How Can We Help?

In general, we find that it's best to order your Peluvas a half-size larger than your regular running shoe. Most of our returns are from people feeling too tight, especially with the new experience of a five-toe shoe. Peluvas are made with one basic common foot pattern that is intended to fit most people of that shoe size. If you have a longer second toe, or baby toe, a half-size increase will help ensure that none of your toes feel cramped. Note: It is not necessary that every toe extends all the way into each toe box, but you don't want excess space either. Running shoes recommend some gap in front to prevent blisters, but Peluvas don't promote blistering because toes are separated! Please take the time to use our fitting app underneath the size chart of each product. We are always happy to exchange your shoes for a different size, but taking some time at the outset to dial in your size is much easier.

Many people have never had the experience of wearing “gloves for the feet.” As such, it might feel a bit unusual at first to have your toes in separate compartments. Most people find that after a few minutes of wearing them, they begin to enjoy the feeling and appreciate the newfound freedom of having their toes able to move up and down over surfaces unevenly. After a few times wearing Peluvas, regular shoes might start to feel cramped, an indication of how uncomfortable regular shoes generally are. Over time, you will naturally increase blood flow, tendon and muscle strength, and dexterity and range of motion in the toes so that they will more easily comply with a shoe fitting (and work better for all manner of daily movement.) You can accelerate the adaptation process by performing the foot and toe exercises detailed in our free eBook, The Definitive Guide To A Barefoot And Minimalist Shoe Lifestyle.

If you have never worn five-toed shoes before, you may experience a little difficulty sliding each toe into their individual slots. This is largely because your toes and metatarsals have likely compressed (scrunched together) over time, and your ability to spread your toes out wide has diminished. No worries… that’s one of the many reasons you’ll benefit tremendously from five-toed shoes. Sit on the edge of a chair or bench with your one Peluva shoe placed on firm ground where it will not slide around when you press your foot into the shoe. Loosen the strings and slide your foot slowly forward into the shoe. As your toes near the slots, use your hand or both hands to guide the big toe and the second toe into their slots—they will be the first toes to arrive at their slots. Work carefully to slide the remaining toes into their slots. The baby toe will likely be the most problematic, as it’s spent a lifetime wedged up against the fourth toe. Make sure you are patient and precise getting the final toe or toes in. You may have to slide other toes out of their fitted positions to make repeat attempts with remaining toes. One other tip is to put on our five-toed socks first. This may assist the toes sliding into their slots. The toe battle may not be the most fun experience with your Peluvas, but have faith—it gets easier. This is a great indication that Peluvas are working to relax, realign, and re-educate your feet after a lifetime in restrictive shoes.

One major difference between Peluvas and most other minimalist shoe designs is the individual toe box, aka articulated toes. This allows for the only true barefoot-inspired footwear experience, as the toes must be free to articulate independently, through multiple planes of motion, in order to optimally absorb impact, balance moving bodyweight, and achieve propulsion on each stride or movement you make. Furthermore, Peluvas provide an active strengthening effect for your foot muscles and connective tissue, and an active toe-spacing effect as well. Even some of the more comfortable minimalist shoes that offer a wider toe box still can’t provide the up and down individual toe movement that mimics going barefoot on uneven surfaces. Wide toe boxes don’t actively harm your feet like a normal shoe, but they don’t actively strengthen or re-educate your feet like Peluvas do. Peluvas closely mimic the barefoot gait pattern, while protecting you from weather, obstacles, and debris. The strategic cushioning (around 9mm for Strand model), gives you sufficient protection to navigate hard indoor and outdoor surfaces.

Most Peluvas are designed to be unisex, differentiated only by color and size. Women interested in ordering a men’s shoe should size down one and a half sizes. For example, a woman who wears a size 10 would wear a men’s 8.5.