Boots
Barefoot Boots List
On October 10, 2022 by NoeliaYou asked for a list, and I made a list. These are all the boots I have tested. Some I bought, some I received as a gift for review. I tried to add the information that all of you requested via Instagram.
If I am missing information or you have insights on a specific brand/model, please leave them on my comments.
I am organizing this list by brand and I am including:
- Sustainability and/or ethical practices
- Materials
- Best for ____
- Water resistant information – FYI: all leather is always recommended to be waterproof at least once each season.
- Recommended for ___ temperatures
- Country: company and manufacturers
- Availability and discount codes
- Reviews
Barefoot Pals
- Ethically made in Spain
- Materials: Biodegradable leather
- Best for minimalist feel. They are like a second skin.
- Not recommended for outdoors, not water resistant
- Recommended temperatures: indoor wear
- Handcrafted in Spain, designed in the UK
- Available on their website here. 10% off discount code MAESTRA
- Review:
- Barefoot Pals coming soon
Be Lenka
- European suppliers with ethical production
- Materials: Leather and wool
- Best for wide feet. They are the second widest boots I own but with a very steep sloped toe box
- Waterproof leather with a membrane
- Recommended temperatures: models lined with wool are great for cold winters. They have great traction on slippery terrain
- Slovakian company, shoes are made in Slovakia and Czech Republic
- Available on their website
- Reviews:
Feelgrounds
- No information on materials, produced ethically
- Vegan materials: PU leather and microsuede lining
- Best for water resistant
- Water resistant
- Recommended temperatures: fall or mild winter
- German company, manufactured in Vietnam
- Available on their website
- Review
Freet
- Freet adheres to EU requirements on safety and environment issues with regard to materials used and working conditions
- Vegan materials: Microfiber material
- Best for wide and high volume feet
- Waterproof
- Recommended temperatures: fall or mild winter
- UK company, manufactured in China
- Available on their website, some models on Pedterra
- Review
Geasoles
- Ethically handmade by Esther in Spain.
- Materials: Non-toxic vegetable dyed leather.
- Best for custom made. They have a perfect fit!
- Leather can be waterproofed with spray/lotion
- Recommended temperatures: fall as there is no lining and leather is thin.
- Handmade in Spain with local materials.
- Available on her website
- Review
Lems
- No information on materials nor production.
- Materials: Leather, nylon, and polyester
- Best transition boot
- Leather model can be waterproofed with spray
- Recommended temperatures: fall weather or mild winters.
- US company, manufactured in China
- Available on their website
- Review:
Magical Shoes
- Local and high quality materials – ethical production.
- Materials: Leather and wool
- Best for flexibility and comfort. Easy to adjust: great for different volumes and widths, you just need to find the right size for your foot… which can be tricky.
- You can and should waterproof the leather
- Recommended temperatures: 10F or -10C (according to their website)
- Polish company, made in Poland with Polish materials.
- Available on their website (10% off with MAESTRA), some models on Pedterra
- Review:
- Magical Shoes Alaska coming soon
Manitobah Mukluks
- The furs and leathers are by-products of the meat industry. Ethically made
- Materials: leather and suede, fur, sheepskin, non-toxic dyes
- Best winter boots
- Water resistant, but it is recommended you re apply it waterproof spray
- Recommended temperatures: cold and snowy winter days.
- Canadian, indigenous own company. Shoes are manufactured at their factory partners (not specified where).
- Available on their website.
- Reviews
- Waterproof Half Mukluk coming soon
Mukishoes
- Natural and sustainable materials, produced ethically
- Natural materials: leather, cork, wool, cotton. Vegan models: cork + cotton
- Best for high volume feet
- Water resistant (cork insoles help with waterproofing), leather should be waterproofed
- Recommended temperatures: Fall or mild winters
- Portuguese company, shoes made in Portugal.
- Available on their website (10% discount code MAESTRAMUKI), some models on Pedterra
- Reviews:
- Chelsea Caramel,
- Chelsea Leo,
- Chelsea Oat,
- Chelsea Black Leather coming soon (not pictured)
- Quercus
Peerko
- All components for the production of their shoes come from Europe and have been manufactured in Europe in ethical conditions
- Materials: Leather + polyester/wool lining
- Best for stylish boots
- Water resistant as all leather boots
- Recommended temperatures: fall or mild winters
- Czech company, shoes manufactured in the EU
- Available on their website, Pedterra
- Reviews:
- Empire
- Go White coming soon (not pictured)
Softstar
- Materials: Super fabric, merino, leather.
- Best for wide feet. They are widest boots I own (I got their wide option)
- Waterproof and designed for rough terrain.
- Best for fall: 32F or 0C
- US company and made in the US.
- Available on their website
- Review
- Switchback
- Phoenix coming soon (not pictured)
Vibram Five Fingers
- No information about specific suppliers. They do have their “Vibram Code of Ethics” but no link to read what it is. No information about materials. They have manufacturers in the US and Italy, but no information about ethics.
- Materials: Synthetic and wool
- Best for exercising. They feel like a glove for your feet.
- Not waterproof
- Recommended temperatures: dry early fall days.
- Italian brand, manufactured in China
- Available on their website, Amazon, and other stores.
- Review
- V-Trek Insulated coming soon
Wildling
- Natural materials: sustainable and ethical
- Vegan (except wool models)
- Best for medium width feet
- Water resistant, but microfiber needs to be waterproofed.
- Warmest models are the wool models: fall and mild winters. If you add insoles and thicker socks you could wear them down to 20F/-7C
- German company, shoes made in Portugal
- Available on their website only
- Reviews:
Wow that was odd. I just wrote an incredibly long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Regardless, just wanted to say great blog!
Oh no! I’m sorry that happened, but thank you, I appreciate your support.