Xero Shoes Ridgeway Mesh Low review

Updated 17 September 2026. I was more positive about the Ridgeway Mesh Low when I first reviewed it. I accepted the sole abrasion as normal wear and was more forgiving of the stiffness. Having worn more shoes, including the Freet Danum, my standards have changed. This is my revised judgement of the same pair, not a new long-term test.

Would I buy the Ridgeway now?

Not at £135. The sole is stiff enough to limit barefoot feel, the collar/counter can press into my ankle, and the mesh feels surprisingly warm after a couple of hours. The side mesh has also started to crack. For my own mix of walking, work and everyday wear, I would buy the £85 Freet Danum instead.

Pros and Cons

At around half price, I would consider the Ridgeway. It could suit someone trying barefoot-style footwear for the first time who wants a wide toe box and a more conventional hiking-shoe feel. That is a possible use case, not a reason to overlook ankle pressure or an uncomfortable fit.

Fit, comfort and barefoot feel

My usual UK 9 fitted as expected, with room for my toes to spread and no heel slip. That part of the fit worked. The tongue is attached on one side, which takes a little adjustment when putting the shoe on.

The problem is farther back: the relatively high collar/counter can press or jab into my ankle. The sole is also very stiff for a barefoot shoe. My original description of its flexibility as “top-notch” was too generous. I can feel some of the ground, but the stiffness gets in the way of the movement and feedback I now expect.

The TrailFoam cushioning does not make the sole flexible. In my use, the sole resisted bending while the outsole abraded faster than I now consider acceptable.

The mesh is warmer than I expected

I would no longer describe the ventilation as good after wearing them during the summer. Despite the mesh upper, the shoe can feel really warm after a couple of hours of wear. A mesh panel is not, by itself, evidence that a shoe will keep my feet cool.

It is not waterproof either. In my original testing it handled light rain and morning dew reasonably well, but water got in during heavier rain and stream crossings. I would not buy it as a wet-weather shoe.

Grip: better dry than wet

The FeelTrue rubber outsole gave me good grip on dry paths and rocky ground. On wet rocks and slick mud, I noticed slippage. That distinction matters more than the aggressive appearance of the tread.

Wear: what I accepted then, and would not now

My original review covered more than 300 miles and described the wear as minimal. Looking back, that was too generous. The early sole wear was abrasion rather than a sudden failure, so I accepted it as normal at the time. I now think it wore faster than it should have.

Even around the 100-mile mark, I remember the Ridgeway showing more sole wear than the Danum has at a similar milestone. These were separate periods of use, not a controlled test on identical routes, but it is part of why my judgement has changed.

The side mesh has also started to crack. That is a separate problem from the abrasion underfoot.

I have kept durability at 3.5/5. The pair has had substantial use, but “minimal wear” no longer describes my assessment honestly. I would not use the Danum’s shorter test period to promise it will last longer, either.

Everyday wear and the Danum alternative

I have worn the Ridgeway around town as well as on trails. It can cover both uses, but I much prefer the Danum’s clean knitted silhouette. The Ridgeway’s layers and overlays look busy beside it. I have left style/design at 4.0/5: I prefer the Danum, but that does not make the Ridgeway’s appearance a fault for everyone.

I’d now buy
the Danum instead.

At £135, the Ridgeway is hard to recommend. The £85 Danum is more comfortable for my everyday use, gives me more of the barefoot feel I want and looks better to me.

In use	Danum	Ridgeway Mesh Low
Comfort	Comfortable through 8–10 hour shifts	The collar/counter can press into my ankle
Ground feel	Flexible sole; strong ground feel	A stiff sole that limits barefoot feel
Airflow	Open knit; I could feel air moving through it	Surprisingly warm after a couple of hours
Wear	No durability problems after roughly 100 miles	More sole abrasion around 100 miles. Side mesh has also cracked.

Swipe to see the full table →

I much prefer the Danum’s clean knitted silhouette to the Ridgeway’s busy hiking-shoe look. For long shifts, town and evenings out, I would keep the £50.

I would consider the Ridgeway at around half price, particularly as a first step away from conventional shoes. At £135, it is not the one I would buy. Neither shoe is waterproof.

Read my Freet Danum review

UK listed prices checked 16 September 2026: Freet £85 · Xero £135. Prices may change. Wear comparison is based on my experience of each pair, not a controlled durability test.

My revised scores (17 september 2026)

Overall: 3.5/5. The Ridgeway still has a use, especially at a deep discount, but it is not a shoe I would buy at the current £135 UK price. My overall rating is a judgement of the whole shoe, not an automatically calculated average.

• Barefoot comfort: 3.5/5. Not very roomy at the front and the stiff sole, ankle pressure and warmth hold it back.
• Value for money: 3.0/5. I would consider it around half price (Xero does discounts sometimes). At £135, I would buy the Danum and keep £50.
• Style/design: 4.0/5. Still wearable casually, although I much prefer the Danum’s simpler silhouette.
• Durability: 3.5/5. Substantial use, but faster sole abrasion than I now consider acceptable and cracking in the side mesh.

This update lowers barefoot comfort from 4.0 to 3.5, value from 4.0 to 3.0, and overall from 3.9 to 3.5. Style and durability are unchanged. The older score list in the article did not match the rating panel; the figures above now agree with it.

Product details and current UK price

• UK listed price: £135, checked 16 September 2026. This is not a sale-price recommendation.
• Upper: Mesh with synthetic overlays and a protective toe guard.
• Underfoot: Zero drop, FeelTrue rubber outsole and TrailFoam cushioning.
• Sole and insole: Xero’s current UK listing specifies a 13mm sole and a 3mm insole. These are manufacturer figures, not my measurements; they replace the conflicting thickness figures in the original article.
• Waterproof: No.

Check the Ridgeway Mesh Low price and sizes at Xero

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