Every barefoot journey begins with a single step, but for some, the journey ends with a sore foot, an injury, or just downright disappointment.
Don't get us wrong; if we didn't love barefoot shoes, we wouldn't be here. However, every foot is unique, and barefoot shoes can vary in how they meet individual needs.
It's important to make the right choice, especially if it's your first time. You're going to need a period of adjustment before you go full-on, and that goes double for our beloved Australia, with its huge variety of challenging outdoor environments.
A little protection on your main transport system is not optional, but luckily, there are many reputable brands that offer barefoot shoes suitable for beginners, and today the spotlight is on one of our favourites.
Barebarics are easily one of our top picks for beginners exploring barefoot shoes. While they aren’t specifically designed for beginners, they offer a smooth transition from fully cushioned traditional shoes to a zero-drop barefoot experience.
As a beginner, your feet need time to adjust to a barefoot lifestyle
The foot and ankle system on each of your legs contains a dizzying total of 112 ligaments, 33 joints, and 28 bones (most of them pretty small), all of which you can break or injure. There are also another 21 intrinsic and 13 extrinsic muscles that you can pull, tear, inflame, or otherwise induce to cause you a world of pain.
Go for a barefoot run on concrete, in the woods, or even on the beach, and the chances are you won't get far without injury, either from something you step on or from using your foot and ankle in ways you may never have done before.
Your entire posture shifts when you are barefoot because you no longer have any heel lift. You may not feel it, but your body is now struggling to adapt to the new environment.
If you're doing all of this under stress, whether running, lifting, or competing, the likelihood of causing a strain in one of those 34 muscles or 112 ligaments goes way up.
Even with the design and support of an excellent barefoot shoe, your feet can still struggle to adapt quickly enough, and that's where the use of barefoot shoes for beginners becomes essential.
For barefoot enthusiasts in Australia, Barebarics is a terrific choice and an ideal stepping stone from traditional cushioned sports footwear to full-on zero-drop barefoot shoes.
Here’s what to look for in a pair of beginner barefoot shoes
- Anatomic Shape - check out that wide-toe box at the front. Does it give you extra space for your toes, or is it no better than a regular shoe?
- Zero drop heel - as long as the sole is a little more cushioned than a regular barefoot shoe, you absolutely can start with a zero drop heel elevation. This basically means that the heel isn't higher or thicker than the toe, so make sure that's the case.
- Stack height and cushioning - the thinnest barefoot soles go down to 3 millimeters. Barebarics start from at least 4 and go up from there. You'll feel the ground distinctly at a standard 4 to 6 millimeters of thickness without any sensation of being exposed.
- Flexibility - Barebarics have this in spades, allowing for real variety in the number of activities you can freely engage in, whether it's a casual Friday at work, hanging out with friends, or hitting the streets to rack up your daily steps.
- Lightweight protection - you'll notice your barefoot shoe feels much lighter. The thinner sole accounts for a lot of this, so a Barebarics shoe can offer a thicker, more durable exterior than a full-on barefoot shoe and still leave you feeling extra light on your feet.
- Minimal arch support - although your barefoot transition shoe needs a slightly thicker sole, it still shouldn't put anything extra under the arch of your foot. Evolution has adapted you to walking without that artificial lift, and barefoot shoes benefit your feet precisely because this support is removed.
- Drop dead urban streetwear good looks - you'll be out and about for leisure, socialising, or even going to work in these bad boys. Looking awesome may not be crucial to your sense of identity, but think of your adoring fans - isn't it only fair to them to look your best?
Once you’ve got your shoes picked out and you know they’re good quality, make sure to check out this article on how to transition seamlessly to your new footwear.
Did you know that you can improve your balance, motor performance, and strength in as little as two weeks with targeted intrinsic foot muscle (IFM) training? A systematic review and meta-analysis conducted in 2023 concluded that clinicians should use IFM exercises in rehabilitation programs to achieve a wide variety of patient outcomes.
Now, guess what? Imagine if we told you there is already a range of brand choices in Australia that specialise in barefoot shoes for beginners that pretty much smashes every single one of those points.
Just think how easy it would be to choose the perfect new pair of shoes to kick-start your barefoot journey.
If the name Barebarics popped into your mind reading this, then well done; you've been paying attention!
There are plenty of great brands for beginners and many that we can personally recommend, but if you haven't seen yet what Barebarics has to offer in terms of both functionality and style, you're in for a real treat.
Why Barebarics are an ideal barefoot shoe for beginners
Here are our top seven reasons to consider this particular brand:
- It’s a barefoot sneaker - the Barebarics range is designed as everyday, casually fabulous leisure wear. Many hardcore barefoot options stand out from conventional footwear and may not be suitable for every social occasion. The undercover barefoot design of these shoes will never let you down when you're on a mission to mingle.
- Perfect Toe Box width - far wider and more comfortable than a cramped conventional shoe, but not so wide as to draw attention.
- Ease of transition - going straight to a full 3-millimeter sole barefoot shoe can be a shock to your senses as well as your feet. Customer reviews on Barebarics rate the brand at a solid 8/10 for ease of transition. Skeptical? Check out those customer reviews right here.
- Excellent flexibility - conventional shoes can lock your foot into position, restricting the articulation of those 33 joints we talked about earlier. Barebarics sneakers look like fashionable leisurewear, but they're designed for freedom, and your feet will benefit from every step you take.
- Perfect for city walking - there is no better barefoot option for strutting your stuff in an urban environment. Get all the benefits of going barefoot while looking great around town. Learn more about why Barebarics are so ideal for city walking in this short, super informative article right here.
- Incredibly versatile - even if you're beyond the newbie stage, you'll still love walking in these whenever you want to change things up from your regular barefoot training footwear.
- Your public will adore you - strangers will admire your lifestyle choices, friends and family will wonder what subtle yet undeniable change has taken place to make you exude success and confidence. Fair enough, there's no actual guarantee of this, but it could happen, and if it does, get in touch because we'd love to hear all about it!
Our last word (we promise) on Barebarics barefoot shoes for beginners
When this shoe broke onto the market, it smashed our conceptions of how a barefoot shoe could look and opened up a whole new way to wear and enjoy your barefoot leisure options.
We love them, and we think you will, too.
Ordering them is as easy as slipping a pair on, so head over here to check out the full range of the most popular Barebarics models such as Zing, Apollo, Revive, Arise, Hifly, Axiom, and more. They have one of the widest selection choices of any barefoot shoe brand out there, and you'll be spoiled for choice.
