One appreciative aspect of most barefoot trail running shoes is that despite having a meatier outsole equipped aggressive tread and lugs and a thicker, more rock-protective upper, they are still fully functional enough to be barefoot-worthy for you to easily uphold an efficient, safe forefoot running stride.
For your trail running pleasure, down below I’ve listed the best barefoot trail running shoes that are top-rated, that strike the right balance between durability and barefoot-feel and most important that are well-crafted with foot health in mind as the design of these shoes specifically matches the anatomy of the natural shape of the human foot while providing reliable durability, giving you race-ready confidence for any trail surface.
Xero Shoes TerraFlex
The TerraFlex by Xero Shoes is an all-weather, fully functional, high-performance extreme trail barefoot running shoe that admirably handles ultra distances. The TerraFlex sits on a zero drop, 5 mm robust outsole with 4 mm mega-grip lugs with an embedded 3 mm of BareFoam inside the sole that all come together to deliver more grip and protection than the Prio.
The TerraFlex delivers a premium level of grip, durability and protection when running, walking or hiking in mud, sand, loose or packed snow, asphalt or gravel roads, dry or slippery, slimy rocks as well as grassy areas that are wet and slick.
Basically, the TerraFlex’s outsole is race-ready for ANY surface and will definitely give you the confidence in protection on rocky paths and in wintry conditions without sacrificing ground-feel!
The TerraFlex also has a toe-bumper which protects your toes from pointed debris. Not to mention, the TerraFlex has dependable traction that will help you claw up or down the steepest hills! The TerraFlex also comes with a removable insole to get you closer to the ground.
The water-resistant upper has the right amount of protection and flexibility and the overall shape of the shoe is fairly evenly matched with the silhouette of the human foot in that the shoes are wide in the front, giving the toes lots of freedom to spread, flex, bend and extend for more stable footsteps. The upper also provides excellent airflow which keeps your feet cool in hot conditions. The upper also has adjustable instep inverted v-straps for a more stable fit that prevents in-shoe sliding. The shoes can also be worn very comfortably without socks.
Bottom line, all the vegan-friendly, lightweight materials that make up the TerraFlex moves fluidly with every sector of your foot, and even better, the outsole is backed by a 5000 mile warranty! You can get the Terra Flex here!
Vibram Trek Ascent V-Trek
If you’re looking for a beastly barefoot trail running shoe that dominates any snow-covered rocky trail, you’ll love the
Vibram FiveFingers Trek Ascent because the outsole is fully loaded with traction and the upper is fully loaded with thermal and rock protection which altogether, wraps the foot in a soothing embrace that makes long trail runs feel much shorter!
The Trek Ascent V-Trek rests on a hand-made 4-mm low-ride rubber outsole studded with aggressive lugs and added deep grooves, delivering top-notch reliable mega-grip and protection on any terrain (such as sandstone, wet boulders, loose gravel, rocky/rooted trails), but still offers some degree of ground-feel, enabling you to uphold an effective barefoot-stride.
The leather/hemp upper is mighty durable to last through plenty of mileage, while fully protecting your feet AND keeps your toes, especially when paired with normal weight toe socks, extra warm in chilly weather! The Ascents can also be worn without socks, thanks to the soft, cushy inner-lining, creating a snug fit without pressure points, even when wet (and, the shoe dries fast, too!) Wear-testers also loved the high collar, reporting that it fit snug at the ankle and provided extra protection and stopped grit from getting inside.
Another major asset of the Trek Ascent is its outstanding width, easily enabling the foot to expand to its natural state which is also good for improving your foot strength, in addition to reinforcing better balance control.
Bottom-line, the Trek Ascent is quite the sophisticated protective trail shoe that’s a workhorse for all-weather conditions, on any terrain, definitely giving your stride more fire power when running on treacherous terrains! You can get the V-Trek here!
Vivobarefoot Primus Trail II FG
The Vivobarefoot Primus Trail II FG is a trail beast that does a great job at bridging the gap between barefoot-feel and lasting protective comfort. These shoes are definitely for those who want some ground feel, but does not want to feel every sharp object.
The Primus Trail II FG sits on a zero-drop super thin sole with slight cushioning for enhanced comfort that doesn’t detract from a natural, balanced connection with the ground. For confident strides, the sole is fully armed with mega-grip lugs that supplies solid grip in snowy, slushy, sloppy conditions.
The shoes upper and sole are water-resistant and overall does a reliable job at keeping your feet warm and dry when splashing through puddles, mud, snow and slush in cool conditions. And, whether you go fast or slow, this beastly shoe is ready for heavy duty, high mileage runs, hikes and walks on any terrain, especially rocky routes, as the sole has extra push-through protection from pointy items.
Lastly, the Primus Trail II FG also makes an excellent water shoe and biking shoe, especially for mountain biking! Check them out here!
Xero Shoes Z-Trail
If you enjoy running in minimalist sandals, Xero Shoes has made a trail running-specific sandal, the Z-Trail which sits on a zero-drop, 10 mm, lightweight, completely flexible outsole that has a heel cup to keep your heel in place and debris out.
The Z-Trail is an excellent high-mileage sandal ideally suited for long distance running in drier conditions on hard-packed dirt paths to light dusty trails to grassy areas. The sole also provides an effective layer of cushioning and protection that has a smoothing effect for rockier, rootier, acorn-littered terrain.
The Z-Trail is full of properties that go beyond most minimal shoes, making the sandal a perfect barefoot running alternative. The Z-Trails feather-lightness gives a barely-there feel, yet the sandals are structurally substantive enough to handle high mileage on light trails.
There’s lots of freedom of movement for the foot encouraged by the flexible strapping system and the easy flex, lightweight, low profile outsole that has a wide toe-box for an enhanced fit; plenty of room in the toe box for the toes to fan out during the loading phase and results in a better, more stable connection with the ground when running. You can get the Z-Trails by Xero Shoes here!
Vibram FiveFingers KMD EVO
If you are a high-mileage trail runner who loves to go fast and you’re looking for a well-cushioned barefoot-like shoe, you’ll feel zippy and protected in the Vibram KMD EVO which is a more stripped-down version of the Trek Ascent, but is a more rugged version of the Bikila LS, and still produces that classic Vibram peppy, barely there feel that mimics the effects of being barefoot.
Unlike most wafer-thin Vibram running shoes, the KMD EVO has a thicker rubber outsole that provides more underfoot softness, but doesn’t feel squishy, more full rock-protection on gravel roads and other rough surfaces and provides enough durability for the marathon AND most importantly the shoe is zero drop heel to toe which puts you in a stronger position to uphold a barefoot-like stride on any terrain.
The light, flashy, knit-weave well-made ventilated upper moves extremely well with the foot and provides soft comfort plus protection while hugging to your foot just right! The overall construction is beyond robust, very sturdy and reliable, making the KMD EVO more than capable of handling high-mileage in harsh elements.
The bungee-cord lacing works great for locking the foot in place, securely holding the foot inside the shoe when you’re cutting sharp angles and leaping over obstacles, the KMD EVO moves fluidly with your foot without strife!
The KMD EVO functions extremely well in running, sprinting, walking, hiking and jumping on any terrain! They even make excellent cycling shoes. They truly are an impressively versatile multipurpose workhorse that brings the perfect balance of comfort and performance on the trails. You get the KMD EVO here!
Be Lanka Trailwalker
The Trailwalker by Be Lanka isn’t just for walking, its perfect for running and hiking and works best where it was meant to — on the trails and other natural grounds — thanks to the tightly packed small toothy lugs that provides excellent traction for off-road adventures without feeling cumbersome when walking on paved surfaces as well.
The best feature of the shoe is the incredibly wide, foot-shape upper that is wide enough to comfortably wear toe-spacers in them. Better yet, the thin, 4-mm fully flexible rubber sole really mirrors the barefoot experience by letting you feel even the smaller pebbles, and will help you have optimal precision agility and stability, which is very necessary for moving safely on uneven terrain!
The Trailwalker is surprisingly excellent for extremely cold weather and hotter weather, too, and overall, performs best on hard-packed, very sandy or rocky technical terrains and performs just as lively when walking on city streets.
Finally, although the Trailwalkers are not waterproof, they do keep your feet acceptably dry in rainy weather and in very shallow puddles and creek crossings. Check them out here!
Vibram V-Trail
Another OCR-favorite minimalist running shoe is the Vibram V-Trail which is another trail-specific shoe from Vibram that is an updated version of the Spyridon MR/Elite. Like the Vivobarefoot Breatho Trail, the Vibram V-trail also received high-marks for performing admirably beastly in mud runs and obstacle course races.
With its ergonomic fit and barefoot-feel, the Vibram V-Trail perfectly offers most of the benefits of the barefoot running movement while still providing protection from rocks, acorns and twigs. The V-Trail is rated-well on nearly all characteristics, especially on its anatomically correct fit and its ability to be very gripy when beating through murky trails, when flying up and down hills or when racing on all types of surfaces from rocks to roads!
In keeping with the minimalist movement, the V-Trail is flat, flexible and free of arch support, medial posts, heel counters, and plastic plates, so when you run, these shoes definitely run with you; you’re not fighting any aspect of the shoe which is going to be very effective in constantly improving foot and ankle strength and gait correction.
One of the lightest trail shoes out there, the V-Trails most prized asset is its gripy 5-mm thin, but tough, rugged rubber outsole studded with multi-directional lugs that provides extra traction when running on uneven mountainous terrain, slushy sloppy paths and loose-rocky trails.
The gripy tread pattern is also supremely useful and agile for rock climbing, biking and bites reassuringly into the ground when you make sudden stops and starts and rapid changes in direction, like in CrossFit, playing frisbee, etc.
Rugged rock protection just isn’t at the outsole, the featherweight polyester spandex upper is of excellent quality and is armed with puncture/abrasion resistance that excels at shielding the foot from harm AND hugs the foot perfectly, preventing grit from getting inside. Even for wide feet, the stretchy upper adjusts perfectly to fit accordingly and is flexible enough to allow more widespread use of the foot, which is absolutely essential in building stronger, sturdy feet!
Bottom line, the aggressive traction that performs great in bad weather coupled with a low-profile, good ground-feel and unmatched durability, makes the Vibram V Trail a serious OCR shoe that will help you feel stable with good form and balance on uneven terrain. You can get the V-Trails here!
If you’ve enjoyed these reviews, you’ll love my additional reviews on barefoot running shoes here! I also have a YouTube channel here where I discuss at great lengths the evidence-based performance and health benefits of forefoot running as well as minimalist and barefoot running.
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Lonowear: https://lonowear.com/?ref=cedsholh
Saguaro: https://www.saguaro.com/?ref=9bVA8fEkmDvB-I
Vibram FiveFingers: https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7600968-11372648
Vivobarefoot: https://amzn.to/3vycQOY
Be Lenka: https://www.tkqlhce.com/click-7600968-13947200
Xero Shoes: https://xeroshoes.com/go/Run_Forefoot
Iguaneye: https://www.iguaneye.com/?ref=8tfXVc92
Soft Star Shoes: https://shrsl.com/3mp1b
Wilding Shoes: https://bit.ly/3lIygQP