4 Best Zero Drop Mens Dress Shoes

Our Absolute Favourite

Every shoe on this list has its merit. If you just want on, it will have to be the Vivobarefoot Men’s RA II Classic Oxford. You have the option to have a sole that contrasts the upper in colour or go with a single colour.

Looking for the best zero drop men’s dress shoes? Most of our readers mention how the bulk of our content is geared towards female readers. I guess this is part of us making it up to the gentlemen.

Perhaps it will come in the form of a lady reading about a great zero-drop men’s dress shoes and getting a pair for her man.

One of the earliest criticism I ever had for zero drop shoes was their lack of style and grace. Over the years, this is something that several brands have come on the market to address. Our top picks featured in this article are Vivobarefoot and Xero.

Our Reviews of Zero Drop Mens Dress Shoes

This is not a case of pitting one against the other. We are merely recommending great dress shoes from the two companies. As the title would suggest, we have picked 4 pairs of shoes.

Vivobarefoot Men’s RA II Classic Oxford

The Oxford is a classic dress shoe design among men. It is great to see it emulated in zero drop form. These offer you that formal look you may require for work or an event.

They would definitely work for dinners and weddings. The plus part is that they are zero drop, allowing your feet to rest at the same level.

The upper part of the shoes is evenly shaped with a lot of toe room. They are comfortable and have a soft look and feel.

You can get these in black and in brown/hyde. I can certainly see where I could fit the brown hyde into my life. However, I cannot say it is the most suited shoe for formal occasions. Perhaps with a brown suit? Who wears brown suits?

Another look that could work is just throwing them in with a pair of jeans, and a belt that matches the shoes. There is definitely some virtue to contrasting colours being mixed and matched.

THE UPSIDE

As you would expect with Vivobarefoot, you may take time to adjust. Once you are set, they are comfortable. They are comfortable for both indoors and outdoors.

Although the mid-foot region is tight, they have wide toe space.

They can be worn in both a casual and a formal context.

The soles may be thin, but they certainly offer great longevity. You won’t need to be sorting that part of it out for a long time. The sole is also geared to protect you from sharp objects.

They are also sturdier than the previous version.

THE DOWNSIDE

The upper is not as thick as it should be. If you tug at it too much while pulling the shoelaces, you may pull right through it.

The width is not great for thicker feet. They are more suited to thinner feet. Although my experience with these has been different, other users have mentioned that the soles are not as flexible as they would have liked.

Some sizing issues have been noted by some customers. The main issue was the shoes being at least a size smaller than they ought to be.

They are definitely not the most fashionable dress shoes you can get.

The upper part quickly gets creased and remains that way.

KEY FEATURES

The sole is made of rubber.

They are lightweight.

The Upper part offers you great waterproof protection with weather-tight canvas and rubber-taped seams.

They are made from a combination of textile and synthetic

To further enhance the waterproofing, the shoes’ lining is also treated with Dri-lex.

Altra Men’s Smith Boot

I have seen boots pulled off as dress shoes. These come in black and in brown. The upper part is made of elegant, premium leather. They come with a foot-shaped toe box.

There is a greater emphasis on comfort with these. They are flat and come with a shoe-shaped toe box. There is a lot of room for your toes to be flexible without restriction.

THE UPSIDE

It is a warm, comfortable casual shoe.

The foot-shaped toe box is a massive addition. It allows for your feet to move at will.

THE DOWNSIDE

It will certainly not fit into all formal situations. For casual wear, you have a great shoe.

The material underneath the sole is not of great quality. It is also very rigid.

Depending on the size of your ankles, these may be loose around the ankle area.

The laces should have been given more room to tighten, which would compensate for the loose ankles. An extra lace eyelet at the top would have helped.

Break in period for some users was reported to be longer than they expected.

KEY FEATURES

It has a full-grain leather upper.

The blown rubber outsoles give a great amount of cushioning. Which is great, if you need it.

You are also assured of the durability of the sole, due to its size, if nothing else.

Has a foot-shaped toe box.

The prevailing wisdom is to consider ordering half a size larger.

Xero Shoes Coalton – Men’s Chukka Style

I have always loved the look of Chukka boots. They tread the thin line between casual and formal ever so well. Xero Shoes Coalton is one such shoe. My initial is impression is that there is too much visible stitching for a dress shoe.

They come with a Patented FeelTrue rubber sole, that is designed to feel barefoot. This extends onto their emphasis on keeping the shoe as lightweight as possible.

They are designed with Xero’s foot-first design philosophy. It places an emphasis on natural movement. The toe box is made wide enough for your foot to be as naturally comfortable as possible.

The natural motion builds on the idea that our feet are made to be able to bend as we move. This shoe is made to allow for this movement by being flexible.

THE UPSIDE

The shoes are very comfortable and fairly flexible.

They allow your foot a good amount of room to move.

The sole is very durable. You are unlikely to have any issues with them.

About a week breaking in time, which is reasonable.

THE DOWNSIDE

The stitching seems to fall apart. This is almost a coin toss. Some pairs last long, while other pairs of the same shoe are pretty poor.

The area where the upper is sewn to the tongue.

Perhaps the worst part is that Xero’s customer service is known to be quite poor. They don’t respond to communication within reasonable timescales. If these do go wrong for you, you will be left chasing after them. Well, at least electronically.

This is a personal choice for me, but I am not a fan of brand names being on display on the upper side of the shoe.

KEY FEATURES

They are lightweight and very flexible.

Come with FeelTrue rubber soles.

They are very stylish.

You can also get these in mesquite/rust.

Vivobarefoot Men’s Slyde Leather Shoes

Our final pick is a contentious one. This is not strictly a dress shoe. I am not saying that it doesn’t do the job. The minimalist look means that the shoe would fit in without drawing eyes to it.

The entire shoe is made to be flexible, from the upper to the sole. They are slip-on shoes. This makes them ridiculously easy to put on and to remove.

THE UPSIDE

They seem to be comfortable right out of the box.

The breaking in period is but a few minutes.

THE DOWNSIDE

Sizing is a bit of hit and miss. They have been reported to be a bit loose by some users who bought their right size. This issue is not universal, it may just come down to personal preferences.

The fact that they don’t have laces is a great feature, but in this case, having laces would have sorted to the loose fit issue.

KEY FEATURES

Zero drop

Come with a durable rubber sole.

Easy to put on and to remove.

Final Thoughts

If we had to pick one it would be the Vivobarefoot Men’s RA II Classic Oxford. They offer the best features and value.

Hi there. This is Clare. Dave and I manage this site. We are outdoor enthusiasts. Most of the content is about products that we love using or have researched.
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