FAQs

How do you define a barefoot shoe?

Readers often ask why we don’t include Altra or other zero-drop shoes. The answer has to do with how thick the sole is. Our definition of a barefoot shoe is that it should have a thin sole, or stack height as this is sometimes called. I put the cutoff at 10 mm or less (ideally less) to allow for good ground feel and toe splay, and to give you the kinds of feedback your foot needs to maintain natural movement.

That said, there are some categories where this doesn’t always make sense. WIRED readers asked about heavier, work-boot style shoes, so we now include