The shoes I use (I did not like Vibrams) are http://feelmax.com/panka_leather.html. They have a very thin (3mm?) kevlar compound outsole to protect the foot from glass, sharp rocks etc. It is thin enough to fully feel the ground texture underfoot. I am a bicyclist, so aside from a few trials, my experience is limited to "barefoot" walking.
According to the fairly reasonable theory that the human foot and leg is best suited for toe-stepping (like most animals), not the heel, I also modified my gait to stepping on the ball of the foot. After an adjustment period (and finding some pretty much unused leg muscles), it provides for a far more fluid movement, with the leg muscles and ligaments acting as shock absorbers. Trying heel-stepping thereafter brings to focus the fairly harsh impact each step actually causes in that mode of transportation. Plus toe-stepping helps keeping balance on slippery surfaces.