Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

General

Here are some common general questions.

What is the significance of the big toe?

The big toe is our body’s natural anchor and pivot. Healthy toes are vital for healthy feet, which are vital for healthy, natural movement. A study, carried out by Scientists in Taiwan, (Chou et al 2008 ) suggests that even the smallest of restrictions on our big toe can have an impact on our balance and fine motor skills.

Exercising your feet everyday for 10mins with some Toe Yoga will greatly help strengthen your feet. The Vivobarefoot website has some nice Toe-yoga exercises to follow.

Why is walking so important?

If you are new to wearing minimalist shoes we’d recommend walking before you run and transitioning gradually. It might feel unusual at first, but it’ll be worth it in the long run.

Like any training programme, it takes time to adjust to barefoot movement. You may have sore calves and feet to begin with but this is just the feeling of waking muscles up that may not have had a proper workout in years.

We’d recommend starting slowly; being barefoot where possible and wearing minimalist shoes for short periods of walking. Do active foot exercises. In time you should get stronger feet, increased ankle mobility, improved posture and better balance and a new found sense of connection with the ground.

I have a medical history of injury, can I still transition?

If you have a medical history of injury and pain you may have more difficulty transitioning.

You have probably been wearing conventional shoes and or corrective footwear or orthotics for quite some time. If this is the case, the function and anatomy of the foot is likely to be compromised and therefore we recommend that your transition to ‘barefoot’ should be supervised by a medical professional.

We strongly suggest you start by using our shoes for everything except long walks and running. We have shoes for everyday wearing to help.

Product

Here are some common questions about ourproducts.

Are your shoes puncture proof or puncture resistant?

All our minimalist shoes are puncture resistant.

For example, Vivobarefoot shoes have a patented puncture resistant layer that has up to 5x the puncture resistance of other minimal shoe brands out there. Leguanos have a patented sole as well that is extremely puncture resistant while being ultra flexible.

Minimalist shoes appear to have less components than regular shoes, so why are they expensive?

FLEXIBLE SHOES - Barefoot shoes are committed to giving you as little shoe as possible while providing your feet with all the grip and protection you would expect. Making soft, thin, flexible shoes that last longer and still allow for natural foot function, is our unique challenge and unique offering.

LESS IS MORE - With less materials, thinner soles and complete flexibility; a huge amount of stress is put on the shoes during wear. This means we have to use the best materials and most considered shoe making process we can lay our hands on.

WE PAY MORE FOR LESS - As an example, factories need to make up to 3500 pairs per day to be profitable. Our soft, thin, flexible shoes are a lot harder to make which limits us to below 1000 pair per day due to the level of shoe making, craftsmanship and quality needed in each and every pair.

Can I buy additional shoe laces/insoles for my shoes?

We stock different insoles for our shoes. We can also customize or modify our stock insoles to fit the different brands.

Unfortunately, as we stock many different types of shoes, we are unable to stock the same additional laces for the products. If you receive your shoes with a faulty lace, we will of course replace the laces, but we are unable just to send spare/replacement laces on request. However, contact us for availability.

Where do barefoot shoe brands produce their shoes?

All over the world. In general, the most sophisticated machinery for footwear are located in Vietnam or China. But depending on shoe brands, there are productions in Germany, Portugal, Spain, Ethiopia, etc.

Do you offer a repair service?

Yes! But not for all shoes.

Contact us to evaluate whether the shoes are repairable or replaceable. The standard 24-month guarantee for manufacturer defects apply. Note that this does not cover normal wear and tear due to use.

*Please note, unless faulty, this is a chargeable service

What’s special about the Vivobarefoot soles?

Did you know that up to 70% of the information your brain needs for skilful movement comes from the 200,000 nerves on the soles of your feet? By maximising sensory feedback as your foot touches the ground, you can exploit the abundance of information available to the brain to help you stand, walk and move with optimal skill.

Every shoe Vivobarefoot make has a patented, ultra-thin, puncture resistant sole which gives you maximum sensory feedback with protection.

Why do you have different soles?

Environment specific grip is necessary for the footwear to function optimally.

Does Vivobarefoot offer a guarantee on products?

Things can go wrong. If you have experienced unusual ‘wear and tear’, a fault on your shoe, or it has not held up as it should, please let us know. Just show us your proof of purchase, and we would be happy to get a replacement pair out to you.

Due to the popularity of styles, it is not always possible to replace your style with the same piece. However, we will do our best to ensure you have a new style which will be fit for purpose.

In the interest of ensuring the same fault does not occur to anyone else, we will usually ask you to send photos of the style, and in some cases to send them back to us. That way, we can work on further testing to prevent anything happening again in the future.

How do I clean/care for my shoes?

It depends on the material. We offer cleaning and care products at our shops.

As a general rule, handwash and spot cleaning is best, especially for leather products. Certain synthetic shoes can be put in the washing machine in a cold, handwash cycle, without spinning.

If in doubt, contact us and tell us the type of shoe.

Should I wear socks or insoles with my barefoot shoes?

You may or may not need to. It comes down to personal preferences.

If you don't like wearing socks, we recommend using insoles specific to the shoes (if compatible), air the shoes in a well ventilated area, and for synthetic shoes, wash them in mild soap and water.

Remember that your feet shed skin inside your shoes or socks. If the skin is kept inside the shoes, it is food for bacteria that can reside in the shoes. Socks are a convenient way to collect the dead skin and keep shoes clean and odor free longer.

Another way to combat odor is to use baking soda. Put enough to cover the inside overnight. Then shake them off in the morning to use them.

Purchases

Here are some common questions about purchasing from our store.

What payment options do you accept?

We take the following types of card:

Bancontact
MasterCard
Visa
Bank Transfer

When should I receive my confirmation and dispatch emails relating to my order?

All successful orders will receive email confirmations immediately. Your order and may take up to 24 hours to reach your inbox.

We aim to pick and pack our orders within 1 working day though this may take a little longer during busy periods. You will receive a despatch confirmation within 48 hours of placing your online order. Please note that timing does not include store closing days.

Should you not receive your email within this time frame we advise you to check your Spam or Junk folder as it may have been directed there by mistake. If you still cannot find it then please contact us.

I haven't received my order, what should I do?

Don’t Panic! Contact us and we will help trace them.

Can I have a different delivery address from my billing address?

Yes, there is an option in the checkout to add a different delivery address.

Can I return the shoes?

We accept returns as long as the product is in perfectly sellable condition. I.e. :

it has not been worn outside or heavily creased (as in the case of some leather shoes),
all the packaging are intact
for online purchases, you have 14 days to return. Note that some products may not allow for returns (i.e. special promos)
for in-store purchases, ideally within 3 working days and are subject to European Consumer Protection guidelines.
see our Terms & Conditions for details.

Sizing

Here are some common questions about sizing.

Why do your sizes vary across styles?

As with most companies, you may find that your size varies depending on which style of shoe you choose. The main reason for this tends to be down to the materials used, and the actual construction.

Insoles! If you take the insoles out, you find they will play a large part in terms of the room your foot has. If you shoe feels a little tight, remove the insole and you will likely have the right size for your foot.

I usually move a size up in my running shoes, should I do the same with barefoot shoes?

Yes, we would suggest you use the same principle with our shoes.

When running, your feet will expand more than normal. There should be some space in the shoe for your feet to fill.

Every foot is different so the space will vary a little for each person.

Shipping

Here are some common questions about shipping

Belgium

For all shipments within Belgium, shipment fee is included for orders >140 Eur. For items 140 Euros or less, there is a shipment fee of 8Euros. Returns and Exchanges will be charged 8Euros.

Rest of Europe

Outside of Belgium to other parts of Europe will be charged via a specific cost which will be provided upon check-out.

In case there is no option for your specific country, please contact us.

Worldwide

We can ship worldwide. However due to shipping costs and import duties, our experience is that it’s better to purchase from your nearest store.