Primal Barefoot Shoes

What are “Primal” shoes all about?

Shoes in our Primal line are made with a unique sole shape that features an extra wide toe box. This allows toes to spread out naturally.

Got it, wide toe area… but why?

At Softstar, we believe barefoot is best for natural and healthy foot development, so we make shoes that let your feet function as close to barefoot as possible. An increasing number of medical studies suggest that shoes that are heavily cushioned and constrain feet in tight spaces actually lead to many of the foot problems people experience as they grow older, including bunions, hammertoes, neuromas and more.

One of the leading causes of these foot ailments is tight or tapered toe boxes. Shoes with pointy toe shapes may be fashionable to some people, but they wreak havoc on feet! Years of cramming toes into tight spaces may lead to a deformed foot structure and decades of pain.

Softstar’s shoes already featured wider toe boxes than most conventional shoes on the market. While our standard sole shape worked well for many people, we still had a large fan base of customers who needed more. These customers either had a naturally wide toe splay or were using toe spacers like Correct Toes to restore their feet to a natural shape. When we refer to a “natural” foot shape, we mean feet that are widest at the toes, not at the ball of the foot. This shape is considered natural because it is how feet look within cultures of people who do not grow up wearing shoes. In such cultures, foot problems like bunions and hammertoes are virtually nonexistent.

How was the Primal sole shape created?

After hearing demand from our customers, our talented shoe designers went to work creating a sole shape that would allow toes to truly spread without constraint. Several months of research and development followed and we were fortunate to receive feedback from experts in natural foot health, including Correct Toes inventor Dr. Ray McClanahan DPM and biomechanist Katy Bowman. Each received prototypes of our first Primal shoes and gave us valuable feedback that led to the final design.

In 2017 we released the first shoe of this new line, the Primal RunAmoc. It was an instant success among fans who showered us with gratitude for making the first shoe that truly fit their naturally-shaped feet. Users of Correct Toes and similar corrective devices were likewise thrilled that they finally found a shoe that comfortably fit around their spacers. Dr. McClanahan’s staff declared it the “widest toe box on the shoe market”… take that as you will, we consider it a compliment.

But don’t take our word for it. Check out the reviews on our Primal shoes to see for yourself what our customers think!

Will there be more Primal shoe styles in the future?

We hope so! On the heels of the Primal RunAmoc’s success (pun intended), we have received many requests for more shoes made with this unique sole shape. We have since added the Primal Sawyer casual shoe and the Primal Merry Jane to this collection. Our shoe designers are now considering other styles to be made with the Primal shape.

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