Product & Size FAQs

Barefoot shoes are foot friendly and foot shaped! The natural foot is wide, flexible and sensory – with thousands of nerve endings on the soles of your feet providing your brain with all the information it needs for skilful movement. Our soles are stable, strong and ultra thin; precisely engineered to maximize all that useful sensory feedback by minimizing interference between your feet and the ground.

All of our soles (except the Ultra) have a patented Pro 5 puncture resistant layer, with up to 5x the puncture resistance of other minimal shoe brands.

Sadly, it isn’t possible for our soles to be entirely puncture proof without compromising on the barefoot experience, and we wouldn’t to do that!

Because our soles are designed with the true nature of your feet in mind, it's only natural that we make a variety of soles to provide you (and your kids) the barefoot experience wherever you find yourself- from the trail, to the city or the office.

When possible, it’s best to use natural products for cleaning and weather protection. Soapy cold water beats a washing machine when it comes to our performance shoes. Products such as Nikwax for leather great too! We’re also partnered with Liquiproof spray, which uses Nano-technology to create an effective liquid repellent coating for your shoes, safeguarding against pesky spills and splashes.

It’s all a matter of personal preference. On a cold day, for instance, you might appreciate a pair of our Thermal Insoles. We recommend lightweight, non-restrictive socks, but they aren’t required if you’re sock averse. We believe that the ideal barefoot experience is insole free, but no one’s watching, so the decision is yours!

Our product pages will let you know if a shoe comes with a pair of our performance, thermal or everyday cork insoles, and they’re all available individually.

Yes, but it’s best for any transition to be gradual and supervised by a medical professional, especially if you’ve been using corrective footwear. We’d recommend our Everyday shoes as an entry point, for everything besides long walks and running.

Because we pay more for less! Our commitment to minimal shoes that are perfect for feet demands material of the highest quality, and an awe inspiring level of care and craftsmanship is put into each shoe.

Our Size Guide is here to help! Our shoes fit 'big' deliberately – we call this ‘the rule of thumb’. Your toes need wiggle room! This is especially important for running. If you can fit your thumb in-between the end of your toe and the front of the shoe, you’ve more than likely found your ideal size.

After some time with our shoes, your shoe size may need to increase, as your toes splay out more naturally.

We don’t currently have that kind of capacity! Thanks to the nature of our shoes however, we find that everyone is generally able to find a size that works for them.

This often comes down to materials and production. For example you may find our Handcut Leather collection seems slightly smaller, a result of the (initial) tightness of the leather, especially compared to a flexible mesh running shoe.

If your shoe feels a little tight, you may find that removing your insole will give you all the extra room you need!

Most of our leather comes from ‘wild hide’, free roaming cattle reared by families and communities in and around Ethiopia.

We’re always on the lookout for more durable and sustainable alternatives however, and we’re working towards a circular economy, where new stuff is made from existing stuff, and minimal virgin resources are tapped.

We’re proud to work with Pittards, PLC, who have a 200 year history of expertise and innovation.