A Beautifully Made Minimalist Shoe
The look of these shoes immediately reminded me of a pair of Altras I’d owned—and loved—in the past. After a bit of research, I learned that this brand’s founder previously worked for Altra, which made a lot of sense. Both companies focus heavily on a natural, foot-shaped toe box, something I’ve come to appreciate after wearing several shoes built around that philosophy, including Merrell’s barefoot runners.The science behind a natural running gait is compelling, but it can also be an adjustment. Traditional running shoes have relied on elevated heels (high drop) for decades, so slipping into a true minimalist design can feel like a shock at first. Even my Altras, which were zero to low drop, offered a touch of support. These, by comparison, are far more minimalist. There’s just enough cushioning to protect the footbed, but you’ll still feel every rock underfoot.That said, the design and construction are top-notch. You can tell real thought and care went into making these, and I genuinely love how they look.One important note on sizing: I typically wear an 11, but I should have gone with a 10.5. They run a bit loose, which is the last thing you want in a minimalist shoe. I’d recommend sizing down a half size.Bottom line: If you’re looking for a high-quality minimalist shoe that reconnects your foot with the ground rather than isolating it with cushioning, this is an excellent choice. But if, like me, you’re getting a bit older and prefer a bit more padding, you might want something with extra cushion.
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K
Kevin T.
November 12, 2025
Good quality barefoot feel. Lightweight, durable feeling material. Bit pricey for what you get
As background, I'm a fan of minimalist and barefoot shoes. I've worn a bunch like Vibram FiveFingers and Xero Shoes, which is my favorite brand so far, so I have a good idea of how these Notace running shoes stack compared to others. They feel targeted to the same use and closest to the Xero Scrambler, which I shoe next to in the images. I've worn these Notaces for about a month now, about ten different sessions. I got the 9.5 in Mens which matches the same I wear in Xeros and Allbirds.The packaging itself was really nice and simple. When I first took them out to try them on, it is very noticeable that they are incredibly lightweight. The lacing system is not very smooth to get the right tightness so there was some undesirable pressure initially at the top of my foot, but after a little adjustment and breaking them in, I started to notice it less and less. Just sharing in case others have the same experience.The sole is thick and more padded than other minimalist running shoes. In rocky outdoor terrain, these do really well since smaller rocks went unnoticed as I landed on them. The rubber material itself has a good amount of give and spongy bounce to them. They could even be a good intro shoe for someone looking to get into barefoot running. However, if you want that true minimalist feel for regular trail, street, or road running, these might have a bit too much padding and "lift" you off the ground more than other barefoot shoes.When running with them, they are comfortable, lightweight, and they do fold down pretty nicely into luggage, which is great if you travel with your shoes. Aesthetically, they don't look bad either and can be worn casually to walk around, but definitely has a hiking, fitness outdoor look to them.At $180, which is what they cost right now at the time of this review, that's a bit more than I'd typically spend on minimalist barefoot shoes. I don't find them to be significantly higher quality than others like Xero Shoes. One can usually wait for a sale on Xero Shoes and grab great shoes for almost $50 less than these Notaces, but they have their pros and cons.Overall, I'd say at the current price, they're close to a 4.5-star shoe. It is a tad pricy, but I can see these lasting many many sessions and miles so you may get what you pay for. I'd say if you really love the way, this is a great shoe and functionally works very well as a barefoot running shoe.
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A different experience.
I run mostly half marathons in the new age shoes with foam. I saw this and thought that I would give it a try and see how I felt. First thing to note is that these things are really light and its because they are going for absolute minimalist style. That said they are surprisingly comfortable when you put them on. They do have a wide toe which is super comfortable abd I wish more shoes did this. That said it is true to size so its not like you should drop a shoe size to get these. The fit is really nice and your feet can breath. The laces are great and tie off really well. There is not an additional hole at the top to do a runners knot but they are snug enough that I don't think you need them.As for the ride, they are actually pretty good, I was a little worried that a couple miles in my feet would be absolutely aching from the lack of padding but the sole of this shoe worked well. You can definitely feel more on the ground then a thick soled foam shoe but that is not bad. I did a 8.5 mile run with a combination of trail running, gravel, asphalt, and cement at an 8:30 to 10:00 pace with hills and flat sections. Throughout all of that my feet did not hurt at all and usually I am sensitive to new shoes if they don't work for me. This was a definite plus. For 179.99 the shoes are pretty comparable to other running shoes if not a bit cheaper then the high end ones. I am currently training for a half and will put this shoe into my rotation for my easy runs. I'd like to get more miles into this before completely saying if its great. As it is these appear to be good shoes and if you are looking for an alternative to the thick bouncy foam ones this is probably it. I will plan on updating again at 50 miles and 100 miles to see if my initial impressions stand up to the test if mileage.
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