Dr. Hoopes Recommended Shoe List by Shoe Type

| More Links |
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| Download PDF |
| How to decide which shoes to buy and what to look for in a good shoe. |
| More great lists by biomechanics specialist, Katy Bowman |
| Instagram accounts focused primarily on fashionable women's shoes: |
Road Running
| Men | Women | "Foot Shape" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Altra: All models | Altra: All models | Best | |
Lems: Primal | Lems: Primal | Best | Perhaps the best shape of any shoe, ever (besides toe-shoes) |
Vivobarefoot: Road Series | Vivobarefoot: Road Series | Better | Could have more room for the small toes |
Topo Athletic: All models | Topo Athletic: All models | Better | Maker of Five Fingers |
Skora: All models | Skora: All models | Good | Toe box too narrow |
Merrell: All Models | Merrell: All Models | Good | Toe box too narrow |
| Jackshibo Shoes | Best | Altra copy on Amazon at about half the price |
Rock Climbing
| Men | Women | "Foot Shape" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Evolv Sports: Climbing Shoes | Evolv Sports: Climbing Shoes | Best |
Trail Running
| Men | Women | "Foot Shape" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Vibram Five Fingers: All models | Vibram Five Fingers: All models | Overall Best | |
Altra: All Trail Running models | Altra: All Trail Running models | Best | |
New Balance: Minimus Trail | New Balance: Minimus Trail | Best | Discontinued, but can still find in used/secondary market |
Merrell: Trail Glove | Merrell: Trail Glove | Better | |
Vivobarefoot: Off-road Series | Vivobarefoot: Off-road Series | Better | |
Lalo: Mens | Lalo: Womens | Good | Need less heel and more space for big toe |
Casual/Around the Town
| Men | Women | "Foot Shape" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Altra: Lifestyle | Altra: Lifestyle | Best | Extreme minimalist |
| Hobibear | Hobibear | Best | |
| Whitin Shoes | Whitin Shoes | Best | Very affordable, free shipping, free returns! |
| Best | |||
Feelmax: | Feelmax: | Best | |
| Belenka | Belenka | Best | Sustainable Shoes |
TSLA: | Best | Minimalist Shoe | |
| Splay Shoes | Splay Shoes | Best | |
| Ballop: Barefoot | Ballop: Barefoot | Better | |
| Barebarics | Barebarics | Better | |
Adidas: | Good | ||
| Good | Extreme minimalist | ||
Xero Shoes: | Good | ||
Olukai: | Good | ||
| Good | |||
| Sandals: My Saltwater Sandals | Good | ||
| Hey Dude | Hey Dude | Good | Look for models with most asymmetric/toe box |
| Vibae | Vibae | Good | |
| Freet - Freedom for Feet | Best | ||
| Ahinsa Shoes | Ahinsa Shoes | Best | |
| Origo | Origo | Good | Sustainable Shoes |
| Jackshibo Shoes | Jackshibo Shoes | Best | Altra copy on Amazon at about half the price |
Formal Dress
| Men | Women | "Foot Shape" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angles | Angles | Best | |
| XeroShoes | Best | ||
| Birchbury Bramfords | Best | ||
| PedTerra | Best | ||
| Groundies Urban Footwear | Groundies Urban Footwear | Best | |
| Hot Chocolate Design Chocolaticas Vintage Canvas Women's Mary Jane Flat Shoes | Best | ||
Lems: Nine2Five | Best | ||
Senmotic Fine Black (and all other models) | Senmotic Benita (and all other models) | Best | |
VivoBarefoot: Lifestyle Series on Amazon.com | VivoBarefoot: Lifestyle Series on Amazon.com | Better | |
| Better | |||
Merrell Encore | Merrell Encore | Better / Good | Excessive heel height, women’s too narrow |
Birkenstock Dress Shoes | Good | ||
| Born Shoes | Born Shoes | Good | Recommended models are: Hutchins, Blast, Nigel, Joes, Gudmund, Sawyer, Slade, Soledad |
| GH Bass: (Models w/ wide toe box below ONLY) Bradshaw SlipOn, Delancy Boot | Good | Excessive heel height, also only available on Ebay | |
| Josef Seibel Spirit of Nature | Josef Seibel Spirit of Nature | Good | |
Patagonia: “Honeycomb-sole” models only | Good | Only available on Ebay |
Casual Dress
| Men | Women | "Foot Shape" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Lems: Boulder Boot | Lems: Boulder Boot | Best | |
| XeroShoes | Best | ||
| Duck Feet Shoes | Best | Excellent shape and construction | |
| Blusun | Blusun | ||
New Balance: Minimus Leather | Best | ||
Alegria Shoes (better models have NO heel) | Better | ||
| Better | |||
Birkenstock shoes and sandals | Birkenstock shoes and sandals | Better | |
Calceo shoes | Better | ||
VivoBarefoot: Lifestyle Series | VivoBarefoot: Lifestyle Series | Better | |
| Unifootwear Collections | Unifootwear Collections | Better | |
| Good | |||
Patagonia: Banyan | Good | ||
| Good | Excessive heel height | ||
| Good | Excessive heel height | ||
GH Bass: (Models w/ wide toe box below ONLY) Darla SlipOn, Meridian Clog | Good | Excessive heel height | |
| Good | |||
| Chaco: Montrose (and Chukka), Thompson (and Chukka) | Chaco: Harper slide, Harper lace, Pineland Moc | Good | |
| FeelGrounds | FeelGrounds | Good | |
| Wildling Shoes | Wildling Shoes | Good | |
| Unifootwear | Unifootwear | Good | |
| Canvas Loafer with Arch Support | Good | ||
| Kinis | Kinis | Good |
Cross Training
| Men | Women | "Foot Shape" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Better | Only models on links | ||
Lalo Mens | Lalo Womens | Good | Need less heel and more space for big toe |
| Freet - Freedom for Feet | Good | ||
| Viktos Core Shoes | Good | Core Shoe recommended | |
| Viktos OverBeach Shoes | Good | Overbeach shoes recommended | |
| Flux Footwear | Flux Footwear | Good |
Golf
| Men | Women | "Foot Shape" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prevolve Footwear | Prevolve Footwear | Best | |
Barefoot BERBS: General Info, Black Bear, Polar, Kodiak | Best | ||
| Better | |||
True Linkswear: Stealth | Better | ||
Kids Golf Shoe: Dawgs | Good |
Cleats
| Men | Women | "Foot Shape" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
CustomCleats.com (Take any shoes from this list and they will make them into cleats in a couple of weeks!) | Best | ||
| Prevolve Footwear | Prevolve Footwear | Best | |
| Code Footwear | Code Footwear | Best | |
| Naturathletics | Naturathletics | Best |
Military Spec
| Men | Women | "Foot Shape" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
General Info about the Belleville Mini-Mil Series | Better | ||
Lalo Mens (OK, not mil-spec, but created by a former Seal) | Lalo Womens | Good | Need less heel and more space for big toe. |
Work Boots
| Men | Women | "Foot Shape" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Warrington: Steel toe Firefighter boot, (Better Pictures) | Better | Milwaukee model has worked well for my patients | |
Georgia Boots: Only the following models: | Better | ||
Keen: Steel toe options | Good | ||
| BOGS | Good |
Cycling
Kids Shoes
| Men | Women | "Foot Shape" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
The best shoes for kids: NO shoes! | The best shoes for kids: NO shoes! | By the far BEST! | |
| Best | |||
| Best | |||
| Best | |||
| Splay Shoes | Splay Shoes | Best | |
Various shoes at Walmart (surprisingly!): Casual Loafer, Athletic Shoes (another), Sandal | Casual loafers: Best Others: Better | ||
| Better/Best | Baby and toddler shoes | ||
| Ballop: Barefoot | Ballop: Barefoot | Better | |
| Better | |||
| Wildling Shoes | Wildling Shoes | Good | |
| Freet - Freedom for Feet | Good | ||
| Unifootwear | Unifootwear | Good |
Marine Shoes
| Men | Women | "Foot Shape" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Skuze: Del Marina by Skuze | Skuze: Del Marina by Skuze | Best |
Basketball / Court Shoes
| Men | Women | "Foot Shape" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uncivilized Sneaker | Uncivilized Sneaker | Best | |
| Aerolux Barefoot in Noir | Aerolux Barefoot in Noir | Better | |
| X1 Mid - Barefoot Basketball Shoe | X1 Mid - Barefoot Basketball Shoe | Best | |
| Notace | Notace |
Articles by Dr. William Rossi About the Poor Design of Most Shoes
Why Shoes Make Normal Gait Impossible
Footwear: The primary cause of foot disorders
Childrens Footwear: Launching Site for Adult Foot Ills
How Shoes Can Alter Foot Shape and Mechanics, a Classic Article from 1905
Hoffman 1905 Article from JBJS
Other Resources About Good “Foot-Shaped” Shoes
Twin study about whether shoes or genetics cause bunions (hallux valgus)
The effects of habitual footwear use: foot shape and function in native barefoot walkers
What to Look for in a Good Shoe
Mark Cucuzella MD on Children’s Shoes
Natural Running Center: tons of info on shoes and good running form