’s since disappeared elsewhere in my body, so numbness is a familiar feeling.
Yet, since switching to my new zero-drop barefoot minimalist sandals, I’ve noticed more sensation in my feet than I’ve felt in years.