Most kids love to live barefoot all summer, but there are times you really need some good barefoot shoes. Here is a compilation of barefoot or minimalist footwear options (with a few water shoes thrown in for extra options) for kids of different ages. They’re split by the categories of Rough, Dress, and Water. Some of the Rough could also work for water, including Bedrock and Deliberate Life.
**This is Sandals Week on the blog and more lists will come, ending with a Master list tying it all together. Stay tuned! Custom options are detailed here**
All BIG lists are here, Reviews are here, and Discounts are here. If you’d like to learn more about sandal thickness and making the best choice there, check out this post.
Rough-Play Sandals
| Bedrock Sandals | Older kids | Bedrocks officially start at 5 women’s, but those run at least 2 sizes too small, making this an option that starts *around* an EU 33. If they went lower, I’d be thrilled. These shoes are some of the thickest (making them more minimalist than barefoot) but are zero-drop and free of arch support if you stay away from the 3D model, and highly flexible. | Worldwide |
| Chala * | 22-35 EU | Chala has 2 models for kids here (relaxed model) and here (more rugged model). Save 5% with code 723FFF74. | Worldwide |
| Deliberate Life Designs | 6 inches + | Deliberate Life Designs makes sandals based off tracings for a custom fit, and they’ll go as low as 6 inches in length (below that the strapping ratio doesn’t work). Adam makes sandals with a range of thicknesses and materials, giving you the opportunity to get exactly what your kid (or you) needs. Code OWBSHOES saves you 10%. | Worldwide |
| Earthrunners* | K12-C3 | A fan-favorite for adults, Earthrunners also goes down to about age 4 with their most popular sandals line. Code OWB* saves you 10% any time of the year. Grounding. Review here. | Worldwide |
| Gladsoles | Custom | Every pair of Gladsoles is based off of a custom foot tracing. | Worldwide |
| Luna * | K12-C3 | Thick, but lightweight and molds with use. The Lunacitos model has the best kids’ sandals name of all. Save 10% with my affiliate code OWBS_LUNA10 or use this link to apply the code automatically to your purchase. | Worldwide |
| Paisley | Ask | Custom sandals based off foot tracings. The owner is dedicated to customer satisfaction and guarantees your fit. Contact first if your kid(s) are very small to verify that size will work. | US Only |
| Panta | 32-36 EU | Super minimalist sandals for EU buyers. | EU Only |
| Plae Wes | K8-C4 | Recommended as a fairly accessible and fairly minimalist option that may be cheaper than others you see. Availability depends on retailers, largely. | Retailer |
| Tarasoles | Custom | Super minimalist paracord sandals based off foot tracings. Offers multiple thicknesses and grounding options. | EU Only |
| Unshoes * | 21-35 EU | Even early walkers can get in on the Unshoes Keotas, which look super cute on little feet! The soles are pretty thin, so make sure you don’t get too much extra space to avoid flipping-and-tripping. | Worldwide |
| Xero * | Depends | Xero has a Z-Trail for kids that runs from sizes K12-C4, as well as a DIY kit sold in sheets that you can use for any size you want | Worldwide |
Dress Sandals
| Astir (Etsy) * | 27-35 EU | Good-looking all-leather sandal in 7 different color options. | Worldwide |
| The Drifter Leather | 26 EU+ | The Drifter Leather gets a reputation for being all about women’s shoes, but they actually go all the way down to Size 26 EU in most of their designs now. | Worldwide |
| Ginger Shoes | 20-25 EU | At the time of writing, these are pretty low on stock, but if you’re in Europe, keep them in mind for pretty yellow or green options in the future. | EU Only |
| Little Love Bug Company | 2-10 | Great-looking leather sandals for babies and toddlers. If I had girls, or babies anymore, I’d buy here. | US Only |
| Magical Shoes | TBA | These aren’t fully released at the time of posting, but have been teased on Instagram. I love the fun colors! Discount code WENDY (not affiliate) saves you 10% here. | Worldwide |
| OKBarefoot | 28-34 EU | Available from the linked retailer, these are minimal leather sandals. Very limited distribution. | Europe |
| The Original Shandals Company | Ask | Custom leather sandals with minimal heel drop than can be made without a heel. Talk to company about particular kids’ sizing, but they definitely go down into the elementary-age level. | Worldwide |
| Papoutsi | 18-36 EU | Sun sandals (all leather) | Worldwide |
| Softstar Shoes * | Newborn+ | Softstar starts at 0-6 months and goes up from there with soft-sole leather options and later for older (and rougher) kids vibram option. Sandals start at size 6. Ask for wide or even Xwide options when needed (may not be available on all models) and if your kid is full on bread-loaf like mine, talk to them about special considerations such as longer elastic before you order. Multiple sandals models are available. | Worldwide |
| Tikki Shoes | 19 EU+ | Leather sandals in fun colors and with kid-centric designs. | Worldwide |
| Wildling Shoes * or US/Canada Wildling * | 18 EU+ | The light and airy Feather model goes down all the way into toddler sizes. | Worldwide |
| Zapato Feroz | 24-31 EU | 3 options are releasing over April and May for pre-school kids. | EU Only |
| Zeazoo Kids | 18-34 EU | Zeazoo takes both color and selection to the max (I love it!), and they’ll even customize with different emblems based on your kids’ loves. Ask first if you’d like to inquire about making width or volume customizations as some models have this options, but not all of them. OWBSHOES = 5% off directly with Zeazoo or 10% off at the European retailer 100barefootsoles, which also ships to the US. The US Site PedTerra (formerly YoungSoleShoes) also has a great selection and OWBSHOES = 10% off your first order. | Worldwide |
Water Shoes
| WalMart & Target (US) | Varies | You can find some great options, usually for lower-volume/narrow feet, at box stores. Check out toeboxes, flexibility, and arch support. | Local and Shipped |
| Newtz Water Shoes | K5-C5 | These can be found in multiple places, including Amazon * and big box stores. Some debate about arch support, but if it’s there it’s minimal. | Local and Shipped |
| VIVOBAREFOOT* | K9-C4 | Vivo Ultra shoes are great for low-volume feet and water play. They’re not made to hold up to a lot of asphalt or harsh forces, so keep use in mind. They’ll go fast! You also may find them on other retailers. Most VIVO purchases can get 10% off with code OWB10*. | Worldwide Shipping |
| Amazon Water Shoes* | Varies | This is the cheapest and easiest way to get some minimal protection, but take care that they aren’t squishing toes too much. Amazon is full of multiple options with countless colors and patterns, including the one linked to the left. | US+ |
| Slipfree from Pedterra * | Infant through Adult EU 44/45 | These are water shoes, upgraded. Pedterra sells both Jr and Adult sizes, and you can save 10% on your first order with my affiliate code OWBSHOES. |
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