Boots

Mukishoes Chelsea Leo

On October 5, 2022 by
Spread the love

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I am a big fan of this brand. I already own two pairs of Chelsea boots from Mukishoes. You can read my reviews here: Caramel and Oat. They are my favorite shoes to wear for fall and spring. They are easy to wear and style.

I am an affiliate, but my opinion is my own. The code MaestraMuki will give you 10% off your entire purchase.

Table of Contents

    Materials

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

    • upper: cork (black and leopard pattern) from Portugal’s Cork Forest, a beautiful ecosystem protected by law. 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.
    • lining: organic cotton plush (red)
    • sole: natural rubber (black – 3.5mm thick)

    Design 

    • Gender neutral
    • Best for narrow to medium width feet 
    • Elasticated side panels

    Barefoot qualities

    • Zero drop (no toe 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… not much, but you can get a few extra mm. The natural materials will soften up and mold to your feet.
    • Because the sole is only 3.5 mm thick, you might want to add an insole if you are transitioning to barefoot shoes. I know my first pair of Mukishoes felt too barefoot for me and I had to wear them with an extra insole. Even now, I sometimes feel like my feet need extra support and I will add an insole to help.

    Insoles

    This is definitely my #1 recommendation to barefoot shoe wearers.

    Insoles help with: volume, temperature regulation, insulation, padding, and more.

    Mukishoes offer two different ones:

    • 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
      • Thinner than most wool insoles, they are great for protecting your shoes from sweat and smells.
    • 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!
      • Great for providing more protection: are you transitioning to barefoot shoes? These are a great option!

    Size and Fit

    My feet are:

    • Length: 25 cm 
    • Width: 10 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

    All of Mukishoes Chelsea Boots push your feet to the front, so they fit small.

    Even though the internal space is the same as all their other models, if you have a straight heel, your foot will be pushed to the front of the shoe.

    • Size 40: They feel like a glove. I do not have to modify them at all, but I choose to add a felt tongue pad to get a tighter fit around my ankle. I can wear them with toe socks and toe separators, but they feel snug. I do have to say that they feel narrower than what I am used to and I prefer the width of size 41. Because I cannot add wool insoles (I don’t have the extra space/volume) I can only wear during early fall or late spring.
    • Size 41: They are too high volume for me. I need to add an insole and felt tongue pads around the ankles to help with the extra volume. I also wear them with toe socks and toe separators. I’m ok with these modifications because they give me more width and are perfect for colder fall days and winter.
    How to modify your Mukishoes Chelsea boots for low volume feet.

    Things to know:

    • If you have wide or high volume feet, definitely size up.
    • If you have low volume, narrow to medium width feet, make sure you add an insole and/or felt tongue pads.
    • If you prefer 10+ mm of extra length, size up.

    Final Thoughts

    • I am not an animal print person. I own zero pieces with animal print, but these boots are the exception.
    • I love the fluffy organic cotton plush, so cozy for colder days.
    • These can be worn to an office and dressed down with jeans. Super versatile.
    • They work best for high volume feet, but they can be modified for low volume feet.

    Discount Code: MaestraMuki