Moccasins certainly do meet many of the same goals as these shoes. But the area they're missing in is having enough of a sole to feel confident while walking th

Moccasins certainly do meet many of the same goals as these shoes. But the area they're missing in is having enough of a sole to feel confident while walking through an urban area. There's enough random broken glass on the ground that I wouldn't entirely feel comfortable knowing that there's just leather between me and it. I'll agree that the "barefoot" shoes are on the more expensive side, but I'd expect that's a function of being in a relatively niche market.