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The Xero Shoes Glenn is a barefoot shoe designed to look good in formal and casual settings. This shoe features a nubuck leather upper and delivers a simplistic and clean design.
To be quite honest, I’m typically not the biggest fan of some of Xero Shoes models and their standard huarache-inspired designs, so when I saw the Glenn I got super excited because this shoe’s appearance looked awesome.
Overall, I’ve been impressed with the Xero Shoes Glenn and their clean and refined appearance. This shoe is comfortable and I’ve actually received some compliments on its silhouette which confirmed my enjoyment of this shoe’s look.
In my Xero Shoes Glenn review, I’ll discuss this shoe’s pros, cons, performance, sizing, and who should and shouldn’t invest in them.
New to barefoot shoes? Make sure you check out my barefoot shoes guides to learn more about this style of footwear and how to acclimate to barefoot shoes efficiently.
Who Should Invest In the Xero Shoes Glenn?
The Xero Shoes Glenn can be a great barefoot shoe to explore for anyone wanting a model to wear in routine business casual settings, relaxed casual contexts, and even more formal scenarios.
If you’re like me and feel like sometimes barefoot shoes can be a miss in formal wear settings due to their clown-like appearance (no offense intended there, by the way), then I think the Glenn can be a good option to look into.
This shoe has a shape that looks a little more “natural” regarding its width and volume. Essentially, I feel like the Xero Shoes Glenn walks a fine line between wide enough, but not so wide that they feel or look “floppy” for casual use.
For individuals like myself who have medium to slightly wider feet, I think you’ll really enjoy the fit and feel of the Xero Shoes Glenn. This shoe is also a model I’ve worn with and without socks and I never felt constrained with socks.
The nubuck leather also feels comfortable and not too rigid, which can sometimes be a turnoff for some when reaching for leather shoes. If you like models that have a soft feel to them, then the Xero Shoes Glenn can also work for that contextual ask well.
Who Shouldn’t Invest In the Xero Shoes Glenn?
While I’ve enjoyed the Xero Shoes Glenn and it’s been a breath of fresh air regarding its style, there are a few cons that I could see bothering some with this model.
For starters, this shoe’s width could be a problem for exceptionally wide feet. My feet hover between a D and E width per most company’s sizing chats and this shoe fits well. However, if you have EE width feet or wider, you may want to pass on this model.
Part of the reason why I like this shoe is that it’s not so wide that I’m swimming in it, but I do recognize that there will be width contexts where this will be a shortcoming and I think that’s with EE widths, and wider.
Another reason someone may want to pass on the Glenn is if you want a smoother leather appearance with your leather barefoot shoe. Remember, this model is built with nubuck leather so it has a felt-like feel to it so it won’t be super sheen.
Xero Shoe Glenn
$129.99
Best For
- Casual Wear
- Formal Wear
- Walking/Standing
- 4-Season Use
Falls Short
- For Notably Wide Feet
Xero Shoes Glenn Pros
Across all of the contexts in which I’ve worn the Xero Shoes Glenn, I’ve found a few things that I really enjoy with this shoe.
- Good Looking and Refined Appearance
- Nubuck Leather Is Comfortable and Breaks In Quickly
- Decent Tread for Different Wear Settings
The first thing to like about the Xero Shoes Glenn is their refined appearance. As mentioned above, I really like that the Glenn has a low-key, yet formal vibe to them that can work in a wide range of contexts.
I’ve worn this shoe out to events that were more formal and out and about in a dressed-down state, and in both ranges of settings, these shoes look good and natural. Their nubuck leather walks a fine line between looking formal, and casual.
I also like that the Xero Shoes Glenn colorways all have a nice level of neutrality to them so they can easily match different outfits. I went with the black and white colorway because it goes with most outfits really well.
The second reason why I like the Xero Shoes Glenn is I feel like they don’t look too wide or floppy for medium to slightly wider feet. This is something that I think a certain population will appreciate especially if you have E-width feet or lower.
The second thing to like about the Xero Shoes Glenn is its nubuck leather upper construction. I like how this upper feels and how it breaks in pretty quickly. My break-in time with these shoes was 1-2 wears which can be pretty rare for leather shoes.
I also like that Xero Shoes made the nubuck leather water repellent because it adds to the range in which you can wear these shoes. Even on days when it was raining a bit my shoes never felt or got overly soaked.
That being said, you can’t go puddle-jumping in them as they’re not waterproof. However, anyone wanting a barefoot shoe for commuting or navigating contexts where you’ll be quickly moving through damp settings, then you should be okay with this shoe.
The last thing to like about the Xero Shoes Glenn is its outsole tread patterning. This shoe features Xero Shoes’ FeelTrue sole which tends to do a good job with long-term durability and traction.
On damper surfaces, this shoe’s tread should perform okay and better than something like a Feelgrounds Original Mesh which has a lower profile tread pattern.
Outside of its FeelTrue outsole, I also like that this model comes with a removable insole and finished internal construction. This is great for giving you a little bit of variety regarding this shoe’s cushion and feel.
Xero Shoes Glenn Cons
Despite liking the Xero Shoes Glenn for 99% of my use with them, I do think there are a couple of cons to keep in mind before investing in this barefoot shoe.
- May Lack Width for Some Foot Anatomies
- Not Going to Be a Leather Shoe With A Lot of Sheen
The first drawback that I could see others having with the Xero Shoes Glenn, which I briefly touched on above, is that I’m not sure exceptionally wide feet will have enough width in this model.
I think this shoe will fit medium/neutral-width to wide feet best and for feet widths that exceed EE, you may be a little limited. Additionally, if you often find Xero Shoes to feel a little snug, then I don’t think this model will be the best pick for you.
If you do plan to try this shoe and have notably wide feet, then I’d suggest going up a half to full size which I’ll also discuss in more detail in my sizing and fit section below.
Another drawback that I could see bothering some with the Xero Shoes Glenn is that the nubuck leather doesn’t have the most shine to it. If you’re wanting a leather shoe for formal wear that has a more “traditional” shine to it, then you’ll want to pass on this model.
Note, this isn’t a knock against this shoe as I think one of the draws to is its nubuck leather’s felt-like finish and appearance, but it’s worth noting that if you buy this shoe expecting it to be shinier for dressing up, then you’ll be let down by this shoe.
Performance Assessment
To break down the performance of the Xero Shoes Glenn, I’ll cover how this shoe performs regarding its comfort for casual wear, its ability to be styled, and how well it does in different seasons.
Testing the Xero Shoes Glenn for Walking and Casual Wear
When it comes to walking and casual wear, the Xero Shoes Glenn has been a strong-performing barefoot shoe. This model’s leather upper feels light enough for long walks so I see this shoe as being a good urban commute shoe.
I also like the FeelTrue sole in this model as it does a good job of promoting traction in different wear contexts. If you’ve ever worn Xero Shoes like the Kelso and have enjoyed that model’s sole, then I think you’ll also enjoy the Glenn’s.
On top of this, the FeelTrue soles from Xero Shoes tend to last a while, so I also expect the Glenn to have a nice long lifespan. I think if you’re rotating your daily wear shoes then you’ll get a lot out of this model.
The removable insole is also a nice feature in the Glenn regarding this shoe’s overall comfort. I like that you have the option to keep in the insole for a little more cushion or take it out to get even closer to the ground. This adds a bit more range to this shoe’s walking performance.
The last aspect to like with the Xero Shoes Glenn is that they walk a fine line between being wide enough, but not so wide that they look “off” or not like a traditional shoes in more formal settings. I personally really enjoy this.
Testing the Xero Shoes Glenn for Multi-Season Use
If you’re wanting the Xero Shoes Glenn for 4-season use, I think you should be okay with this model. This shoe’s leather upper is thick enough to promote warmth, but it’s not so heavy to where your feet sweat immediately in them.
For example, in the Icarus Ascent, the leather is a lot thicker and I find breathability to be an issue in that shoe in hotter contexts. The Glenn seems to do a better job there and if you go with a thin no-show sock or sockless, then you should be okay.
Granted, at the end of the day, the Glenn is still a leather shoe so for hot summer days they may run warm for some, but if you’re only wearing them to commute and then primarily in the office, you should be okay with them.
Xero Shoes Glenn Sizing
When sizing the Xero Shoes Glenn, I think most should be safe going true to size in this model. The length runs fairly true and they have a good width that should accommodate a wide range of foot anatomies.
To get more granular with the Glenn’s sizing, I think if you have a narrow or medium/neutral-width foot, then true to size will be a safe cal and you should have more than enough room in this model when wearing both socks and no socks.
For wide and extra wide feet, you may want to size up a half to full size, respectively. I have about a half-inch of room at the end of my toe in this model and I think I’d be safe going up a half-size in this shoe if I needed to.
Note, I have a medium to wide foot width and I don’t have the most room, and this is why I recommend wider feet sizing up in this model versus going true to size.
- Xero Shoes Glenn Sizing Thoughts: True to size for most.
- Break-In Period: 1-3 Days
If you have additional sizing and fit questions about the Xero Shoes Glenn, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally via Instagram and I can send you videos with this shoe and others that you may already wear.
Price Breakdown
For the Xero Shoes Glenn, you can expect to pay $129.99 USD. This price point lands this shoe right in the middle of the road when you compare them to other leather barefoot shoes.
Personally, I think the price of the Xero Shoes Glenn is worth it especially if you rotate this shoe in with other models. The FeelTrue sole should last a while and I like that the nubuck leather is water-repellant.
On top of this, this shoe looks pretty great and if you want a casual yet formal leather barefoot shoe that has minimal branding, then I could see their price also being worth it for your needs.
That being said and to reiterate, I do think this shoe’s price will be a miss for those wanting as much width as possible and for those wanting a leather shoe with a bit more shine to them.
Xero Shoe Glenn
$129.99
Best For
- Casual Wear
- Formal Wear
- Walking/Standing
- 4-Season Use
Falls Short
- For Notably Wide Feet
Construction Details
There are not a lot of frills to the Xero Shoes Glenn’s construction. Below are the key constructions to know about this shoe that can influence its performance and durability.
- True to Size (for most)
- $129.99 USD
- Heel-to-Toe Drop: 0mm
- Weight: 11.25 oz (for my size 10 model)
- Removable Insole: Yes (with finished internal construction)
- Nubuck Leather Upper
- Leather Internal Boot Lining
- FeelTrue Sole
- 4 Core Eyelets
If you have additional questions about the construction of the Xero Shoes Glenn, drop a comment below and I can help clarify whatever you have.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q:Are the Xero Shoes Glenn true to size?
Q:Are the Xero Shoes Glenn for walking?
Wrapping Up
The Xero Shoes Glenn is one of the first models from Xero Shoes that has really caught my attention for their performance. This model looks good dressed down and can hold its own when worn more formally.
I also like the nubuck leather and how it walks a fine line between being heavy enough for colder days, but also light enough to keep this shoe feeling comfortable.
There are a couple of contexts where I see the Xero Shoes Glenn falling short, but for the most part, I’ve enjoyed this shoe and I’m happy I bought a pair.
If you have additional questions about the Xero Shoes Glenn, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally via Instagram (@jake_boly or @that_fit_friend).
