So are they barefoot? I had quite a number of you asking me to review the Crocs Mary Jane Brooklyn flats, so I bought some from Amazon to try them out for you. So, in order to be barefoot, shoes need to qualify on five different factors. So let’s talk through them and work out whether these Mary Jane flats qualify as barefoot shoes. Firstly, barefoot shoes need to be shaped like feet. Also, you can get different foot shapes, but predominantly we’re looking for something that is widest across the toe. These don’t have a terrible foot shape, but they’re definitely less foot shape than the classic croc style clogs, which is a shame really, because they do have a fantastic shape. These are very, very muted and quite narrow. It also taper the big toe somewhat, so it’s not a perfect foot shape, but it’s definitely better than some of the available options and for example, the supermarkets. Secondly, barefoot shoes need to be completely flexible. The Crocs like material is known to be very flexible. They are quite stiff at first, but they do have a certain degree of flex. And it is nice to see that there is some degree of flexibility in the heel too, which is really important. I tend to like to roll up shoes from the heel and I’m. I am getting fair amount of resistance, but it is really good to see that there is some flexibility here. Thirdly, in order To be barefoot, A shoe needs to be completely flat. It means the heel and the toe should be at the same level throughout. Just like if you were standing on a flat surface, completely barefoot, heel would not be raised any higher than your toes. Unfortunately, inside these Mary Jane flats, there is a significant heel rise. Is really difficult to show you on camera, but the inner sole is much higher up than the toes. I would say there is about half a centimeter of heel rise. And obviously, in such a little size, on a little person, that difference would actually make a big impact on the positioning of the hips. And then when you change the positioning of the hips, you change the walking posture and the gait all together. The fourth attribute of a barefoot shoe is to have a completely thin sole. That’s because our feet are full of receptors, just like our hands are. So we receive a lot of sensory input through the soles of our feet. If we don’t have access to the feeling of the floor through our shoes, we lose the ability of proprioception, which is how our brain manages our positioning in space. This coupled with that heel rise, makes a big difference to our walking posture. That goes on to have a knock on effect to our calf muscles, our ankles, knees, hips, and other joints. Lastly, barefoot shoes need to have a secure attachment to the Foot. That means sliders and flip flops don’t qualify. But thankfully because this has got a nice strap over the midfoot, they are going to be nice and securely attached provided that they’re in the right size. So while these look like a fantastic option for some, unfortunately they don’t qualify as barefoot, and I don’t think I personally would consider them to be barefoot friendly either. The soles are a huge let down. If that sole was flat then I might consider them to be barefoot friendly with that extra bit of bounce and foamy insole, but unfortunately because the sole is both thick with a heel rise, they are not cutting it for me. If I can help you learn more about barefoot shoes, do give me a follow or do ask me a question in the comments.