When I published the first version of this best earthing shoes review in 2017, there were only a few options on the market.
Times have changed.
Numerous upstarts have emerged, likely spawned by a growing awareness of the importance of grounding yourself.
In this updated and revised review, we’ll briefly explore the science of earthing. Then, we’ll highlight various brands on the market that offer grounding shoes. Finally, I’ll suggest what I believe to be the best grounding shoes.
Let’s dive in…
What Does Grounding Mean?
Every household outlet has a ground wire. (It’s the third prong; that semi-circular hole beneath the other two prongs.)
In case there’s a short circuit, the ground wire provides a path for an electrical current to be absorbed into the ground.
Without a ground wire, your body touching the device (an electrical box, appliance, wired power tool, etc.) may complete the ground path. This causes a shock if not electrocution.
Grounding, also called earthing, means connecting your physical body (skin layer) to the Earth.
The theory is that earthing allows negatively charged electrons from the Earth’s surface to transfer into the body.
Earthing creates a grounding connection between your body and the Earth.
A Very Brief History of Shoes
The first shoes were sandals. Supposedly, some clever person invented them around 10,000 years ago.
But people in ancient times weren’t impressed by the shoe. Egyptians, Hindus, and Greeks all preferred walking barefoot.
Shoes were considered a self-indulgence; they were unaesthetic and unnecessary.
Even Athen’s athletes competed in the Olympic Games barefoot. Alexander the Great conquered Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Mesopotamia with a barefoot army.
Things changed with the rise of Rome. To the Romans, clothing was a sign of power. Slaves and beggars might be barefoot, but a civilized person wore shoes.
While some early shoes were made of papyrus, most shoes were crafted from cowhide, bearskin, deerskin, and wood.
The first rubber-soled shoes evidently date back to 1876 in England. By World War II, synthetic-soled shoes became commonplace.
We, as a people, haven’t recovered since. Author David Wolfe calls the modern shoe “the world’s most dangerous invention.”
So What’s the Problem With Modern Shoes?
If you recall from high school physics, substances called conductors allow electricity to travel through materials easily.
Other substances called insulators inhibit the flow of electricity.
Rubber is an insulator. The rubber-soled shoes insulate us from the Earth’s electromagnetic field.
Why does that matter?
The Science Behind Earthing
Electrons from the Earth neutralize positively charged free radicals that cause chronic inflammation. (In this context, positive is harmful while negative is supportive.)
Excess free radicals in the body damage our cell membranes and DNA, leading to cancer and other diseases.
In Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis (2015), biophysicist James Oschman explains:
The moment your foot touches the Earth, or you connect to the Earth through a wire, your physiology changes. An immediate normalization begins. And an anti-inflammatory switch is turned on.
People stay inflamed because they never connect with the Earth, the source of free electrons which can neutralize the free radicals in the body that cause disease and cellular destruction. Earthing is the easiest and most profound lifestyle change anyone can make.
Walking barefoot on the ground helps neutralize free radicals that cause disease and cellular harm.
Documented Benefits of Grounding
Earthing has been shown to reduce blood viscosity (thickness) and inflammation, suggesting that it supports cardiovascular health.
Most modern humans have an overactive sympathetic nervous system (excessive emotional stress). Preliminary studies show that earthing has a calming and balancing effect on the nervous system.
A growing body of research suggests that earthing helps heal humans from numerous ailments.
From my experience, the benefits of earthing go far beyond healing disease. Earthing helps quiet your mind and bring you back to your center. It brings about a state of inner calm, providing greater mental clarity and alertness.
What Are Earthing Shoes (or Grounding Shoes)?
The easiest way to ground yourself is to stand or walk barefoot outside for a minimum of 20 minutes each day.
But we can’t always walk barefoot. To turn regular shoes into earthing shoes, you introduce a conductive material like copper or carbon into the footbed.
Terms like “earthing shoes” and “grounding shoes” are interchangeable.
I was skeptical when I first heard about earthing shoes years ago. However, I had already experienced the positive effects of walking barefoot. I feel calmer, more alert, and present after just 10 to 20 minutes of walking on my gravel driveway.
But could you get similar benefits from earthing shoes?
EMF specialist Lloyd Burrell and others have tested various grounding shoes with voltage meters, and yes, they work!
You’ll find more proof below.
Best Grounding Shoes: 6 Great Options
Numerous companies offer earthing shoes and grounding sandals designed specifically to ground your body to the Earth.
This earthing shoe review examines 6 brands:
Disclaimer: This review includes affiliate links. If you choose to purchase these products through these links, I receive a nominal commission. This does not affect what you pay in any way. Use code CEOSAGE for a 10 – 15% discount on every brand except Xero.
Earth Runners Barefoot Sandals
One great solution for earthing shoes is Earth Runners.
This California-based company launched on Kickstarter in 2012. Earth Runners makes an innovative line of minimalist sandals using a super-thin Vibram sole, hemp or leather insole, and a copper rivet (below the big toe) with a conductive strap that connects your feet to the Earth.
Adjusting the sandals can be a little tricky, but once you do, they’re easy to take on and off.
I appreciate that they offer a canvas footbed so your feet aren’t making contact with rubber or some other synthetic material. I own several pairs of Earth Runners.
Earth Runners are arguably the best barefoot sandals—plus they ground you.
This video shows the grounding effects of these barefoot sandals using a voltmeter.
Use code CEOSAGE for a 10% discount.
Harmony 783 Grounding Shoes
Harmony 783 is a rebrand of one of the oldest grounding shoe brands on the market (originally Pluggz).
While most grounding shoes use a copper rivet to connect with the Earth, Harmony 783 uses a unique conductive process they call Groundworks™.
This grounding shoe technology includes pure silver stitching in the footbed, a 99% pure silver fabric loop, and carbon and rubber conductive outsole. The company tests every shoe for conductivity during production.
As far as I know, Harmony 783 makes the largest selection of grounding shoes, barefoot sandals, and slip-ons available for both men and women.
The company offers free shipping in the continental United States on orders over $200. They offer a 30-day return window, but return shipping is not free (currently $7.95).
For most people interested in purchasing grounding shoes, I suspect Harmony 783 will be their best option.
Use code CEOSAGE for a 15% discount.
Rhizal Grounding Shoes
Rhizal is a relatively new player in the grounding shoes market. Even though the company was founded in 2023, they are already becoming well-known in the industry.
Rhizal makes grounding shoes for both men and women using a 100% copper plug toward the front of the shoe’s sole.
These handmade earthing shoes from Turkey have a water buffalo leather sole, which is conductive.
Note that earthing shoes with leather soles can be slippery, especially when they are new so be cautious. With hand-made, nonsynthetic shoes, you’re replacing traction with grounding qualities.
Rihzal offers “zero drop shoes,” meaning the sole is completely flat; your entire feet are the same distance from the ground.
Rhizal offers free shipping and exchanges in the United States with a 30-day return window.
Use code CEOSAGE for a 10% discount.
Bahé Running Shoes
Bahé is another relatively new UK-based upstart that launched in 2022.
They offer two styles of grounded running shoes:
Revive is a more barefoot-style, zero-drop type of running shoe with a thin sole.
Recharge is a more traditional, cushioned running option.
Both styles are available for both men and women. Each style is available in four colors.
Bahé’s approach to grounding in their shoe construction appears similar to Harmony 783.
They use a combination of conductive stitching and additives in the outsole, midsole, insole, and footbed. Their grounding shoes are laboratory-tested and certified to have the same conductivity as human skin.
They do offer international shipping, however, shipping to Europe, the States, and elsewhere runs $20 to $25.
Use code CEOSAGE for a 10% discount.
Earthing Harmony Barefoot Shoes and Boots
Earthing Harmony is another recent upstart founded in the last few years (by Tom Sander).
They currently offer seven different grounding shoe styles. Skilled artisans in Southern Turkey make these handcrafted earthing shoes.
The upper and inner portions are made from first-grade calf leather. The soles are made from buffalo leather (known for its durability and conductivity).
A copper rivet is installed in the sole for additional conductivity, amplifying the flow of electrons.
Their shoes are zero-drop with no toe spring. The wide barefoot shoe design allows your toes to spread.
Earthing Harmony’s shoes come in three or four colors for men’s and women’s styles.
Shipping is free.
Use code CESOSAGE for a $10 discount.
Groundz Earthing Sandals
Looking for a more fashionable earthing sandal?
Groundz offers hand-made earthing sandals and grounding slip-ons for men and women with 100% copper rivets placed at the Kidney-1 acupuncture point.
Groundz earthing shoes are handmade in Europe.
Of the available grounding shoe brands in this review, Groundz has the least options—especially for men’s earthing scandals.
They offer free shipping and free 30-day returns to the United States.
Use code CEOSAGE for a 15% discount.
Do Groundz sandals and shoes work? See for yourself:
Xero Minimalist Shoes
Xero Shoes is a minimalist shoe brand that designs the most comfortable shoes you’ll probably ever wear.
Unfortunately, don’t offer a grounding component, however, they do have the same super-thin Vibram sole used by Earth Runners to keep you closer to the ground.
Their roomy shoe design allows your feet to spread out the way they are naturally designed to enable a full range of motion.
I wear Xero Shoes almost daily most of the year. The company has been in business since 2009. They are continually innovating and improving their shoe designs. Xero Shoes has a large selection for both men and women.
What are the Best Grounding Shoes? (My Analysis)
So we examine six different brands of earthing shoes. In terms of which is the best grounding shoes, that largely depends on your use case.
Earthing Shoes on a Purely Grounding Basis
On a purely grounding basis, Earth Runners are the most intelligently designed, in my opinion. Why? The placement of the copper rivet is in the optimal position for prolonged contact.
Some other grounding shoes like Groundz have the copper rivet too far back, which is suboptimal. (But they still have been tested and they work.) Rihzal copper positioning is closer to the mark.
Harmony 783’s unique grounding technology and earthing shoe design arguably give you the best of many worlds:
- Rubber soles for traction,
- Stylish designs,
- Large selection of options,
- Functional footwear, and
- The grounding feature.
If only Harmony 783 had a minimalist design…
Grounding Shoes on a Purely Minimalist Basis
To me, the best grounding shoe would be Xero Shoes if they had a grounding feature. (Bahé comes close!)
You won’t want to wear anything else once you wear a well-designed pair of minimalist shoes like Xero.
Standard thick rubber soles will simply no longer be an option (except for specific use cases like in heavy snow in the winter or when you want more support). For example, I don’t do chainsawing in minimalist shoes.
Animal-Friendly Options
Earth Runners offers a “vegan” option. Bahé and Xero Shoes are also not made with any animal products.
Earth Runners, Xero, and Bahé are great options if you live an active lifestyle.
How to Increase the Effectiveness of Earthing Shoes
Be mindful of their manufacturing material if you wear socks with your earthing shoes.
While natural fibers like cotton and wool are conductive, synthetic materials like polyester and nylon (plastic) are not. Sadly, most socks are made with polyester, nylon, and other synthetic materials.
You can, however, find numerous organic cotton sock blends available.
Harmony 783 manufactures grounding socks with 70% organic cotton and conductive silver thread.
How to Amplify the Efficacy of Grounding Shoes
Keeping your feet connected to the earth and using conductive earthing shoes have tremendous benefits for our health and personal well-being.
But there are even more benefits available to us. You can assist the grounding process by aligning your posture and sinking your energy into your feet.
I provide detailed instructions on how to do this using an ancient qigong method called Zhan Zhuang.
Ground yourself as often as you can. You’ll feel the difference: a more relaxed body and a calmer mind.
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