Bahé Revive Review – A wide barefoot feel with a grounding twist

When I first saw Bahé running shoes, I was intrigued. They seemed to serve an area of the market most brands had forgotten. 

The 10mm stack height sits right in the middle of the barefoot offerings from Xero Shoes and Vivobarefoot but is lower than cushioned “footshaped” shoes from Altra and Topo.

But that’s not the twist with this shoe.

Affiliate Disclosure: By clicking through the links on this page and purchasing the products, you’ll be helping me out. This is done because I receive a kickback from the sellers at no extra cost to you! Thank you so much for supporting us!

This is a “grounded” shoe. A shoe that electrically connects you with the ground to help fight inflammation. I’ll talk more about that later, but whether you buy into that or not, I still feel the shoe is an exciting running option for some. 

To help you decide whether this shoe is for you, I’ll drill down into the fit, feel, and durability and ultimately help you determine if you should buy the Bahé Revive or look elsewhere.

In short, It’s wide and deep! 

If you’ve ever had trouble with room inside Altra’s, Topos, or minimal shoes like Xero shoes and Vivobarefoot, The Revive might just suit you!

Does the shoe fit true to size?

I would choose ½ a size smaller next time. The issue is, there are only full sizes available. Bahé has done an excellent job producing physical size guides you can print off to check the size you should order. But I’d go ½ a size down from that suggestion. Although the length was ok, the width was more than enough. A ½ size down would have secured my foot much better. So, if you’re in between sizes, choice the smaller option unless your foot is overly wide. 

How wide is the toe box?

Your toes will have more than enough room to spread and wiggle! They’re much wider than most other brands out there. If you’re looking for a comparison, I’d likely say Lems, just a little deeper. If you have a narrow foot, I suggest you order ½ smaller so your feet don’t feel drowned. 

The big toe and small toe have plenty of splay room. The toe box isn’t just wide; it’s also nicely squared off (anatomical) to fit those fan-like foot shapes. This may also mean you can get away with a ½ size down to get a better fit over the midfoot. 

Is the shoe made for a high or low-volume foot?

There’s no doubt this is made for a deep foot. So, if you’ve ever felt pressure over the top of the foot from Altra’s or Vivos in the past, the Bahé Revive could be precisely what you’re looking for. 

If you need more room, you can take out the insole. This was a no-go for me with my average depth foot, but if you’re still feeling squeezed, you can gain another 3mm inside the shoe by taking the insole out.

If you replace the insole, you’ll miss the grounding effect. That is because the insole has conductive material woven through it to keep you grounded while on the move. You could try retrofitting some conductive tape around your preferred insoles, but that’s a lot of effort.

Does the shoe have a good heel lock?

The heel lock will feel uneasy if you have a thin, narrow heel. Continuing the theme of larger, wider, deeper feet, the heel is roomy. The cushioned heel collar did an “ok” job, locking the foot in place, but I felt some minor rubbing if I didn’t completely dial in the lacing. 

The ankle collar sits a little too high and presses against the ankle bones. It wasn’t so bad that I wanted to take the shoes off, but enough that it felt uneasy. I felt like the shoe had been made a little too deep all the way around. In response to this feedback, Bahé has adjusted the ankle collar slightly to avoid such issues, but I cannot confirm it solves the problem.

Is the shoe made for a wide foot?

The width of the toe box extends back throughout the midfoot. If you’ve ever had midfoot pressure down the sides of your foot, you’ll want to look for a wide shoe like the Revive. It’s a breath of fresh air. Trust me, or should I say, trust my feet!

It feels like the old days of Altra or Invo8! And I’ve definitely missed the hybrid minimal/cushioned feel! So, I am glad to see an option out there again. 

Is the 10mm stack height good or bad?

There is just enough cushion for comfort on a long run, but not too much that it affects the ground feel. If I’m barefoot training, I get as close to the ground as possible, but I choose a higher stack height when recovering or going for a long run. That’s precisely when I enjoy a +10mm shoe. 

The midsole foam had a perfect balance of firmness and squish. When you add more stack height, you often lose ground feel, but one way to mitigate that is by using a firmer midsole foam. In the Revive, the ground feel is still decent due to the balance of firm foam and moderate cushion, and it would be a perfect transition shoe for those stepping down in stack height over time.

Is the shoe flexible?

For a bigger, more durable shoe, the flexibility remains great. This was a surprise for me. For a forefoot runner like myself, the shoe bent nicely under the ball of the foot for perfect propulsion. I won’t pretend it’s an ideal barefoot shoe, but you can’t expect much more without losing durability. 

The shoe flexes well in a forward motion but doesn’t twist quite so well. You don’t just want a shoe that bends in one direction. That’s because our feet fold and flex in many unique directions. Our feet twist slightly to absorb impact, but this will be reduced somewhat in the Revive.

Will they work on roads, mud, and trails?

One of the most impressive parts of the Revive is the outsole. On the road, it’s sticky. I never worried that I would slip on wet surfaces, and it was a breeze in the dry and dusty conditions, too. 

The small lugs make the Revive a shoe where you can hit the roads or some moderate trails. There’s no way I’d take these on super muddy runs in the fells of the U.K. But if I were to head out in the park or the fields, the small lugs would be enough to offer some purchase on wet ground. This is a true door-to-trail offering from Bahé, much like the Altra Outroad. 

Does the upper move with the flexibility of the shoe?

The upper is a mixture of TPU structure and recycled polyester mesh. The mesh extends over the toe box and around the high flex point at the sides of the feet. Whereas I did feel the stiffer TPU digging into my foot a little, it’s soft enough not to be a concern. And this material will soften over time, and you’ll no longer have the issue. 

Bahé has not been around for long, so it’s tough to judge the shoe’s durability based on the brand’s history.

Instead, I will estimate based on my experience with similar materials and build styles. So, take what I’m saying with a pinch of salt. 

How long before the outsole wears out?

The rubber compound is relatively soft, so I don’t expect it to hold up too long. On their website, they mention +300km, which, granted, is similar to many other running brands out there, but I still expect much more from a shoe. With my Ultra training schedule, I could go through a pair every 3 weeks at that rate. 

The outsole wear will depend on the surface you’re using the shoes on. If you’re mainly hitting the roads, the outsole will wear quickly. But if you primarily use the shoes for parks and soft trails, you can expect more than 300km from the outsole. 

Will the upper develop holes in the mesh?

As with many shoes, there’s a potential of snagging the softer mesh material. Most of the high-wear areas of the shoe are protected by the TPU overlay. But if you’re unlucky enough to scuff the side of the shoe, you may end up with a snag. Bahé mentioned they had not seen such issues in the previous model (which used the same material).

It’s unlikely holes will develop in high-wear areas. The TPU overlays reinforce areas around the toes that often wear due to the crease point of the shoe. And you’ll likely wear through the outsole before you see any issues with the upper. 

Will the midsole foam pack out?

The midsole is thin and firm, so there’s little worry of packing out the midsole prematurely. With big brands like Nike and Hoka producing huge soft outsoles, most of us are familiar with the “packing out” of the midsole. It suddenly feels lifeless and uneven. Lucky for us, the Revive uses a small amount of this foam, so there’s little chance of compression causing any future annoyances. 

Will I need to replace the laces?

I’ve not felt old-school laces for a long time, so finding them on the Bahé was surprising. After speaking with the designer, I found out that this lace design was to use more environmentally friendly materials, organic cotton in this case. But this material reminds me of those you’d find on your old school shoes. And I distinctly remember them snapping on me, so I’m a little worried about these on the Revive. The good thing is that laces aren’t expensive or hard to find. But I am still surprised to find laces like these on a high-priced shoe. 

It’s time to diverge from my typical review layout because we’ve got something new to talk about! 

Grounding! Or as some call it, Earthing. 

Now, I’m not going to pretend I’m an expert here, but I will give you my views on the claims. 

What is Grounding?

Simple. It’s the act of being barefoot on nature’s earth! Technically, it can extend to human-made materials, such as concrete. But essentially, it’s when you’re touching the ground. 

But aren’t we always touching the ground? 

Not anymore! Most modern shoes have an oversized midsole and rubber outsole between us and the earth, electrically shielding us from the ground. 

Why should we care about grounding?

According to Bahé grounding marketing material, there have been many links between lower inflammation, lower cortisol levels, and improved blood flow, all from the act of grounding. 

And a quick search of the internet results in studies that seem to agree with Bahé’s statements. 

So, if we’re looking to recover quicker, find better performance, or reduce stress, we should be grounding. 

Are Bahé Revive’s the answer to grounding?

This is where I’m not sure. 

None of the studies mentioned using grounding footwear. And understandably so. It’s nearly impossible to set up a blind study with grounded vs. non-grounded footwear without the participants knowing. 

Instead, study participants slept on grounded bed sheets or had grounded patches stuck to various parts of their bodies. 

So logically, we could extend this theory to grounded footwear when we go running or walking outside, but I’m not sure if we can be confident that it’s having the same effects as we see in the studies. 

Would I use Bahé Revive’s for grounding?

The short answer is “Yes”. 

This may sound strange after you read the previous passage, but it’s a case of “there’s no harm in doing it, and it could have potential benefits.” So why not? This is why I own a pair of Earth Runner grounding sandals and go barefoot outside when possible. 

We already know that walking around barefoot and utilizing minimal shoes brings a benefit. And if one of the mechanisms of action is being “grounded”, I’m willing to continue using grounded solutions. 

If the shoes fit your feet and are the type of shoes you’re looking for, you just get the added bonus that the grounding may bring a benefit. And if not, you’ve still got a decent shoe!

After wearing Earth Runner grounding sandals for a while, I was excited to see a running shoe that offered similar grounding benefits. 

I was also excited to see a brand hitting that ~10mm stack height sweet spot. Many brands have moved away from this area, leaving the minimally cushioned flexible shoe industry wide open for the taking! 

If you’ve been cycling through brands like Xero Shoes and Vivobarefoot only to complain they’re too narrow, the Bahé Revive is 100% worth a try! 

The wide forefoot and deep midfoot are very forgiving. And if that’s not your ideal foot shape or feel and you still want to try a pair, ½ size down, and you’ll likely find a better fit.