One of the most unique shoes I’ve tested for my guide to the best walking shoes has to be a barefoot-style shoe from Vivobarefoot.
The Motus Flex offers a barefoot walking experience without the potential downsides, like sharp stones and broken glass.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed wearing the shoe, especially as I tend to favor heavily cushioned road runners.
At $189 a pair, they aren’t cheap, but you can currently get up to $70 off the men’s shoe at Amazon, or $60 off the women’s.
If you’ve been flirting with the idea of letting your feet return to a more natural movement pattern, a significant discount on some of the best shoes in the business is as good a reason as any.
My colleague spoke to the founder of Vivobarefoot, Galahad Clark, who explained why you might want to ditch your stacked soles for something a little thinner.
“By getting accurate sensory feedback from your feet, you naturally improve balance and stability,” he says.
He points out that sports that require the most balance—martial arts, gymnastics and yoga—are often practiced barefoot.
He also quotes a 2019 study from the journal Footwear Science that indicates barefoot walking can make the muscles of your feet up to 60% stronger.
With such a good discount and the many benefits of barefoot walking, is it time for you to give it a shot?
If you decide to, remember to take it slowly. You shouldn’t switch from modern cushioned shoes to a barefoot style overnight, and should take a graduated approach to avoid injury.
“Using new muscles may create some pain as unused muscles and tendons readjust in the foot,” says Clark, who advises that a good first step is to go shoeless as often as possible to let your feet “breathe, widen and flex”.