Working super long days at events a decade ago are what converted me, very much how you explained. I tried my Merrell barefoot style back then for a week onsite and my back (which was always a problem like you related) didn't hurt at end of the day. My feet were definitely more tired but they didn't hurt as much cumulatively over the course of the gig. I never looked back.

I burned through my Hana shoes in 9 months (2000 miles) and they very quickly replaced them. Great customer service and absolutely love their shoes. The ground feel is so much better in xero than in vivos. Just my opinion

Great review. I figured they added the gray colored option as per suggestion of your previous review. As for your achilles tightness, i see that your running with very sharp form, but when you're landing on your forefoot, you aren't relaxing your foot to allow your heel to touch and recoil from the ground (dorsiflexion/windlass mechanism). I think that rigid foot landing may very well be what is causing the achilles strain. Happy New Year!

Of all the barefoot shoes I've tried, I have to say XeroShoes soles hold up the best imo. I used to wear Merrels and go trough a pair about every 6-9 months (wearing them a lot, hikes, gym, everyday wear...). Nice design, extremely groundy feeling, not overly pricey, but the wear was noticeable very quickly (even though they were vibram soles). Then I got a good deal on a pair of Leguanos, those lasted longer but that was probably on account of their soles being a lot thicker to begin with. The wear is very noticeable but the sole has a few mm's to go yet. Still, nice shoe, their retail prices are horrendous though. Then I got a XeroShoes sandals because, well, I wanted a barefoot sandal. And man, even though it's just a "flimsy" sandal, it has probably outperformed all of my Merrels already. I have had them for over a year (wear them constantly in summer) and there is little to no noticeable wear on the soles. Bought some winter boots since then, same story. I'm sold on XeroShoes (and the fact they offer decent clearance sales on their website, because I still think barefoot shoes are a bit steep).

Xero tweeted this video. Checked out some of your others, and now you got yourself a new subscriber!

Great video! I've been wearing Xeros HFS shoes since 2020. Running in them does take some time and work to properly transition. I tried to make the transition 3 different times and it didn't work out. But for some reason, it just worked this year. I'm up to around 35 miles per week, all in my Xeros. Everything feels great. I did notice one thing when observing your form. It looks like you're not allowing your heel to hit the ground at all. Maybe I'm just not seeing it, but that's what it looks like. I did the same thing and it was killing my calves and achilles. You definitely don't want to be heel striking or slamming your heels down, but I think you can afford to relax a little and let them gently hit the ground. That's what I've done and my calves feel so much better. Anyway, thanks for the great video! All the best with your training and barefoot running!

Can’t say that Xero shoes have done miracles, as I have done a lot of physical therapy for my bad knee during the same time span that I have been wearing the shoes. However, I am now playing pickleball in my Xero shoes after six months of layoff due to the bad knee. I love the shoes and the changes I have made since purchasing them.

These videos are incredibly high quality and in depth. I expect your channel to blow up in the near future. Good work!

Great long term review. Love the concept of minimal sole shoes. Used to love the Nike Free shoes for training and walking around. Body definitely adjusts to feet being closer to ground, proprioception gets better. 👍🏽👏🏽

Thanks for the video and thanks for being honest and not putting the blame on the shoes. Yeah actually technique is very important. I can see that at 5:35 when jogging, you have a proper heel strike. When sprinting, you actually do not touch the ground with the heel, for posterior chain recovery, so that is of course putting pressure on the back of the leg, including Achilles tendon. The mixture of this two is a great recipe for disaster. Straining the tendon, then hammering to the ground. Anyway, you recognised it and I hope that you worked on it since. Take care and run well !!!

True story. I'm in transition right now. My weekly milage is 10 right now. However, no more knee swelling, throbbing, nor pain. Also, as I'm learning how to transition to using my hamstrings and glutes to take more of the impact and drive my stride from my foot strike, my calves are not so sore/ tight.

They actually just had a fall sale and I bought the grey pair of HFS for 72 bucks. The closer the sale was to ending, the cheaper they were depending on the color. I liked them so much, I bought a black pair for 62 bucks. I haven't ran in them, but I love using them when I'm at the gym or walking. I run in some whitin trail running shoes from Amazon. Those were my first pair of barefoot shoes and were more budget friendly(around 45 bucks). I think I'm going to commit to the lifestyle change and get rid of all my air maxs and Jordans. I also have no more back pain. I wish my toes would splay more, but hopefully that will come with time. I encourage everyone to try at least one pair of barefoot shoes. I know they don't make a lot of good looking shoes, but the comfort and relief I feel makes it worth it. I don't want to be in a wheel chair or use a cane when I'm older so I prioritize longevity. Great video and you've earned a subscriber! Solid review.

For calf tightness and Achilles pain I recommend stretching on a slant board. I will sometimes just stand on it for a few minutes while I’m watch tv or do computer work. Has really helped me loosen up.

Great recommendation on the video research. The video behind exercising health is one of the best I've seen.

Most underrated channel on KZfaq, love the content! Keep it up!

Great video, I just ordered a pair of the Dillon for every day wear as I want to start with something to walk in every day before I incorporate it into running. Thanks for all the great info!

Thank you. You've helped me with your clear, honest, add informative format.

I spent several years in Nike Free before New Balance/Vibram. I also had access to dedicated asphalt running trails as well as dirt and gravel trails. When I tried Xero it wasn't such an extreme transition. I think I do not run as fast in minimalist shoes; however, I have more awareness in minimalist shoes. I do occasionally return to traditional running shoes especially if I have to take more than a week off.

Hey Thanks for the great review! I myself own a pair of xero prios for both running and casual, but the durabillity on those hasn't been as good unfortunately (granted that I've been wearing them every day for 8 months including marathon training :) ). If I may I would like to give one tip on your running. In your running clips I see that your heel never touches the ground. If you relax a bit more and let your heel touch the ground you put a lot less force on your calves. You're body will always make sure that you don't hit your heel into the ground too hard, so that might be something worth to experiment with.

I have the grey/white ones and often hear people saying how cool they look. You’re spot on in terms of walking with them. They’re easily my favorite walking/daily wear shoes of all time. I keep saying they’re basically a really comfortable sock with a little padding. Great review!!! I’ll be making my own review of these soon also 👍🏻👍🏻

i'll just say quickly that you nailed it regarding these shoes' use for running: you need to know what you're doing. these are full on minimalist shoes and as such could destroy your body if you are not ready to go full minimalist. i know, it took me 5 yrs to transition from nike air max, which caused me to be a heel striker and ruin my back, to this shoe. but for minimalist running this is one of the very best. the transition time was, as you say, strengthen my calves and achilles tendon...plus to strengthen my feet, which got beat up because i run on asphalt and concrete in the city. i used a great transition shoe, the newton distance, but at a certain point those have too much sole protection so that you cannot feel the ground as much, thus causing harder impacts than you'd do in a thin soled shoe. plus they had a 2mm drop, which caused me to touch my heel more than i wanted, and added some to the impact. i used these for most of my 5yrs of transitioning, and when my back started to hurt from the pounding even in these, i decided it must be time for a true minimalist shoe because i was becoming so used to the newtons that my impact was increasing and hurting my back. after one run in the HFS my back pain significantly lessened. after 2 runs, it was mostly gone. i was told i'd need surgery and to never run again years ago, but instead i changed my lifestyle, including losing the heel striker nike air max shoes, and today in the HFS i run 3 times a week for 65min straight on concrete and asphalt. it wasn't until i began pounding too hard in the newtons that i knew i should go to full minimalist shoes. even tho i had injuries years back from going to them too quickly, i knew that by now my legs could handle it and i was right. the point of this long story is that when you suggest you need to know what you are doing to run in these, that's an understatement. more than brain learning, your body needs to be ready and strong enough to be a front foot runner. there is no way to run in these and heel strike. for tennis and other uses, you will not need to be as careful or physically prepared as when you run. good videos on this shoe.

I just put 6000 miles on my first pair of Xero Mesa trail shoe. I could send them back for a great discount, however, I very attached to them and they are now for mowing the lawn. I've worn nothing but the Xero since I bought those Mesa's five years ago. Live in the Genesis sandal all summer and trail run in it. I own about everything they have. The only I don't like is the TerraFlex II as it is not minimalist/barefoot enough for me. The Speed Force is great for all day wear, like socks. I can't pick a favorite. They have some great new colors now, too.

I replaced all of my shoes with zero shoes. Before the price hike. I got 14 pairs for 600 on black Friday 2020. Definitely worth the money.

really interesting to see your footage of running in them. Yes fore foot can be a good way to run, but the best advice i had was to still let the heel "kiss" the ground. From the clip i see your heel quite elevated, so not surprising your experienced some tight calves and achillies. I would aim to run in them allowing the heel to "kiss" and you should be more relaxed while running. Good luck!

Fantastic video. Appreciate the follow-up and additional videos on running form and gait.

Hi Curt. Great video! Sounds like chi running (Danny Dreyer) and barefoot running shoes are a match made in heaven. Good luck running injury free.

Hey Curt, ever considered reviewing inov-8 BARE-XF 210 V3? Heard great things about them for cross training. Also heard good things about xoskin toe socks. Would love to see you review those. Funny how it comes around, came across your channel because of your bare fitness program review and always smiled seeing your comments on every workout of his bodyweight program. Stumbled upon it again now that I’m looking towards barefoot shoes. Love your channel, great in depth reviews. Earned a follow from me. Keep up the good work! Other users are also right about the running technique. Try to lend on the middle of the foot with the heel barely touching the ground and then explode. Used to run like your are and my calves were always smoked, not sustainable long term. Cheers!

Interesting an excellent video. And again I’m finding what you said in this video to fit my form. When I am just in socks and running around the house my heel barely touches the ground I naturally run foot forward. So like in my last review maybe that’s why these shoes are just perfect for me. I’m a little older now so I don’t run as much but when I do my heels barely touch the ground. I love them. Thank you

Great review! Such a huge number of minimal shoes now popping up that even look good :-)

thanks for the video, it looked to me like you could increase your cadence and maybe shorten your stride a bit to take advantage of the natural elastic recoil and spring effect. if you have access to to a nice concrete path try barefoot to perfect your technique

Great followup review! I just purchased the Xero Prio and they were too snug up front on the big toe so I've made an exchange on Zappos for a 1/2 size larger. I've been walking and doing short runs in flatter shoes in preparation for my first run in the new Xero Prios. I'll most likely do a couple long walks before my first run.

I've noticed while you're running your heel never touches the ground. And that puts a lot of excess strain on the calf. Granted this was a year ago so I'd be curious to hear how you're doing now! But just in case you're still having calf problems, try letting your heel "kiss" the ground as you run so your calves don't have to do ALL the work. Great video! Thank you!

Yep, it's amazing how just a few millimeters of heel-toe offset can make a difference. It can take months to acclimate from a shoe that's 8-10 mm to 3-4mm. Going straight to zero mm is a very bad idea. Glad it's all worked out for you!

Great video enjoyed it nice and informal! Definitely worth a like

Have a pair Ive been training with for 3 months. Immediate thing I notice is that my left knee pain is gone because I can splay my toes with squatting, deadlifting and running. Also my toes splay out more, my left toes used to look squished together because of all the basketball shoes I played with

I had issue with glueing: peeling soles. But it was very small, maybe just because I have used washmachine. Fixed in local service for 5EUR 😊 I really like the feeling of the ground while walking. To run with them it was just too hard for me (tried onle 1 time) 🙂

I’ve bought a few pairs of these zero shoes and walk in them all day in a warehouse. Other than the occasional soreness I feel after a lot of walking I love them. I’d love to hear more suggestions for zero shoes or other brands of barefoot shoes.

Coming from a person who has suffered with plantar fasciitis in the past before using arch support inserts or shoes I’m quite incredulous with purchasing a shoe like this? So agree that there needs to be a process of working into using these so that my plantar fasciitis doesn’t return! Definitely would take a ton of stretching gastrocnemius/Soleus muscles religiously! Foot strengthening/balance activities as well!

Interesting that you like them for walking. They’re my go to running shoe but my feet feel pretty tender in them compared to sandals for walking

Hey! Great video thanks! I've been looking into purchasing my first pair of barefoot shoes, but also noticed in your most recent videos you're still reviewing "normal" shoes, have your views on barefoot shoes changed since you made this video, or do you still like to wear barefoot shoes in some situations? Anyways keep up the good work sir!

Hi mate great video, I noticed others pointed out to let your heel kiss the ground when running and that is correct. There's a video on here of an elite African runner Moses Mosop running if you search his name he wears minimal shoes and grew up running barefoot, it helped me run a lot better so check it out and thanks for the review.

Hey Curt, extremely helpful, appreciate the research and insight! I've heard about these type of shoes before, but with the help of your research and reviews, I'm going to jump in and grab a pair of HFS shoes. My usual approach to when getting new running shoes is to immediately upgrade the shoe inserts. It doesn't sound like that would be necessary here, but wanted to get your thoughts. Thanks again!

i love this review, amazingly done

Keep in mind running on dirt and sand is very different due to traction and durability

Great resource. Many thanks

Thanks! Very helpful.

I watch the shark tank episode, only Kevin made an offer for 50% of the company. The rest dropped out and several said that they could have the same product make in less than a month. Thats not taking away from their products performance.

I like the Speed Force slightly better for walking, but the HFS is super comfy. Might try Knee Over Toes Guy work to mitigate the feet, ankle, calf issues

I found it took about a year and a half for my calf muscles to get used to zero drop shoes.

Great video. I enjoyed it. I just started wearing my Prio and this is day two for me at work wearing them. One key thing to help adjusting would be to do a good hour or so per week of workouts exclusively for calves. Prior to starting to wear these shoes, I had started developing plantar fasciitis in my right foot and one night i took my time and trained calves, kept massaging calves and feet inbetween sets, and the following day, all the sharp pain upon first getting up was gone, and the pain dropped below 5-10% by that point. So my pain did mostly subside prior to starting to wear the Xero Prio. That being said, i already love the room these shoes give me and the flexibility and thinness of the sole is great.. I definitely feel more feedback from the hard pavement which i feel i could get used to actually.. and although my symptoms subsided before these shoes arrived, my feet dont start cramping up when im halfway through my shift like they usually do in my Vans skate sk8 hi.. so i am already impressed with Xero. I ordered the HFS when they were on sale for July 4th sale while listening to an insightful discussion of the owner, because that’s how impressed i was, even before trying out the shoes

i ordered some xero shoes yesterday, the shipping cost is 4.99$ in continental US

None of the investors wanted in excluding Kevin who didn't take their initial offer of 8% for 400k and countered 50% for 400k. Thats why they declined. I understand this is an old video, I hope you've done better research now.

Brilliant review! Thank you. Do you think HFS's would work well with tai chi on grass, carpet, wood surfaces? Have had flat feet and orthotics for years. Recently tried tai chi bare foot, which is so much better, my feet are strengthening, knees better, etc., but want some protection.

Your right [and to a lesser extent, your left] foot is on tip toes - important to stop this. Do 200m bare foot on a track, then the same with shoes on. Rinse, repeat these sets until the motions are very similar. You will find that when you are bare foot, you won't dare to go onto tip toes - you will run almost flat footed with a very very slight initial touch down using your forefoot but it will look imperceptible, but in bare foot, you will notice it. With barefoot shoes on, you do not notice this very subtle initial landing, which is why people exaggerate the motion by going onto tip toes. This is wrong and dangerous. Let your bare foot gait be your guide to the correct technique, hence alternating sets in quick succession. Remember that the floor and your bare feet is the best teacher.

Great review. I still prefer vivos over xeros. I really like how you perform longterm reviews. I am getting close to wearing out a pair of xeros soles, so I will let you know how the process goes. In the past dealing with them, their customer service has always been excellent.

Great content, thank you for sharing! How are these on wet roads during a rain, are they slippery at all? I'm trying to find an alternate shoe when it's raining, my Prio's are too slippery when the road is wet

Do you prefer these or the Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III for every day casual use? I have the Primus Lites for the gym but I wanted something I could wear outside for every day use, with the occasional outdoor run with the dog, and these seem perfect. Or am I better off just taking the Primus lites outside and getting another pair when they’re destroyed?

Not happy with delivery and customer service. Ordered them 8 days ago and haven’t heard a word on when they will ship. They haven’t answered my inquiries about it either.

Grey shoes now - they do listen to you!

i enjoyed your video. The background music is very distracting. I wish i could sit through the whole video and learn.

funky colors is a pro.

Hi, which one would you choose if you have to choose only one? Xero or Vivo? Thanks ahead.

Hey man, but you can't run on tippy toes!! That's not the way, you'll get hurt.. at some point the whole foot has to have contact with ground. It's about how you get to that position. ... When it comes educating oneself on running form I haven't seen anybody better than coach Lee Saxby. ... great video btw

It’s like running in track spikes

How does the width of the toe box compare with your vivo's? I also have a pair of Primus Lite II and was considering getting a pair of Xeros.

I am a CNA so I am on my feet for 8-12 hours a day. I am new to barefoot shoes, but I am tired of all of the bulky shoes. I have a thin foot, but then my feet widen substantially in the toe area. I feel my feet straining to expand and grip. I am wondering if these shoes would perform well for me while I work. They need to be a shoe that won't let me slip and slide on a wet tile floor or I can't use them. I deal with a lot of water and random fluids at work.

can you do a video on your suplimintation as well as your recomendations?

Hey bro , xero shoe good for golf?

Only Kevin O’Leary wanted to buy into Xero, but he wanted to take 50% of the business

Nice review! Check out Pose Running for better barefoot technique. Makes the change much easier

The color options are really bad on their entire line so I'm hoping they can improve on that.

I would recommend you take it a step further and literally walk Toe to Heel in your home.

The tongue of shoe is too long and/or stiff. It hits against the top of my foot. The tongue needs to be shorter or softer material.

Nice job making reviews that go beyond the unboxing and first mile run. I've only just begun transitioning to barefoot shoes but I did notice in your running examples that you only run on your forefoot, your heel hardly touches the ground. Maybe that's intentional, and it is good for sprinting, but it puts tremendous strain on your calves and is not efficient for longer runs. Footstrike technique is probably very individual, but I found this video a great starter to find a way that works best for me: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pbuFl7yYrdzaZ2Q.html I hope it helps some.

When I started out running i Vivos I used to do (and is still doing) squats. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/psWYa5SGltXZYWQ.html He also have a video i calls flexi feets: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/nJ6GfNlhqKrPZac.html (Sorry the text is in Danish, but still worth watching.)

You are toe-running and are likely to injure yourself. Try midfoot or forefootrunning instead.

Ummm…imma pass.

Most (all ) of the viewers will not remember “Earth Shoes”. They literally ruined your posture, back, and feet. Now, decades later they have returned. These suck. Do not waste your money.

Xeros are some of the WORST barefoot shoes in terms of quality (can be subjective) and are objectively THE worst in terms of foot shape and toe-box width. WAY too narrow in the toes. Even Vivos (which also run on the narrow side) are a little wider. Better brands are: Freet, Vibram FiveFingers, Belenka, Ahinsa, Topo Athletic.

Great information, thanks. I am 74 and dont run do to a disability but I do walk 12-14,000 steps a day. How would you rate these for that much walking. I walk barefoot in the house most of the day and only put shoes on to go outside which at my age is less than more. My feet do feel better walking barefoot for sure. I have been doing this for the last 6-9 months. Would the barefoot shoe be a good option for me. Is there a better barefoot option? Thanks for your time and consideration.

yea this makes no sense. if youre struggling this much to have to get adjusted to something the human body does naturally, there is a problem. Thoise indians probably don't run 30 minutes a day, they sprint for need. but if it feels unnatural to the body and you have to "learn" to run, its probably not correct. I understand people like to run to exercise, but you cant over do it. if its causing problems to calves or legs, that's your body's message telling you you're an idiot. when you walk naturally, you don't walk on the front of your feet, you hit the heel. period , when a baby learns to walk, he hits the heel first. Hence. nature. if you're walking on man made hard floors, and concrete, common sense should tell you you need to cushion if you want to go longer. that constant impact is not good. but that's the way we walk. so unless you need to learn how to walk, learning how to run is BS. you know how to run. and were not horses, were not designed for long distance running. period. look at all the problems this guy experienced trying to "learn" to run on the front of hs feet. SMH. that's your sign.