Are Xero Shoes Really Good? An Honest Review From Their Worst Affiliate

There are a lot of Xero Shoes affiliates out there, and I get ads from them constantly. Before every youtube video I watch, I see Steven, the owner of Xero Shoes, telling me about their latest shoe. This company really works the digital marketing angle.

With everyone selling their shoes, you might think these minimalist shoes are a gimmick or something not to be taken seriously. I don't believe that is the case. The reason there are so many Xero Shoes affiliates is that there is a low barrier for entry, a decent commission, and (depending on the model) a good product.

I mean, I'm an affiliate.

I am probably the worst affiliate for Xero Shoes, and I wear their shoes every day, but I rarely sell any of them. I rarely mention them on social media, I've never done a campaign around selling their shoes, and I often mention my dislikes.

Personally, though, I've owned around eight pairs of Xero Shoes, and I'll tell you honestly what I thought of each one. You might think this article will be all bullshit fluff because their newest shoe is getting a glowing review, but I promise you there is plenty of constructive criticism.

Xero 360

The 360 is the best Xero Shoes they've ever made. I am an active person, and the Xero 360 has been suitable for me in every situation so far. I love them for the gym; they are great for running, CrossFit, and worked well for the slackline.

They improved on the Prio for these babies, and I can honestly not say enough good things. The Xero 360 is the perfect cross-training shoe.

Rating: 10/10

If you want to know more here is a full review of the Xero 360

Now let's venture from the best Xero shoe ever made to the worst one.

Aptos

The Aptos is not a good shoe. There is a loop of padding around the lip of the shoe that weirdly makes contact with your foot. In addition, I don't know how they designed this shoe to capture foot scent, but it does. Of all my Xero shoes, these smell the worst.

If you are looking for this style of shoe, look elsewhere.

Rating: 1/10

Forza Trainer

The Forza Trainer is the newest workout shoe in the Xero Shoes line and it is alright. It does not improve on the Xero 360 in any functional way. However, it is one of the most comfortable workout shoes I’ve owned. For a full in-depth review, click here.

If you are looking for a comfortable workout shoe, the Forza Trainer would be a good pick. If you are looking for a serious lifting shoe, this isn’t it.

Rating: 6/10

Z-Trail Men's

The Z-Trail is the iconic Xero shoe. Xero Shoes started with a build your own running sandal kit and developed into an excellent shoe company. This is their affordable mainstream sandal design, and it is excellent. It is a lightweight sandal that can be worn hiking or running.

Although there is one major drawback, the shoe tightens through a single strap system, and when cinched down, there is excess strap.

There is quite a bit of excess strap flopping around and can be pretty annoying if you are moving quickly in these shoes. Of course, walking around it doesn't matter at all, but if you intend to run, I'd consider a different model or simply cutting off the excess strap.

Rating: 8/10

Toronto

My brown Toronto's are hands down my most complimented pair of Xero Shoes. People like how these look, and I like that they are minimalist. Before I slowly transitioned to almost entirely minimalist footwear, I was a big fan of this shoe style.

Until recently, the Toronto’s were made out of hemp, and in a past review, my only point against them was durability. Since they changed the material to leather, I can’t find anything not to like about this walking-around shoe.

I’ve walked my dog in these shoes throughout Chicago’s damp fall weather and they’ve held up great. They are comfortable, look great, and are durable. These are the perfect shoe for your first pair of minimalist shoes because they could be worn to work or around town. While they aren’t athletic shoes they can help you build some strength in your feet before you start working out in minimalist shoes.

Rating: 10/10

Prio

As a personal trainer, the Prio has served me well. I am on my third pair and am about to retire them. I can tell you that the 5000 sole warranty is legit. I wore through the insoles of one of the earlier iterations of the Prio pretty quickly, and Xero Shoes sent me a new set of soles right away.

Although with the newer version of these shoes, the soles haven't been an issue.

The Prios, like many Xero Shoes, have straps on the outside that help hold the soles of the shoes in the correct position. If you wear the shoes to an extreme degree and remove them by stepping on the heel, there will eventually be a slight separation. However, it looks as though they may have fixed that with 360. The 360 has the same mechanism, although it appears to be covered by an additional protection layer.

Rating: 8/10

The Alpine

I live in Summit County, Colorado, and was very excited about the release of this shoe. It is perfect for my winter needs. A warm minimalist shoe! I wear these before changing into my snowboard boots, talking the dog out, and shoveling. These are the only minimalist shoes I can wear for about half the year.

Unfortunately, they are lacking in the performance department. They aren't grippy enough for icy situations. They are great in terms of comfort, but if I have to walk up or down a hill in the wintertime, I wear a different pair of boots.

If the next iteration had a better grip, this would be my go-to boot. Although for now, it is more of just a casual winter boot, not a winter hiking boot.

Rating: 7/10

The Daylight Hiker Fusion

If you are looking for a minimalist summer hiking boot, look no further than the Daylight Hiker Fusion. They have the best traction of any Xero shoe I’ve tried, and I had no issues conquering a few summits in these bad boys.

However, this is not a year-round hiking boot. They are not waterproof, I could even feel morning dew on tall grass getting into the breathable mesh on the top of the shoe. If you are hiking somewhere wet, I’d look for a different shoe.

The Daylight Hiker Fusion will do great in hot climates and on summits. They have just enough protection to make hiking feel safe while maintaining that minimalist feel. For a full review of these boots, check out this article!

Rating: 8/10

Xero Shoes Overall

Overall, I'm a fan. After all, I have more Xero Shoes than I know what to do with. However, not all their shoes are worth it. They aren't cheap, and it is good to read many reviews before making your purchase.

Xero Shoes does a great job marketing their products, and they have good products, but not all Xero Shoes were created equal. I hope this helped you make a purchasing decision.

Here is my affiliate link ;) –https://xeroshoes.com/go/JakeDermer