Ahinsa Jaya: The Best Waterproof Barefoot Shoes For Winter

December 16, 2022 — The Ahinsa Jaya is the best waterproof barefoot boots for rain, mud, snow, and everything else Mother Earth can throw at you.

For the past five years I’ve been looking for the perfect waterproof barefoot boot, but everything I could find was either too short, or too thick, or too clunky.

So I just kept slogging around in my old snow boots, until this year when I came across a minimalist boot called the Ahinsa Jaya, which seemed…perfect.

Maybe a little TOO perfect.

Because when I asked for a pair to test and got this featherlight box a few weeks later, I thought…

These things can’t possibly stand up to freezing temperatures and gusting snow, can they? But, oh boy, was I wrong.

1. Fit

Because the Jaya’s run a little short I’d recommend going a size up for a snug fit, or even two sizes if you plan on layering thick socks…

…and if you want a free pair, stick around, because I’m going to be giving away the ones that were too small for me the end of the video.

Toebox

That said, the Jaya’s have a wide, foot-shaped toebox and a super thin 4mm sole that you can roll into a ball and bend in half horizontally, unlike a lot of barefoot shoes, which only flex in one direction.

Ankle

Even with the removable insole you still get a ton of ground feel, and although the ankle is cut more narrow, there’s plenty of room if you leave the laces loose.

Weight

Also, at 10.25 ounces the Jaya’s are less than half the weight of a traditional snow boot, and at twice the size of the VivoBarefoot FG’s they’re still an ounce lighter.

Which is why, when they first got delivered, I literally thought…