Hobibear Shoes – What You Need to Know

September 27, 2025

Hobibear make regular shoes and barefoot shoes. It can be impossible to tell which ones are barefoot. In this blog I will give you all the information I have on Hobibear, and a handy list of Hobibear shoes I know are definitely zero drop (flat), barefoot models. I’ve included affiliate links in this post.

Jump to the list of genuinely barefoot Hobibear models

First receiving the Lily, which I later found to have a heel rise.*

Does BarefootBrit recommend Hobibear shoes?
I’ve worn barefoot shoes for years, and I recommend barefoot shoes for foot health, comfort, and natural movement benefits they bring. Barefoot shoes allow your feet to function as they were designed to, with flexibility, space for your toes, and no unnecessary support. I generally recommend Hobibear shoes as a fantastic gateway or access point into the concept of barefoot shoes since they are very budget friendly and have a range of designs.

Are all Hobibear barefoot shoes?
Some are, some aren’t. Hobibear has an extensive range, and while many of their models are barefoot (zero drop, flexible, wide toe box), others are not. Not every shoe that looks like a barefoot shoe will actually tick the boxes. It can actually be very tricky to determine which Hobibear shoes are genuinely barefoot or not, especially since they are known for being a little misleading in their marketing. I’ll list below which models are truly barefoot, and which are definitely not. Jump to the list.

Is it Safe to Order from Hobibear?
Read the Trust Pilot Reviews. Personally, I avoid ordering directly from Hobibear’s own websites as most of their reviews centre around consumer care. Their customer service has been repeatedly flagged to me as difficult to deal with, especially around refunds and returns. I’ve had countless messages from my audience over the years with the same story: slow responses, poor communication, and refund issues. That’s enough for me to say I wouldn’t recommend going direct.

Is Hobibear a trusted barefoot company?
This is where things get murky. Hobibear seems to be a Chinese brand with multiple outlets, resellers, and marketplace shops. They’re on Amazon, TikTok Shop, Shein, AliExpress, Temu, and they even run multiple websites (.com, .co.uk, etc.) all using the same “Hobibear” name and branding. Unlike established barefoot brands that are transparent about their mission, history, and team, Hobibear doesn’t really show who is behind the company.

From a consumer perspective, it feels more like a big generic shoe manufacturer that happens to produce barefoot models, rather than a dedicated barefoot brand. That doesn’t mean the shoes are bad, but it does explain why you don’t get the same service, brand story, or guarantee that you would from other barefoot companies, or between Hobibear outlets.

Where is the safest place to buy Hobibear?
If you want to try Hobibear, the safest and quickest way is via Amazon or TikTok Shop. Even if the sellers there are technically resellers, you at least get:

Buyer protection
Easier returns
Faster shipping
Assurance that your money is safe

By contrast, ordering directly from Hobibear’s own website is a gamble. The volume of negative reviews about customer service, refunds, and delivery times means I don’t recommend it. If you do decide to go direct, shop at your own risk.

So, are Hobibear worth it?
Hobibear can be an affordable way to try barefoot shoes, especially if you shop carefully and pick the genuinely barefoot models. Just go into it knowing that the company itself isn’t built on the same ethos as many barefoot-first brands, and that ordering through a trusted marketplace is the best way to avoid headaches. If Hobibear doesn’t feel right for you, why not take a look at Saguaro instead? They’re in a similar price range, offer a wide variety of models for the whole family, and their customer service has a better reputation. I also have a discount code for them (BAREFOOTBRIT) and from my own experience, ordering with Saguaro has always been straightforward.

For alternative options that are budget friendly, you can see my first shoes for adults post here.

Which Hobibear models are definitely zero drop?

Zero drop simply means flat. For a shoe to be truly barefoot, it must be flat so that your body stays in a natural posture and your walking gait remains correct. Some barefoot brands make shoes with thicker cushioning, but as long as the thickness is consistent from heel to toe, they are still zero drop.

Lily is NOT flat*

A heel rise (or drop) is when the heel section of the sole is thicker than the toe, which places your heel higher than your toes. This changes your posture and prevents the shoe from being truly barefoot.

You might have seen this video where I cut up one of the 2025 Hobibear models and discovered it to have an 8mm heel rise:

@barefootbrit
In my defence, Hobibear advertise these as Zero Drop (screenshot from their website included at 00:50 seconds) and I feel terrible that I didn’t notice sooner. Honesty and integrity are at the core of what I do, so being transparent with you is non-negotiable. That’s why I share this with a heavy heart. I received the new range of Hobibear shoes on 30 July and shared several videos, excited to say they met all the barefoot criteria. After wearing them for a week, I began to question whether the sole was truly flat as I had been led to believe. They are anatomically shaped, flexible, and thin, but today I cut one open and discovered a heel height of 15mm and a toe height of 7mm, which means an 8mm drop. I feel awful about this, as I genuinely thought I had found the perfect budget entry. I am extremely sorry if anyone bought them on my recommendation that they were zero drop. As someone who only recommends truly flat shoes, I will no longer promote them as fully barefoot. All is not lost though. They remain a good option for anyone moving from brands like Adidas, Nike, or Skechers who wants generous toe space but is not ready for a sheer zero drop transition. From now on I will be clear they are a transition shoe, not barefoot. Video proof coming shortly, but here’s a photo of the new hobibear (bottom) and a truly zero drop saguaro (above). I have learned from this to be more vigilant. Brit. #barefootshoes #barefoot #shoes #foothealth
♬ original sound – Barefoot👣Brit

The issue here is that Hobibear advertised this model as zero drop (and still do in some places, even two months later at the time of writing). Because Hobibear products are sold through so many outlets, even if some retailers updated their marketing, plenty of false information remains.

The Hobibear LILY, LILAC, LAUREL, and DAHLIA all share the same sole, and none of them are truly zero drop. They actually have an 8 mm rise. While they might suit people transitioning from conventional shoes such as Skechers or HOKAs, they are not ideal for anyone looking for a genuine barefoot shoe.

*Why wasn’t the heel rise obvious? It clearly has a heel rise from the photo!

Many brands nowadays disguise a zero-drop sole with a subtle rise in the outer sole to match the aesthetic people expect from modern footwear. There are now hundreds of brands producing genuine barefoot shoes, but you often have to look twice to be sure they’re truly flat. For example, Naw does an excellent job of concealing a flat sole by using a clever cup-sole design.

Also, bear in mind that, as a trusting person, I believed the product description that Hobibear published about this model. It very clearly said “zero drop,” and because of my knowledge of cupped soles, I wanted to believe it. I wore the shoes for three days and became suspicious due to how my calf muscles felt at the end of each day.

Hobibear ORCHID is definitely zero-drop

If you love this design, as I did, the Hobibear Orchid is a great alternative. It has a very similar look but is fully zero drop. In addition, you can rest assured that the models in the following list are also zero drop. Most of them share the same sole last, which is why I can confidently say there’s no hidden rise in any of the models listed below.

Note: Model names are often hard to find outside of the Hobibear UK website. I’ve done a visual check to make sure each link matches the correct shoe. Where I couldn’t find a model on Amazon, I’ve linked to the TikTok Shop instead. If there is no link, you can still purchase from Hobibear, with caution.