Barefoot Shoes for Hiking: Ahinsa vs Bahé Rewild Flex
How we did this: we compared what Ahinsa and Bahé publish on their own product pages, checked on 29 Sep 2026: sole, drop, weight, materials and price. Prices are in each store’s own currency. We have not worn these shoes.
Barefoot shoes for hiking differ mostly in one number: how much sole sits under your foot. The Ahinsa Chitra Trek&Trail has a 2 mm Vibram sole with 4 mm of tread; the Bahé Rewild Flex has a 10 mm stack. Both are zero drop with a foot-shaped toe box. Ahinsa shoes are made in the Czech Republic and Croatia; Bahé is a UK brand.
Barefoot shoes for hiking compared
| Spec | Ahinsa Chitra Trek&Trail | Bahé Rewild Flex |
|---|---|---|
| Sole | 2 mm + 4 mm tread | 10 mm stack (7 mm without the 3 mm insole) |
| Drop | Zero | 0 mm |
| Outsole | Vibram | 65% natural rubber |
| Upper | CoolMax polyester and vegan microfiber | Honeycomb ripstop with TPU panels |
| Weight (per shoe) | 204 g, size 40 | About 362 g, UK 8 |
| Price | €179 | £149 |
Sources: Ahinsa Chitra Trek&Trail page; Bahé Rewild Flex page, checked 29 Sep 2026. Ahinsa’s figures are from its men’s page and Bahé’s from its women’s page, and the two weights are for different sizes (EU 40 against UK 8), so they are not a like-for-like comparison.
Sole thickness is the real choice
A thinner sole lets you feel the trail; a thicker one blocks more of it. On paper the Ahinsa’s sole is 2 mm plus 4 mm of lugs, and the Bahé puts 10 mm under your foot, 7 mm if you take out its insole. On soft forest trail the thin sole gives more feedback. On sharp scree or long rocky descents, more stack means less of each stone reaches your foot.
Ahinsa Chitra Trek&Trail
- Light: 204 g per shoe in size 40
- Vibram outsole with 4 mm tread
- Hand made in the EU
- Thin sole: less protection on sharp rock
- Priced in euros; check shipping
Ahinsa pitches it for rough ground:
“Forest. Rock. Mud. Gravel. Your feet will handle anything. Just put on these barefoot trail shoes that respect your feet.”
Ahinsa, Chitra Trek&Trail page
Ahinsa says the shoe was designed by physiotherapists, with a CoolMax lining to wick sweat.
Check price →Bahé Rewild Flex
- 10 mm stack with a removable insole
- Ripstop upper with TPU panels
- Speed lacing
- Heavier: about 362 g in UK 8
- Grounding certification is not a hiking feature
Bahé lists a 10 mm total stack, a removable 3 mm insole and a honeycomb ripstop upper with TPU panels. It also says the shoe is certified conductive under EN ISO 20347:2022, which it markets as “grounding”.
Check price →Which should you buy?
- Most ground feel, lightest: Ahinsa Chitra Trek&Trail.
- More protection, new to barefoot: Bahé Rewild Flex, with its insole in.
- Want cushioning and a wide toe box instead: a zero-drop trail runner such as the Altra Lone Peak 9+ (25 mm stack).
FAQ
Are Ahinsa shoes good for hiking?
How thick is the sole on barefoot hiking shoes?
Where are Ahinsa shoes made?
What does grounding mean on Bahé shoes?
How much do they cost?
The bottom line
Among barefoot shoes for hiking, the choice is sole thickness. Ahinsa’s Chitra Trek&Trail gives 2 mm plus tread and 204 g per shoe for €179; Bahé’s Rewild Flex gives 10 mm and more protection for £149.
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