THE SCIENCE
When wearing Vivobarefoot, which closely replicates the barefoot condition allowing feet and toes space to move freely, adult feet may grow over months and years as feet and toes splay to a more natural shape and feet strengthen.
In addition, feet do keep growing, up to 0.5 size a decade and even after 40. So please measure your feet! An extra 6-14mm toe allowance may seem excessive, but science suggests:
- Kids' feet grow between 5mm and 11mm a year between the ages of 6 and 16; we recommend 6 months growing room plus room for natural movement.
- Adults' and Teenagers' feet can grow by up to a size, 7-8mm or more, as a result of exercise and time of day. (Wider higher arched feet grow more than narrower lower arched feet)
- Some of us prefer additional space beyond 14mm to accommodate width or simply because we like a spacious fit.
- In the crossover sizes (EU40-43) men with narrower feet may prefer the women's fit and women with wider feet may prefer the mens. We experience this in store on a daily basis.
Please make sure you find your size using the appropriate size chart (men's and women's sizing is different)
FIT PREFERENCE
Whilst we recommend 6-14mm, the amount of space you have will depend on how the length of your feet compares to the sizing
The ideal fit for you will depend on how wide your feet are and/or if you prefer your footwear to fit snug or spacious.
NARROW FEET/SNUG FIT:
Our research suggests that if you measure to the top end of the 6-14mm suggested toe allowance; for example, if you have 12mm but have narrow feet and/or prefer a more snug fit, you may prefer a size down. We suggest at least 4mm toe allowance, even for the narrowest feet.
WIDE FEET/LOOSE FIT:
If you have wide feet and or prefer a spacious ‘roomier’ fit, you may prefer to have more than 14mm space at the front.
Caution: Risk of trips and falls is increased with additional length therefore we advise caution when transitioning into wearing your preferred size footwear if it is larger than you’re used to. Many Vivobarefoot customers have very wide feet and enjoy 20mm toe space without any issue, we simply advise caution if you are new to wearing a more natural fit.
OUR FOOTWEAR IS FOOT SHAPED NOT SHOE SHAPED
WHY? Vivobarefoot are wide and thin – balance and physical function improve as feet splay and feel. Vivobarefoot are super flexible - feet get stronger as feet move more, toes and arches included! It is the combination of wide, thin and flexible which leads to all the benefits.
Increasing foot strength both reduces the risk of foot deformities and injury (Garth et al., 1989, Curtis et al., 2021) and is associated with improvements in balance and stability; especially for the elderly (pink et al., 2011, Cudejko., 2020). Also, children who run barefoot jump higher with shorter contact times (Mizushima, 2020).
We make footwear which gets as close to barefoot as we can, so we can balance, feel and move. We believe in footwear which regenerates feet and planet. We do not believe in band aids for feet or planet. Our footwear is supernatural foot shaped not shoe shaped.
THINK FEET FIRST.
