If you’re new then it’s definitely possible your feet will start to spread out. So I think it can be helpful to start with a shoe that is maybe just a little bit roomier than you think you need. But you can definitely take it too far – you don’t want a shoe that is simply too big and not fitting right.

I recommend taking it on a case by case basis, as different brands and models fit differently. Not all barefoot shoes are low over the toe area, some have more space there. One underrated barefoot shoe is the Zeazoo Cheetah because the top stitching gives you a lot of toe space. Lems Shoes also does a good job providing lots of vertical space. For both Mukishoes Chelsea and Be Lenka Polaris I would suggest going with the bigger size. For Zapato Feroz Alcoy those run bigger so I don’t think you’ll need to size up.

Two Rivers Treads is in Virginia and you can walk in and try shoes on. It’s still pretty hard to find minimalist shoes in stores, I would recommend shopping somewhere with a very easy shipping and return policy. We have free shipping & free returns at Anya’s Shop.

Just starting a look for bearfoot shoes

For sandals I usually only leave about 5mm or 1/2 centimeter of extra space because there’s nothing for your toes to run into. But this can come down to preference, some people still want the extra length in front of their toes, while others don’t like hardly any in sandals so they don’t trip over the front of them. I’m more in the latter camp.

It’s really common for people to be wearing shoes that are too small for them, and every brand has their own sizing so it’s not that unusual to have a wide spread of sizes in your closet. I take it on a case by case basis. Especially when new to barefoot shoe shopping, you should approach each order as if you don’t know what size you are and then measure and order according to the brand’s size chart.

Once you have the centimeter length then you take it to the size chart for the shoe you’re looking for. It’ll either tell you what size to pick based off the measurement or it will tell you how long each shoe is. If it tells you how long each shoe is then take your measurement and approx 1.2cm to it and find the closest corresponding size.