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Picking between Vans vs Barefoot Shoes has never been a thing. Or has it? Let us compare two popular shoes, the Vans, and the Barefoot shoes. The Vans are a brand of shoes that have been around for a long time and have been worn by many rock stars and celebrities.
Barefoot Shoes are a relatively new shoe that you may have seen in magazines and on TV. I am a big fan of barefoot shoes because they feel great. They are very comfortable and good to walk/run in. I have been wearing them for years. I love the fact that I can be naked when I wear them.
The Differences Between Vans and Barefoot Shoes
The Vans shoes have a hard layer of rubber on the bottom. This prevents you from sinking into the ground. The Barefoot Shoes do not have this, so they will feel very unstable on uneven surfaces if you wear them.
The Vans shoes are pretty comfortable with padding in the arch and the toe area to prevent blisters and sore feet from repetitive pounding. The Barefoot Shoes allow you to run/walk barefoot, but they may not be as comfortable as Vans shoes because there is no padding in them.
Lack of padding is one of the reasons I like barefoot shoes. They allow my feet to feel the natural tread of the ground. When you are on grass and soil, your feet will feel the textures of the ground in a way that Vans shoes cannot. You cannot feel the texture of the ground when you wear Vans shoes.
I like Barefoot shoes because they are very lightweight and thin (the soles are only 0.4″ thick). This means you can be lighter on your feet, which is advantageous for distance runners because you can be lighter on your feet and cover more ground quicker.
Comfort
The Vans shoes have very soft leather soles, which are really comfortable and extremely light. The Barefoot Shoes do not have this.
The Barefoot Shoes are also much lighter in weight than the Vans shoes, so they are much more comfortable to run in. The Vans shoes have arch support in them, which is really nice because it cushions the arch of your feet and supports your feet. The Barefoot Shoes do not have this, but I don’t really mind. In general, Vans are not made for running it. There is an increasing number of barefoot shoe brands with lines made for running.
Breaking In
If you get your first pair of barefoot shoes, it is best to wear them for a long period of time before you do any vigorous exercise in them. They are not well-suited for running or heavy-duty activities that may cause blisters, such as rock climbing or walking up and down very steep hills.
To break in the new shoes, walk around on rough surfaces and then walk on smooth surfaces after a few hours of wearing the shoes. Wearing your shoes in this manner will make them feel more comfortable and fit one’s feet better.
Do they work well for runners who have flat feet?
Barefoot shoes cannot fix a problem with the way our foot strikes the ground directly, so if you have flat feet, they might not be well suited for you. The good news is that they can still be used by anyone who has normal arches or high arches.
Ease of care
When you get your Vans shoes, you need to break them in before putting them on again. The way to do this is by running your hands over the soles and heels and rubbing them with a towel. You can also use a leather conditioner to soften the leather. Some people wear their Vans on concrete or grass and then place them in a dryer after they are worn out. This will make the color fade away.
Caring for barefoot shoes is very easy. Shoes should be cleaned with water and shampoo on the first few months of use to remove dirt, grime, and salts from the shoe’s surface. After this initial period, you can clean your shoes using soap and water. To dry your shoes, leave them outside to air dry, or once more, you can place them in a dryer machine.
Fit
The Vans have magnificent arch supports that will really suck up any variations in your foot structure to ensure you get stability in your feet. The Barefoot shoes do not have this. The Vans are also slightly wider than the barefoot shoe so that I can get a good fit. There is no arch support in the barefoot shoes which means I can’t feel my arch when running, which is not great as it makes my feet move more when running, which can be painful.
Sizing
Vans shoes are very well-made, and they fit really well, you will know if you get the right size or not. I wear a size 10 in Vans shoes, and I fit into a size 9 in Barefoot shoes. The sizing of the Vans is not good for runners, as they are large. They have more room than other popular brands, but they fit well for walking.
The Barefoot Shoes also have some sizing issues because they don’t really specify their sizes on their website (although it is available elsewhere online). I wear a size 8 in Vans, and I ordered a size 9 in the Barefoot Shoes.
Are vans barefoot shoes?
No. Vans are not barefoot shoes. They are minimalist shoes. Vans are not a brand that gets much attention from barefoot enthusiasts. Many brands of barefoot shoes would suit runners who are looking to run in them, but there aren’t as many options for Vans.
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