WHITIN Men’s Cross-Trainer | Barefoot & Minimalist Shoe | Zero Drop Sole | Wide Toe Box

Most wonderful shoes I’ve owned since boyhood moccassins. This is my first foray into the world of minimalist shoes as an adult, but these shoes remind me of the complete joy I used to feel at age 10 on Saturday mornings walking alongside my dad, fishing pole in hand, loping along silently down a lakeside trail in 100% leather moccassins.I’m no longer that boy. I’m 52, with flat feet and 40 pounds too heavy. I’ve had two knee surguries, the last of which ended with my doctor saying “It’s not if you need a knee replacement, but when. Tell me when you’re ready.” The inside surface of my right kneecap — the part that rubs against the rest of the joint — was scoped to reveal that it looks like its cartilage, which is supposed to be smooth, looks like it has been through a cheese grater. I wore hard “cookie” orthotics in my shoes as a kid, have bought hefty arch supporting insoles for all my shoes all my life, and work 12 hour days outside on Saturdays in boots that have $400 Good Feet Store hard orthotics in them.I say all this not to exhaust the reader or make this product review about me, but instead to say that although I was a cross country runner in my early teens, I am clearly no athlete anymore. If minimalist shoes should hurt anyone, they should hurt me.And some did. I also ordered a couple other brands when I ordered these. They were not comfortable. These are. They fit my feet nicely, and that’s saying something for me. I have narrow feet, but have always worn B to D widths because my feet get extremely hot, so I like the extra air space. The sole padding on these shoes is just enough. The tread is good, even in mud. The flexibility is outstanding. And even though the arch supports are nowhere near as high as the orthotics I am accustomed to wearing, I find that they work fine. I walk three miles a day in these. I hope to lose some weight so I can try jogging in them — something I haven’t done in 20 years.Another thing I like about these shoes is the attention to detail in making the heel and tongue substantial, unlike other brands I ordered and returned at the same time I was testing these. The heel rises high enough and is cupped enough to prevent my heel from rubbing. This is actually amazing to me, and unprecedented as far as I can remember. My narrow feet and low arches have always caused my shoes to have no purchase on anything to hold them back from rubbing on the heel. As a result, the inside of the heel of every pair of shoes I’ve ever owned has had its inner padding rubbed off within months. That’s not going to happen with these.Another point of quality in these shoes is the tongue. Other brands I ordered seemed to sacrifice so much to reduce shoe weight that they relegated the tongue to a limp flap of material that would wrinkle every time I laced up the shoe, which translates to rubbing on the instep and also allowing the laces to blow through and rub directly on my sock. Not so with the tongue on these shoes. They have just enough height and padding to prevent wrinkling and rubbing.I’m surprised to find that after an initial few days when I had to adjust my three-mile walks to the new gait that minimalist shoes promote, my body acclimated nicely. I found myself with muscles growing in my calves, arches, and ankles, and my normal aches from a bad knee and arthritic big toe disappeared.An unexpected bonus is that these shoes also make great slippers for padding around the house, which I usually do in bare feet in summer but doesn’t work in winter. I normally hate slippers of any kind even in winter because again, my feet get very hot very easily, and I am prone to get sores between my toes when my feet get too hot for too long. Heat isn’t much of a problem in these shoes, though, even in summer, so I’m looking forward to December.I am astounded, actually, that I could get a pair of shoes this comfortable for the price. Twice before in my life I’ve bought a second identical pair of shoes when I found a pair that I really, really liked. That’s how hard I am to fit. I shop for shoes for weeks, sometimes months, before buying. But I think I’m going to buy a second or maybe even a third pair of these. Your mileage may vary, but for me, they are perfect.

Wow! What a great shoe. Before this I had vibram five fingers and another brand. Impressed with the value of these shoes. They are fantastics. Very flexible but with a hard enough sole that stones don’t stab you if you run on trails. Very comfortable, my new favorite. I run in them daily. Brooks gathering dust over here.Been running in the Brooks and recently had an issue with a muscle tear inside the sole of my foot. I believe it’s because of footwear or the way our foot is forced to pronate when wearing these thick padded running shoes. I feel this shoe will allow the muscles in the foot to get strong once again after two years of wearing Brooks

great value sneakers. I truly enjoy these shoes… i just needed another quarter inch thickness, but these work great and wear them everywhere… can use them to lift weights cause they’re “minimaist” shoes, but can do light running on treadmill too. just be aware if you have bad knees or back, may want to use regular running sneakers as i can still feel enough impact on my joints to hurt… but i will definitely get myself another pair!

Love these shoes. These are great shoes! I am NOT a trail runner nor do I hike often. However I cannot stand traditional hiking shoes. Look, weight, comfort and cost for a good pair, especially since I may hike once a year.I picked these up because of the price and look specifically for my once a year camping trip where I knew I’d be on at least one hike.I am as close to a true size 11 and ordered 11’s. They fit like a glove, in a good way. They have a bit of compression or maybe should say that they wrap feet with nice pressure all around..First walk was on the hike which was about 2-miles over dirt, rock, gravel and pavement sections. The hike was pretty tough, but my feet did not hurt afterwards. They felt great and better than expected.I now wear these most days of the week,.with jean, khakis and shorts and even have had them at the beach.CON: These this can be very slippery on wet surfaces. Others stated this and glad that I took note because it is true. However, I feel that over time this has lessened to an extent.Grip!! Funny to follow up with ‘these things grip!’ They do and do it very well on dry surfaces.Would I buy again? Yes.

European Style and Size – Quality above average – durability too early to tell. Many inaccurate statements in other reviews (mostly the negative ones), so setting the record straight and providing an honest review. The hard part, of course, is that everyone has different opinions on shoes, the hardest thing to get a prevailing/standard opinion on.The incorrect stuff- there is no tongue; yes there is, it’s just affixed all the way up the opening like a hunting boot- it has hard plastic shoelace inlets; no it doesn’t, it’s a soft fabric backed material a little stiffer than the main upper material- there is no padding in the foot; yes there is, but it is thinner than a tennis shoe, more than a leather dress shoe (higher quality ones). It doesn’t have memory foam/gel, etc. like many tennis shoes do now.-they are narrow; this is a lot subjective in the reviews, no measurements, but IMHO, they are not wide, and not really advertised like that as I saw it a few days ago. They ‘feel’ a little tight/different, mostly because the middle section/eyelet material is stiffer than the main shoe material which is very soft and I assume breathable. This could create a ‘ridge’ you’d feel if laced tight. I generally get ‘hot spots’ around my ankles in hunting boots, this doesn’t feel like that and once broken in (if they do break in) it shouldn’t be noticeable.-no heel retention; I list this as a pro below, it actually cups my heel very well, better than most tennis shoes (what wears out first besides the sole) and dress shoes until they’re broken inPros-price – got these on Prime day for $35 which if they last (just received today) is a good deal-main material – it is very soft, shouldn’t create any rubbing but for the above perceptions for some, and durability is a question, we’ll see-sole – I cannot see why this would be more slippery than any other ‘tennis shoe’ like bottom, if they get dirty or other slippery substance on them, they may be slippery – never had a pair that wasn’t in that situation- heel portion, as above cups very nice and grabs and doesn’t slip like most new shoes do at first (or all the time and wear out – at least for me)Cons-you can feel the sole through the cushion – is subjective, my BMI is harder so I feel more in my feet as far as uneven-medium width, not wide; I have wider feet, but I’ve had shoes too wide too – these are not ‘tight’ but feel a bit snug, but are also brand new, not sure how much they will ‘break in’.-sizing – my feet measure 12 1/2, that’s the option I picked, the sticker as you can see says 46 which is European Men’s, Google AI says both a 46 is a 12 and a 45 is a 12 1/2, go figure. For me, if I stand up, my toe almost touches standing still, meaning it will rub. I put on my well broken retired tennis shoes and the distance is the same and do not hurt at all, so I assume these will be fine.I considered sending back because they do not feel ‘soft and smooth all over’ like some tennis shoes do ($100 Nike/etc.), but they are intended minimalist and some talk about benefits for plantar (it’s not planter folks, that’s for plants or peanuts :-),) fasciitis, which I have, so I’m going to keep and try them out. All the testing was done with low ride thin athletic socks.-

Gone, but not forgotten. I just retired just a after nearly a year of casual use, and my review is 99% positive. They’re very comfortable, well-constructed (the soles started wearing down a couple months ago, but the uppers still look new- no tears and all the seams are as tight as the day I got them). The price is right, too- for $43, I definitely got my money’s worth, and it’s a great way to see if barefoot shoes are for you. This was my first pair of barefoot shoes, but adjusting to them from fat-heeled, cushy Hokas was surprisingly painless. If you plan on actually running in them, probably stick to offroad- The soles are flexible and very thin, with no cushioning: you’ll definitely feel it if you pound the pavement or step on a rock. That’s my only complaint, and it applies to barefoot shoes in general, not just these.I’ve since purchased a couple other brands of barefoot/zero drop shoes, and where these Whitins really shine are the fit and style. Barefoot shoes should move with your feet, which these do very well- the sloes flex effortlessly and the uppers have just the right balance of padding and rigidity to lock on to my heels and stay comfortably in place through my stride. Even with thin socks, they never chaffed. I tried a different, more expensive Amazon-exclusive brand of barefoot trainers and my heel would lift nearly half-way out of them when I walked.If you’re comparison shopping, you’ve probably noticed that this type of shoe has a wide toe box, which tends to give them an unflattering “clown shoe” vibe (seller’s pictures tend to show their product at only flattering angles, but if you look at user review photos, you’ll see it). The model I bought-WHITIN Men’s Barefoot Running Shoes | Minimalist Cross-Trainer| – is just as wide as the others, but the wrap-around soles and the placement/shape of those plastic side panels gives them a *much * slimmer appearance.I couldn’t be happier with my purchase and will definitely be getting another pair soon!

Gone, but not forgotten. I just retired just a after nearly a year of casual use, and my review is 99% positive. They’re very comfortable, well-constructed (the soles started wearing down a couple months ago, but the uppers still look new- no tears and all the seams are as tight as the day I got them). The price is right, too- for $43, I definitely got my money’s worth, and it’s a great way to see if barefoot shoes are for you. This was my first pair of barefoot shoes, but adjusting to them from fat-heeled, cushy Hokas was surprisingly painless. If you plan on actually running in them, probably stick to offroad- The soles are flexible and very thin, with no cushioning: you’ll definitely feel it if you pound the pavement or step on a rock. That’s my only complaint, and it applies to barefoot shoes in general, not just these.I’ve since purchased a couple other brands of barefoot/zero drop shoes, and where these Whitins really shine are the fit and style. Barefoot shoes should move with your feet, which these do very well- the sloes flex effortlessly and the uppers have just the right balance of padding and rigidity to lock on to my heels and stay comfortably in place through my stride. Even with thin socks, they never chaffed. I tried a different, more expensive Amazon-exclusive brand of barefoot trainers and my heel would lift nearly half-way out of them when I walked.If you’re comparison shopping, you’ve probably noticed that this type of shoe has a wide toe box, which tends to give them an unflattering “clown shoe” vibe (seller’s pictures tend to show their product at only flattering angles, but if you look at user review photos, you’ll see it). The model I bought-WHITIN Men’s Barefoot Running Shoes | Minimalist Cross-Trainer| – is just as wide as the others, but the wrap-around soles and the placement/shape of those plastic side panels gives them a *much * slimmer appearance.I couldn’t be happier with my purchase and will definitely be getting another pair soon!

I’ve worn these for almost a year straight, and I love them. I was a bit skeptical when I first saw these trainers—sock-like shoes didn’t seem like my style. But after slipping them on, I can honestly say I’m in love. The comfort is incredible! They hug my feet in all the right places, giving me that snug, secure feel without any of the stiffness I’ve dealt with in other sneakers. The sock-like design makes them super easy to slip on and off, which is a game-changer for someone like me who’s always on the go. Whether I’m running errands, working out, or just walking around, these trainers keep my feet happy all day long. Highly recommend if you’re looking for something lightweight and comfortable!

Happy with these shoes for the price, though the toe box isn’t as wide as on some other models here on Amazon. The positive side of that is that they look more like “normal” shoes. Recommended.

Great for back, but beware goat heads and shin pain. If you’re getting a zero drop sole shoe, then these are great. The fabric is a bit elastic which helps make the shoes feel comfortable immediately out of the box. I paired them with some elastic shoe laces and they make a great slip on.They are quiet, fit right but offer no arch support.Simple warnings if you have never had barefoot shoes, the lack of cushion is, at first, very hard on your shins. You will go around a month with shin pain as your body adapts to the change. The pain is never unbearable, but it’s a bone pain which is definitely unpleasant. Due to this, don’t give up. The temporary shin pain is worth the eventually lack of back pain and strain. While not a perfect solution to lower back pains, the benefits of barefoot shoes and zero drop soles are very real ib my experience and have relieved years of back pain.The next part, specific to this shoe is that the sole is thin. This is intentional but something you may not realize is that it is just thin enough for longer goat heads to penetrate the sole and prick your foot. This came as a shock to me the first time I got soles these thin. If you live in an area where goat heads grow then you may want to look into some sort of sole insert that is puncture resistant. Many are sold for construction workers for protection and they are around $15-35. You are easily able to remove the included insole and replace it and I’d recommend it if you may find yourself walking in goat heads or other such spikes.While you may debate whether or not you should try barefoot shoes and zero drop soles, if you find yourself wanting to try them out then I’d recommend these ones. Good for work, good for walking and worth the money.

Great for back, but beware goat heads and shin pain. If you’re getting a zero drop sole shoe, then these are great. The fabric is a bit elastic which helps make the shoes feel comfortable immediately out of the box. I paired them with some elastic shoe laces and they make a great slip on.They are quiet, fit right but offer no arch support.Simple warnings if you have never had barefoot shoes, the lack of cushion is, at first, very hard on your shins. You will go around a month with shin pain as your body adapts to the change. The pain is never unbearable, but it’s a bone pain which is definitely unpleasant. Due to this, don’t give up. The temporary shin pain is worth the eventually lack of back pain and strain. While not a perfect solution to lower back pains, the benefits of barefoot shoes and zero drop soles are very real ib my experience and have relieved years of back pain.The next part, specific to this shoe is that the sole is thin. This is intentional but something you may not realize is that it is just thin enough for longer goat heads to penetrate the sole and prick your foot. This came as a shock to me the first time I got soles these thin. If you live in an area where goat heads grow then you may want to look into some sort of sole insert that is puncture resistant. Many are sold for construction workers for protection and they are around $15-35. You are easily able to remove the included insole and replace it and I’d recommend it if you may find yourself walking in goat heads or other such spikes.While you may debate whether or not you should try barefoot shoes and zero drop soles, if you find yourself wanting to try them out then I’d recommend these ones. Good for work, good for walking and worth the money.

Affordable and good quality. I bought these shoes over 2.5 years ago and they’re still going strong. Very comfortable and they’re easy to slip on/off while still staying secure. They’re great for running on pavement, trail running, crossfit, chasing the kids on the playground, and going grocery shopping. The only thing these aren’t great for is kicking the back of a shovel when digging a hole, but that’s gonna be the same for any barefoot shoe. These are a high quality and affordable shoe that I used to test the waters of barefoot shoes and they’ve been a great success.

Seem like they’re worth the money, and wear well so far. Comfortable, lightweight, and they look pretty good too.I mostly have worn these to the gym, but also have worn them around town a time or two for sure.I started wearing shoes like these when the Vibram 5-Fingers first came out. While these are not ‘toe’ shoes,they are of the lightweight, minimalist variety.I’ve worn them with lightweight socks and barefoot and find them comfortable either way.So far they seem durable enough, time will tell how long they actually last.I do plan on getting back to outdoor running again (3 – marathon, trail-runner…) and I’ll definitely try these out.I wear a 13EE comfortably and these shoes don’t seem to squeeze my toes too much. They’re not ‘natural’ type shoes that have an obvious larger-than-average toebox, but they’re not overly tight and uncomfortable.