Checkout Vivo barefoot brand

Merrel Trail Glove. Still wearing them 16 months later. I don't run in them, but I can. They look good I think. Not dorky.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/larsonfamily/5753231004/

• Sandals: Luna originals with ATS+MGT. They're not too floppy and will fit securely. The 6mm sole isn't the toughest or thinnest but molds to your foot and feels great.
• Shoes: Soft Star Moc3. My grail shoes. You'll have to baby them and they're no good in humid weather, but what you get is the perfect running/everyday shoe. Also keep in mind the toe box isn't wide.
• Cheap shoes: Feiyue. These would probably be good for kids. The sole is very gummy and a little thick, but they're cheap and flat.
• Thin insoles: Cork. If you already have flat shoes you can replace the factory molded insole with a flat cork one.
• Honorable mention: Soft Star Runamoc Dash For the ultimate in groundfeel you can try these leather soled versions. I haven't tried them but I do have a pair of the Street sole version. The pair I have is from before you could specify a width and look like clown shoes. I had to stop wearing them after getting too many negative comments. But if you need a wide toebox these are the ones to get.

As for VFF, I personally like wearing socks and I don't want people stopping me to ask about my footwear.

The New Balance Minimus looks like a normal shoe, but it still has zero heel rise. I am a huge fan of the VFF's. A little anecdote, my wife said I would never catch her in a pair of those. She was also very anti-barefoot. Once she finally got a pair, a few things happened. One, her chronic hip pain went away. Two, she started to wear them EVERYWHERE. As to the aesthetics, they are a definite conversation starter. It's a great ice breaker for any social interaction and I have yet to get a negative comment on them! Don't be scared of the VFF's!

P.S. Check out the Bikilia model of the VFFs, I've had several pairs and it has been my favorite.

-Matt
PhysiqueRescue.com

VFF are my favorite but they are a little expensive, how about toms?

Cheap ass water shoes are my go to fave. And if it turns out you don't like it you are only out $10.

Luna makes some cool sandals too.

I am sure you will find this post on Gnolls most informative. It is a guide to cheap, minimal shoes.

Patagonia's Camp Moc is pretty awesome, and looks good. There's not much to it, real light.

Also, Merrel's Barefoot shoes are pretty rad.

http://www.zappos.com/nike-zoom-streak-xc-3 these are minimalist shoes I use for distance running on both the trail and road. They are less than 5 ounces a pair. I swear by them and have two pairs in rotation and 1 new in the box as a fail safe. And they have great aesthetics if you have a love of neon and day glo tiger stripes... Everyone looks at these when I run.

I'd also say go barefoot around the house and backyard as much as possible and try doing a barefoot martial art like yoga or ju-jitsu. go to the beach and walk barefoot in the sand and just try to be on your naked feet whenever you can to toughen them up.

Not to hijack the whole thread, but I'd love to elaborate and get some questions answered about minimalist shoes too. . .

How long do these things last? I've been looking at getting some for a long time now to wear at work. They all are touted as running shoes. Well, I'm not running like 99% of the time. I'm a greenskeeper, and I'm on my feet A LOT. 40-60 hours a week 9+ months out of the year. On gravel, sand, pavement, a concrete shop floor, mowers and mostly grass. I literally wear through the bottom soles of a pair of Columbia or Merrell hiking boots now about every 6-8 months. And these are obviously a lot more sole than the minimalist shoes. Does anyone have experience with these in a work environment setting? They aren't cheap, and I can't afford to rock through them much faster than I already am.

Also - my feet get wet most mornings from the dew on the ground. I'm sure it doesn't help longevity, but again, any experiences with that I'd love to hear also. Any and all experiences would be awesome.

I bought these Vivo barefoot Ra's and they are awesome. Very very comfortable.

http://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/ra-redbrown-leather.html

i've been barefoot for ten years. you cannot comprehend all the benefits unless you do it. the skin on your feet is potentially the toughest skin on your body. it takes time to build up this toughness, and you must continue to walk several miles over uneven terrain to keep them tough - otherwise, they will get soft. barefootness is a way of life. i walk through a lot of water ( jungle valley ). i used to get foot fungus with shoes. once i went barefoot, i've never had it since. i spend no money on shoes / socks, and play a game to see how many public business's i can go into barefoot (stores, restaurants, offices, etc. (always carry flip-flops just in case ).

I have some merrells that I love. I have been noticing some of the "last season" barefoot styles in the Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Ross type stores around here (maryland) for about $45.00 (Womans). That's a really good deal. I have high arches too and really like going barefoot!

I first eased into barefoot running with a pair of $5.99 water shoes from Walmart. I took the foam soles out, so I just had a super thin sole to protect my feet from rocks and anything else on the road. It worked great to toughen my feet up until I could do it completely barefoot.

Best barefoot like everyday shoe, everyone should own one pair like this http://www.upere.com/upere-wedge-sneakers-suede-red-tongue-p-6.html.

I've tried a few options out and I've gotta say, hands down, I'd go with Lems/Stem/Lemmings. They're not super cheap, but they are astonishingly comfortable (the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned including VFFs) and they look "normal". They're far more flexible than the Merrells, and have a little more softness in the sole than the Vivos. I've had a pair that have lasted me about a year and a half and they've held up well. I'd have bought a second pair by now, but I keep waiting and waiting and waiting for them to come out with the new styles they've been promising since fall. :-P

I love Toms (toms.com). They do have a sole, but it's not thick and it's flat. They're good looking too :)