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Editorial Disclosure: ZuZu Barefoot paid TheRoundup.org an editorial fee for this independent brand review and gifted sandals for testing. Payment and gifting did not guarantee a positive review, and ZuZu Barefoot did not receive final editorial control.
ZuZu Barefoot sandals are a great option for beginners, vegans, and zero-waste shoppers on a budget.
All ZuZu sandals are easy to wear, made partly from sustainable materials, and the majority are designed to be repaired rather than replaced.
My wife and I spent an entire summer testing all four ZuZu models in real-life scenarios, including vacation walks, runs, and evenings out.
This ZuZu review is for anyone weighing the brand against bigger barefoot rivals, and for anyone buying a first pair of barefoot sandals.
The main pros of ZuZu Barefoot shoes are comfort, a secure fit, and vegan materials at a fair price. The main cons are a Groove footbed that turns slippery when fully soaked, and sustainability claims without third-party certification.
We rate ZuZu barefoot shoes as good overall, because the pros outweighed the cons throughout our summer of testing.
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Yes, ZuZu barefoot shoes are good, and the whole range impressed us when we tested it.
My wife (henceforth affectionately referred to as Mrs. M) and I tested all four ZuZu models through a full summer of real-life daily wear. We each finished the summer with a favorite ZuZu model; mine was the Drift, and hers was the Groove.
ZuZu offers different sole thicknesses to suit different tastes and experience levels. I have worn barefoot footwear for years and enjoy the thinnest soles, while Mrs. M is newer to barefoot footwear and prefers the thicker ZuZu models.
ZuZu barefoot shoes are more eco-friendly than standard foam sandals, but they're not 100% sustainable.
Each ZuZu sandal is partly made from renewable and recycled materials, but mixed with some conventional synthetic materials.
ZuZu designs its sandals to be repaired, which helps reduce waste and makes them last longer.
We learned during this review that ZuZu plans to bring back outsoles made from recycled car tires.
The materials used in ZuZu barefoot shoes are natural rubber, rice husk, recycled polyester, synthetic foam, canvas, leather, vegan leather, and stainless steel.
Each material serves a specific purpose in the sandal.
Every ZuZu model comes in a vegan version, but ZuZu also uses leather in some models. ZuZu describes its midsole and footbed materials as anti-bacterial but does not name the treatment behind the claim.
ZuZu makes its sandals at factories in Portugal and Vietnam. Both ZuZu factories have completed social compliance audits. A social compliance audit checks a factory's working conditions, such as wages, working hours, and safety.
ZuZu also publishes a materials policy, which states its intention to choose more sustainable materials wherever they meet the brand's standards for comfort, durability, and performance.
ZuZu's website does not mention anything about energy and water use, packaging, or shipping emissions.
Yes, ZuZu barefoot shoes are comfortable once the straps are adjusted to your feet. The break-in period on ZuZu sandals is a few wears at most, all of it spent getting the straps right. ZuZu's double-weave straps stretch slightly during the break-in period, then keep their fit, even when wet.
In my case, the Drift's front strap rubbed my big and little toes until a few small adjustments stopped it. Mrs. M's ZuZu sandals fit well from the first wear, so she was able to walk in them for hours at a time.
The Flex sandal's toe strap irritates me after a few hours, though having material between my toes bothers me in any sandal. Adjusting to ZuZu's thin, flexible soles also takes a while if you normally wear cushioned shoes.
ZuZu sandals are designed for long-term durability, with replaceable straps and a 12-month warranty against manufacturing defects.
The straps on every ZuZu model except the Drift are replaceable at home.
ZuZu's 12-month warranty covers manufacturing defects (faulty gluing, damaged buckles, stitching failures) and excludes general wear and tear. After the 12 months, ZuZu repairs sandals case by case, with the owner paying the shipping.
Our own ZuZu testing lasted one summer, long enough to judge fit and comfort but too short to see years of wear.
ZuZu Barefoot sandals are suitable for everyday wear, all-day walking, wet conditions, travel, occasional hiking, and barefoot-style running. Different features of the sandal suit different activities.
Yes, ZuZu barefoot shoes are good for beginner minimalist runners, provided you choose the right model.
The cushioned Groove is the best ZuZu model for a beginner to start with. Mrs. M ran 5k (3.1 miles) four times in the ZuZu Groove during our summer of testing. The 5k runs were Mrs. M's first in any sandal, and she finished the four runs surprised at how secure and comfortable the Groove stayed compared to her usual cushioned running shoes.
Beginners should avoid the thinner ZuZu Flow at first. Mrs. M found the Flow's 6mm (¼ inch) sole too thin to walk far in, let alone run.
Yes, ZuZu barefoot shoes are good for wide feet. ZuZu shapes every sole like a bare foot, so it's widest across the toes. Mrs. M's toes spread naturally in both of the ZuZu models she tested.
ZuZu's 3-way adjustable straps also tighten to fit narrower feet.
Download ZuZu's printable sizing template to check your foot against the exact outline of every size before ordering.
Customers are generally very positive about ZuZu Barefoot. At the time of writing, ZuZu's website shows an average rating of 4.79 out of 5 across 1,547 reviews.
Reviewers across all four models praise comfort from the first wear, a secure strap fit, and grip on wet ground. One ZuZu Flow owner wrote that the sandals "almost feel like an extension of my feet."
Older ZuZu reviews mention straps loosening when wet, a problem ZuZu fixed a few years ago with a double-weave strap. The main complaint about current ZuZu sandals is that a few owners find the Flow's sole too thin.
The key to becoming a satisfied customer lies in choosing the correct ZuZu Barefoot style for your needs.
ZuZu makes four barefoot sandal styles: the Groove, the Drift, the Flow, and the Flex.
All four styles are huarache sandals, meaning a flat, flexible sole held to the foot by adjustable straps.
We tested all ZuZu styles, and here's what we found.
The ZuZu Groove is the brand's most comfortable design thanks to a cushioned foam midsole and a breathable vegan leather footbed.
Mrs. M wore the Groove all summer and rated it as her favorite. The Groove is the one ZuZu model with a vegan leather footbed, which feels smoother underfoot than the canvas footbeds on the other three models.
The Groove's straps do a good job keeping the sandal secure on Mrs. M's feet through long walks and runs.
We found very few negatives about the Groove design during our testing. Some reviews claim that the vegan leather footbed turns slippery when fully soaked.
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The ZuZu Drift is ideal for everyday use, thanks to a fast Velcro fastening and no toe post. The Drift was my favorite of the four ZuZu models because it's the only ZuZu model without a toe post. I picked the Drift over the Flex for the open toes and the extra ground feel of the Drift's thinner 9mm (0.35 inch) sole.
The Velcro fastenings help you get the Drift on and off quickly and easily. But these are the only ZuZu straps you cannot replace at home, so worn-out straps mean you need to replace the whole show.
Although it's not a huge deal, I was surprised by this design's weight. For such a simple sandal, the Drift weighs the most of the four ZuZu designs at 170g (6 oz) per sandal.
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The ZuZu Flow is the model to choose for maximum ground feel, thanks to a 6mm (¼ inch) single-layer sole thickness with no midsole. The Flow is also ZuZu's lightest and cheapest sandal, at 140g (4.9 oz) and $79.
Mrs. M kept the Flow for wearing around the house, but recommends it to anyone already comfortable on thin soles. One experienced barefoot-sandal owner rated the Flow on par with Shamma, a better-known barefoot sandal brand.
Owners who praise the Flow's ground feel also report that the tread lugs press through the thin sole underfoot.
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The ZuZu Flex makes a great hiking sandal because it has the best grip in wet conditions, and a thicker sole with a nice balance of durability and softness underfoot.
The Flex's 10.5mm (0.41 inch) stack, an EVA foam midsole under a canvas footbed, is the tallest in the ZuZu range. I liked wearing the Flex as an adventure sandal, though its slightly thicker sole meant I lost a little of the ground feel I get from the Drift.
Some owners who praise the Flex's grip find the sole stiffer than ultra-thin barefoot sandals, though still flexible.
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Overall, I feel ZuZu's range has an option for everyone. But if you're new to barefoot shoes, you should also know how ZuZu compares to the alternatives.
The strongest alternatives to ZuZu are Vivobarefoot and Xero Shoes, two bigger barefoot brands we have tested across several reviews.
The table below compares key aspects of ZuZu, Vivobarefoot, and Xero Shoes side by side.
| ZuZu | Vivobarefoot | Xero Shoes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Products | Huarache sandals only | Closed shoes and one leather sandal | Sandals and shoes |
| Sandal prices | $79 to $99 | $150 to $200 | $49.99 to $79.99 |
| Vegan | Vegan version of every model | Not guaranteed | Yes (Aqua Cloud) |
| Third-party certification | Social compliance audits at both factories | B Corporation | None |
| Warranty | 12 months on manufacturing defects | N/A | 5,000-mile (8,047 km) sole warranty |
| Repair scheme | Paid repairs after warranty | Revivo repair and resale | N/A |
ZuZu is better than Vivobarefoot for vegans and for buyers with smaller budgets.
Every ZuZu model comes in a vegan version, at prices between $79 and $99.
Vivobarefoot beats ZuZu for trail running and also sells closed barefoot shoes suitable for cold-weather wear, which ZuZu does not.
Vivobarefoot isn't a vegan brand, but it has the advantage of being B-Corp certified, which means its social and environmental practices are independently audited. This comes at a price, though. Vivobarefoot sandals are up to twice as expensive as ZuZu's.
Xero Shoes is the closest rival to ZuZu, with six sandal models priced from $44.99 to $79.99.
We rated the $49.99 Xero Aqua Cloud Best Value in our barefoot sandal for women roundup, for its thin sole and strong wet grip at a low price.
Xero backs its sandal soles with a 5,000-mile (8,047 km) warranty, while ZuZu's 12-month warranty covers manufacturing defects. Choose Xero to spend the least, to buy shoes and sandals from one brand, or for a sole warranty. Choose ZuZu for straps you swap at home when they wear out.
ZuZu is worth the extra cost if you decide the sandals are right for your feet and your plans.
ZuZu is right for you if you want a comfortable vegan barefoot sandal for less than $100.
Choose ZuZu if:
Choose an alternative if:
The right ZuZu sandal turned out to be the Drift for me and the Groove for Mrs. M.
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