Hi! I’m Anya! I am a barefoot shoe wearer who loves personal style.
I first discovered barefoot shoes after a long bout of foot issues. They were a lifeline thrown to me when everything else I tried was a dead end. Thanks to this new way of thinking I could finally see a clear path toward pain free movement. You can read more about my journey to healthy feet here.
But I lamented my amazing shoe wardrobe and felt like I would never be chic again. Healthy shoes are ugly, right? I’ve always been a shoe person (and always had foot problems), so it was a pretty mixed bag of emotions.
But it wasn’t long before I realized that with some extra research – and a whole new set of standards – I could curate shoes that made me feel amazing and didn’t require any compromises.
When I realized a lot of you were out looking for the same answers, I decided to use my hours of research to create something that didn’t exist yet. This blog is my effort to show you you’re not alone in your foot & shoe struggles – and that there is a practical way forward.
If you’re like me and want to find comfortable shoes that work with your life and body, you’re in the right place! Simply head to my homepage to begin your journey.
And don’t forget to subscribe to The Barefoot Shoe Digest for weekly emails that answer the questions you are asking. I’m so happy you’re here!
If you have additional questions please feel free to email me at info@anyasreviews.com
81 thoughts on “About Me”
Hi Anya,
I’ve recently started my barefoot journey and your reviews have been incredibly helpful.
I’m experiencing some issues though with finding the correct shoe to fit my foot shape. I would say I’m mountain shaped and measure ~26 cm in length and ~10.1 wide. I’ve purchased shoes based on X brand’s size chart and make sure I have at least 12mm of space in front my longest toe (2nd toe), however, I’ve noticed that my outer toes (3rd & 4th) are lacking space on the insole and touch the front of the shoe a touch. I’ve read I should have space in front of all my toes, but when sizing up and the shoes either still did not give me the space and was way too long for my other toes, more than a thumbs width of space, or the shape just did not work for me. I don’t consider my foot as extra wide, but am probably a bit wider than average from my understanding. I don’t know which brand/style I should focus on or is this OK? I’d appreciate any advice you can provide! 🙂
Sounds like you need a shoe with more of a square shape to it. Have you looked at Freet or Barebarics? You also might like Lems Primal 2 or Chelsea.
So far Barebarics and Lems seem to work best, but I’m interested in a thinner sole in a similar shape as those brands. Do you have any other brands in mind? It’s been a somewhat difficult start in finding the right shoe fit, but learning what works for me!
So far I’ve tried:
Freet – too narrow, sole did not feel right on the tanga
Origo – too narrow
Peerko – OK, can make work, tried the celebrate
Belenka – depends on sole; bean shape did not work, active sole is OK
Vivo – a bit too narrow and slopes a bit too much to pinky toe
Splay – slopes too much to pinky toe
Bohempia – wide fits well, still looking at different styles
Crupon – Nomade; works well
Zeezoo – boot; OK
Lems – works well; primal zen
Barebarics – works well; zing
Hi Stephanie,
You might want to take a look at Luks, Softstar Primal, or Realfoot. For sandals – Shamma or Laboo (available at Anya’s Shop).
For some more resources to check out if you haven’t, Brands by Foot Type and Extra Wide Shoes.
Good morning,
I really like your website.
But I would to know if you have heard of fraudulent canadian websites of barfoot shoes.
Today, I have ordered 2 ballerina pair of shoes from the Groundies canadian website but they were half the price of the American site. And then, while I continuee looking for boots, I saw a Canadian website of be lenka that just looked like the Groundies web site. Again the price is more than half of the price of the European web site.
Also, after ordering, I finalky noted that the delivery of the shoes would take 30 days ampnd they mentioned that the charge in my credit card will be COMETINBOX and not Groundies.
In addition, the delivery tracking does not even come from a delivery company.
If you could confirm if you heard similar stories that would be great.
Thank you for the information,
Isabelle
Hi Isabelle, I am sorry to tell you that I have heard of such sites and they are indeed fraudulent. I would contact your credit card company or bank immediately. We are doing our best to inform readers in our articles, but they continue to pop up (it might be belenkacanada one day and then it’s belenkausa the next). Here we only link to the brand’s website directly (they don’t have variations with regions as part of the name) or to authorized retailers.
Hi! I am new to barefoot shoes as of this year, and I am still navigating the sizing learning curve 🙂 I was hoping you could give me some pointers on possibly which size would be best to order of the VIVO Chelsea boot. I printed out their size guide according to the correct measurements and my longest toe comes right to the size 8 line. In regular shoes I have always been a size 8 cross the board, but should I size up to a 9 to accommodate more space , I know this is probably a difficult question to answer in an email, it would be ideal if I can try them on first, I have considered buying both an 8 and a 9 and just sending back the one that didn’t fit, but I was trying to avoid that if possible 😀 I know you’ve tried them and was hoping you had some size tips . Thank you!
-Kara
Do you have high arches or thick feet in general? If so then sizing up seems wise. If you have a slimmer foot with narrow heels than the 8 could be perfect. But you’re right, it’s impossible to know for sure without trying them on!
Thick, old, straight feet with very high arches that need good support. My issue is squishing the big toe. I dress simply. Thanks.
Hi Corie, we almost always size up 1 in boots versus what we wear in sneakers so I would go with the larger size especially if you have wide feet.
Hi Anya, I am new to the barefoot shoe concept and your site has so much information, I can’t decide on what I need. I was diagnosed with a neuroma on my left foot between the 3 &4 toes. I am a runner and invested in toe spacers which have helped a bunch. But I am trying to find a show that wont require spacers. I run on both trails with rocks and dirt and on roads. Also if you have neuroma idea for dress shoe I’d take that.
Thank you for your time.
I don’t have much personal experience with neuromas but I’ve heard from other podiatrists and foot experts that a bit more cushioning in your shoes than most barefoot shoes have is usually wise. Also metatarsal pads can be very helpful (just make sure you place them correctly, they go right behind the metatarsal heads not underneath them). I really like the Primal 2 and Primal Zen from Lems shoes as a more cushioned option that still has a wide toe box so your foot can really spread out. Altra also has some good options, I like their Escalante and Solstice models.
Hi, do you recommend any textured shower mats? Seems like a good place to put a mat that would encourage feet use
The ones in your review didn’t mention any water proof ones
I’ve never tried that before! But I feel like if you searched specifically for textured shower mat or reflexology shower mat you might find something designed for it.
Hello. Thank you for making time for me & this idea. =:-)
I am a roller skater who truly needs what I am about to describe. I Love toe socks & only skate in them. They are incredibly helpful in every way, especially now that anatomically correct roller skate boots finally exist!
However, now that my skates are no longer too narrow in the toe boxes & thus no longer causing neuropraxia on the top of my feet; I no longer have Morton’s neuromas, etc.; I now realize how much I am sliding around in my skate boots & compensating for this slide factor. And tightening my laces is not a healthy solution & thus not an option for me. I tie my wax laces just right: not too tight & not too loose.
What I am dreaming about: mini crew toe socks (has to be mini crew or my skates & force will eat the sock & make things uncomfortable/regular crew are not comfortable to skate in/my calves like to be free) that are still light/thin/breathable (like my Injinji toe socks), but have a small amount of grip on the external bottoms of the socks. They have to remain moderately thin, though.
I really need some toe socks with some external grip so I can stop compensating for the slick movement factor occurring inside my boots (especially during the first 30-60 minutes of skating) & thus tiring my feet out sooner than I would like.
I am sure that other skaters (other roller skating variations/figures, speed, derby, etc.; ice skaters; hockey, etc.) & perhaps other athletes may find socks like these beneficial for their sports as well, especially considering that more & more sports are finally getting anatomically correct footwear.
Can you help? Or point me in the direction of someone who can help?
Thank You so very much for your consideration, time, & hopefully help. And Thank You for your incredible products you share/sell/etc. that keep me & my amazing feet so healthy, happy, flexible, & strong. I am abidingly grateful for you, Anya!! =:-D 👣💞💫🛼🛼👣💞💫🛼🛼👣💞💫
Hi Candice! Would these from Narasocks work?
Also, let us know what these anatomical skates are you’ve found!
hi anya,
i need help to find as true sizing as possible. very confusing… difficult now that i gotta buy shoes online….
Hi Austin, shoe sizing is notoriously difficult. There is no fool-proof way to make sure you get it right, but you can find the tips I use here for finding the right shoe and size.
Hi, Anya! I’ve been doing a lot of research on wide toe box shoes and came across your website. Thanks for making this content. 😀
I’d like to know what you think about shoes for hypermobility. I have it, and it causes my ankles to roll and put unnatural pressure on certain areas of my feet/toes. I’ve been told that I need supportive shoes to help keep my ankles from rolling (my pedorthist recommended that I be barefoot as little as possible because of this), but I have such a hard time finding anatomically shaped shoes that aren’t super thin and flat. I like how Birkenstocks make my feet feel, but most of the styles aren’t quite wide enough in the toe box. Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you!
Hi there! I am hypermobile and it’s been the source of a lot of my foot issues! You can find wide toe box but not barefoot shoes here as well as some tips on using insoles in barefoot shoes so you have more versatility. Foot and leg strengthening has been really helpful for getting more stability in my feet as well.
Can you review KK FIVE FINGERS? Is it better than Vibrams?
Hi, we haven’t tried those, but I am thinking they may be some sort of copyright infringement with them.
Hi, Anya!
I’ve been so appreciative of your site as a resource as I transition to more barefoot shoes. I’m slowly replacing everything, but it’s hard to figure out a shoe to best match this one particular need: I social dance (salsa and bachata, mostly), and historically, I’ve worn 2&1/2 inch heels with lots of cushion, flexibility, and swede bottoms (for the spinning). When I stopped wearing heals, I wore Toms for a while, but these days, that just won’t work. I bought some FeelGrounds (thanks for the rec!) that look Toms-ish, and I love them, but the soles really grab the ground, and there’s no way I can spin in them, so for the time being, I’ve reverted back to heels. This is not a good solution. Any ideas on stylish casual shoes that might let me spin? (I’ve attached a website for a shoe company that does dance sneakers to give you a sense of what I’m looking for, but with a wide toe box at the very least, even if it is more of a transition shoe.)
Many thanks,
Heather
Hi Heather, you will find this list of barefoot shoes for dancing helpful! It includes options with a smooth leather outsole that works well for dancing.