Into the Wild With (Zero-Drop) Barefoot Minimalist Shoes

As soon as I decided to head into the wild for an extended adventure, it was clear I’d need a new pair of (zero-drop) barefoot minimalist shoes to get me there.

My two pairs of shoes (sandals and boots) would not be a good fit for rigorous all-around outdoor needs.

This extreme minimalist needed to buy a third pair of shoes.

With all the unknowns still happening in the world, it was easy to choose the outdoors as my next slow travel adventure. But I hadn't seen the rugged outdoors in quite a while.

I’d be walking, hiking, biking, and in water. All of these activities could happen daily.

Ideally, I wanted my third pair of shoes to tackle all of these activities, so I’d not need to carry any other shoes with me each day.

After a lot of research, I bought the shoes in the photo above—from the same zero-drop shoe brand that sold me my barefoot sandals.

Even though these shoes are technically marketed as water shoes, they appeared soft, practical, and flexible enough for all my walking, hiking, biking, and water needs.

I was reasonably sure these (zero-drop) barefoot minimalist shoes would work beautifully as four shoes in one.

What are (Zero-Drop) Barefoot Minimalist Shoes?

Here’s how I’ve come to define (zero-drop) barefoot minimalist shoes for myself, based on what I’ve read and what I’ve experienced…

  • zero-drop shoes ensure my toes sit level with my heel—my toes don’t drop lower than my heels; nothing props my heel up (my heels don’t lurch my body forward)

  • barefoot shoes have less padding in the soles, so I can feel the ground more naturally (I’ve come to enjoy this; my toes seek out this opportunity to grip)

  • minimalist shoes have as little bulk as possible, so I can move my feet and body more naturally (I can also pack my shoes much more compactly)

Thus, (zero-drop) barefoot minimalist shoes allow me to move my feet and body more like I would if I didn’t have shoes on—closer to how I might walk if barefoot.

Choosing (Zero-Drop) Barefoot Minimalist Shoes

I initially considered buying minimalist shoes that were built for walking or hiking, thinking I might carry my current sandals to handle the water crossings.

However, I knew I would dislike carrying an extra pair of shoes for all the moments that I would encounter water.

Plus, truth be told, I love my sandals so much—and they double as my “dressier” shoes—that it didn’t make sense to wear them out in the wild when I still needed them in town.

So I browsed the web, then settled on the shoe brand that sold me my sandals, as I knew this brand could offer me the following…

  • vegan, recycled, and hemp materials

  • flexible and lightweight shoes

  • wide toe bed, so my toes could move freely

  • easy adjustment points to allow both loose and snug fit

  • grippy soles

  • colors that fit my wardrobe (neutrals, with little pops of brightness)

After I found the shoes online, I biked to the nearest REI store to try them on. REI didn’t have the size I needed, but trying on various sizes verified my thoughts.

I technically have size 9.5 feet with long toes. After reading the reviews and trying the samples at REI, it appeared a size 10.5 in these closed-toed shoes would be perfect.

At REI, I also saw that these water shoes were much softer and more flexible than they appeared online (I thought they looked rubbery online—they’re not, they’re cloth mesh).

Due to loss of sensation, I can’t always tell if my toes are touching the end or top of my shoes, so soft-sided/soft-toed shoes help prevent internal toe damage with each step.

But would these soft shoes protect my toes and feet from any hard hits that I might experience on the trail? This, I would have to test.

The Sustainability of (Zero-Drop) Barefoot Minimalist Shoes

These all-around outdoor shoes meet the special medical needs of my feet by fitting properly around my toes and feet. These shoes can sustain my foot health.

With vegan, recycled, and hemp materials—and eliminating about 70% of the materials often found in shoes—I find this brand more sustainable for our climate.

I find these shoes easily washable, and they’ve remained in beautiful shape after a lot of outdoor adventure. Products that last longer are more sustainable for our earth.

This brand also encourages my feedback, including my requests to incorporate natural rubber, more hemp, and any other sustainable materials possible.

From what I’ve read, this brand appears to have more sustainable goals. Still relatively new, they seem to be moving as swiftly as they can toward that.

Like autos, even if we have an electric or hybrid, we still need tires to get us safely where we need to go. Let’s make those tires more sustainable—as soon as possible.

Receiving (Zero-Drop) Barefoot Minimalist Shoes

After placing my order online, these shoes arrived in less than a week.

I ordered the “steel gray/sapphire” color because that looked like the lightest and most neutral color that would go best with my wardrobe. I thought they’d blend in.

I initially hoped to order a lighter “beige/taupe” color, and I would love to see this offered, but I’m delighted with the color I received, too. I love them.

The steel gray and sapphire appear grounding to my eye, and these colors do seem to blend in with everything I wear.

Upon receipt, I couldn’t believe how light and weightless these closed-toe shoes felt—and how compactly they packed into my suitcase.

I also thought these shoes looked much cuter in person than they appeared online.

Wearing (Zero-Drop) Barefoot Minimalist Shoes

Having already experienced the ease of wearing (zero-drop) sandals, I thought these new (zero-drop) all-around outdoor shoes would require little to no adjustment time.

I thought they would offer plenty of space to move my toes freely, plenty of ventilation, and that they would likely feel as comfortable as my minimalist sandals.

I anticipated wearing them sock-free most of the time. However, I’ve found that I love wearing little gray socks with them, except when walking through water.

Worn primarily in arid, dusty, and rocky environments, I like that the socks help keep dry dirt particles from entering through the ventilation holes (when not in water).

I also love the bungee laces I never have to tie. I can tighten them for a snug fit or loosen them for a loose fit. Either way, I can easily slip these shoes on and off.

I like a loose fit while walking and biking. I like a snug fit while hiking and in the water. No matter what, the shoes stay on.

And their zero-drop soles help me feel like I’m being pulled straight up, so I don’t lurch forward and slump my back. These shoes visibly help improve my posture.

Muscles throughout my body also feel like they are being gently worked, walking on a zero-drop barefoot sole. I love the steadiness I feel as my toes and feet grip the ground.

In addition, the few hard hits I’ve experienced so far in these new soft shoes—stubbing large roots and boulders—have not caused any injuries to my toes.

So, even though my new shoes are technically marketed as water shoes, and they’re super soft and lightweight, they have met my all-around outdoor needs.

Here are a few of the places they’ve taken me so far…

In fact, people in mountain towns have been stopping me to ask about these outdoor adventure shoes that look so comfortable, light, and flexible.

extreme minimalismKristenzero-drop shoes, barefoot shoes, minimalist shoesComment