Icarus Footwear vs Splay Athletics
Two natural-footwear brands compared on fit, ground feel, durability and best use case. Icarus Footwear is better for running, trail, lifestyle, while Splay Athletics is better for running, kids, lifestyle.
Icarus Footwear
American athletic-leaning barefoot upstart.
Splay Athletics
Athletic foot-shape brand for the whole family.
Specs
| Icarus Footwear | Splay Athletics | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | USA | USA |
| Category | Barefoot | Foot-shape minimalist (transition) |
| Drop | 0 mm | 0 mm |
| Toe box / Natural fit | Wide anatomical | Wide anatomical |
| Best for | running, trail, lifestyle | running, kids, lifestyle |
| Price tier | $$ | $$ |
| Family-tested | Editorial | Editorial |
Winner by category
| Ground feel | Tie |
| Toe-box width | Splay Athletics |
| Durability | Tie |
| Style | Tie |
| Value | Tie |
| Overall | Splay Athletics |
Which should you buy?
Buy Icarus Footwear if: You want running, trail, lifestyle from a barefoot brand. Runners who outgrew Xero.
Buy Splay Athletics if: You want running, kids, lifestyle from a foot-shape minimalist (transition) brand. Family fitness.
Our take
Splay Athletics edges out overall (8.0 vs 7.8) on the categories above. Icarus Footwear is still the better pick if you specifically want running, trail, lifestyle. Bottom line: choose Icarus Footwear for running, trail, lifestyle, choose Splay Athletics for running, kids, lifestyle.
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Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure.