I grew up running around barefoot on my parents’ farm as much as I could. I’ve been wanting to try barefoot shoes for a while, but I am a minimalist when it comes to how many pairs of shoes that I own, so I waited until there was an opening in the “functional sandal” category. My previous “functional” sandals were by Keen and I wore them for ten years. My chiropractor told me to throw them out because they were so worn, then I wore them for another five years. Anyway, my belief is that you can save money buy buying quality shoes that last. I decided to try barefoot sandals, but was a bit dismayed at the lack of good looking barefoot shoes. (Please note that this post contains affiliate links. Also, I was gifted one of these pairs of shoes, but since I don’t want to lead my readers astray, my review is unbiased!)

I have been wearing these barefoot sandals from Xero nearly every day for about two months. I love them!

Have you heard about barefoot shoes? They have a flat sole so that your foot is in a more natural position. The theory behind them is that modern footwear has so much support that muscles in your feet can atrophy. Barefoot shoes are meant to be minimalistic so that your feet are healthier. Of course there is the opposing school of thought which is that the extra support is better. I really don’t want to get into medical arguments here- I just like how it feels to be barefoot!

They come with a 5000 mile guarantee, so I don’t have to worry about them wearing out too quickly.

Since then, Xero gifted me these Pacifica shoes from their new fall collection. They are super comfortable!

They are made of a wool blend and are moisture wicking, which is pretty cool.

Are there any cons to the Pacifica shoes? In general, barefoot shoes have a wider toe box, which I don’t love because it can feel clunky, but since the point of barefoot shoes is to let your feet expand naturally, it is not the shoe’s fault. I still prefer barefoot shoes! I have never had shoes made out of a wool blend, so the fabric seemed strange to me at first, but after wearing them for a while the fabric grew on me. I prefer natural fibers as much as possible. I am looking forward to getting a lot of use out of these shoes.

Overall, if you love the feel of going barefoot, I would highly recommend trying barefoot shoes. They feel so good!