WHITIN Women's Minimalist Barefoot Shoes

These are my first pair or barefoot, or minimalist shoes. I’ve always wanted a pair but didn’t like the price of something like vibram five fingers. I read the reviews of this product carefully along with the q&a section, and decided to try them out. I was slightly concerned going in. Some reviews said they run large, are hard on the feet at first, etc. I don’t know if it makes a difference, but I usually wear chucks or vans slip on shoes or any other flat type shoe, so keep that in mind. I put on the shoes and went for a quick stroll outside to see how they were. They fit perfectly (I ignored the warnings of them running large and got my usual size 12) and were surprisingly way more cushioned than I was expecting. I remembered they have removable insoles, took them out, and went for a walk. I went for a one or two mile walk, testing out every surface and texture. I walked on grass, tall grass, concrete, gravel, and dirt. I went out of my way to step on every rock and crack and uneven surface along my way, to test the shoe. It felt great! I’m not suggesting anyone go out of their way to step on rocks or other hazards more than you have to, but I will say that it felt safer and more comfortable to do in these shoes. It flexes enough to let your feet and toes grip and move and position in such a way that’s much more natural than a rigid flat sole. I’m instantly in love with these shoes, but to be fair, this is only my first day (and first walk) wearing them. For every three months these things survive for the first year of having them, I’ll update my review.* UPDATE (12/05/2021) * The day after I posted my initial review (in September) I tore my foot up pretty bad wearing these shoes and walking ten miles. It was my fault though; I shouldn’t have taken the insole out. I put the insole back in and this shoe has been the most comfortable shoe I’ve ever had. I was also happy to learn the laces were decorative and this shoe is a slip on. Excellent! It’s perfect for me…except for one thing. I mention in my original review that I read things carefully. Apparently not carefully enough as these are trail shoes and not made for city walking. Despite this, the shoes were working for everything perfectly. Then one day my foot started hurting like a pebble was in my shoe. I looked at the bottom of my shoe to discover it had a hole straight through it. RIP shoes… I’m not changing my five stars because it’s not their fault I got trail shoes for sidewalk use. Not only that, but the first two months I had them, I walked a minimum of ten miles a day. I even liked them so much that I’m going to get another pair from this same company (the right kind this time) to give them a fair chance. I highly recommend these shoes still.

These seem well made, and the no-tongue construction looks like it could be perfect for keeping scree out, but it's tight across the arch, unless you remove the insoles. These fit me perfectly other than that, but I retuned them. When I was a kid I had a problem fitting in shoes due to high arches. I'm now in my mid 70s and my arches are in the 'normal' range - but it's possible I'm more sensitive to arch tightness than you are just due to my issues as a kid.

I have been looking for a replacement for my Saucony Hattori shoes for a long time. I have finally found it. These shoes work well for trail shoes. They have just enough "trail feel" for me. If you would like to feel more get some thinner insoles.I mostly hike in rocky and debris-strewn areas both on the trail and "bushwacking." These shoes have proven effective at protecting my toes while allowing me to feel the ground below me. The is superb and you get that unmistakable feeling in your legs that thin, zero-drop shoes provide. The sole is nice and flexy. When I first put them on I thought that they may have been too big but with just a few hours of wear, my foot settled in nicely. Give them a chance before you think they are too large for your size. However, if you wear a half size, I may suggest that you go to the size below. I have really beaten these shoes up over the last few weeks and they are holding up fine. No nasty smells from the shoes even though I exclusively wear them barefoot.I ordered the laced version because I wanted to wear them in public and not look too weird. I will be ordering another pair with the strap for my outdoor adventures but these are great shoes for the money. My only suggestion would be to order some different shoestrings as the ones that come with the shoes are extremely basic and some nicer rounded strings would improve the shoe. Don't forget to allow yourself some time to get used to minimalist zero-drop shoes. They can really hurt you if you don't take your time getting used to them. This is a characteristic of all shoes in this category, not just these. I will definitely order another pair and would suggest them to anyone looking for this type of shoe. Even if you decide that barefoot isn't your thing, you have only spent about $30.Update: my old pair finally wore out. But they lasted well. I just got the newer style with the Velcro strap. They are comfortable and I hope they last just as long.

So, this shoe line has 2 basic models (in a rainbow of fruit flavors, i.e. colors). The elastic tie models (tied with elastic bands and a velcro stop), and the lace ties (which are basically shoelaces, in a minimalist shoe). Fact: I like the shoes; they are comfy, fit for the purpose, and look good. The elastic lace models fit like a glove to my (measured) shoe size (12 US, 46 European). The shoelace models, alas, are smaller, and while I'd fit a 47, maybe (or a 12 1/2), I do not fit a 12; they're too short. Hence the removal of a star, but with that caveat, if you're looking for minimalist shoes, for the price I don't think you can go wrong. If they fail to last I will look into modifying the review, but so far they're doing great!

I usually wear a size 12, so I ordered 12s initially; they were a little too small and had to be returned. Size 13 fit perfectly.These are my first pair of barefoot shoes, so I don't have a similar product to compare them to, but I do like them, and would buy Whitin shoes again in the future. They are very flexible and comfortable, seem to be holding up well so far. I would consider them to be a great value.