Best Vegan Sports, Gym & Running Shoes
Anyone keen on exercising knows the importance of good shoes. The perfect sports shoe offers the necessary support, provides a good foundation, and can even help prevent injuries. The right shoe will also offer the degree of comfort necessary to exercise without concerns. Particularly if you are a runner, proper shoes could mean the difference between a good run and a potentially damaging one.
Someone who knows all about this is Alex Ward and Kishan Bharwad, the founders of shoe brand Bahé. Born from a passion for running, the brand creates a range of sports-appropriate designs that help the wearer reconnect with nature and feel grounded without having to be barefoot. Offering sneakers, hiking shoes, and lightweight sandals, this brand is all about supreme comfort and high-performance functionality.
"We evolved being grounded – in direct contact with the Earth," says Ward. "But being indoors a lot, in combination with the rise of synthetic footwear, we've lost that connection. The Earth has a slightly negative charge, and our bodies have developed a positive charge as we have disconnected. Studies have shown that being grounded can help improve blood flow, reduce stress, and help us sleep better. Our shoes use a series of conductive elements between the ground and your feet. The rubber outsole has a carbon material in it, and we use a metallic webbing that conducts the charge inside the shoe. The stitching inside touches your feet as well. You don't feel all these elements, but they help ground you."
There's a massive overlap between people who love the grounding technology and people who like a barefoot feel and the holistic health benefits that come from that. Our first barefoot-inspired design was our Revive model. They key features of a barefoot style include being foot-shaped. It allows your toes to spread and lets your big toe be straight rather than crumple your toes up. They are flat rather than having a raised heel. They are flexible to encourage natural movement, and they also allow you to feel the Earth beneath your feet more." Ward admits that the barefoot-style designs are an acquired taste. "If you're running, it takes a bit of adjustment as it reverts you back to a more natural posture. With a more cushioned shoe, many parts of your body are slightly misaligned, and that's what we are used to, so it takes a while to get back to a more style of footwear."
To support athletes, Bahé focuses on the balance between the wearer and the shoe. "We always design to create the best possible interaction between your foot and the shoe. The level of support needs to be balanced with the structure of the sole. The shoe gives a good amount of support but not too much - such as padding around the ankles, reinforced panels. We have a thin insole for a bit of cushioning but still allows for a grounded feel. We're trying to revert people to a natural style of running, which is how we evolved to run."
Bahé is leading the way for a more natural era of exercise – and alongside them, other brands are also celebrating our connection to nature by creating cruelty-free, eco-friendly athletic designs. Here are some of the best vegan running shoes, hiking boots, sports sandals, and more.
The back-to-nature sneaker: Bahé Revive Grounding Barefoot Vegan Sneakers for Women and Men
The dynamic hiking boot: Bahé Women's Rediscover Grounding Barefoot Hiking Boot for Women and Men
The eco-conscious running shoe: 8000 Kicks Runners Hemp Leather Trainers for Men and Women
Hemp is among the most sustainable materials on the planet, and eco-conscious brand 8000 Kicks has incorporated it into this lightweight, breathable running shoe, including creating the world's first hemp insoles. The supportive high-performance soles and added ankle support will eliminate the need for any other sports shoe.
The recycled runner: NAE Vegan Shoes Jor Recycled PET Unisex Vegan Sneakers
The sports sandal: Bahé Respire Grounding Barefoot Sandals for Women and Men
Lending grip and support, these breathable sandals from Bahè are ideal for long walks, trail runs, and hot-weather hikes. The zero-drop heel, soft toe post and textured footbed offer the comfort you need for any outdoor activity.
You can shop all our Women's sports, running & hiking sneakers here.
You can shop all our Men's sports, running & hiking sneakers here.
By Sascha Camilli
About Sascha
Sascha Camilli is a vegan writer, speaker and activist. Her book Vegan Style is out now on Murdoch Books. For more about Sascha, you can read our interview with her or sign up to her newsletter Kind of Wild.
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