Its just the best for walking. Makes you feel agile and grounded, at home in nature. Imagine shoes that wear like socks. Once you experience it you never want heels or thick soles again.

   Do you have a link to what you're talking about?  I Googled Barefoot Shoes but all I found were regular shoes that were named Barefoot Shoes.
    When I was an older teen I went one complete Summer without wearing shoes at all.  By the end of the Summer I could walk on anything.  It's really amazing how tough the soles of our feet can get.

Check out Vibram five finger shoes, they look like gloves for ur feet. I got a pair of these and man what a difference on my feet, I’ll never go back. A little fiddle to put on the first couple of times.

Yeah the foot gloves have been around for a while, friend of mine had some of the first in the UK.

The diabetes put a stop to my bare foot days.

Not so much the invisible demons stabbing me, though that did make the feet sensitive for a few years
These days it's a lack if sensitivity.
I could walk on something sharp and go around with a hole in my foot, and not know about it.

That said I've worn sandals without socks for decades, so the soles of my feet are like leather anyway.

Never been into hiking or climbing, so never tried the foot gloves personally, they always look like fun.

Plus I'm at an age where a bit of arch support is welcome.

The other thing you get with age are toenails like adamantium, that would probably tear through the toe pieces of a foot glove in very short order.
I doubt even leather would last more than a week or two.

Yes I am not huge on the toe shoes myself although I love the flat sole. My preference goes to the decathlon sandals and something similar and they also don't brake the bank. I use them with wool socks or wool felt socks when it gets cold. Wool felt socks can adsorb a lot of moisture without feeling cold or clammy. I've also made wool felt huaraches and they work well but they are not quite socially acceptable to wear