Xero Shoes Men’s Prio Barefoot Athletic Sneaker

I recently started my barefoot/minimalist shoe journey and after getting started with some other brands I decided to go with a higher quality shoe. I decided to give these a try and I'm glad I did. They are extremely comfortable and didn't require a ton of breaking in to reach that comfort level. The lacing system makes these perfect for my narrow feet because it helps apply even pressure across my entire foot instead of just the top and sides of my feet like a lot of other shoes I've worn. They are very durable and have amazing grip and slip resistance as well. I've worn these while rucking and haven't experienced any issues transitioning from dry pavement to wet grass and back. I also haven't experienced any issues transitioning from wet pavement to the smooth concrete used inside arenas. Speaking of arenas, these have to be one of the most versatile shoes I've owned because they work perfectly as exercise shoes and also pair extremely well with a casual outfit for a night out. I give these a 9.9/10 recommendation.

Bought these after they were recommended by Knees Over Toes Guy.Typical shoes (unnaturally) bunch your toes together and give you a raised heel.I think narrow toe boxes are meant to look better as they make your foot appear slender and they also *seem* to emulate and create an ideal pushing motion of your foot.Raised heels are likely to be used to exaggerate your foots position to push off the ball of your foot.These are just my thoughts.The PROBLEM with narrow toe boxes is that they deform your feet and cause bunions.Raised heels on shoes shorten the length of your Achilles’ tendon, since it does not have to be elongated as much when the heel is raised.These aren’t opinions. Raised heels also makes you more vulnerable to rolling you ankle AND the rolls will be worse, as your heel is further from the ground. This is proven, see KoT guy and SquatU videos on this.Now that I explained how typical shoes work,Here is how these shoes function:These shoes do Not Have an elevated heel. They do have a toe box that is shaped to fit your foot in a more natural shape.This enables you to use your foot like a tripod and get maximum stability from your foot. This is great for weight lifters.The flat bottom profile returns your Achilles’ tendon length to its natural state and promotes better ankle mobility, which is pivotal to a deep squat. (If your ankle mobility is less than ideal, try elevating your heel on some plates.)I have always ordered shoes too big because I did not like the feeling of my toes touching the sides of my shoes. I used to wear 11-12 shoes so my I could get a wider shoe at expense of having extra space at the end.I ordered 11’s of this shoe and they had far too much space at the end.I returned for 10.5’s and they fit much better. I don’t need extra space at the end of the shoe. Also, the extra space causes your foot to slide in your shoe, creating unnecessary calluses.Cons:These shoes certainly aren’t the most stylish. Could be worse but they aren’t anything to brag about.The wide toe box looks unnatural since most ppl wear narrow shoes.The shoes are quite thin. This is great for foot awareness as much of that is lost with shoes on, but I cannot wear these walking on rocks or roots, as you’ll feel every one. Concrete is not terrible but your feet weren’t really made to walk on such a hard material so more cushion would be helpful.Running in these shoes puts a great deal of force on your calves.I wear these at the gym and walking around the store and flat areas.My feet are noticeably stronger and I can actually feel the ground under my feet with them on. I’m much more aware of how my feet are moving and reacting. My balance has improved drastically.KoT guy said he used these for basketball. I thought he was crazy until I tried it. I’ve never worn low top shoes for basketball due to my previously weak ankles. Now these are my basketball shoe. They have great tread. (KoT guy is currently developing wide toe, zero drop basketball shoes with a YouTube sneaker head that will have a thicker sole. I will buy them when they are released).I recommend these for everyone, but I do think it’s important you understand the “why” of the shoes, their use cases, and how they react on some terrain.

TLDR;Buy these shoes right now, you'll be glad you did.Full review:From the moment I put these shoes on, I knew I was going to love them. I've now owned them for a week and LOVE them. Everything the owner says is true, and I'm glad to see they live up to the hype. I have owned zero drop, naked, flats, whatever you want to call them, in the past and had a couple that I was happy with and some of which I was not. I have two other pairs of low profile running shoes that I bought on Amazon and although they are okay, I'm not all that happy with them. These Xero shoes make my feet happy. So if you are on the fence, just pull the trigger and buy them, I think you'll be happy too. I plan to buy more shoes from Xero, as soon as I can raise some more funds for them! The only thing I would say is that I personally wouldn't use these for running. I tried them out a couple days ago, and they are just a little too big and bulky for that. So I'll probably buy Xero running shoes for my next pair. But for walking around, they are prefect.Pros:- COMFORTABLE, like wrapping your feet in pillows yet without a bunch of foam. How does this happen?!- QUALITY, I have bought a lot of different brands in the $40 - $150 range and these are built better than any other shoe I've tried. Solid.- Great sole, I was just telling a co-worker yesterday about this. They feel "sticky" on all surfaces, even dirt and gravel. They feel almost sticky to the touch, and I'm not sure how they achieved this and are still rated for 5,000 miles. I'll be curious to see how long the soles actually last, but so far they seem good.- Plenty of room. The inside of the shoe is very roomy, yet doesn't feel sloppy to me. Now, I have fairly athletic skinny feet so your mileage may very.- Decent price for how nice they are.Cons:- Not good for running. Buy running shoes if you want to do that.- If you haven't worn zero drop shoes, you'll have to expect some soreness in your legs for a while. Not to worry though, you're building muscle.- Could use more color choices when purchasing them.

Pros: I usually wear 13 EE but 13 fit me just fine, Very comfortable, quiet, Wide Toe Box, great maneuverability.Con: would like more stiffness around and below ankle. Make a bowing shape that is not aesthetically pleasant