I bought a new barefoot shoe from Lonowear

And here’s my assessment of it

I just found out that Lonowear barefoot shoes are distributed by a local store. So, I went there to check out the models.

This is a slip-on casual shoe, like Sketchers. This model is the Ezy Slip-on Barefoot Sneakers. There is hardened support for your feet to step into the shoes. There is no need to re-tie the shoelaces every time you wear them.

The shoe fabric feels airy and comfortable. So you can wear them without socks. The shoe is washable, so if you have sweaty feet, you can always wash the shoes after heavy use.

I found the shoes to be a little stiffer than my usual barefoot shoes. It gave me the feeling that my feet would be well protected and cushioned all around. The soles still feel a little stiff (after a week of wear), but they are still very flexible, similar to my other barefoot shoes.

I bought this shoe in size 40, a tad smaller than my usual size 41 (for Xero shoes and Vivobarefoot). Lonowear is a Hong Kong-based company, with their shoes made in China. The price of the shoes (of similar types) would be at least 20–25% cheaper than Xero shoes. So, this is a good option for initial adopters of barefoot shoes.

I have also looked at their other range of barefoot shoes, such as the Lonowear Flow, Verve, and Wild, which are respectively for gym, running, and trail use. I have not tried them, but I have examined their designs and found them to be similar to Xero Shoes. The Lonowear Wild could be a great contender for Xero trail shoes.

Among Lonowear, Xero Shoes, and Vivobarefoot, I found the Vivos to be the softest and best for folks with very mature barefoot shoe experience. Lonowear shoes seem to provide more support and cushion, and hence would be great for the initial adopters. Xero Shoes would sit in between these two brands.

Note that Lonowear is also big on sustainability, as they built their shoes to biodegrade over time. They have retail locations in many Asia Pacific countries and the USA and Canada.