Is there any benefit to going barefoot?

[RLinksoul]

This always puzzled me. I mean Pokemon X and Y let you customize your trainer's wardrobe, but only to swap things in an out. You're not capable of going without shoes or a hat.

A friend of mine told me that it aids in swimming, like you swim faster, but I've never thought to try it. The swimming feature is honestly the only reason I can figure that this is even a thing New Leaf allows, whereas City Folk and games past didn't.

 

[Byngo]

I've worn shoes in the water and I don't notice a difference.

I don't think there's any differences from wearing shoes and going barefoot, other than the sound of your feet walking

 

[Locket]

You swim the same anyway.

The only benifit is that you have a less chance of having bad luck.

 

[Corrie]

I don't believe so. I love the sound the bare feet make while slapping against the ground, especially when it's wet!

 

[stinaj68]

I don't think there is anything different when you take off your shoes. It's more of s personal preference though. I don't really care for any of the shoes in the game. I end up just wearing sandals for my character. Although the sound of shoes versus bare foot is fun to test out. I like the sound of bare feet rather than shoes sounds.

 

[stitchmaker]

The shoes got removed on the first day of no snow. Barefoot is quiet for summer bug hunting. Boots make a horrible noise.

 

[Akimari]

I just wanted to mention how it's pretty neat that the developers put in separate sounds for when you're wearing/not wearing certain types of footwear. I noticed during a small rain storm yesterday that when I walk in the grass, it sounds different from when I walk in the mud. I also noticed that when digging up a hole, even in a grassy area, mud came out instead of just dirt.

The developers just did a really nice job of implementing these tiny details. I like it a lot~

 

[Ichigo.]

Different kinds of shoes actually make different sounds? Wow. I really haven't noticed that before. And I've barely ever gone barefoot so I haven't noticed the sound (or lack thereof) either.