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Trying to find larger shoes that are also wide has always been a struggle. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised (and a little excited) to stumble across the WHITIN brand and find they offer a wide canvas shoe that isn’t crazy expensive.
To me, a canvas shoe is so versatile and looks good in a variety of outfits. This shoe can be a great option for those with wider/thicker feet (like a pudgy baby foot), but maybe not recommended for slender/low profile feet
While I’d call it a minimalist shoe, I wouldn’t call it barefoot. In my WHITIN Canvas Barefoot Shoes review I’ll cover all of the key details that you should know before investing in your own pair.
If you want to dip your toe into minimal, zero-drop shoes without spending a ton of money, the WHITIN Canvas Shoes are a great entry option. Affordable, lightweight, and cute. Think Keds — or even Target canvas shoes for our super frugal girlies — but with real space for your toes.
Key Takeaways
1. Affordable: A lot of minimal shoe brands charge above $100 for their shoes and this shoe is a great entry-level option to see if your feet feel more comfortable in a zero-drop/minimal shoe without having to drop a lot of money.
2. Attractive design: Cute canvas that’s great for everyday wear. Think, running errands, grabbing a coffee with friends, and even a Sunday Funday date.
3. Flexible sole/removable insole: Keep the insole in if you want more cushion. For example, leave it in if you’re going to be walking on gravel, and remove the insole if you want a little more ground feel.
WHITIN Canvas Sneakers
$41.99
Best For
- Wide Feet
- Budget-Conscious Shoppers
- Barefoot Shoe Beginners
Falls Short
- For Long-Term Durability
- For Low-Volume Feet
Pros
While putting the WHITIN Wide Canvas shoe through its paces for this review, I found a good chunk of things I like about it.
- Budget-Friendly Price Point
- Simplistic and Refined Design
- Easy to Clean and Take Care Of
- Flexible Outsole and Removable Insole
For under $50, I was super pleased to find a shoe that actually lets my toes spread out that I can wear every day. I have always had a wide feet and have needed to buy men’s shoes because they’re designed with wider toe boxes.
Since switching to foot-shaped shoes, my feet have spread out even more and I’ve even sized out of some other brands. So I’m super happy to find a women’s shoe that’s cute and lets my foot have room in a shoe.
I’ve struggled to find a minimal canvas shoe for everyday wear. Canvas shoes go with so many outfits, think jeans, shorts, and casual spring dresses, and I personally haven’t liked the design of many of the minimal shoes.
So they’re cute like a Keds shoe but with the natural foot space for my little piggies. They have a couple of basic colors that make them versatile with many outfits.
I’m a fan of canvas shoes because they’re easy to clean. I got avocado on the toe and was able to easily clean it with soap and water. A day later, I fully stepped into a dog water dish outside at a brewery, so it was a good time to test out putting them in the washer.
They came out mostly clean, except there was still dirt in the creases. So next time, I’d rub some detergent in the crease with a toothbrush before tossing them in the washer.
Note: Do NOT put canvas shoes in the dryer unless you’re using a no-heat setting. I’ve made this mistake before and the canvas, being cotton, shrank and pulled apart from the rubber sole.
With this shoe, you can get the full flexible range of your foot that you won’t get with most conventional shoes with thicker midsoles.
Cons
With the good, there’s also the bad. Here are a few things I didn’t really like about the WHITIN Wide Canvas shoe.
- Low-Profile Feet May Not Like This Model
- Not the Most “Minimal” Shoe On the Market
- Ankle Construction Can Be Uncomfortable in Certain Contexts
- It May Not Last Long
I wouldn’t recommend the shoe for people with narrow and low-profile feet. I have thicker/wide feet, and there’s almost too much space in the lacing.
I maybe wouldn’t recommend it for folks who like to go commando in their shoes AKA not wearing socks. The toe area has been shaped/reinforced and your toenail can run into it, which can be uncomfortable.
Despite its categorization, I wouldn’t classify this as a true barefoot shoe compared to something like a Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III. It’s minimal but with more cushion than a tried and true barefoot shoe.
The biggest con (which may vary from person to person) was after wearing them for a full day, walking over 10 miles, the heel of the left shoe rubbed my ankle raw and made me bleed.
While the sides of the ankle have padding, the back of the ankle is a bit stiff, so if you have that same issue in other shoes, you may have that issue here as well. So I wouldn’t recommend this shoe for sightseeing/long all-day wear.
After a few weeks of wear, with some heavy foot traffic days, the insoles have started to wear out at the balls of the feet. So this shoe can get you in the door with minimalist shoes, but I’d recommend looking for something with better construction if you want to go minimalist 24/7.
Performance
To test the performance of the WHITIN Canvas Barefoot Shoes, I wanted to see if they could hold up to daily wear, walking, and standing. Since most will be buying these shoes for casual use, I wanted to make sure I put them through tests that represent this.
Testing the WHITIN Canvas Barefoot Shoes for Casual Use
In the context of cushion and comfort, this shoe has more cushion than a barefoot shoe. There’s a removable insole if you want more of a ground feel, which is great for giving you a little variety.
Note, when you remove the insole, you will create a lot more space with this shoe’s upper volume, and this may make the shoe too big for those with skinnier feet. A thick sock could help out with the extra space, though.
If you’re used to wearing shoes like Keds/Converse/Vans, then you may find that the edges being more rounded can feel more unstable if you’re not used to it.
I’ve been wearing these shoes every day, running errands, walking around my downtown area (I even wore them on a date), and I was comfortable the entire time. I will caveat this with my walking pace was strolling/casual with frequent stops.
Another day, I walked 10 miles almost nonstop and the constant rubbing of the heel of the shoe against the back of my Achilles made it bleed due to the back of the heel being a bit tall and curved in slightly.
I was wearing no-show socks, so a low-cut sock might help alleviate this particular issue. The insole also started wearing out at the ball of the foot.
Testing the WHITIN Canvas Barefoot Shoes for Multi-Season Use
In the context of multi-season use, I think these will be great spring/summer/fall shoes. With it being a canvas, it feels lightweight and somewhat breathable.
Personally, I think they look best with a no-show sock, which is usually thin and doesn’t provide much warmth. In the winter, a thicker sock could help keep your feet warm and give you year-round wear.
WHITIN Canvas Barefoot Shoes Sizing
As beautifully said in the movie “Step Brothers”, there’s so much room for activities. This shoe is for our truly wide-footed friends, the ones with cute pudgy toes and space between them.
You have all the space to wiggle your toes comfortably. Now, I wouldn’t entirely trust the American sizing. I’ve had trouble with that in the past with other brands.
They offer a sizing chart and I stuck with my EU sizing (43, gasp!) and it was a perfect fit. I had ordered a men’s shoe, went with my US sizing, and wound up with the shoe being too big and had to return them.
- WHITIN Canvas Barefoot Shoes Sizing Thoughts: True to size for most.
If you have additional sizing and fit questions about the WHITIN Canvas Shoes, drop a comment below.
Price Breakdown
Finding a shoe for under $50 USD is a good deal, in general, these days. Now, compare that to other barefoot brands that are easily over $125, it’s pretty much a steal.
Now, I know we don’t all love Amazon, but being able to try out a shoe and return it without an extra charge (for Prime members) is also quite convenient.
I’ve lost money multiple times ordering a shoe and needing to return it because it doesn’t fit and there was a shipping charge to return it. So I’m a fan of no-stress, free returns.
WHITIN Canvas Sneakers
$41.99
Best For
- Wide Feet
- Budget-Conscious Shoppers
- Barefoot Shoe Beginners
Falls Short
- For Long-Term Durability
- For Low-Volume Feet
Construction Details
The WHITIN Women’s Canvas Barefoot Shoes are pretty simplistic in nature regarding their construction. Below are some of the key details to note about these shoes.
- Heel-to-Toe Drop: 0mm
- Removable Insole: Yes
- Canvas Upper
- Full Rubber Sole
- Wide Toe Box
- Double Stitched
- Heel Padding for Comfort
- 5 Core Eyelets
If you have additional construction-related questions about the WHITIN Canvas Barefoot Shoes, drop a comment below.
WHITIN Canvas Barefoot Shoes FAQTakeaway Thoughts
I’ve tried other barefoot shoes and prefer them for working out, but I’ve needed something for going out and this fits the bill. The price point is great for those looking to try out minimal shoes without wanting to spend a lot of money.
It’s a truly wide shoe for people with wider/fuller feet. The removable insole gives you the option for most/less ground feel. Overall, a great entry shoe that lets you step into the minimal shoe world while you search for a shoe with more longevity.
If you have additional questions about the WHITIN Wide Canvas Shoes, drop a comment below!
