Whitin is one of the most common first barefoot shoes that my readers try – and with great success. They are cheap, easy to order, and have good-looking styles for both adults and kids. If you’re looking to get started with wide toe box shoes or add an affordable option, this is a must-read review.
Key Takeaways
- Whitin is one of the cheapest barefoot shoe brands available, with styles around $40
- Decent quality, but don’t expect a high end shoe. These are functional, with some quirks like toe spring or lower-end materials.
- They run small, so I always size up and double-check the wide/barefoot labeling before ordering.
Whitin Barefoot Shoes Review
I bought my first pair of Whitin barefoot shoes circa 2020, and since then I’ve purchased about 15 pairs for my family and my team for testing. It’s long overdue that I share my feedback in a dedicated review!
What I love
1. Great entry to barefoot shoes:
Whitin is hands-down one of the best budget-friendly barefoot shoe brands out there. And since they’re sold (exclusively) on Amazon, they’re easy for most consumers to find. I hear all the time from readers and friends/family that this is the brand they felt most comfortable ordering as their first barefoot shoe.
As you might expect from the lower price point, the quality of Whitin shoes isn’t top-tier, but for the price they hold up surprisingly well. It’s nice to have a low-stakes shoe you can throw on and not worry about, because they weren’t expensive. They’re also great for kids and teens who are rough on shoes or outgrow them quickly.
And the removable insole that adds just the right amount of cushion for a newbie.
2. THE OPTIONS
I love that Whitin’s casual shoes and everyday sneakers offer classic, low-key styles that blend right in with your typical American sneaker lineup. They also now have a wide, but not barefoot line that has a thicker sole than the others.
Besides casual sneakers you can also find:
3. Accessibility friendly
Speaking of kids shoes, their children’s line has a variety of wide, high volume options that are accessibility friendly. The velcro and wide opening make them easy to get in and out of and can accommodate many AFOs (ankle, foot orthotics). This means a better fit and more independence for kiddos with limited mobility. People with disabilities need foot-friendly shoes too!!! Which is why I’d love to see these velcro sneakers go up to adult sizes too.
What I Don’t Love
1. Materials
For the most part, Whitin shoes are made with synthetic materials and I’ve found that some have noticeable seams that tend to rub my feet after a while. So I make sure to wear socks with my Whitin shoes. I get overstimulated easily by textures, so this is something not everyone will notice.
2. Minor fit complaints
The shaping of the outsole on many models has some toe spring built into it (where the front of the shoe lifts up). Again this is a little nitpicky on my part, but after I while I notice it pushing up my toes. As an occasional, throw-on-and-go sneaker, they’re totally fine. But if you have very sensitive feet and/or a history of plantar fasciitis it may be something you also notice.
3. Navigating the Amazon store
Typical for Amazon brands, shopping on the Whitin storefront can be a bit of a maze. They release new models frequently, and their names are super generic—think “minimalist barefoot sneaker” or “canvas barefoot shoe.” New models also can fit differently, so you don’t always know what you’re getting into.
They also sell some non-barefoot shoes, so it’s worth reading through the title and product description fully. If you want the true barefoot fit, make sure it says “wide” in the title and check the top-down photo to confirm that spacious toebox.
Just be prepared to sift through a lot of listings.
Sizing & Fit
Whitin barefoot shoes fit as follows:
- For many models runs slightly small. I like to order a half size up, but some people order their usual size.
- Wide to extra wide fit – As long as you order the wide Whitins.
- Medium to high volume. I have to tighten the laces on mine and they pooch a bit on my low volume feet.
I normally wear a 37 EU, but I order a US 7 in Whitin (EU 38). If you add the product to your cart and then view cart you can see both the EU size and US size in the title, which helped me order the correct size.
Whitin kids shoes come in little sizing all the way to big kids. For adults, Whitin’s women’s sizes start at 5.5 (EU 35 / Youth 4) and go up to a 10.5—but since the men’s and women’s shoes are basically the same, you can size up into the men’s listing if you need a larger size. The men’s sizes top out at 14, though that’s only available in certain models.
Whitin is a good starter brand if you want to test out barefoot shoes before making a bigger investment. Since it can be overwhelming to start wearing shoes that actually fit, a low stakes entry point might be just what you need to start your journey to happier feet.
If you like this idea, check out my roundup of the best affordable barefoot shoes for adults.
13 thoughts on “Whitin – The Best Cheap Barefoot Shoes”
I bought a barefoot shoe for $10 from amazon and I’ve been loving it for months now.
ZVC wrestling shoes. Remove the insole. It’s shockingly good for $10! I’ve tried Whitin with mixed results – fit related mostly.
I’ve had my Whitin shoes for almost a year. I like them.
I’m already in the habit of sizing up, even on wide width shoes, because I have a serious bunion on my right foot. Hardly anyone makes a shoe that will fit me properly (high volume, remarkably wide feet), so I just look for something affordable, that won’t hurt too much.
Whitin is a decent choice for me. I can even wear them for a short shift as a supermarket cashier.
I’m glad you finally touched on a “cheap” brand for those of us who have a tighter budget. Thank you, Anya.
This is my situation. I bought two pair of splay and the length is fine but the bunion on my left was very uncomfortable especially in the Streetstyle which are so cute. Splay probably works for most. So I ordered a pair of Whitin and the bunion doesn’t bother me at all.
I have the light gray ones shown in your review, I have had them for over a year and they have held up well, better than more expensive brands I have bought. I just ordered another pair to replace them when they’re worn out. The only change I make is to replace the liner with the Northsole brand or even some cork ones from Lems.
I love my Whitin shoes. I have at least 5 pairs of them. All of them are barefoot except I did purchase one of new wide styles with some extra cushion. (Love having that option). I also size up from a 41 to a 42 in this brand. Some styles I had an issue at first with feeling the seams, but after a couple hours of wear, they were fine, especially after learning I needed to size up. Whitin has had a better overall fit for me than any other barefoot brand I have tried.
This brand is also such a great option for vegan barefoot shoes!
Whitten used to make a certain kind of barefoot shoe that I just loved. They fit me great. Now they don’t make them anymore. They were simple slip ons, not exactly sneakers. They had laces but I always removed them because they fit better without them, I keep hoping and hoping that they’ll have them back in stock, but they never do. So I switched to Hey Dudes, which is the closest I can find to my old Whittens.
Honestly loved the whitins until they got soaked in the rain one time. After that the front of the shoe delaminated from the top of the shoe material and became unusable. So… They’re great until you get them too wet. I wouldn’t recommend them for kids or really anyone except as a cheap way to try barefoot shoes out. Have since switched to be lenka which are very similar, very much more expensive, but so far seem better constructed.
I just don’t know what the obsession specially in the USA is with ppl wanted to show their feet. Most feet are not good looking and many should just keep them covered up. Yuck
I can see you recommend to size up from your usual size.
When one haven’t tried enough barefoot shoes to know their preferred size, is the Size Chart overall trustable, or should we choose a size up from what the Size Chart says?
Good question. Looking at the size chart, I would say you should be able to use it safely. The “heel to toe (in)” section is indicating the length of the inside of the shoe, not the length of the foot that fits best in it.
Since most of us aren’t lucky enough to have a barefoot shoe store nearby, we need to purchase online. Can you give tips on how to decide which to buy? I’ve got 4 pairs of shoes from different brands. They’re fine. But they’re not working the way I’d like. And, I wouldn’t know that without trying them one, comparing them, wearing them a bit, etc. I then came back to you and saw your post (thank you) with the quiz and now I have a better idea of what to look for. I’d love to order 5 pairs one each from my top 5 results and see what works, but that doesn’t seem practical. What process do you recommend for trying out many styles. Oh, and if you’d have your big show in S.F. next year… well, that takes care of a lot of things. (Maybe a show 2x a year???). :). Thanks for your many reviews, posts, and thoughtful analysis.
Hi Connie. It is tough when you are just starting out. We will be holding the Barefoot Shoe Expo in Chicago, Illinois next year, so not close to SF. But as far as advice, I’d recommend trying to pace yourself and ordering just one or two to start with. Sometimes it takes a little bit for you to hone in on what works best for you. 6 months after wearing a shoe you might realize it’s not fitting the way you like! Sneakers and shoes with laces or other adjustments tend to be the most practical. And if there is a removable insole that also can help with adjustability.