It is not easy to find out where to buy barefoot shoes.
Mostly in webshops, as those are cheapest and easiest to operate. The catch is that when ordering barefoot shoes online, it is not only the size that you might not get right! Various brands/models are optimised for different foot shapes and needs, and the best way to find what is BEST FOR YOU is to try on lots of different shoes at the same time.
Real shops where you can do that are scarce even internationally. Hungary has recently moved to the forefront as there are several actual shops here now! The biggest one, Barefoot Point (that I co-own) not only offers both adult and kids’ shoes, but also a wide range of accessories such as foot shaped socks, Correct Toes (for bunions), Naboso products etc.
ATTENTION! Not everything marked barefoot is truly so. ‘Regular’ models by Groundies, for instance, do not meet one of the most important requirements of leaving enough space for the big toe to stand straight. Another example: D.D.Step offers models with a several mm drop within its ‘barefoot’ range (2024 status). Also, cheap Chinese barefoot shoes are widely sold online at multiple prices, allegedly with a huge discount. It is a trend now, be careful.
If you have suggestions on what else to include in my list, please get in touch. I will react as soon as I can.
Table of Contents
Hungarian shops
For adults (September 2024 status)
PHYSICAL STORES WHERE YOU CAN TRY SHOES
Barefoot Point The biggest, with a wide choice for all foot shapes, both for adults and kids. Webshop + huge physical shop in Gödöllő (near Budapest). I am a co-owner. Check the opening time!
Barefoot Point offers one of the widest ranges in Europe : Vivobarefoot, Leguano, Xeroshoes, Saltic Barefoot, Peerko, Shamma, Ahinsa, Shapen, Lems, Koel, Zeazoo, Belenka, D.D.Step, Protetika, Bundgaard, Baby Bare – and growing. Accessories such as toe socks, Correct Toes and Naboso products can also be tried and purchased.
Barefoot Zone Webshop and small physical store in Szeged with some adult and kids shoes. Opened in 2024.
Buda Barefoot Webshop and small physical store in Budapest with some adult and kids shoes. Opened in 2023.
Majláth Saru Shop in Budapest, custom made sandals by measurements, you can ask for your own design
You have to specifically ask for a barefoot sole. Their sandals are super durable and can be re-soled. Lots of colours and models, prices approx, from 20.000 HUF up in 2022.
Manimalfootgear Webshop and physical store in Székesfehérvár. New owner from 2024, changing range.
WEBSHOPS (ONLINE ONLY)
About Merrell: watch out, they have both standard and barefoot products! Vapor Gloves are all barefoot, and there are other barefoot models, too. Careful: male and female sizings are not the same!
Barefootia ❗️BUDGET ❗️barefoot shoes for adults. Started at the end of 2024. I am a co-owner.
Barefoot Birodalom Small family enterprise. Adult and kids’ shoes. Started at the end of 2024.
Barefoot Family A continuously changing stock from different manufacturers, mostly on the budget side. Also kids’ shoes. ❗️Use code Barefootbudapest7 for 7% off ❗️
Brubeck Sport They make their own barefoot shoes, tested here.
Decathlon Trek hiking sandals (See comparison here)
Ecipo Merrell, Froddo, Vibram Fivefingers models (the latter don’t show in barefoot searches) for adults, also Froddo, Lurchi, D.D.Step and Ricosta for kids
Fabulo Massage and fitness gear shop with a few barefoot models, mostly in a sporty style.
Sanasport.hu Various barefoot manufacturers, frequent sales. Shipping is often delayed. ⚠️ At the end of 2024 a large number of non-delivery cases is reported, even a specific Facebook group has formed in Hungary for those whose money is stuck with Sanasport.
Woolville Various barefoot shoes. The manufacturer is not always stated which is a shame as this would add information re. the shoe shape. Their soft but non-barefoot slippers are tested here.
Warning: fraudulent sites listed below!
https://www.belenkasale.com ⚠️
https://www.groundieshungary.com ⚠️
https://www.merrellhungary.com/ ⚠️
https://www.vibramoutlethungary.com/outlet.html ⚠️
https://www.vibramcipo.com/ ⚠️
https://www.vivobarefoothungary.com ⚠️
For kids
PHYSICAL STORES WHERE YOU CAN TRY SHOES
Barefoot Point The biggest, with a wide choice for all foot shapes, both for adults and kids. Webshop + huge physical shop in Gödöllő (near Budapest). I am a co-owner. Check the opening time!
Barefoot Shop Webshop and small physical store in Buda. Kids’ shoes only, from various manufacturers, including some less well-known ones in the Hungarian barefoot market. Opened in 2024.
Barefoot Zone Webshop and small physical store in Szeged with some adult and kids shoes. Opened in 2024.
Buda Barefoot Webshop and small physical store in Budapest with some adult and kids shoes. Opened in 2023.
Gezenguzgyerekcipo.hu The shop is in Monor, also works as a webshop, mostly offering traditional shoes, but also some barefoot D.D.Step models.
WEBSHOPS (ONLINE ONLY)
Barefoot Family A continuously changing stock from different manufacturers, mostly on the budget side. Also ADULT shoes. Use code Barefootbudapest7 for 7% off ❗️
Barefoot Hungary (personal pick-up is possible) – Froddo. Attention, there are non-barefoot models, too! Use the filter ‘Cipő kialakítása’!
Barefoot Birodalom Small family enterprise. Kids’ and adult shoes. Started at the end of 2024.
Ddsteponline.hu It can happen that they mark non-barefoot shoes as barefoot (i.e. with a several mm heel drop).
Little Barefoot Kids’ shoes only, from various manufacturers, including some less well-known ones in the Hungarian barefoot market. Opened in 2023.
Zalando.hu It seems that some non-barefoot models get selected in by the barefoot filter. The description solely says toe box: rounded, heel: flat (cipőorr: kerek, sarok típusa: lapos). There is no way to tell whether the sole is fully zero drop, and I have seen some toe boxes that clearly push the big toe in.
Soft-soled shoes for toddlers:
Liliputi, Lövőház u. 32., possible to try shoes on
Shops abroad where you can try shoes on
(Check the working times for limitations! The stated timings are from 2022 and may have changed.)
In and near Vienna
Eduard Klinger Strasse 19, 3423 Sankt Andrä Wördern, office@barefoot-austria.at, +43 650 411 0245
It is a huge warehouse in a small town by Vienna, where you can try shoes on by previous appointment. Accessible by car or train. Catharina, the owner suggests taking the train from Heiligenstadt, Vienna to St. Andra Wordern bahnhof, and then walk approx. 10 minutes. Catharina prefers having your list of interest in advance so she can prepare the shoes for you. She is highly knowledgeable, kind and helpful, and offers an interesting choice of both adult and kids’ brands. She has Koel shoes for instance, that I have not seen in a physical shop anywhere close, despite them being of high quality. Unfortunately, the webshop is not easy to navigate as it lacks filters. From the Vienna region, this is my favourit barefoot shoe shop by far.
Rotenturmstr. 13/1, 1010 Wien, +431 / 3750145
Mon-Fri 10-18.30, Sat 10-18
⚠️ Allegedly closed in 2024.
Schuhewiebarfuss Wien (Also kids’ shoes)
Kaiserstraße 44 – 46, 1070 Wien, +43 01/ 890 193 915
Mon-Fri 10-18, Sat 10-16
Ahinsa, Ballop, bLifestyle, Freet, Sole Runner, Vivobarefoot, Xero – a wide list of brands but not that wide a choice of models. There are very few really soft shoes (Vivo, for instance, is too hard for my feet). The shop assistant was kind but not outstandingly knowledgeable, and didn’t speak English. I prefer Barefoot Austria by Vienna to this shop.
VIVOBAREFOOT Shop Wien, Neubaugasse 12-14, 1070 Wien
Vega Nova shoeshop, Margaretenstraße 82, 1050 Wien, +43 1 587 6067
(Blifestyle)
Wiedner Hauptstraße 77, 1040 Wien, +43 1 504 6835
(Blifestyle, Leguano, soem kids’ brands, i.e. Filii)
Graz
VIVOBAREFOOT Shop Graz, Südtiroler Platz 9, 8020 Graz
Bratislava
A MIXTURE OF BAREFOOT BRANDS, approx. 10 (Vivo, Merrell, VFF, bLifestyle, Xero, Freet, Belenka, Luna, Bosko, Skinners, some Peerko, Aylla and ZAQQ) Záhradnícka 43, 821 08 Bratislava, +421 905 515 414, info@barefoot.sk
Bububu.sk Mostly kids’ shoes, primarily Froddo.
PLAN BE Belenka and Barebarics shop
Nivy Centrum plaza, 1st floor, Mlynské nivy 5A 821 09 Bratislava, Slovakia, +421 (0) 918 597 194, bratislava@belenka.com
Eurovea mall, building E1, 1st floor
Horné Saliby, Slovakia, in a good 2 hours’ drive from Budapest by car
Custom made, super quality, very barefoot shoes, from dressy to hiking boots.
See detailed information below, in the custom made shoes section.
Horné Saliby 908 (there are no street names in the village), 925 03
+421 917 660 721 (She doesn’t speak English, but her husband does. You are better off texting than calling!)
Brno, 3-4 hours from Budapest by car
Wide choice for adults, knowledgeable owner.
AZ Tower, Pražákova 1008/69, 639 00 Brno-jih, Czech Republic (the biggest office building, orange, visible from far), +420 799 512 464
Located in a residential area on the outskirts, on top of a hill. While it mainly carries kids’s barefoot shoes, the adult models add nicely to the choice offered in Barefootbrno. Warning: you may need to stand a cueue for hours before getting in! The shop is well equipped with toys, and the owner is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. She doesn’t speak English, though.
Kotlanova 2508/3a, 628 00 Brno-Líšeň, +420 739 225 627
Vivostorebrno.cz Belongs to Barefootbrno, but is located in the centre, and carries Vivobarefoot exclusively.
Biskupská 1, 602 00 Brno, +420 797 722 456
Neobuto.cz (for kids)
Tallinn
One of the owners, Merit Uvik speaks Hungarian. She is very knowledgeable and super helpful.
Tallinn, Telliskivi 57, 1st floor
Online shops abroad
Please note that the shops listed above mostly also sell their shoes online.
It is advised to monitor the manufacturers’ shops as they tend to provide the best choice, and usually (but not always) the most information about their products. Many of them have several sales per year, usually offering 20-30-40 % discount.
This is a foreign shop, but one of the owners, Merit Uvik speaks Hungarian. She is very knowledgeable, super helpful, and above all, her advice is based on your specific foot measurements. Also, she is one of the administrators in the „Barefoot cipők” Facebook group and can be contacted there, as well.
Footic (wide choice, various quality levels)
Barefoothedvika.sk (wide choice, good prices, mostly for kids but slowly opening up to adult models, too)
(Vivobarefoot models, gently used or unused. Returned, revived, discounted)
Freizehn.de (wide choice, can be filtered by detailed size measurements: length, width, extra room in front of the toes: https://www.freizehn.de/listing/showProductList )
Custom made shoes
Small Greek firm. To maintain the high quality of their production, they refuse to grow as fast as the demand for their shoes is growing. The order window opens once in 1.5-2 months for about 1-2 hours, until their capacities get fully booked. This window is published on their Facebook, Instagram, and in their newsletters, 1 or 2 days in advance. Best is to choose shoes and decide on an initial size in advance, because otherwise you may run out of time. While payment is necessary to validate your order, you can later clarify details by e-mail. They tend to be slow, but are very professional. They offer fix sizes on which slight modifications possible without an extra fee, as well as full customisation at a cost. You can choose if the soles should be 4 or 6 mm thick, and with or without a 1 mm cushion.
I own their gorgeous Alma Libre ballerina and recommend their services.
One-man (or rather, woman 🙂 ) firm of a high reputation. I have noticed a lot of enthusiasm in international groups about her products. Although she doesn’t speak English (only her husband does), we actually managed to communicate quite well in Russian .).
She makes all kinds of shoes from dressy sandals to hiking boots, in fix as well as custom sizes, and in an unbelievable choice of colours. She uses extremely thin soles by default, however, you can ask for thicker ones if you wish.
Normally, there is no stock unless something is waiting to be shipped. When I paid her a visit, I could luckily try on her Ball Ballerina II, which I promptly ordered (I am also buying some extra leather to have a matching theatre bag made). The shoes are absolutely beautiful, super light and soft, yet they sit securely on your feet. I also tried on her medium high, leather hiking boots: incredibly flexible, with a soft lining around the ankle, providing absolute freedom of movement. They are on my wish list! 🙂
Suggested further reading
Shopping in a brick and mortar shop is easy, but if you plan to shop online, I strongly suggest you read these:
📌📌📌 Shopping online – tips and tricks
Other
Vivobarefoot.de Not fraudulant, safe to use, but they only ship within Germany.