Reviews for WHITIN Men's Minimalist Trail Runner | Wide Toe Box | Barefoot Inspired
People say Whitin is really similar to Vibram.
5.0
Best sneakers that I have ever had!
I am on a journey to fast walk/jog with less to no pain and I had been reading about going barefoot or at the very minimum very little padding. I read about in the book "Born to Run" about many different examples of how the so called "running" shoes cause more injury then they prevent. A star track coach had his team practice barefoot because the new so called Nike "Running" shoes were causing injuries that were not there before they started wearing the running shoes. I have a pair of the Vibram 5 Finger shoes which were pretty good but it would hurt between my toes when I tried to run with them. The point is that we were born to walk and run on our natural feet but obviously with the way things are we risk getting cut if we try to do so now a days. Having said this these shoes are perfect, there is no constraint on the foot so it lays in it's natural unconstrained position. Because of the just enough protection to keep you from the elements you naturally start to walk/run on the forefront of the foot instead of the heal which is what causes injuries, shin splints and knee pain among other things. I highly recommend these sneakers! I myself will buy another pair to make sure I'm covered in case for some unfortunate reason they stop making them. The sizing is just right, if you wear a size 11.5 a size 11.5 in these shoes will be just right.
5.0
My New All Around Shoe
I have always been a fan of the Vibram Five Fingers but because of how my feet are I could never wear them. The problem lied in the fact that each toe had its own individual space and it would rub them too much. So then I found a Fila alternative that only gave my big toe the individual space and all the others were kept together. That shoe was great until it wore out and Fila stopped making them. Flash forward to now I was looking into using a more minimalist shoe instead of the standard running shoe to get a different feel while in the gym. I saw these as an Amazon Recommended product and at $30 I figured that it was worth a shot and BOY HAVE I BEEN SATISFIED!!!! SIZING: Now this was the interesting part. It took me two attempts to get the sizing right. I typically wear an 10" shoe (43 European) so that is what I ordered at first. The company actually sent me out a pair in a size 9.5 which felt too big so I could not imagine what the 10" would've felt like. Then going off of that I ordered a size 9" and I was sent out a size 8" (41). This time they actually fit right. Keep in mind that when trying these on I had no socks because that was how I wanted to wear them. I would recommend ordering two possible sizes to compare (what you normally wear & a smaller size) and going from there. The exchange process was AMAZON AWESOME per usual so there was no issue with getting a refund on the size that didn't fit. ON MY FEET: My feet feel way more comfortable now. I can still lift ... Read More
5.0
One of My Favorite Minimalist Shoes
I bought one pair of these a few days ago and gave that pair a thorough test with a 3.5 hour workout with kettlebells, steel clubs, maces and power ropes. The next day I a 3 hour trek through the mountains. The shoes are comfortable. The toe box is wide enough to allow full spreading of my toes. Unlike Vibram 5 Fingers there is NO extra material between my toes. The soles are thicker than 5 Fingers but I can still feel the earth just fine. Some have said that these are not minimalist shoes. As a long term users of Xero Z-Trek and Cloud sandals, Vivobarefoot Gobi II desert boots, Earth Runner sandals, and Bodyglove Barefoot Gladiators I have to say that this Whitin shoes have a place in your minimalist shoe collection. I have now purchased four pairs in different colors and enjoy them all. There is some variations in fit although the 9.5 size fits me in all colors. However the fit is looser in two of them and a little tighter in two. That is easy to live with. They gripped the rocks and wet earth while I was hiking. They remained snug on my feet while I was cross-training for hours. Two of my female friends have ordered them in men's size 7 and 8 and find they fit quite well. So they may well be worth a test out for you. And they have free returns if they don't work out for you.
5.0
Advice for those considering barefoot shoes
I've worn barefoot shoes for nearly two years and prefer them over regular shoes. I wear them for work and for walking. I do not run or hike. I've owned six pairs, not because they wear out too quickly, but because I wanted to try different styles, brands and colors. My favorite brand is Whitin. I have also worn shoes made by Merrell, Oranginer and TSLA. I will list the pros and cons of barefoot shoes and provide my explanation. Pros: - Strengthens feet - Gives greater awareness of balance and posture Cons: - Often funky styling - Can be pricey. Pros: Because barefoot shoes are flat and the sole is thin and flexible, you receive sensory feedback from the ground as you walk. Your foot can flex and extend as if you were barefoot. My feet used to hurt when walking barefoot on hardwood floors and tile. Now, after wearing barefoot shoes, I am very comfortable walking barefoot on hard surfaces. I feel like my feet gained strength and flexibility. Also, because of greater tactile feedback, I feel like my posture is better while walking. The main thing to consider is the amount of padding in the shoe. I prefer a little bit of padding in my barefoot shoes. Whitins and Oranginers have this padding. My Merrells and TSLA shoes have little or no padding. My advice would be to start with a shoe with a little padding to ease the transition to wearing barefoot shoes. If your body tolerates them, you can move on to ones with minimal or no padding. Make sure to read the descriptions of the ... Read More
5.0
*UPDATED*
These are my first pair or barefoot, or minimalist shoes. I’ve always wanted a pair but didn’t like the price of something like vibram five fingers. I read the reviews of this product carefully along with the q&a section, and decided to try them out. I was slightly concerned going in. Some reviews said they run large, are hard on the feet at first, etc. I don’t know if it makes a difference, but I usually wear chucks or vans slip on shoes or any other flat type shoe, so keep that in mind. I put on the shoes and went for a quick stroll outside to see how they were. They fit perfectly (I ignored the warnings of them running large and got my usual size 12) and were surprisingly way more cushioned than I was expecting. I remembered they have removable insoles, took them out, and went for a walk. I went for a one or two mile walk, testing out every surface and texture. I walked on grass, tall grass, concrete, gravel, and dirt. I went out of my way to step on every rock and crack and uneven surface along my way, to test the shoe. It felt great! I’m not suggesting anyone go out of their way to step on rocks or other hazards more than you have to, but I will say that it felt safer and more comfortable to do in these shoes. It flexes enough to let your feet and toes grip and move and position in such a way that’s much more natural than a rigid flat sole. I’m instantly in love with these shoes, but to be fair, this is only my first day (and first walk) wearing them. For every three mon... Read More
5.0
Happy surprise
So 99% of the time I run in my Luna Sandals, however we've moved somewhere that actually gets cold and I just can't take it anymore, even with injinji socks. I was cruising around looking for minimalist, zero drop shoes and really wasn't impressed with my options so I decided to go the cheap route and try these out. For $40, I couldn't be happier! Good: - Has a similar fit/feel to Vibram's Five Fingers, but has a toe box about as wide as some Altras I've run in during my winter shoe pursuit. This is a plus because the Vibrams I've worn in the past would blister on longer runs between the toes and contact points - the straps and pull laces really get your foot where they need to be and are easily adjusted. 3 seconds and you're good. - the soles are stiff, but not such that it's uncomfortable, more on that below, but not a negative and gives a little extra support with a removable liner (I haven't tried running without it) - The snug fit has done a nice job of keeping debris out of the shoe on trails. So-so: - These are not as light as you'd expect them to be. I have not removed the liner to test running without, but I think the weight mostly stems from the sole - The sole is molded with a fair amount of knobbies for grip, but I'm still on the fence the rubber/plastic sole's ability to handle wet or slippery conditions. I've run on wet trails pretty well, but somewhat gingerly on wet pavement until I get a good feel for it. Right off the bat, they were slick on wet pavem... Read More
5.0
My new favorite hiking and walking shoe.
Review of WHITIN Men's Minimalist Trail Runner | Wide Toe Box | Barefoot Inspired (4_Black Grey). What I love most about these shoes is they fit my 12 EEEE feet without compressing and deforming my toes like most other shoes the market. I have taken three 6+ mile hikes in them into the Rocky Mountains (1200+ foot elevation gain) on rough trails (gravel, rock, snow, and wet ice. Did great on all but the wet ice on steep—they don’t replace crampons.) I have also walked over 30 miles on paved sidewalks. These shoes are awesome. Wide toe box, zero drop heal, rounded heel, and aggressive tread that actually allows the toes to function the way they are designed. This shoe offers the ground feel of my Vibram 5 Fingers, but with the speed and simplicity of a slip on. (Also, no grass between the toes, no special socks, and my wife likes the way these look.) I love feeling the contours of the larger rocks on the trails, allowing my foot to wrap around them, rather than teeter over them like boot or typical trail sneaker. My previous favorite hiking shoes are my Keen sandals, which I love wearing in the summer, but the dry Denver climate does a real number on cracked heels. Because my big toes are about a half-inch longer than my ‘middle toe,’ I generally need to go up a half-size (from 11-1/2 EEEE to 12 EEEE). If I were ordering these again, I would round down to an 11 EEEE, especially if I were bouldering and wanted that grip at the end of the toe. I love the stretch fabric of th... Read More
5.0
Great for beach running
I bought these specifically for beach running, replacing a pair of Vibrams. These worked out great. I never liked the Vibrams but that the time they were the only choice available. I ran three 3-mile runs while on vacation. These "water shoes" have a thicker rubber sole than the beach shoes I had purchased at some cheapo beach store. The rubber is not as sturdy as the hard plastic you'd find on the Vibrams. I don't think that these are really professional running shoes like the Vibrams but for more casual runners like me they're fine. You'll need to purchase a half or full size smaller than your regular size. First, you're not wearing socks, and second, the material is stretchy. I had no trouble with sand as long as I stayed out of the water. On one run I got caught in a wave and they completely filled with sand. So, run at the water's edge, not actually in the water. The Vibrams are definitely sturdier but these were much more comfortable, don't require socks, and worked well for beach running.
5.0
Knock off Vibrams, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Like I said in my headline, these shoes are essentially knock-offs of the Vibram V-Train FiveFinger shoes, but that's not a bad thing. Search for an image of the Vibrams and compare them against these and you'll see they are very similar, except the 'WHITIN' shoes don't have sections for the individual toes. That's probably intentional on their part to avoid law suits, it's also what makes these shoes awesome. It means they can be worn with NORMAL socks! I ordered a size 9 and inside the shoe it said 41. I'm normally a 41-42 in Euro shoe sizes and they are a little snug with socks on, but the material is flexible and comfortable. Maybe they are meant to be worn without socks, but I don't want them to get stinky and nasty too soon. The toe box is wide and I wear them mostly in doors at the gym for deadlifting. I've seen people deadlifting with just socks on, but I need a little more support than that. To me these are the perfect shoes for deadlifting since they allow you to feel the floor and be as flat as possible. Time will tell how durable they truly are since I'm not really exposing them to the outside, but I'm enjoying the fit and feel at the gym. I purchased mine for about $28 through a Lightening Deal, which is way cheaper than the equivalent Vibrams, but still worth a buy at normal prices.
4.0
I don't think these are going to last particularly long, and that is perfectly fine.
I'm going to be honest here: I don't think these are going to last particularly long, and that is perfectly fine. See, what we have here are a type of shoe that flexes. This is by design. It's like wearing shoes while walking barefoot. Many claim it's a more natural way of walking. And it does fit the bill. However, the material I'm not convinced will last very long. You can fork over $100+ for the good ones that will last, with the bottoms made by Vibram. But... they're an odd shoe. For those that love them, they truly love them. For those that hate them, they despise them. So paying $100 or more seems like a pretty steep investment for something you might end up hating. That's where these come in. I've wanted to try shoes like these, but the barrier to enter was too high. Now, $35 to answer that question, that I can do. So I've been wearing them a bit, and enjoying them. I suspect they will be done for in about 4-8 months, and I won't be bummed. I'll move on to the $100+ if I decide this is the shoe style for me. If I decide it's not my style, these things saved me $65, effectively. Will I buy these again? Well, if they somehow last me more than 8 months, then probably will. Otherwise, they're like a "sample" of this style of shoe, and well worth it to answer the question of if the style is something you want to get into.