The Xero Prio by XeroShoes is strongly recommended for running because they’re a great choice for fast or slow running and high or low mileage runs (5km to ultra-marathons) on hard surfaces and on dusty or hard-packed semi to very technical trails in wet and dry conditions!
The Prio is also a terrific choice for trails with steep climbs and descents and running/walking up and down steep streets.
The shoes also provides moderate traction on heavy snow-packed grounds. But the fun doesn’t end there! The Prio is also fitting for barbell lifting and overall heavy lifting, calisthenics, stair climbing, basketball and cross-fit.
The Prio is the first performance shoe from XeroShoes that is built on the same thin, flexible, zero-drop platform as the Hana and Lena –which are for everyday casual use– but the Prio, being an athletic-specific shoe, is slightly wider overall, offering a new degree of openness for the foot, especially the toes to expand and flex more fully at each step. This is very important because it not only corrects foot deformities, it also gives you a built-in level of impact protection on the foot by allowing impact to spread over a larger surface area over the foot, thereby preventing impact from spreading out onto the leg.
When compared to other barefoot running shoes, The Xero Prio is more roomy than most Merrell minimalist shoes and provides similar ground-feedback as most Vibram FiveFingers. Additionally, the Prio is more flexible, especially at the heel, and more durable than the Lems Primal 2.
Upper
The Xero Prios soft-shell upper is made of 100% vegan-friendly, high-quality, lightweight mesh and bio-friendly polymers that delivers a soft, comfortable, irritation-free wrap to the foot, especially when worn without socks.
Despite being super light and airy, the upper has truck-like durability without adding weight to the shoe or compromising flexibility, which enables the shoe to seamlessly adapt to precise foot movements and your foot shape.
The side-straps also gives the overall structure of the upper more strength and creates an excellent seal with an extra hold around the ankle and heel, while keeping the foot centered in the shoe from foot strike to toe-off.
Last but not least, those very same straps are reflective, so you can be better seen when the sun goes down!
Sole
The Xero Prio sits on a 5-mm thin sole that is so durable its backed by XeroShoes signature 5,000 mile warranty. Even better, despite the next-level durability, the sole is thin enough to supply the ground-feedback critical to stimulating the reflexive and neuromuscular controls that directly engage optimal forefoot running form.
We are also quickly learning that sensory feedback at the feet is one of the only ways to increase the muscle activation needed for optimal foot strength! The Prio will definitely exceed your expectation on just that as well!
Despite its thinness and softness, the Prios sole receives high-marks for providing just enough protection from gravel and rocks, giving a smooth-sensation of the underfoot on a range of hard, technical surfaces.
The sole also features a chevron-patterned tread that provides excellent traction when running fast or slow, up and down hills in dry and wet conditions.
More important, the Prio’s sole is zero dropped, which means its completely flat; toe-box and heel are level, which also gives you a more similar barefoot sensory experience by getting your feet closer to the ground for the benefit of better balance and forefoot strike precision.
Also, if you desire a little more underfoot softness on harsher grounds, the Xero Prio comes with an optional 2-mm insole that provides additional protection from sharp stones, acorns and roots while still putting little between you and the ground.
All in all, the XeroShoes Prio is everything that you’d expect as a minimalist running shoe in that its zero drop, compatible with a wide foot shape while being amped up with more tread without compromising your feel of the ground. Likewise, the materials and structural arrangement of the Prio is very dynamic, which allows the shoe to be incredibly versatile.
Another selling point of the Prio is the price! At $89, the Prio is definitely the price point for runners on a budget, and you can get your paws on a pair here!
If you’ve enjoyed this review, you’ll love my reviews on other minimalist shoes here as well as my YouTube channel here, where I talk at length about the health and performance benefits of not only minimalist running, but barefoot running!
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Or, you can also support Run Forefoot by shopping at the following top minimalist shoes brands, and be sure to bookmark the links:
Be Lenka: https://www.dpbolvw.net/click-7600968-14330828
FeelGrounds: https://www.feelgrounds.com/?p=RunForefoot
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
Earth Runners: https://earthrunners.com/?rfsn=6763579.f7f9c9
Vivobarefoot: https://shrsl.com/3kvih
Zappos: https://goo.gl/J1CeAd