by Robby McFarland
Tolos is a new barefoot shoe brand with an all-purpose sneaker that’s meant to be functional, stylish, and comfortable. Anya and I both tested these shoes on our unique feet and for different purposes. Read our experiences with them below!
Get To Know Tolos
Tolos is a American brand started by Evan Ritt. After suffering multiple injuries during his professional hockey career, Evan set out on a journey to better align his body from the ground up. In November 2020 he started designing his flagship product, the Archetype 1.0, with the ultimate goal of creating barefoot shoes that both look good and perform at the highest level.
Tolos Review
$115 | Vegan | Sizes M5/W6.5 – M14/W15.5 | 5.5mm stack height | USA only
Use code ANYA10 for 10% off your purchase.
My first impression of the Tolos Archetype is that they have a subtle, minimalist look with gold accents for a touch of class. They’re a good blend between athletic and casual footwear!
These shoes are tongueless, which means you slip your foot into them like a sock. This was a bit of a struggle for me because the opening is not very stretchy, even though my feet are low volume. I’m used to unlacing my shoes to make sliding them on/off easier, as well as reduce wear on the shoe over time. The loops on the front and back make it easier to pull the shoe onto your foot, but I am looking forward to version 2.0 which will have a stretchier opening.
Once I got my foot inside the Archetype sneakers fit me perfectly. Because these shoes are low volume I hardly needed to tighten the laces. They fit glove-like on my feet as is, but I wish the laces were a little longer so I could more easily double knot them (that’s playground 101, double knot your shoes so you don’t end up on your face).
The shoe itself is comfortable right out of the box. They are very flexible, had no break-in time, and fit me well (after a minor struggle getting them on). While I really enjoy this close fit on my particular foot type, I can tell they would not be a good choice for someone with a very thick or high volume foot. But if you are someone who is often swimming in barefoot shoes these are fantastic.
I did my best to perform an initial evaluation by doing some jumping jacks, running up and down the hall, and breaking out some dad moves. They simply felt great and had good grip on our slippery smooth floors. I mainly wear these during the week to my casual workplace and around town, but I’ve also been using them for indoor tennis. They work really well as a tennis shoe and I always grab for these first when I play!
Anya’s Take
Hey there! I also tested out the Tolos Archetype 1.0 in black and white. Like Robby, I have a low volume foot and these sneakers fit me perfectly. No heel slippage, adequate toe space, and a soft feel from the first wear. I prefer to wear my shoes sock-less as much as possible and these feel great.
Like Robby mentioned, these would be a no-go for someone with a thick high volume foot. They feel similar to Vivobarefoot sneakers but with a wider toe box and no break in time.
Comfy, cute, practical, I have no complaints! These are a sneaker I will continue to reach for.
Tolos Sizing & Fit Type
- Wide toe box
- Mountain Shape ⛰
- Low volume fit
- Fan shaped (narrow at the heel)
- True to size
Tolos is a great brand if you have trouble finding barefoot shoes you don’t swim in. They fit close around your arch and ankle but leave plenty of toe space.
Not recommended for high arches.
Learn more about foot type and barefoot shoe fit here.
Ordering from Tolos
Tolos ships to the USA, but they are hoping to offer international shipping in the near future. Shipping, exchanges, and returns are all free. You have 30 days to request a return, and they must be unworn with all original packaging. If you’re in Canada, you can find Tolos at Canadian Retailer Sole Freedom.
Tolos just restocked in June 2023, with a few slightly color changes. Evan is already working some minor tweaks for version 2.0 and hopes to have details finalized by Fall 2023.
Conclusion
Tolos’ first shoe is a success in my book. They won’t be right for everyone, but if you have a low volume foot they are wonderful. We look forward to what Tolos has in store for us in the future.
Robby is a full-time ERP Analyst. Most of his free time is spent with his wife, Samantha, and five children. He also enjoys gardening, tennis, guitar, woodworking, and making all his wife’s home improvement dreams come true.
14 thoughts on “Tolos Review – The Newest Barefoot Shoe Brand on the Block”
Hi Anya:
Any good loafers for men. Have found very little in the last few years. I presently wear Vivo B. and Tune loafers.
Also a slip on or zip up winter boot for men.
Thanks,
James
For loafers, quite a number of these come in men’s size: https://anyasreviews.com/barefoot-loafers-that-dont-pinch-your-toes/
You have to skip a few women’s only options, but Zaqq Barefoot, Raum Goods, FeelBarefoot, Magical Shoes, and Tadeevo all make men’s loafer/slip on styles.
For sneaker slip ons, Feelgrounds and Bohempia make some great ones in men’s. For zip up winter boots, Magical Shoes also has a good one, also Peerko Go and Softstar Phoenix. Most of the men’s winter boots do not have a side zipper however.
These Tolos do NOT have a wide toe-box. It COULD be wide if it didn’t taper so dramatically around the toes. As it is, they’re FAR too narrow in the toes. Sad to see. They look like Vivo clones. Just another barefoot brand too hungry for profits to buck the societal conditioning that says wide “clown” shoes are ugly and narrow deforming shoes are sexy. But sure… take the unhealthy, impractical choice over something healthy and comfortable.
The terms wide and narrow are subjective. These might be too narrow for you, but that doesn’t mean they’re too narrow for everyone. In my size they are considerably wider than all the Vivobarefoot sneakers I own and I can comfortably wear Correct Toes in my Tolos. Also, brands don’t exist if people don’t buy the shoes. So yes, there is a place for trying to make the shoes look appealing. I think Tolos has done a great job combining healthy shoe features with a good looking design. But you don’t have to buy them if you don’t want to.
Hi Anya,
How do you feel these compare to Splay Freestyles in toebox width and shape?
Both are low volume over the arch. Splay has a similar width compared to Tolos, but I find Splay feels a little more rough when brand new (the canvas). And the walled sole makes them a little bit less flexible. Considering the price different between the two, I’d say both are great for what you pay. But Tolos is softer out of the box and feels a little higher quality.
Hi Anya,
Do you wear your same size in these as in vivobarefoot primus lite? I am struggling to find the right size. I ordered the smallest size mens vivos (to get the wider width) in a 7/40 and they are a tad too long. I’m not sure the women’s 8 will be big or wide enough so was thinking about ordering these. Are they the same length as the vivos? thanks!
Hey Monica,
I have both in a size 37 and my Primus Lites Womens are just a touch longer than Tolos, but Tolos is wider in the toe box. I would say by 5ish millimeters. I think they would be pretty close to the width of a men’s vivobarefoot shoe, but my size doesn’t come in men’s.
For the white Tolos – would you spray them something o help keep them white/clean? I’ve been wanting a white pair of barefoot-style sneakers and want to keep them white! Any suggestions for upkeep on the white? Thanks
You could try something like Carbon Pro, which is appropriate for all materials. We have used that on a lot of shoes textile and leather (but not these specifically). Tolos are actually washable (follow their instructions) and come out looking pretty great! I just washed my husband’s white pair after one of our kids dropped guacamole on them. You couldn’t even tell after they came out of the washer 🙂
Woah – that’s amazing! Good to know. Thank you. I just got my white Tolos yesterday and I LOVE them!!! Thanks again for the response. I love you guys.
This review is spot on. Specifically the part about them being low-volume. These shoes are made *exclusively* for low-volume feet, so be careful, because they will squeeze from the top area. Just had to return mine, which is sad since my feet are not particularly high-volume.
Have you had a chance to try version 2?
Hi! We have. The uppers are higher volume and much stretchier for easier on/off. We still like them a lot. My husband and daughter wear them almost daily. You can see our newsletter highlight version 2.0 here.