Hello, my name’s Andrew, and these are the Ahinsa Chitra, a lightweight vegan barefoot shoe with a breathable mesh upper and rugged Vibram tread for hiking and trail running.
Features
For challenging trails, two of my favorite barefoot shoes are the Softstar Switchback and Toetem Frontier, because of their tough yet agile Vibram treads, but while they’re each great for extreme climates, neither one is ideal for all-season use.
So I asked Ahinsa for a pair of Chitra’s to test, and with the versatile vegan leather fabric and multi-terrain lugs…
They’re kind of like an eco-friendly space rover for charting treacherous intergalactic landscapes.
Upper/Lining
Because the Chitra’s have a wide or extra-wide toebox with a vegan CF+ leather upper for durability that’s balanced with open mesh panels for airflow in hotter weather, and quick-cinch laces for a soft yet snug fit.
Inside there’s a perforated lining and tongue for moisture wicking, as well as a thin removable insole for some extra padding on rougher terrain.
Sole/Tread
Underneath, you’ve got a 6mm zero-drop Vibram sole with great flexibility in all directions, which includes a set of 4mm lugs that are flat enough to handle roads, but also spaced to provide excellent grip on both soft and firm ground trails.
Testing
Being used to the firm leather midsole on my Softstar’s, I expected the Chitra’s Vibram sole to feel a bit heavy with less ground feel than thinner shoes.
Walking
But heading out for a walk on roads, the minimal lining helped the Chitra’s roll more smoothly and pick up some nice texture from the pavement, although the Vibram lugs did feel like overkill for longer walks.
Hiking
Branching out onto trails the wraparound vegan leather was great for keeping out mud and wet grass, and while water was able to splash up over the top, the Chitra’s thin mesh dried out much faster than thicker fabrics.
Going up rocky hills the Chitra’s lugs were angled and spaced enough to provide some excellent traction, and picking my way down slippery slopes, the tread had a good balance of rugged protection and flexibility.
At one point I stopped to climb a fallen tree, and—no joke—the Vibram rubber was so grippy that I monkeyed straight up at a near 90º angle, then tightroped across the flatter portion with no slipping whatsoever.
Trail Running
Speeding up for a trail run the sole still felt lightweight and agile, although I did feel the lugs more going down steep hills, so I ended up adding the thin insole, which smoothed out the Chitra’s footbed and gave me a tiny amount of padding without compromising ground feel.
Also, although the Chitra’s front guard was fairly minimal, it gave my toes more freedom to move naturally, and, honestly, the little rubber nib offered protection in just the right spot for the few times when I caught my foot on rocks or roots, while the vegan leather was actually quite scratch resistant.
In terms of lockdown, the angled heel was perfect and never rubbed, while the laces cinched up nicely, making the Chitra feel more like a sock than a shoe, and the mesh panels created plenty of airflow for hot summer trail runs…
…although I’d recommend wearing a couple layers of Injinji toe socks for days down near freezing.
Conclusion
Overall the Ahinsa Chitra is an excellent pick for anyone who wants a sustainably made vegan barefoot shoe with a versatile mix of agility and protection for hiking and trail running on all terrain.
Pros/Cons
Because the Chitra’s CF+ vegan leather upper is lightweight yet durable, the mesh panels provide some great breathability for warm weather, and the Vibram sole is super durable and grippy, while also maintaining a high level of flexibility and ground feel.
However, the mesh can let in water and cold air, it would be nice if Ahinsa made a brown version (like their Jaya Boots), and the Chitra’s thin insole does feel necessary for trail running down steep/rocky hills, due to the wider Vibram lugs, which could benefit from being cut in half to improve flexibility on the outer edge of the shoe.
Alternatives
In terms of similar barefoot trail shoes…
Resources
If you’d like to support the channel, you can shop with the referral links above/below, browse and filter more product with the shoe finder tool at my website barefootwear.org, or watch my Zero-Drop Transition video to learn more about barefooting.
Finally, if you have a question about the Ahinsa Chitra, or about barefoot shoes in general, let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading, catch ya next time. Peace!
Andrew Folts
Andrew is a writer/filmmaker who creates video guides and reviews for a community of 31K+ creative rebels on YouTube.