What is the difference between barefoot shoes and barefoot sock shoes and which one is right for you? Depends on your use case.
All in all, the concept behind barefoot shoe socks and barefoot shoes is the same.
Footwear that protects you from dirt and external elements while maintaining your natural posture and balance.
Barefoot shoes however are more like proper shoes.
They have a thin molded sole that is pasted under a shoe upper.
Barefoot shoes are anatomically shaped and make sure you have enough room in your toes and enough flexibility in the shoe to perform all your movements.
Barefoot socks are made slightly differently. They are primarily a cloth sock, anatomically shaped, which have rubber granules at the bottom of it. These granules act as a robust protection between your feet and the ground. They are also extremely flexible. The one downside to barefoot socks would be the lack of water resistance.
Both these footwear are great for going to the gym and enhancing your workouts. With a natural posture and added stability wearing these over your regular sports shoes, your performance only gets better.
While barefoot shoe socks are great for a snug fitting and better ground feel, given the thinner layer below your feet, barefoot shoes can be used in more rough areas for example on roads, or even in parks. Barefoot shoes also have the option of being customized in multiple materials for all kinds of use, like leather, suede etc.
In conclusion - If you want something specifically for the gym, barefoot shoe socks are a great option. But if you’re looking for something that you can wear for your workouts, for your runs, for going around and enjoying the barefoot feeling all throughout the day, barefoot shoes may be the right choice.