Mukishoes Quercus

I bought these boots with a discount, my opinion is my own.

I do love the brand, their values, quality, and style, so I am an affiliate and you can use my code MAESTRAMUKI to receive 10% off your entire purchase.

I’m going to be honest: I really wanted to try their Igneous model, I’ve been trying to get black combat boots for a while! But Mukishoes reached out and asked me if I wanted to try their new cork model. Of course, I couldn’t refuse!

Company

Mukishoes is a small business owned by Madlen and Marta in Portugal. Their handcrafted shoes are made in a small, family-owned, local manufacturer with materials that are local, organic, and fair-trade, dyed with GOTS certified pigments. They don’t over produce, which means their models sellout fast and many of the models are not produced again (they use deadstock materials). They release collections in the Spring and Fall.

Materials

Mukishoes are made with local, organic, and fair-trade materials.

• Uppers: cork (brown colored) from Portugal’s Cork Forest. Cork is a 100% natural material. It is lightweight (more than half of its volume consists of air), elastic and soft to the touch, water resistant, static resistant, and an insulator.
• Inner lining: felted wool. Mukishoes has a partnership with a family own Burel wool manufaturer. They utilizes felted wool from the same producers as the Burel wool from Portugal. It is lighter, fluffier, and a better insulator than
• sole: 100% natural rubber
• laces: cotton

Design

• They are gender neutral
• They accommodate narrow to medium width feet better.
• High tops (7” from the floor to the top of the boot)
• Lacing system: It helps accommodate different volume feet.

Barefoot qualities:

• Zero drop (no toe spring nor heel lift)
• Sole is thin (3.5 mm) and extremely flexible.
• Wide and round toe box that accommodates my mountain feet.
• Provides a lot of ground feel.
• Natural materials allow for foot and ankle mobility.

Soles:

• One thing to know is that Mukishoes have a wrap around sole that can expand in order to accommodate wider feet… they do not feel restrictive like other wrap-around soles.
• This model is lined with wool, which means it will be a little thicker (3.5 mm + .5 mm), but they are still one of the most minimalist soles on the market, you might want to add an extra insole to provide more padding and/or warmth.
• If you need more padding or prefer a thicker sole, I highly recommend using one of their cork soles.

Size and Fit

I own several Mukishoes (which I have reviewed). I wear size 40 when I’m going to wear them barefoot (no socks, no extra insoles) and size 41 when I want more warmth (I add insoles and wear with socks).

My measurements:

• Length: 24.8 – 25 cm
• Width: 9.8 cm  

Mukishoe measurements:

• Size 40 is 26.1 cm in length. The outsole measures 9.5 cm in width.
• Size 41 is 26.8 cm in length. The outsole measures 10 cm in width.

Fit

My first thought when I tried these boots was that they were too spacious for my feet! I usually feel this way when I first try boots that are size 41. I did not get extra insoles right away (miscommunication with Mukishoes) so I added my DIY wool insoles, I wore them with socks, and I also laced them very tightly to get them securely on my feet. Because my feet are low volume, I am used to modifying my shoes.

At the beginning, they felt a little too loose to my liking, but I had to give them a try. By the third time I wore them, I realized I was wearing them too tightly and I ended up loosening the laces quite a bit. I wish I could tighten my feet and ankles while keeping the laces loose around my calves.  

As with many other shoes, the more I wear them, the more comfortable they become. The cork has a leather feel, soft and malleable, while the wool keeps my feet warm and toasty. I would not recommend them for warmer weather, they are perfect for colder temperatures.

One thing I noticed, as well as many of my followers on Insta, is that the inner part of the boot (where the zipper starts) bulges a little. I felt very self-conscious about it at the beginning, but it did not feel uncomfortable. I believe the design accommodates high volume feet and mine are low volume, therefore, I have extra space in the boot.

After breaking in my boots, I received insoles from Mukishoes and I am loving their Cork Insoles. I’m usually a sucker for wool, but the cork are pretty impressive: not only do they help with my low volume feet, but they help make the boots waterproof and more insulated.

Insoles

After I wore my Quercus for a few weeks, I received two different insoles from Mukishoes:

• Wool: 80% wool and 20% plant fibers (hemp, ramie, flax).
  • Weight: 30 g
  • Thickness: 3 mm
  • They do not have a non-slip material but fit perfectly in the boots
• Cork: Cork with deadstock cotton.
  • Weight: 30 g
  • Thickness: 4 mm
  • They help with thermal and water insulation. They help seal the boots where the seams are!

I am loving these two options, which are very different from other brands. I usually go for the wool insoles, but I am super impressed with these cork ones! Because I want to make my boots as waterproof as I can, I am choosing to wear my cork insoles over the wool!

When I first ordered them, I thought I was going to wear the cork in my Thyme sneakers and the wool with my boots. But once I received them and was able to see the difference between them, I decided to wear them the other way: I’m adding the thin wool insoles in my sneakers (I want them to protect my shoes as I wear them barefoot) and the thicker cork insoles in my boots… I love the fact that they help with waterproofing them!

Things to know:

1. They are designed for narrow to medium width feet.
2. The cork does not stretch like leather.
3. The budging does not go away but it does not bother me.
4. The added cork insoles have two benefits: they help with my low feet and with waterproofing them.

Final thoughts

Even though I really wanted a black pair of combat boots, I’m happy I got these Quercus. The brown is a nice tone that goes with a lot of my wardrobe. I’ve worn them a lot since I received them with both pants and dresses, they have proved to be very versatile. I actually feel that the brown is easier to dress and combine with different colors and styles. It feels softer, not as heavy as black boots.

The other highlight of these boots is the material. I am not a vegan and I was ok with trying their leather model, but now that I’ve tried cork, I am super impressed. I’ve learned so much about it, its sustainability and characteristics that I look forward to all the different models and colors that Mukishoes will be releasing in the future.

Use MaestraMuki to get a discount on your entire purchase!