Any barefoot shoe can be a great walking shoe, but the Altra Solstice is a particularly solid fit for someone who prioritizes walking as their primary form of fitness or commuting. It's also a likely fit for nurses, food service staff, and anyone who puts in long hours on their feet. The traction is as good as any shoe out there, the upper is luxurious and form-fitting, and the feeling of the "cushioning" underfoot is firm, but still substantial enough that it will bear the brunt rather than your tootsies having to. What We Like You’ll just need to unlace and lace the shoe up normally, which is pretty standard for most lightweight racing shoes. Since Altra wants to keep the Solstice lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture, they went the Nike Free route and left pretty much the entire outsole as exposed foam. This could be your favorite gym shoe right out of the box, but it's equally at home for daily wear, walking, and all manner of sports. It might be just the shoe to convince you that barefoot shoes are, in fact, real shoes—and ones that are really worth wearing day in and day out. What We Like Thanks to Rope-Tec, you can cruise through rope climbs courtesy of blade-like grooves along the sides of the shoe that grip the rope for support, even on tough climbs. Other specs include a lightweight upper that prevents sweaty feet from stinking up your workout, and elongated rubber padding at the front of the shoe is positioned to protect your toes through difficult movements.

A pair of men's 11 weigh just 17 ounces, making them some of the very lightest running shoes on the market. They get down to this by using a reasonably thin slab of EVA in the sole and simple mesh in the upper while cutting down on the bells and whistles or support structures. This combination of low weight, compactness, and malleability clearly goes into their more natural feeling. Most trade-offs here come in the form of preference rather than quality, with the obvious exception being durability. The lighter, thinner materials tend to have shorter lifespans, though these are fairly well-made and should make it through a few seasons.

Cycling Articles

The Metcon and Nanos are both heavier than the Solstice XT and the F-Lite 235. They also both have really high heels and snug toe boxes that feel unnatural and obstruct lower leg biomechanics. Conclusion The upper works well. It’s breathable and lightweight yet very supportive during dynamic cross-training movements. It's also worth mentioning that wider feet might find the seams along the front of the lacing across the midfoot a bit annoying, but some runners appreciated the overall snugness of the midfoot. It's a decent way to keep the upper responsive and affixed while allowing the toe box to be so open. The only concern I have with this model and running is that if you train outdoors and you’re running through mud or wet surfaces, then be very conscious of this shoe’s midsole and outsole durability.

It’s not bad for running; I just wouldn’t suggest wearing it for runs longer than about 1 mi repeats. Up to such distance, especially for runs with lateral movement, the Solstice XT is terrific. But after that, it starts to feel inefficient compared to a dedicated running shoe. Also, the Bare-XF has a tight toe box that scrunches up the toes and metatarsals, preventing natural foot motion and leaving the feet feeling like they’re wrapped up in a medical cast.

Best Barefoot Water Shoes - Astral Brewer

One thing to note about the sizing of the Solstice XT 2 is that they don’t come in half sizes for 13, 14, 15. If you’re a half size between 13-15, then I’d suggest going up, so if you’re a 13.5, then go 14. The shoe has a firmer caged upper than the first iteration of the Solstice, which makes for smoother and more supportive lateral and fast-paced movements. Additionally, the toe reinforcement provides another layer of protection when dealing with heavy weights.