Xero Shoes Review | Outdoor Adventures with the TerraFlex Barefoot Hiking Shoe
Updated: 10 hours ago
Once upon a time, I felt it was time to find the most robust sole which would still provide excellent ground feel. A search was triggered, a recommendation arrived and I went for it. That is how TerraFlex entered my life.
Table of Contents
Introduction: my first Xero Shoes
My first ever barefoot shoes weren't shoes... they were Xero's DIY sandals. The actual first casual barefoot shoes I bought are from Wildlings, and my first ever Xero shoes were the TerraFlex I.
I had been wearing Wildlings for a few months when I realized that despite how perfect they were for everyday casual wear, I needed a thicker sole for my trail adventures. Enter the TerraFlex from Xero Shoes. I loved them and enjoyed many runs and long hikes with them in our first summer and fall/autumn season together, in 2022. As always, in this post I will give you my honest opinion about this awesome barefoot hiking shoe.
Trail Running and Hiking with Xero's TerraFlex
My partner has been enjoying his TerraFlex for many years and even bought them again when new ones were needed. He swears by them for trail running, hiking and even downhill biking.
Off to a beautiful start on a summer hike in Ticino
TerraFlex were the first Xero shoes I bought and I loved them. They have an extremely robust sole yet amazing ground feel. They are flexible, very sturdy, breathable and comfortable for hours on end!
Shoe Specs and Review
Features | My thoughts on the TerraFlex I |
Style | I love their Forest style, as I tend to choose colors that blend in with Nature's colors. |
Special features | The toebox provides great protection, being made of a super sturdy material. This part is strong, water resistant and keeps your toes extra safe. The TerraFlex sole is a bit wider than other Xero models, but I do not consider it particularly wide - going half a size up would probably be a safe bet. |
Comfort / Flexibility / Temperature | In my opinion, the TerraFlex is the perfect mix of sturdiness and flexibility. I find it very comfortable but too warm for me during summer. This makes it less enjoyable in longer summer hikes, but perfect for fall/autumn activities. |
Material / Durability / Water resistance | The upper is made with soft yet thick, durable materials. It can be water resistant if you apply a spray, and this worked very well for me, tolerating light rain. |
Sole material and thickness | Sturdy, rugged FeelTrue sole with grippy lugs + removable insole. This sole is excellent - super grippy. All of Xero Shoes' soles are backed by a 5,000-mile warranty. I haven't needed to trigger it so far, but I will let you know how it goes if/when I do! |
Ground feel / Traction | The traction on this sole is gold! It has extremely durable lugs which give you amazing traction, even in the muddiest of surfaces. |
Natural fit / Sizing | The TerraFlex provides a very stable, protective fit. Plus, I really like this toebox because it is high at the very end, so it doesn't squeeze the toes. |
Weight | Lightweight |
Making my way down a steep mountainside with my trusty TerraFlex
Top Tips
And now, time for some tips! I learned a few things from my experience with the TerraFlex. This is the section where you can learn from my mistakes without having to make the same mistakes yourself. Thank me later. :)
First, an easy one! Waterproofing
Waterproofing the TerraFlex and other shoes is easy. I applied one of those sprays you can buy in sports shops. While this type of spray won't make a shoe fully waterproof, it can definitely help to make it water resistant. I found this worked very well with the TerraFlex and I wore these shoes very often in fall/autumn.
P.S. This might have also been helped by the fact that this shoe's upper was built rather thick.
Transition to barefoot shoes: conservative sizing
This is a trickier topic. When you first switch to barefoot shoes, it can be hard to imagine how quickly your feet might change. They can get more muscular, wider and even longer. Think carefully about sizing when you are buying a new shoe. It is wiser to buy a shoe that's longer than you think you need (eg. 1 to 1,5 cm longer than your foot), as opposed to something that seems just the right length (eg. 2 mm longer than your foot). Especially when you are at the start of your barefoot transition, I would recommend choosing a bigger size. Take a look at the most complete guide out there, on foot measurement and how to to find the perfect shoe fit.
Shoe materials
Sometimes we take a look at the shoe description, read a review or two, but don't really check the materials on the outside, inside or padding of the shoe. I learned to really, really pay attention to the materials a shoe is made of, in relation to which season I plan to wear it. I grabbed my TerraFlex (v. I) during a sale. I was so excited to get them, it did not occur to me to check the materials in detail. It did turn out this shoe was far too hot for me for the summer season - but perfect for fall! The TerraFlex was actually the shoe that made me realize just how toasty my (now healthy) feet can get during exercise :O I am absolutely desperate to slip into my sandals at all times in the summer.
The End of my Terraflex Era
Unfortunately, as I stepped into my TerraFlex in April of this year (2024) in preparation for the first spring hike, I encountered the dread of claustrophobia. My TerraFlex no longer felt wide or long enough. OK, let's remove the insoles... No, this doesn't help much... Sadly, it was time to face it: my muscly feet had outgrown my TerraFlex. And there I was, with no suitable shoes for the first hike of the season.
Like anything else in life, the TerraFlex have their pros and cons: they are awesome for spring and fall/autumn but for me, they are too hot for summer and not ideal for winter adventures in the snow. They are not an all-year long shoe and that is OK. When choosing hiking shoes or boots, make sure you are intentional about your specific needs. After learning some lessons with the TerraFlex, I decided to search for a hiking shoe that's more suited for summer and another for winter adventures. I will tell you about that in my next post.
Conclusion: an excellent barefoot hiking shoe for outdoor adventures
I put my TerraFlex to use in 2022 and 2023 and I can safely say they are an awesome trail and mountain shoe. It was a shame I could not continue to wear them, since my feet got bigger and stronger due to my switch to barefoot shoes. I am sure the TerraFlex would have supported me through many more adventures on all kinds of challenging surfaces.
The TerraFlex is an excellent, versatile shoe. If you are looking for a shoe for versatile ground to take with you on rugged terrain, TerraFlex would be one of my top picks, I can definitely recommend it for all kinds of trails! Whether you're sliding over sand or loose pebbles, walking on mud or other wet surfaces, hiking steep mountains up or down, you name it. The TerraFlex will have your back, providing plenty of stability and incredible traction.
Please note: this article is not sponsored in any way, I am simply sharing my experiences and opinions.
Resources
Barefoot Glossary - I created this glossary of common terms in the barefoot world!
Which type of foot do you have? - by Shapen
How to measure your foot correctly? - by Shapen
See more interesting links in the Barefoot Shoes Resources page
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