DayDrummer,
did you experience (I did) that with footwear you have more punch/volume and less strain on the ankles (noticeable difference when playing/practicing for hours)? This can be a plus for some drummers. I'm playing both barefoot (most of the time) and with footwear (sometimes), and e.g. when playing constant 8th notes as heel-toe (not really "heel" toe, with the heel not touching the footplate), when using footwear it's easier to play towards the ball of the foot (toe-toe style, like e.g. Tim Waterson does).
But yes - if in doubt (problems finding the ideal footwear) - simply leave it out (go barefoot). Thus, there won't be excuses why some stuff doesn't happen... It's definitely the player, not the shoes, and not the pedal(s).