Men's HFS Original Barefoot Running Shoes

About a year ago, I posted a review of these shoes. High-level, my impressions were good; however, I found that, at least for my feet as they were at the time, these shoes did not work for me, primarily in the toebox area, which I found a little too shallow/narrow relative to this area in the other minimalist shoes I'd been kicking around in. Well, fast-forward to recently. I have made significant progress in strengthening my feet and getting my toes/body better aligned, particularly in improving the mobility of my big toes and gradually getting my feet to point straight ahead instead of curving inwards (which had been causing my outer toes to roll outwards). Whereas before, my curved feet were causing my big toes and the outer edges of my feet to struggle with these shoes in the midfoot/toebox areas, my feet are now much straighter and go right down the center of the shoes. Given that I'm starting to find "traditional" running shoes pretty cumbersome and restrictive - even lower-stack (20 - 24mm) zero-drop ones from some of the top brands - I decided on a whim to give these shoes another shot. Boy, am I glad I did. What a joy these shoes are to wear. I can't exactly put my finger on where the difference in fit comes from vs. the last time I'd tried out a pair of these shoes, since I'm pretty sure nothing has changed in how these shoes are made, but it's pretty drastic. Speaking to specific areas of the shoes that I dig the most (in no particular order), • Outsole - Super grippy; zero concerns about traction on any of my usual running surfaces, in dry or wet, including asphalt/concrete and small gravel (though the tread is thick enough that I could see being able to take these shoes on light trails with no worries) • Fit/Lockdown - Hands-down the most dialed-in, confidence-inspiring shoe I've worn to date; my feet stay perfectly centered in these shoes regardless of the level of turning/side-to-side movement, with no slop whatsoever • Flatness - Just like standing barefoot on a flat surface; a huge plus since my left foot is slightly narrower than my right foot (work in progress), which causes a noticeable difference in fit with shoes that are U-shaped inside • Comfort - Literally one of the most comfortable, "barely there"-level shoes I've ever worn, with just the right balance of padding to keep inside surfaces from rubbing my feet the wrong way while staying light and low-profile • Flexibility - The most flexible, accommodating shoe I own; factoring in the thin, protective layer that these shoes provide between my feet and the ground, I'm happy to report that my feet otherwise function 100% like they were barefoot in these shoes, which is something I've been unable to say about any other shoes I've worn to this point. These shoes also eschew a pesky "toe spring" (artificially curving up the front edge of a shoe), instead being flexible enough in the forefoot area to allow the big toes to function naturally. • Build quality - Top-notch materials and overall build quality; love the reflective bits for added safety in lower-light situations So, to those who read my previous review, please take it with a grain of salt. Our bodies are always in flux, and after the ongoing improvements made with mine over the last year, I'll just say mine was much more ready for these shoes this time around than it was the last time I tried out a pair. Long story short, if ground feel and overall foot strength/mobility are your main focus, and you plan on doing more than just walking/standing, e.g. running/HIIT, look no further than the HFS. It's a winner.

Comfortable and very flexible, not cheaply made. No issue breaking them in, no rubbing on my heels/ankles, never caused a blister. I wanted a shoe as close to barefoot as possible and these are great with and without thin socks. Not sweaty in hot weather. Not waterproof at all in rain/puddles, no traction on ice, BUT stay surprisingly dry in powder snow. Only had them fail to dry out overnight a couple times. After 6+ months of daily use I am probably going to replace the insole soon but the shoes only have mild wear on the treads and seem to be in it for the long haul. I am a woman with wide feet but I wear a mens 8.5 in these and they’re a great width. Totally going to be a loyal customer to this brand!

I bought these for a sim racing shoe. Water shoes felt to soft in the sole, loose fitting, substandard build quality and material. Puma speedcats and similar are too narrow footed and uncomfortable only tested in store. Sparco race shoes have the same issue being way to narrow at the toes. Also who wants to wear a full race spec shoe in their bed room. The Xero HRS fit the bill for what I was looking for. Very light and breathable, good build quality so far, excellent feel through the sole for what your feet are touching. And the wide foot toe space is amazing while still holding a smaller profile than a typical shoe. I am sure they a great for many purposes, I want a pair to exercise/lift in as well.

These are extremely comfortable for people with flat feet, and while I was told from many reviews that my feet will have to adjust, they simply didn’t need to as I was fine from the beginning. Whenever I go on walks with normal shoes my feet would cramp and I could only walk for 20 minutes. With these shoes, I can walk forever, but this has more to do with the flat feet working with barefoot/zero drop style than the Xero shoes themselves. I went with Xero because they seemed like a legitimate brand that would stand behind their shoes. For this reason, I was willing to pay the extra money compared to others on Amazon. At this point, I have two pairs of their shoes, and they have a warranty for 5000 miles. I have put 1000 miles on the HFS shoes and you can see that they are severely worn and versatility is a little questionable depending on surface. The Prio have no more than 500 on them and the right shoe already has similar balding. There are runners claiming 4,000-6,000 miles on similar shoes costing $30-50 on here. I have revised my rating to show that they do honor their warranty, but likely need a better email system. I wasn’t pleased about a lack of response, but it turns out there support emails go to spam and they have in fact reached out. They have offered me their 5000 warranty, giving me the discount. I love the feel of the shoes, but I really wish they’d invest in better sole technology.

Las he comprado de segunda mano y aparte la caja algo tocada los zapatos estaban perfectos. Así que los pagué una cantidad ridícula por la calidad que tienen. Son super cómodas, flexibles y se sienten de buena calidad. He corrido hoy 20 kms y unos 60 en total y estoy muy contento con ellas. Vengo de una merrel glove, también cómodas pero creo que son aún más minimalistas que las Xero shoes, en el sentido que tienen aún menos estructura. En fin, las dos muy buenas opción para correr barefoot, happy feet happy running! :)

Toller Barfußschuh 👍🏻 Der erste Barfußschuh, den mein Mann nun dauerhaft trägt, da er auch bei breiten Füßen super passt.

Están muy bien. Los uso en el trabajo y siento que los pies se mueven con total libertad. Como si estuvieses descalzo.

Excellent shoes, well worth the price!

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