Your feet contain 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. They're engineering marvels, designed to absorb shock, provide balance, and propel you forward with maximum efficiency.

But here's what most people don't realize:

‍Conventional shoes, with their elevated heels, rigid soles, and narrow toe boxes, literally prevent your feet from doing what they were designed to do.

Think about it. You wouldn't put your hand in a cast for 8-12 hours a day and expect it to stay strong. Yet that's exactly what happens when you force your feet into conventional shoes day after day, year after year.

But now there's a new type of footwear that's changing everything. Shoes that actually work with your feet instead of against them.

They're called barefoot shoes (also known as minimalist shoes or zero-drop shoes).And they're based on a simple principle: Your feet don't need more support. They need freedom.

And so, we've embarked on testing almost every pair of barefoot shoes on the market.

We've encountered every scenario you can think of with barefoot shoes, low quality material falling apart, looking like a clown, and more.

We've spent over 6 months testing 47 different barefoot shoe brands. We've walked hundreds of miles. We've analyzed customer reviews from over 15,000 buyers. We've consulted with podiatrists and biomechanics experts.

‍Here are the 6 barefoot shoes that consistently deliver the best combination of aesthetics, comfort, durability, and natural foot function:

At the bottom of this page you can read our full review on our #1 rated pair.