Xero ShoesMen'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 situationsSo, 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.

Comfortable shoe, but not a lot of support. Kind of like an overpriced pair of bedroom slippers.

I love this shoe overall. They're just a 'tad' bit small. Great feel and comfort. I'll put a more descriptive review on the size 12's for Men. I ended up giving the 11.5's to my younger brother. He happens to have somewhat smaller feet than I do. It took me a while to figure out my true size as I'm still new and getting used to the barefoot game.As far as my size 12's go - they are perfect! I had dreamt of buying these shoes and making these my first pair of barefoots ever! They feel extremely comfortable - inside & out. The quality of the materials feel like an average sneaker. I love the anatomical toe box as it gives me room to spread my feet. These are my everyday shoes. I will continue to be a customer with the company unless otherwise noted. I'm even part of their 'inner circle.' They're website and company morals are great. I highly recommend you check them out.

In my opinion, the ideal minimalist shoe should do three things only: protect your feet, hold up as well (or nearly) as normal shoes, and not change the way you run. I have owned and heavily used every kind of barefoot, minimalist, or natural shoe imaginable - FiveFingers, Lems, Altra, Merrell, VivoBarefoot, you name it - and these are literally the only shoes I’ve ever worn that do all three. Oh, and it should look like a normal shoe, not have five separate toes or some other ridiculous looking feature that serves no purpose but to market to “natural” fanatics. I am a physical therapist who spent a lot of time studying gait and running mechanics, so I pay very particular attention to how my foot strikes when I run, and especially how a new shoe modifies my foot strike. All shoes protect my feet, very few minimalist shoes have the durability of normal shoes without adding weight or rigidity, and there are XERO minimalist shoes (see what I did there?) that allow my foot to strike the ground in the exact same way as it does when I run barefoot. I wore these shoes for one week then immediately bought a second pair. Now I wear them when I’m on my feet all day at the hospital, I wear them on road runs, and I wear them on heavy lifting days and dynamic crossfit-style days. They are the best athletic shoe I’ve ever owned, and perform equally well in any setting. Finally!