What a masterful mind. You get it sir! You pay attention to your audience and know that good first impressions on equipment mean NOTHING, it's always many months into use that shows the true colors of a product. Great attention to product details to. I use those same Whitins as road shoes, have about 800 miles on the so far. No problems, no separations, no holes, no rips. So far they are good road shoes. 👍 (strike with front of foot NOT the heal). I got some new insoles but still use the original insole sometimes.
I started wearing barefoot shoes, particularly Merrell Trail Glove 2’s (very thin), in my mid 20’s and not only was there no transition period, but all of the discomfort I felt from running in cushioned shoes went away. The very first time I wore them was hiking and trail running about 9 miles in the Grand Canyon and was amazed that my feet didn’t hurt much at all afterwards. Never went back.
@@timgoodliffe Trail Gloves are (were? do they still sell them?) good but rather narrow and low volume. Good if you have skinny feet. A good cheap copy are TSLA with the same thin minimal sole and similar design. There are tons of different brands now, cheap to expensive, for every purpose.
Those exact ones are the ones I bought for going out. Got the blue and grey ones for back and forth to work. My boots stay in the back seat for work. 4:09 work.
Wonderful video! I really appreciate long term reviews to see how different brands cope with one or two years of use & abuse. It's all unboxings, 50 mile reviews only for the sake of hype out there... Loved it!
Yep, I almost appreciate reviews on Old gear more than new gear :-) after you spend a bunch of money on something psychologically you almost always enjoy your first outing with it!
Been wearing these since 2016, they are sold under various Chinese brands (Quansi, Noroco, Whitin etc). The styles change somewhat from year to year and they seem to be improving. They're expanding into less sporty styles too. Mine tend to hold up well too, the only problem I've had is the nail on my big toe will wear through the fabric. But I should probably trim my nails more...
Thank you for your review! I have wide feet and own a pair of canvas Whitins, a pair of army green basic Whitins, and a pair of black Whitin water shoes. I find myself using the water shoes the most often; I take them to the beach. I've looked at the ones you showed that haven't worn out yet; never bought them. I might have to rethink that.
I’m new to the world of minimalist shoes and am researching avidly as I prepare to purchase a pair and begin transitioning. I found your channel and videos and find them so helpful, thorough and informative. Thanks so much for being such a valuable resource!
Yaay! I just bought a pair of Whiton knit barefoot sneakers wide width. I started slow-jogging and they suggested these type of shoes. Hope to get a pair of sandals next year. Thanks so much for your review videos.
I mostly wore Vans before swapping over to these kinds of shoes. I saw all of the reviews for Whitin and got two pairs of casual and the pair you're recommending here for less than one pair of the price of the name brand. Love them. While knee and back pain went away, the ankle pain of retraining my foot mobility is definitely there. It will get better. I had some Vibram 5 fingers years ago that I wore constantly. You're warning about the transition period is no joke, but it does get better over time.
Just came in from a run with mine. Really and truly, I can't believe they're still holding up. Have lasted longer than any other sneaker I have purchased before.
I'm glad for you review. I am now a Whitin fan. I bought the very same shoe as you reviewed and got better results. I believe the insole is not superfluous. It is protecting the last (the part you wore out) and was not designed for foot contact. I have had mine for 9 months and my soles show little wear. So, I purchased a back-up pair....and the tennis shoe....and the knit lace-up.
Thank you for this. I didn't want to spend over 100 for a pair of baredoot shoes I might not like. Only two caught my eye on Amazon. These and Weweya. I really wanted the Whitin but got the Weweya just because of a picture that showed how flexible the sole was. My next pair is going to be the Whitin thanks to you.
I’ve been wearing only Whitin shoes for 3-4 years. I never did a transition, just straight to these, lucky me, no problems at all. Love them. I have the old camo trail runners that have the elastic top that keeps rocks and such out. Still holding up great after multiple hikes, climbs and camping trips. Maybe the older ones are tougher. I have the regular style for everyday use and they have held up great as well. I have a wide 13 and it’s hard to find shoes that fit well but these are great.
Same here but in their canvas version shoes. Just put them on after a few weeks of walking around the house in toe socks. No issues... back pain is gone. Recently I broke a pinky toe. Not running or hiking, just smashed it on the couch at a vacation house on the way to the pool. Rrrrr... Thinking of getting these trail version shoes.
Love my whitin and kricley barefoot shoes, I actually wore a pair of whitin shoes to hike the entire Appalachian trail Maine to Georgia last year and they held up perfectly fine for me. They worked great scalling and negotiating the rocks and creeks. I love these
About 6 months ago I bought a pair of Whitin (casual knit) shoes and have been impressed by their comfort. Don't run in them, they're strictly for casual occasions or running errands in urban environments. I love 'em. Very comfortable without the insole. It's early yet to go on about durability but they're holding up nicely to my low-stress uses. The Whitin's gummy outsole -- much softer than a typical Vibram sole -- leads me to believe it will wear out prematurely, but we'll see. Thanks for the insights.
This is promising to hear! I just ordered a pair of their more "casual" looking shoe. (I run in Altra trail and road shoes about 30 miles a week) There's no doubt I'm going to be testing the durability as I cook for a living. And these Whitin's will be my new kitchen shoes. Thanks for the content.
Be careful man. I'm a chef and I question the non-slip ability if whitins. Not sure how they would hold up to greasy floors, sharp objects falling and hot oil or sauces dripping on them. I bought a pair of Blundstone 550's back in 2019. They're extremely comfortable, (even after 14-16 hr shifts) held up really well and have a solid 2 years of service left in them. They're about 7 times the price but worth every penny.
@@smokeymcpot69 they are definitely not non slip, but "good enough" on all kinds of floors. Wet, grease, whatever, they've been good to go. I was a Birkenstock London wearer until they discontinued them in the nonslip sole. If a knife falls, tip down, it's going through any shoe I would wear. As far as hot water or oil, as long as I can slip out of a shoe, I'm good. My main reason for the whitins is that I got into wearing barefoot shoes. No heels, wide toe box and no cushion. It's the best my feet have felt in over 20 years of working in professional kitchens. As you can probably guess, I've gone through A LOT of pairs of kitchen shoes. Cook on.🤘
What's funny is when I came back up to the house after filming that video I put the insole into the shoe to make it easier to carry up. Later in the day I went to put them on and I'm so used to wearing it without them it now it just feels so bulky.
Thanks for the detailed long-term review. I am going to try these for travel and I hope they last for 1-year or more as it can be difficult to find wide shoes in some countries. Hope they work for me.
I bought two pairs of whitin including the same pair you have as well as the knit type plimsole and have worn them every day for the past year and a half. Really the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever had. I bought a size smaller for the running shoes as The plimsoles felt very wide at first and they’ve been excellent! I’ve kept the insoles in which helped with the transition I think. Have recommended it to many friends
Both of my pairs I bought at least 2 years ago. I just bought a new pair and had to return them because they didn't fit. Either they changed the sizing or my foot just got bigger!
I owned a pair of these and could never really get into them because I ordered them a bit too large and they fit sloppy, but thought they'd be worth trying half a size down. Seemed built as well as any other shoe.
Thanks for the video. I have all black one you mentioned and don't have any years yet. I also don't wear it too much and not in rough environments. I paid 40-42 I think and would be OK if it lasts 1 year if I wore it daily. If I spend 100+ I'd want it to last 3 years probably...
I loved this review . I have some Altras to come in at my local running store . Two years ago I lost a bunch of toe nails in a home accident and had to go barefoot until recently ..zero drop sandals was the only other thing I could wear . My rehab included walking w treaking poles ...this all turned into a blessing. I had on old pair of Merrill trail gloves zero drop before they ruined them by putting in an arch ...so I think I'll make the transition fairly well. I wish I'd known about Whitens ... Thanks again ! By the way , I'm 64 and the sneakers we ran in as kids -. Converse etc might have been close to a barefoot shoe... Since getting back on my feet I've hiked about 200 miles of rail trails and about 3/4 of the Monadnock Sunnapee Greenway Trail...thanks again....
If you go back to when you were a kid, the only people with the heels were businessmen. And when those businessman started jogging, they developed problems. The solution was to make running shoes with heels :-) and the rest is history...
I have a wide foot but found my favorite bareboot shoes so far to be jim green and splay. I tried xero shoes but they are a bit on the narrow side at least for me. Although splay at first was a bit narrow in the middle of the foot, the area of the foot that is sometimes called the waist of the foot. My foot is wide from heal to toe so just buying shoes were the toe box is wide is not good enough. Jim green however I call the perfect width shoes so glad they make a barefoot shoe.
I have Saguaro barefoot, for the same reasons given at the start of the video. I cannot justify over £100 for a shoe. I love mine, hey are so comfortable and for £40 do the job
@@jons78733 then you also know that 'made in China' means nothing as far as quality or production price go, there are literally thousands of factories.
Been in my Whitins for 1.5 years now and they are holding up really well, esp. considering that I wear them every day and walk 9000 steps a day, at least. Mine are the fabric ones.
You should have seen the blisters that I got on the bottom of my feet after wearing these on a long hike. Over silver dollar sized and extraordinarily painful… like on the couch for 2 days painful. Now… I use their more casual minimalist (made with canvas and a very thin 3mm-ish sole). I wore them for two years, and only got a new pair because the black faded. I just purchased a replacement recently. I can recommend those wholeheartedly.
This is the first barefoot shoe I ever bought. I had no problems transitioning to wearing them. I had a job at the time that required me to be on my feet the entire day. They are comfortable and I loved wearing them. They also take a beating and lasted me well over a year. The only thing I don't like about them is the the fake toes styling. They aren't neccesary. I would get comments that are they those vibrams 5 toes? If they would just make them look normal they would be my favorites. Whitin does make a barefoot model that I found that is lace up that looks like a canvas normal shoe. For the price I would highly recommend them.
Thanks for this video ! Helped me feel relieved with my purchase as I’ve been having problems in my foot by just walking ?! And I’m only 25 haha so I’m praying this helps
I find that the flex and full articulation of motion in barefoot shoes causes the issues as well as the benefits, but I like a little insole cush and that also helps your outer soles last longer. I developed inflammatory arthritis from the Hep B vaccine in my 40's as well as having a background in dance and gymnastic for that calf/ankle/foot developement. I now walk dogs and I have ripped off my Vans and literally walked completely barefoot at the dog park to be able to walk the dogs when the arthritis has flared up. The articulation of barefoot helps circulation and works out arthritis cramps and that helps alot. I also find it keeps my feet warmer. I discovered walking dogs in the rain in Speedo water shoes (with old sorboair insoles) was awesome. My feet got a little tired at first, but adjusted quickly. I have completely blown my feet apart when I first got arthritis before I discovered what was going on, and it took me 10 years and fish oil to be able to go completely barefoot again, so I need the insoles with the flex. If you have issues with your feet, arthritis, or are transitioning, don't throw no shade on the insoles.
Just wanted to chime in and tell you that I have both styles. Yes, the nylon does show tears, rips, and wear, but I have absolutely ABUSED these shoes in rock's, water, tall weeds and grass and anything else and they're still holding up. While they do show use and abuse they seem to be double layer so are still comfortable. Cheap but worth the price!
Good to know. I can't figure out how mine are ripping. I've only worn them to work and out and about, so no sticks or rocks and still getting those tears in them.
@@PaultheBackpacker I think a lot of it is just the nature of the material. As it expands and contracts it just seems to tear and develop holes. Also, I like the velcro strap at the ankle because it seems to add stability at the ankle, but I do like the material better on the lace-ups.
You have convinced me to try a pair. I do parkour andcthats what I'll use them for so I'll let everyone know how they hold up to extreme abuse. Right now I'm rocking Freets and the model is the flex. They have been great accept for the durability of the sole. So far my longest lasting barefoot shoe has been the vivobarefoot motus.
I'd be curious about the sole. I only wear them on trails, and another pair for work on floor tiles all day. The pair that I brag about with the cloth uppers has had the best wear. I'll be curious to see what you get out of them in very different conditions.
I have been wearing the canvas WHITIN for two years now. Love them. Back pain gone and my feet are stronger. In fact regular shoes hurt my feet. Does anyone know of wide toe box socks? Warm ones for winter as well? I usually wear toe socks but I broke a pinky toe so need a regular sock for a bit.
www.oddball.com/ not necessarily "wide" but I started ordering from here last year and for the first time I don't feel like I'm wearing compression socks. Not sure if they do smaller sizes.
If you're used to barefoot shoes, and there's not like a lot of pointy gravel, then yes. If you know where to place your feet and don't expect to just go on top of every Rock like you would with a stiff sole boot and they're fine.
Thanks for the video update, Would you say these are quite breathable? my feet sweat quite easily, because of this I usually wear my Xero Sandals Looking for something minimalist and flat for gym use. I just got some other “ whitins wide minimalist barefoot sneaker” And they’re extremely comfortable for short periods of time. For me, my feet are noticeably more moist and my feet are actually softer because of the moisture.
I just ordered this exact same model and size. I am also a size 15, but not very wide. Hope these will also still work. I ordered these in part because of your video. thanks for sharing.
If you are used to barefoot-style shoes yes. But if you're wearing regular shoes and all the sudden you go to these they're going to be in a lot of pain! I haven't gone very far hiking in these maybe 10 miles, I ran five miles and them yesterday. Four basic camping we are not doing a huge hike in their awesome. And yep, I love just being able to slip them on and off.
I have the less durable pair. I'm also a U.S. size 15 (2E width) and wasn't aware that the more durable pair was available in that size. Good to know. Do you have a go to shoe for longer walks on road and/or trail?
I have worn these for 10 miles and more, and I also have a couple pair of sandals that I wear. If I know I'm going to do a high mileage on a backpacking trip I normally wear my Altra sneakers. I have an alert set for eBay for size 15. Whenever a pair of shows up on there I get an email. When I find a cheap pair of Lone peaks I scoop them up. I've paid anywhere from 20 to $50 for them. I really like the Superiors but I almost never see them for sale in my size.
@@PaultheBackpacker That's funny! I'm frequently scouring ebay for Altras in my size but hardly ever buy them. Maybe you're getting all the good ones lol! jk. I'm thinking i'll hold out for the Terraventure 3. It'll be available in size 15 in October. The Lone Peaks are super comfortable but i find them to be more flexible than i'm comfortable with in technical terrain. i'm working on strengthening a weak ankle, though, so maybe one day i'll feel strong enough to wear them. Have you ever tried the Trail Glove from Merrell? I've been curious.
1~ Thank you for the info 2~ What state are you in? Background looks amazing!!! 3~ Anyone into minimalist that can recommend a composite “steel tip” shoe? Wide toe box of course.
How do those laces work, and do they work well? I'm considering trying these as my first minimalist shoes and from the images i've seen the laces look a little odd
How long did it take you to wear through to soles? Mine were about 2.5 years before the heal wore out on both sides. I primarily used them for walking after initially using them for running/weightlifting. Found they were too thick in the sole and a little too loose after initially breaking them in. Bought another pair cause I liked them so much. But, lean towards the Orangineers instead.
Mine are close to retirement from anything other than yard work after 2.5 years. I wear without the insoles and the rubber sole is so thin in spots that any piece of gravel or hickory nut is pretty painful :)
@@PaultheBackpacker Sounds like the original Five Fingers I had. Those were super painful to wear. Felt everything you stepped on. Should probably just treat yourself to another pair at this point given they are still so cheap.
With these shoes I can wear them on a run for up to about five miles without socks. Anything over that and I'm definitely risking a good blister :-) so yes, on hikes I am wearing socks!
Thanks for this review! I've been looking for cheap barefoot shoes I can exercise in. I train martial arts that involve a lot of spinning on my heel and balls of my feet, so the soles of my shoes always get trashed within a few months. Being that most barefoot shoes are pretty expensive, I'm been worried about dropping a bunch of money only to trash the shoes within a month or so, but this is cheap enough to experiment with, without feeling like I just wasted a bunch of money. Also, I'm glad you mentioned that there's no curvature to the sole, as that was one of my concerns. Someone in another video mentioned that the Whitins have a bit of "toe spring" where it slightly curves upwards towards the toe, is this true? That's my main worry, because I bought a pair of Merrell trail gloves years ago, and they became really uncomfortable because there was a pretty pronounced toe spring, and it kept my toes in an elevated position, which I felt was weakening my feet... it basically felt like when my feet were flat on the ground and I wasn't walking, my toes were sticking up, and it was lengthening and pulling the arches of my feet flat... not good.
Officially if you laid them flat on a table the tips of the toes are not on the ground but they are so thin and flexible that I never noticed any toe spring once put them on.
Hi there. I live in Europe and cant return if it will not fit for me. I cant find the full size chart where the cm are specified. Could you please tell where i can find the size chart with cm. usually i wear a 30 cm shoes, like nike or asics, but i dont know what the 12 or 13 means in within shoes. I just googled the 'general' size chart but i am afraid that it could give wrong info. THanks. Forgot to say Thank you for the video, i watch both videos about this shoes and glad that you got rid of knee problems.
Do you mean something like this? duckduckgo.com/?q=shoe%20size%20conversuon%20chart&ko=-1&iax=images&ia=images&iai=http%3A%2F%2Fkaswanto.staff.ipb.ac.id%2Ffiles%2F2009%2F12%2Fadult-mens-and-womens-shoe-size-conversion-table1.jpg
Having an old foot injury, I'm looking at minimalist shoes for hiking and these caught my attention. On a review elsewhere, they said the first pair you showed (the ones that were scuffed up) took a very long time to dry after getting wet. How well does the second pair you showed dry?
There's not much to them, not sure why they said it took so much time to dry, I wonder what they were comparing it to. Can't really say how long they dry for either pair, never really paid much attention to it! They're always good to go the next day.
@@PaultheBackpacker Thanks for the quick reply. It was on an Amazon review and that was the only problem they had actually. I did think it was strange, considering the weight and material. I might give these a try and am looking forward to a hike in them. Thanks again!
How much toe space is recommended for 30-60 minute runs and other exercise activities? I used to have Vibram Five Fingers and minimal space was ideal, because the toes were separated.
Not exactly sure what the answer would be. For a short run I suppose it wouldn't matter. For a longer run you'd probably want a little bit snug so there'd be less friction and fewer blisters.
I wear size 15, ordered 15, and was good to go. I have an extremely wide foot crazy wide and they were much more comfortable with the insole out and gave it a more barefoot feel.
I've found them to be closed, and in various comments over a few different videos other people have said the same. There's a lot of stretch to them, and I wear mine without the insole to give me even more room.
@@PaultheBackpacker ok, and thanks very much for the reply. I was going to purchase them at $130 aus, but then saw that people in the us were paying like $30. So now I'm thinking of getting the wewaya brand on amazon for $70. They look very similar and are probably the same quality. Thanks again.
I can't remember if I said it in this video, but only the ones that look like the pair that I have with the fabric last forever. The ones that I have more of the nylon upper tend to tear.
The only reason I would pay more than $50 is that they are one of the few shoes that fit me :-) for some reason I really hesitate recommending them at that price because in reality they are just a cheap shoe. However, if I knew that every pair was going to last as long as the ones I have, I would absolutely pay $100 or more. The reality is that they have certainly lasted longer and performed better than any other sneaker I have purchased for $100.
If you are referring to the damage on the shoes with the nylon uppers, there is no warranty on these, damage was to be expected for a pair of cheap shoes :)
Without going back and listening to the video I'm not sure what I said. But I have one Trail in my yard that's like a figure eight. If I do it twice that's one mile. So yesterday I did it 6 times and along with some other parts that added up to 4 miles.
Good video.. but the shoes is not worth it for the long run. If you are buying these shoes on a yearly basis.. within 2-3 year it would cost enough to buy a good pair like vivo.
I just ran 7 miles yesterday in the shoes that are in this video. So they've lasted way longer than a year! The reality is, for me personally, I just can't fit into almost every other shoe. And yes you could wait two to three years to save up the money, but then what are you wearing during those two to three years?
@@PaultheBackpacker I agree it's good for the short term. But buying more than a pair of it's not durable is a waste of your money in the long run. Yes it's good enough to last for a year. Personally I would wear this indoor at a gym or run on a treadmill...
Yes, it's funny how sometimes things pop up on eBay for so much more. I think it's some weird statistic like over 50% of the items sold on eBay are just simply things that are being resold by people. So they don't ever come into possession of the item, they basically take your order on eBay, order it from another site and send it to you.
What a masterful mind. You get it sir! You pay attention to your audience and know that good first impressions on equipment mean NOTHING, it's always many months into use that shows the true colors of a product. Great attention to product details to.
I use those same Whitins as road shoes, have about 800 miles on the so far. No problems, no separations, no holes, no rips. So far they are good road shoes. 👍 (strike with front of foot NOT the heal). I got some new insoles but still use the original insole sometimes.
I started wearing barefoot shoes, particularly Merrell Trail Glove 2’s (very thin), in my mid 20’s and not only was there no transition period, but all of the discomfort I felt from running in cushioned shoes went away. The very first time I wore them was hiking and trail running about 9 miles in the Grand Canyon and was amazed that my feet didn’t hurt much at all afterwards. Never went back.
what do you recomend now?
@@timgoodliffe Trail Gloves are (were? do they still sell them?) good but rather narrow and low volume. Good if you have skinny feet. A good cheap copy are TSLA with the same thin minimal sole and similar design. There are tons of different brands now, cheap to expensive, for every purpose.
Same for me, my feet and some back pain went away as soon as I started wearing them. I still only wear the Whitins after 3-4 years
Those exact ones are the ones I bought for going out. Got the blue and grey ones for back and forth to work. My boots stay in the back seat for work. 4:09 work.
Wonderful video! I really appreciate long term reviews to see how different brands cope with one or two years of use & abuse. It's all unboxings, 50 mile reviews only for the sake of hype out there... Loved it!
Yep, I almost appreciate reviews on Old gear more than new gear :-) after you spend a bunch of money on something psychologically you almost always enjoy your first outing with it!
Been wearing these since 2016, they are sold under various Chinese brands (Quansi, Noroco, Whitin etc). The styles change somewhat from year to year and they seem to be improving. They're expanding into less sporty styles too. Mine tend to hold up well too, the only problem I've had is the nail on my big toe will wear through the fabric. But I should probably trim my nails more...
Thank you for your review! I have wide feet and own a pair of canvas Whitins, a pair of army green basic Whitins, and a pair of black Whitin water shoes. I find myself using the water shoes the most often; I take them to the beach. I've looked at the ones you showed that haven't worn out yet; never bought them. I might have to rethink that.
This video is so perfect, i really wanted to know the difference between the two. Thank you !
These were on my wishlist, and now in the cart. Thank you.
I’m new to the world of minimalist shoes and am researching avidly as I prepare to purchase a pair and begin transitioning. I found your channel and videos and find them so helpful, thorough and informative. Thanks so much for being such a valuable resource!
Thanks for the kind words!
I use a Dr. Scholl's work insole to replace the one supplied by Whitin and that helped me with the sensitivity on the bottom of my feet.
Yaay! I just bought a pair of Whiton knit barefoot sneakers wide width. I started slow-jogging and they suggested these type of shoes. Hope to get a pair of sandals next year. Thanks so much for your review videos.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I have!
I mostly wore Vans before swapping over to these kinds of shoes. I saw all of the reviews for Whitin and got two pairs of casual and the pair you're recommending here for less than one pair of the price of the name brand. Love them. While knee and back pain went away, the ankle pain of retraining my foot mobility is definitely there. It will get better. I had some Vibram 5 fingers years ago that I wore constantly. You're warning about the transition period is no joke, but it does get better over time.
Appreciate long term review. Love mine too!
Just came in from a run with mine. Really and truly, I can't believe they're still holding up. Have lasted longer than any other sneaker I have purchased before.
it's my go to shoe walk around town, tubing down river and riding my avt. still holding together
I'm glad for you review. I am now a Whitin fan. I bought the very same shoe as you reviewed and got better results. I believe the insole is not superfluous. It is protecting the last (the part you wore out) and was not designed for foot contact. I have had mine for 9 months and my soles show little wear. So, I purchased a back-up pair....and the tennis shoe....and the knit lace-up.
Thank you for this. I didn't want to spend over 100 for a pair of baredoot shoes I might not like.
Only two caught my eye on Amazon. These and Weweya. I really wanted the Whitin but got the Weweya just because of a picture that showed how flexible the sole was.
My next pair is going to be the Whitin thanks to you.
I believe the Weyweya, the Saguaro, and the Whitin's are all made in the same factory. They share the same sole for sure.
I’ve been wearing only Whitin shoes for 3-4 years. I never did a transition, just straight to these, lucky me, no problems at all. Love them. I have the old camo trail runners that have the elastic top that keeps rocks and such out. Still holding up great after multiple hikes, climbs and camping trips. Maybe the older ones are tougher. I have the regular style for everyday use and they have held up great as well. I have a wide 13 and it’s hard to find shoes that fit well but these are great.
Same here. I finally wore a hole in the sole of one shoe. 2 years and I walk 5 and run 5 miles a day 7 days a week, plus just regular walking too. 😁
Same here but in their canvas version shoes. Just put them on after a few weeks of walking around the house in toe socks. No issues... back pain is gone. Recently I broke a pinky toe. Not running or hiking, just smashed it on the couch at a vacation house on the way to the pool. Rrrrr... Thinking of getting these trail version shoes.
Love my whitin and kricley barefoot shoes, I actually wore a pair of whitin shoes to hike the entire Appalachian trail Maine to Georgia last year and they held up perfectly fine for me. They worked great scalling and negotiating the rocks and creeks. I love these
One pair only?
Paul, much respect for being a middle school teacher. I would not want to be in your shoes. Thanks for the review. 👍👍
About 6 months ago I bought a pair of Whitin (casual knit) shoes and have been impressed by their comfort. Don't run in them, they're strictly for casual occasions or running errands in urban environments. I love 'em. Very comfortable without the insole. It's early yet to go on about durability but they're holding up nicely to my low-stress uses. The Whitin's gummy outsole -- much softer than a typical Vibram sole -- leads me to believe it will wear out prematurely, but we'll see. Thanks for the insights.
This is promising to hear! I just ordered a pair of their more "casual" looking shoe. (I run in Altra trail and road shoes about 30 miles a week) There's no doubt I'm going to be testing the durability as I cook for a living. And these Whitin's will be my new kitchen shoes. Thanks for the content.
They have outlasted a couple of my Altras!
Be careful man. I'm a chef and I question the non-slip ability if whitins. Not sure how they would hold up to greasy floors, sharp objects falling and hot oil or sauces dripping on them.
I bought a pair of Blundstone 550's back in 2019. They're extremely comfortable, (even after 14-16 hr shifts) held up really well and have a solid 2 years of service left in them. They're about 7 times the price but worth every penny.
@@smokeymcpot69 they are definitely not non slip, but "good enough" on all kinds of floors. Wet, grease, whatever, they've been good to go. I was a Birkenstock London wearer until they discontinued them in the nonslip sole. If a knife falls, tip down, it's going through any shoe I would wear. As far as hot water or oil, as long as I can slip out of a shoe, I'm good. My main reason for the whitins is that I got into wearing barefoot shoes. No heels, wide toe box and no cushion. It's the best my feet have felt in over 20 years of working in professional kitchens. As you can probably guess, I've gone through A LOT of pairs of kitchen shoes. Cook on.🤘
I love my Whittens. Just pop out the insole for zero drop
What's funny is when I came back up to the house after filming that video I put the insole into the shoe to make it easier to carry up. Later in the day I went to put them on and I'm so used to wearing it without them it now it just feels so bulky.
Been wearing barefoot shoes for a while. Own a few pairs of five fingers. These have been great so far. A lot easier to put on than the five fingers.
Thanks for the detailed long-term review. I am going to try these for travel and I hope they last for 1-year or more as it can be difficult to find wide shoes in some countries. Hope they work for me.
Thanks again for your great content, from Quebec.
I bought two pairs of whitin including the same pair you have as well as the knit type plimsole and have worn them every day for the past year and a half. Really the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever had. I bought a size smaller for the running shoes as The plimsoles felt very wide at first and they’ve been excellent!
I’ve kept the insoles in which helped with the transition I think. Have recommended it to many friends
Both of my pairs I bought at least 2 years ago. I just bought a new pair and had to return them because they didn't fit. Either they changed the sizing or my foot just got bigger!
Thanks!… I just ordered that same pair!…
I owned a pair of these and could never really get into them because I ordered them a bit too large and they fit sloppy, but thought they'd be worth trying half a size down. Seemed built as well as any other shoe.
Thanks for the video.
I have all black one you mentioned and don't have any years yet. I also don't wear it too much and not in rough environments.
I paid 40-42 I think and would be OK if it lasts 1 year if I wore it daily.
If I spend 100+ I'd want it to last 3 years probably...
I loved this review . I have some Altras to come in at my local running store . Two years ago I lost a bunch of toe nails in a home accident and had to go barefoot until recently ..zero drop sandals was the only other thing I could wear . My rehab included walking w treaking poles ...this all turned into a blessing. I had on old pair of Merrill trail gloves zero drop before they ruined them by putting in an arch ...so I think I'll make the transition fairly well. I wish I'd known about Whitens ... Thanks again ! By the way , I'm 64 and the sneakers we ran in as kids -. Converse etc might have been close to a barefoot shoe... Since getting back on my feet I've hiked about 200 miles of rail trails and about 3/4 of the Monadnock Sunnapee Greenway Trail...thanks again....
If you go back to when you were a kid, the only people with the heels were businessmen. And when those businessman started jogging, they developed problems. The solution was to make running shoes with heels :-) and the rest is history...
Thanks Paul! I've begun the transition and this was very helpful. I love hiking and will pick up a pair before the next trip.
I have a wide foot but found my favorite bareboot shoes so far to be jim green and splay. I tried xero shoes but they are a bit on the narrow side at least for me. Although splay at first was a bit narrow in the middle of the foot, the area of the foot that is sometimes called the waist of the foot. My foot is wide from heal to toe so just buying shoes were the toe box is wide is not good enough. Jim green however I call the perfect width shoes so glad they make a barefoot shoe.
Jim Green barefoot style only goes up to 14, need a 15 :)
Take a look at the Bearfoot Bruin.
My daily wear is the Freet Flex.
@@PaultheBackpacker I will check it out, thank you
I can't believe how expensive most trail running shoes are in comparison. Well over $100 and they don't last that long.
I have Saguaro barefoot, for the same reasons given at the start of the video. I cannot justify over £100 for a shoe. I love mine, hey are so comfortable and for £40 do the job
Thanks for this. I'm might try these as I really am hesitant on buying xero shoes for 100 bucks with the durability issues seemingly so prevalent.
I have two pairs of Whitin and two pairs of Xero. The Whitins were $39. The Xeros were $130. Both brands are made in China.
And like someone else commented, they were probably made in the same factory... Just possibly with different materials and different quality control.
@@Daniel-Davies-Gonstead-Student - Maybe. I've been to China and there are thousands of factories so, it's hard to say.
@@jons78733 then you also know that 'made in China' means nothing as far as quality or production price go, there are literally thousands of factories.
I have worn the rough fabric one for almost 2 years. I hike once a week and I'm really satisfied with my shoes.
At some point I'm gonna be doing a 2 and a 1/2 year update on them. Finally getting ready to retire them :)
Been in my Whitins for 1.5 years now and they are holding up really well, esp. considering that I wear them every day and walk 9000 steps a day, at least. Mine are the fabric ones.
Getting the fabric model is key :)
You should have seen the blisters that I got on the bottom of my feet after wearing these on a long hike. Over silver dollar sized and extraordinarily painful… like on the couch for 2 days painful. Now… I use their more casual minimalist (made with canvas and a very thin 3mm-ish sole). I wore them for two years, and only got a new pair because the black faded. I just purchased a replacement recently. I can recommend those wholeheartedly.
This is the first barefoot shoe I ever bought. I had no problems transitioning to wearing them. I had a job at the time that required me to be on my feet the entire day. They are comfortable and I loved wearing them. They also take a beating and lasted me well over a year. The only thing I don't like about them is the the fake toes styling. They aren't neccesary. I would get comments that are they those vibrams 5 toes? If they would just make them look normal they would be my favorites. Whitin does make a barefoot model that I found that is lace up that looks like a canvas normal shoe. For the price I would highly recommend them.
Thanks for this video ! Helped me feel relieved with my purchase as I’ve been having problems in my foot by just walking ?! And I’m only 25 haha so I’m praying this helps
I find that the flex and full articulation of motion in barefoot shoes causes the issues as well as the benefits, but I like a little insole cush and that also helps your outer soles last longer. I developed inflammatory arthritis from the Hep B vaccine in my 40's as well as having a background in dance and gymnastic for that calf/ankle/foot developement. I now walk dogs and I have ripped off my Vans and literally walked completely barefoot at the dog park to be able to walk the dogs when the arthritis has flared up. The articulation of barefoot helps circulation and works out arthritis cramps and that helps alot. I also find it keeps my feet warmer. I discovered walking dogs in the rain in Speedo water shoes (with old sorboair insoles) was awesome. My feet got a little tired at first, but adjusted quickly. I have completely blown my feet apart when I first got arthritis before I discovered what was going on, and it took me 10 years and fish oil to be able to go completely barefoot again, so I need the insoles with the flex. If you have issues with your feet, arthritis, or are transitioning, don't throw no shade on the insoles.
Great review.
Just wanted to chime in and tell you that I have both styles. Yes, the nylon does show tears, rips, and wear, but I have absolutely ABUSED these shoes in rock's, water, tall weeds and grass and anything else and they're still holding up. While they do show use and abuse they seem to be double layer so are still comfortable. Cheap but worth the price!
Good to know. I can't figure out how mine are ripping. I've only worn them to work and out and about, so no sticks or rocks and still getting those tears in them.
@@PaultheBackpacker I think a lot of it is just the nature of the material. As it expands and contracts it just seems to tear and develop holes. Also, I like the velcro strap at the ankle because it seems to add stability at the ankle, but I do like the material better on the lace-ups.
Great video! Doing my research and I’m really glad I came across your channel. Earned my sub, too!
You have convinced me to try a pair. I do parkour andcthats what I'll use them for so I'll let everyone know how they hold up to extreme abuse.
Right now I'm rocking Freets and the model is the flex. They have been great accept for the durability of the sole. So far my longest lasting barefoot shoe has been the vivobarefoot motus.
I'd be curious about the sole. I only wear them on trails, and another pair for work on floor tiles all day. The pair that I brag about with the cloth uppers has had the best wear. I'll be curious to see what you get out of them in very different conditions.
@@PaultheBackpacker I'm gonna order the pair you're talking about and I'll definitely let u know how they last
I have a pair. They are one of my favorites in my rotation. The only problem is I can't get the stench out.
I have been wearing the canvas WHITIN for two years now. Love them. Back pain gone and my feet are stronger. In fact regular shoes hurt my feet. Does anyone know of wide toe box socks? Warm ones for winter as well? I usually wear toe socks but I broke a pinky toe so need a regular sock for a bit.
www.oddball.com/ not necessarily "wide" but I started ordering from here last year and for the first time I don't feel like I'm wearing compression socks. Not sure if they do smaller sizes.
thank You,greetings from rainy germany
The last remnants of a tropical storm is moving through my state right now, we have plenty of rain share also!
I am psyched to get a pair of these
I still can't believe my are still going...
At some point try them with the insole out. More of a barefoot feel :-)
I like these probably better than my Altras or Luna Sandals and about 1/3 the price
Thanks for the video. What is a good brand to pick to good from regular shoes to zero drop. A step before going to barefoot.
These are good, I started with Altras. Lems is a brand I can't fit into, but I know other people who have used those. My wife loves her Xeros.
Thanks for a long term review! Would you recommend these for a 8 mile hike in rugged terrain?
If you're used to barefoot shoes, and there's not like a lot of pointy gravel, then yes. If you know where to place your feet and don't expect to just go on top of every Rock like you would with a stiff sole boot and they're fine.
@@PaultheBackpacker awesome thank you for the info!
Barefoot shoes? Smart water? E bikes?
Thanks for the video update,
Would you say these are quite breathable?
my feet sweat quite easily, because of this I usually wear my Xero Sandals
Looking for something minimalist and flat for gym use.
I just got some other “ whitins wide minimalist barefoot sneaker”
And they’re extremely comfortable for short periods of time. For me, my feet are noticeably more moist and my feet are actually softer because of the moisture.
Thanks
I just ordered this exact same model and size. I am also a size 15, but not very wide. Hope these will also still work. I ordered these in part because of your video. thanks for sharing.
Good luck with them, the shoes that are in the video are still used for around the house chores :-)
Would you recommend for camping and hiking.. tired of wearing boots ..need something to slip off easy on and off
If you are used to barefoot-style shoes yes. But if you're wearing regular shoes and all the sudden you go to these they're going to be in a lot of pain! I haven't gone very far hiking in these maybe 10 miles, I ran five miles and them yesterday. Four basic camping we are not doing a huge hike in their awesome. And yep, I love just being able to slip them on and off.
@@PaultheBackpacker we wear mostly vibrams 5 fingers , aqua and cross training .. But definitely don't want to spend another 150 for camping
Then you should be good. They come with an insole that offers some cushioning, but I use them without it for more Barefoot feel.
How do u make the transition bearable. Thx
I have the less durable pair. I'm also a U.S. size 15 (2E width) and wasn't aware that the more durable pair was available in that size. Good to know. Do you have a go to shoe for longer walks on road and/or trail?
I have worn these for 10 miles and more, and I also have a couple pair of sandals that I wear. If I know I'm going to do a high mileage on a backpacking trip I normally wear my Altra sneakers. I have an alert set for eBay for size 15. Whenever a pair of shows up on there I get an email. When I find a cheap pair of Lone peaks I scoop them up. I've paid anywhere from 20 to $50 for them. I really like the Superiors but I almost never see them for sale in my size.
@@PaultheBackpacker That's funny! I'm frequently scouring ebay for Altras in my size but hardly ever buy them. Maybe you're getting all the good ones lol! jk. I'm thinking i'll hold out for the Terraventure 3. It'll be available in size 15 in October. The Lone Peaks are super comfortable but i find them to be more flexible than i'm comfortable with in technical terrain. i'm working on strengthening a weak ankle, though, so maybe one day i'll feel strong enough to wear them. Have you ever tried the Trail Glove from Merrell? I've been curious.
Nope I've never fit in anything from Merrill except for an older version of the moab's that came in wide. I've never taken the chance to try them.
great review!
I've had mine for years and they are better than Vibrams
1~ Thank you for the info
2~ What state are you in? Background looks amazing!!!
3~ Anyone into minimalist that can recommend a composite “steel tip” shoe? Wide toe box of course.
1 you're welcome :)
2 that's my back yard in CT
3 I've got no answer for the steel toe!
Thank you so much for your time.
How do those laces work, and do they work well? I'm considering trying these as my first minimalist shoes and from the images i've seen the laces look a little odd
I've literally never even touched them, it kind of felt like a water shoe so I've never felt the need to tighten the laces on top.
How long did it take you to wear through to soles? Mine were about 2.5 years before the heal wore out on both sides. I primarily used them for walking after initially using them for running/weightlifting. Found they were too thick in the sole and a little too loose after initially breaking them in. Bought another pair cause I liked them so much. But, lean towards the Orangineers instead.
Mine are close to retirement from anything other than yard work after 2.5 years. I wear without the insoles and the rubber sole is so thin in spots that any piece of gravel or hickory nut is pretty painful :)
@@PaultheBackpacker Sounds like the original Five Fingers I had. Those were super painful to wear. Felt everything you stepped on. Should probably just treat yourself to another pair at this point given they are still so cheap.
Ended up getting a pair of Freet Flex. I have a super hard time finding shoes that fit, size 15 wide. Most comfortable shoes I have ever had.
Do you wear socks for hiking? Greetings from Germany, Michaela
With these shoes I can wear them on a run for up to about five miles without socks. Anything over that and I'm definitely risking a good blister :-) so yes, on hikes I am wearing socks!
@@PaultheBackpacker thank you very much!
Try toe socks coupled with the Whitins. The advantage of Vibram Five Fingers but less expensive.
Thanks for this review! I've been looking for cheap barefoot shoes I can exercise in. I train martial arts that involve a lot of spinning on my heel and balls of my feet, so the soles of my shoes always get trashed within a few months. Being that most barefoot shoes are pretty expensive, I'm been worried about dropping a bunch of money only to trash the shoes within a month or so, but this is cheap enough to experiment with, without feeling like I just wasted a bunch of money.
Also, I'm glad you mentioned that there's no curvature to the sole, as that was one of my concerns. Someone in another video mentioned that the Whitins have a bit of "toe spring" where it slightly curves upwards towards the toe, is this true? That's my main worry, because I bought a pair of Merrell trail gloves years ago, and they became really uncomfortable because there was a pretty pronounced toe spring, and it kept my toes in an elevated position, which I felt was weakening my feet... it basically felt like when my feet were flat on the ground and I wasn't walking, my toes were sticking up, and it was lengthening and pulling the arches of my feet flat... not good.
Officially if you laid them flat on a table the tips of the toes are not on the ground but they are so thin and flexible that I never noticed any toe spring once put them on.
@@PaultheBackpacker That's great to hear, thank you!
You can't go wrong for the price. I think you'll really like them
Hi there. I live in Europe and cant return if it will not fit for me. I cant find the full size chart where the cm are specified. Could you please tell where i can find the size chart with cm. usually i wear a 30 cm shoes, like nike or asics, but i dont know what the 12 or 13 means in within shoes. I just googled the 'general' size chart but i am afraid that it could give wrong info. THanks. Forgot to say Thank you for the video, i watch both videos about this shoes and glad that you got rid of knee problems.
Do you mean something like this? duckduckgo.com/?q=shoe%20size%20conversuon%20chart&ko=-1&iax=images&ia=images&iai=http%3A%2F%2Fkaswanto.staff.ipb.ac.id%2Ffiles%2F2009%2F12%2Fadult-mens-and-womens-shoe-size-conversion-table1.jpg
A straight line !!
What about just walking for they great??
Yes!
Having an old foot injury, I'm looking at minimalist shoes for hiking and these caught my attention. On a review elsewhere, they said the first pair you showed (the ones that were scuffed up) took a very long time to dry after getting wet. How well does the second pair you showed dry?
There's not much to them, not sure why they said it took so much time to dry, I wonder what they were comparing it to. Can't really say how long they dry for either pair, never really paid much attention to it! They're always good to go the next day.
@@PaultheBackpacker Thanks for the quick reply. It was on an Amazon review and that was the only problem they had actually. I did think it was strange, considering the weight and material.
I might give these a try and am looking forward to a hike in them. Thanks again!
@@DollyTheLlama Maybe the reviewer didn't hang the footwear.
How much toe space is recommended for 30-60 minute runs and other exercise activities? I used to have Vibram Five Fingers and minimal space was ideal, because the toes were separated.
Not exactly sure what the answer would be. For a short run I suppose it wouldn't matter. For a longer run you'd probably want a little bit snug so there'd be less friction and fewer blisters.
Thx for that
Seems like they run their sizing across half sizes, i.e. "9.5 to 10." Do you find they run short/ long/ true to size?
I wear size 15, ordered 15, and was good to go. I have an extremely wide foot crazy wide and they were much more comfortable with the insole out and gave it a more barefoot feel.
How's the sizing? Im 13 in Merrell, 14 in Vivobarefoot. I've heard they're pretty big. Cheers.
I've found them to be closed, and in various comments over a few different videos other people have said the same. There's a lot of stretch to them, and I wear mine without the insole to give me even more room.
@@PaultheBackpacker ok, and thanks very much for the reply.
I was going to purchase them at $130 aus, but then saw that people in the us were paying like $30. So now I'm thinking of getting the wewaya brand on amazon for $70. They look very similar and are probably the same quality.
Thanks again.
I can't remember if I said it in this video, but only the ones that look like the pair that I have with the fabric last forever. The ones that I have more of the nylon upper tend to tear.
@@PaultheBackpacker yeah you did mention it. Can i ask how much you paid for them? Are they worth 130 aud / 96 us? Cheers.
The only reason I would pay more than $50 is that they are one of the few shoes that fit me :-) for some reason I really hesitate recommending them at that price because in reality they are just a cheap shoe. However, if I knew that every pair was going to last as long as the ones I have, I would absolutely pay $100 or more. The reality is that they have certainly lasted longer and performed better than any other sneaker I have purchased for $100.
Have you tried the sugareo ones ?
Nope!
Are there barefoot shoes from any company that are not made in China?
www.deliberatelifedesigns.com/ I have a pair of these
I think, they’re all made in China……I have 4 pairs of Xero shoes, they’re fantastic!…I just ordered a pair of these to try…….
why instead of buying two or for pairs of these cheap ones got a good brand one that will last you more?
This shoe has lasted 2.5 years, and its one of the few on the market at any price that fits my feet :)
im sorry the whitin did this. have u contacted him for greivance & replacement?
If you are referring to the damage on the shoes with the nylon uppers, there is no warranty on these, damage was to be expected for a pair of cheap shoes :)
Your yard is 4-5 miles?
Without going back and listening to the video I'm not sure what I said. But I have one Trail in my yard that's like a figure eight. If I do it twice that's one mile. So yesterday I did it 6 times and along with some other parts that added up to 4 miles.
@@PaultheBackpacker wow amazing
Good video.. but the shoes is not worth it for the long run. If you are buying these shoes on a yearly basis.. within 2-3 year it would cost enough to buy a good pair like vivo.
I just ran 7 miles yesterday in the shoes that are in this video. So they've lasted way longer than a year! The reality is, for me personally, I just can't fit into almost every other shoe. And yes you could wait two to three years to save up the money, but then what are you wearing during those two to three years?
@@PaultheBackpacker I agree it's good for the short term. But buying more than a pair of it's not durable is a waste of your money in the long run. Yes it's good enough to last for a year. Personally I would wear this indoor at a gym or run on a treadmill...
Available at a higher price on eBay.
Yes, it's funny how sometimes things pop up on eBay for so much more. I think it's some weird statistic like over 50% of the items sold on eBay are just simply things that are being resold by people. So they don't ever come into possession of the item, they basically take your order on eBay, order it from another site and send it to you.
You don't need transition shoes. Just take it slow,
I have never used and never will use Amazon so I will never get these shoes.
Garbage shoe, I returned it immediately