Barefoot Shoe Basics: a Great Video for Beginners
This is a twelve-minute video by Strength Side, a fitness and mobility channel, covering why barefoot shoes are worth trying, how to transition, and which brands they actually wore over several years. If you are new to barefoot shoes and want a single video that walks through the main arguments and names real models, this is a solid pick. It was published in February 2023, so treat every price and shipping detail as what the video said then, not what holds today.
What the video actually argues
Modern shoes as “comfort machines”
The core claim is that conventional shoes, with their “big old heels,” piles of support, and “narrow toes at the end,” leave your feet stiff and weak over time. The video calls them “comfort machines” and argues that a minimal shoe lets your feet work the way they were designed to. If you have spent years in cushioned trainers, the first few days in a flat, wide shoe will feel worse, not better. That part is honest and worth hearing before you buy.
The transition phase matters
The video is clear that rushing the switch causes injuries: “there needs to be a transition phase.” The advice is to spend more of your day barefoot or in minimal shoes and avoid running long distances in them straight away. If you want a structured approach to this, our transition guide goes deeper than the video does.
It depends on your lifestyle
The video wraps its brand comparisons with “it really just depends on your lifestyle and what you’re valuing.” That is the honest answer. Some of the shoes reviewed are gym shoes, some are winter boots, some are canvas flats you can thrash and replace. There is no single best barefoot shoe, and the video does not pretend there is. Our guide to choosing a pair covers the same idea with UK stock in mind.
Shoes covered in the video
Xero Shoes
Xero gets the most screen time. The video praises the variety: the Prio for a slightly more substantial feel when running, the HFS for an ultra-light barefoot sensation, the Forza Trainer for the gym, and winter boots the host calls “the best.” At the time of filming, the Prio was $89.99, which the video notes is cheap by barefoot standards. US shipping was quick and affordable. The honest negative: “they don’t look that cool.” If you are buying Xero in the UK, sizing can be tricky, so check that before ordering from the UK men’s collection.
Vivobarefoot
The video likes how Vivobarefoot shoes look and how minimal they feel: “it’s like wearing a thicker sock almost.” The negatives are specific, though. The pair shown was over $200, US shipping was slow and expensive, and durability was a problem: “I actually wear through these pretty quickly if I’m gonna wear them to hike or train in.” The host treated them more like dress shoes than training shoes. Vivobarefoot ships from Europe, so UK buyers do not have the same shipping problem.
Lems
Lems, a Boulder, Colorado company, gets genuine enthusiasm. The Primal 2 became “maybe our favorite shoe” because it combines a very lightweight, flexible upper with a sole that has more substance and is “really grippy,” and “if we’re doing something with more impact, say running or jumping, this still feels really comfortable.” On price, the video puts Lems between Vivobarefoot and Xero. The Boulder Boot is waterproof leather, good for going out. One caveat the video flags: the Zen Primal “actually has a bit of a heel on it and it’s not as minimalist as some of these other shoes.” Lems is a US brand, so factor in international shipping if you are buying from the UK.
Feiyue
The budget pick. Feiyue was, at the time of filming, a $30 canvas martial arts shoe. The host says he has gone through “like 10” pairs because he trains hard in them and does not mind wearing them out. They look a bit like Converse. The biggest drawback: “they don’t have a wide toe box,” which starts to make his pinky toe “feel really uncomfortable” after a long day, precisely because he has worn so many minimalist shoes. The branding is inconsistent too. One pair arrived with “Ninja” printed on the side instead of the actual brand name.
Other brands mentioned
The video gives shorter mentions to several other brands. Merrell’s Vapor is called inexpensive and super minimal (“you really feel every single rock”), but shares Feiyue’s narrow toe box problem. Altra gets credit for a “super wide” and “pretty flat” shape that still has “a good amount of cushion” for trail running and hiking; the host wore them while recovering from an ankle injury. Strike Movement is the parkour pick, stiffer with a very low heel lift and a “wide-ish toe box.” For sandals, the video names Earth Runners (“they probably look the best”), Shamma, and Xero’s budget sandals. It also acknowledges Vibram FiveFingers as a barefoot classic, though the host admits he has not worn them because he finds them too nerdy. If you are interested in Xero sandals specifically, we have a Genesis sandals review with UK sizing notes.
What the video gets wrong or leaves out
This is an American video made by Americans, and it shows. The shipping comparisons are US-centric. The cheap pick, Feiyue, is easy to find stateside but awkward to source in the UK with consistent quality. If you want a genuinely cheap barefoot shoe that ships from UK stock, the Freet Mooch is a better starting point, and we have a full list of affordable barefoot shoes available in the UK.
The video also skips any mention of foot measurement, width fitting, or how sizing varies between brands. For a video titled around choosing the right shoe, that is a real gap. And while the “spoiler alert, they’re all pretty good” framing is entertaining, it means nobody watching comes away knowing which shoe to avoid for their particular use case. Every shoe gets a positive spin, even the ones with clear problems.
