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Are you looking for the best barefoot leather shoes?
- Have you been bombarded with the different types of shoes available now you are not sure which is best for you?
- Maybe you are looking for the perfect gift for someone with wide feet?
- Or maybe you like wearing barefoot shoes and you are looking for a durable pair.
When was the last time you walked around barefoot? The utter satisfaction of feeling the ground beneath your feet is unbeatable.
Barefoot leather shoes
| Photo | Name | What We like | |
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Vivobarefoot Gobi II Leather Walking Shoe | They are very comfortable. They provide good underfoot protection. The soles are flexible and thin. |
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Vivobarefoot Ra Slip On | There is no breaking in period required. The shoes are easy to get in and out of. They are clearly well made. |
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Merrell Vapor Glove 3 Luna Leather Sneaker | They are water-resistant. They are fairly lightweight. There is plenty of room in the toe box. |
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Merrell Parkway Emboss Leather Sneaker | They are very comfortable. They provide you with the versatility of use. The design is minimal. |
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Be Lenka All-year Icon Black | They are well made. They have great cushioning on the inside. They come with an additional pair of laces. |
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It is recommended to walk barefoot as much as you can, however, this is not a feasible option because of hygiene reasons and health reasons as well. The world we live in me, not the cleanest.
Since you may want to walk with your toes grasping every inch of the earth, there are only so many places where you can do this. The need to walk barefoot and also keep your feet protected is one that has given rise to the invention of barefoot shoes.
These shoes give you the feeling of walking barefoot, but also provide the protection you need so that you do not hurt yourself.
There are many barefoot shoes on the market, made with different features, each with a specific shoe wearer in mind. Various factors have influenced these features over the years.
The material the shoes are made of can vary greatly and the pair that you decide to go for is entirely up to you.
In this article, we take a look at the best barefoot leather shoes on the market today.
There are different options available and knowing the features you need in the shoe can cut down on the time you spend looking for the perfect pair.
In a Hurry
Do you need a quick guide to buying the best barefoot leather shoes? It is quite easy to get overwhelmed and not know which shoes are best for the purpose you intend to use them for.
It is important to have a clear cut purpose when dealing with shoe shopping.
Know where you will be wearing the shoes. This will help you decide on the fastening method. Hiking shoes, for example, need to be fastened ore securely than walking shoes.
Leather is a favorite for many household and clothing items mainly because of its durability. It will last you a pretty long time. It is also pretty easy to clean and this makes it great for shoes.
When buying your barefoot leather shoes, it is important to make sure they fit you properly.
If your feet are generally wider than normal, get measured and make sure the toe box o your new shoes fit you. The 4 point is to make sure that you get shoes that fit you so that you can enjoy the barefoot lifestyle.
Our Top Pick
We have done our research and found our favorite pick to be the Merrell parkway emboss leather sneakers. These shoes are 100% leather and have a rubber sole. This is great for traction. Also, they have a breathable mesh inner and this allows free airflow, keeping your feet cool. To get a true and genuine feel of the ground, thanks to the superior construction of this shoe.
Round Up of Barefoot Leather Shoes Reviews
Vivobarefoot Gobi II Leather Walking Shoe
The Gobi II is one of Vivobarefoot’s flagship shoes. It has been around for a while now. As such, one can say that it has been tried and found to be true.
From an aesthetic point of view, this is a shoe that is like most of the ankle boots that we see on the market for men.
What sets it apart from the crowd is the fact that it is a barefoot shoe, to start with. It is also designed to be incredibly lightweight and allow for free movement of the foot. The manufacturers describe it as being the original minimalist desert boot.
What they have done with this is to deliver a shoe that is geared for everyday use. There is sufficient protection from the elements due to the leather material used on the upper part of the shoe.
It is made out of scarred leather from free-roaming cattle. The versatility of this shoe comes from the fact that it can fit into an outdoors just as well as it does semi-formal environments.
Inside this shoe is a 3MM antibacterial cork insole. For a shoe that is barefoot, this is somewhat necessary to give you that little bit of underfoot protection.
This is done without completely doing away with the sensory stimulation that comes from wearing barefoot shoes.
The thinness of the soles of these shoes allows them to be packed away for travel with great ease. It is without a doubt that these shoes are made to be durable.
Pros
- They are very comfortable.
- They provide good underfoot protection.
- The soles are flexible and thin.
- They are zero drop shoes.
- They are quite lightweight.
- They are somewhat durable and weather resistant.
Cons
- Quality control could be better.
- The shoelaces are not as strong as they should be.
Vivobarefoot Ra Slip On
One of the first things that you will notice about these shoes is that they are easy to get into and out of. Such as the design of the RA slip-on shoes.
As the name suggests they are slip-on, this means that you can get your shoes on and off with these. The design is incredibly minimalist and lightweight. As you’d expect from other shoes in this brand these shoes are barefoot.
The soles of these shoes are incredibly thin which provides you with good underfoot stimulation. As with the thinness of the soles, they are incredibly easy to pack away for travelling without taking much space.
The lining of the shoes is made out of microfibre lining. The upper part of this use is made out of wild hide leather. This is a material that is ready to take on harsh weather conditions.
They also have a smart lacing system that is also of a minimalist design. There is also minimal stitching all around the shoes. The soles of these shoes are incredibly thin.
They are made out of rubber. There was a great emphasis on providing you with a good amount of traction without doing away with durability.
On the front end of the shoes is a tongue that provides you with additional coverage. There is great protection on both the underfoot and upper foot off the shoe. At the rear end of these shoes is some cushioning.
Pros
- There is no breaking in period required.
- The shoes are easy to get in and out of.
- They are clearly well made.
- They are fairly good looking.
- They are lightweight.
Cons
- Initially feel tight.
Merrell Vapor Glove 3 Luna Leather Sneaker
The vapour glove 3 is a 100% leather shoe from one of the most recognizable brands in footwear. The soles of these shoes are made out of synthetic material.
There is a clear design emphasis on delivering great traction. The shafts of these shoes measures low-top from the arches.
One of the key concerns that most users would have when it comes to a thin saw is the lack of underfoot protection.
To combat this issue, the manufacturers have made use of their trail protect pad. This is a pad that provides you with additional cushioning.
One of the key components to delivering attraction is the Vibram TC5 outsole. As is often the case with leather shoe breathability is also a concern.
To ensure that this is not the case for this shoe Merrell has made use of a breathable mesh lining that allows for ease of movement of air in and out of the shoes.
The full-grain leather used on the upper part of the shoes is a clear indicator of durability.
You probably need no telling that these shoes are of the zero drop variety. There was also a great toe cap on the front end of the shoes to protect your toes in the event of knocking against a hard surface.
The lacing system is as you would expect from shoes of this kind.
It allows you for ease of adjustment to tighten the shoes or loosen them as you would like. They are 3 colours that you can choose yours from These include black, pomegranate and charcoal.
Pros
- They are water-resistant.
- They are fairly lightweight.
- There is plenty of room in the toe box.
- They are quite good looking.
- They provide great traction.
Cons
- The soles can be squeaky.
- The arch support may not be sufficient for some users.
Merrell Parkway Emboss Leather Sneaker
The Parkway emboss is another great option. This is a shoe that is made out of 100% leather on the upper part.
The soles are made out of rubber as you would expect from Merrell. There are clear signs of durability from the full-grain leather that’s used to make the shoes.
The design of this shoe is quite minimalist, without compromising on the protective side of things.
On the inside of the shoe is a breathable mesh liner. This is responsible for keeping your feet cool down in what could potentially be a warm shoe.
To provide you with stability and comfort these shoes have an EVA midsole. Speaking of comfort and protection there is also a tall cap on the front end of the shoes to protect your toes from any impact injury.
The finish of the shoes has a suede-like look and feel to it.
There is great cushioning both on the colour of the shoe as well as the tongue. The lacing system is designed to ensure that you can adjust the shoes to fit you as tight or absolutely as you may prefer.
For grip and traction, you will not be let down by the Vibram sole. There are 3 colours that you can choose this shoe from. These include black, Merrell Stone and Castle Rock.
Black doesn’t need any explanation. The Merrell Stone is a Brown shoe that looks slightly reddish. The Castle Rock shoe is a grey shoe with a hint of blue.
Pros
- They are very comfortable.
- They provide you with the versatility of use.
- The design is minimal.
- They have great rubber soles for traction.
- They are durable.
- The toe box is roomy.
Cons
- They do not always run true to size.
- Not as water-resistant as we would like.
Be Lenka All-year Icon Black
There are not many shoes on the market that looks as well finished as this one is. This is a barefoot shoe that is well suited for formal occasions as it is for the casual ones. The manufacturers describe it as being a perfect combination of comfort and style.
This is not a description that we could challenge by any means. The upper part of these shoes is made out of high-grade leather that is precisely cut for true to size fit.
The front end of the shoes is made wide too ensure extra comfort and minimise any form of restriction in that or region of the shoes. This is how you get a shoe that is comfortable for long parts of the day.
As with other shoes from this brand, there is an emphasis on delivering a shoe that allows your feet to maintain their natural passenger movement.
When you look on the inside of the shoes you will notice that they have quite a bit of padding and cushioning on the collar and tongue of the shoe.
This is done to minimise friction between your foot and the inside of the shoe when you walk. Each of these shoes is handmade to ensure a high degree of quality control.
As a touch of class, the manufacturers send you an extra pair of laces that is colorful for those dull days that you need a bit of colour. There’s also a 2-year warranty cover with each pair that you purchased.
Pros
- They are well made.
- They have great cushioning on the inside.
- They come with an additional pair of laces.
- The toe box has plenty of room.
- They are very comfortable.
Cons
- Still new to this brand.
Buyer’s Guide
Can I run barefoot leather shoes?
Several athletes prefer to run barefoot, this makes it a walk in the park to run barefoot shoes. However, it may not be for everyone.
Wearing regular shoes has a way of weakening your foot muscles this means that you may not have the strength to run barefoot or in a shoe that mimics this movement. Make sure to ease into it.
Barefoot running shoes come in all shapes and sizes and that includes leather. Since running is a high impact activity, you want to make sure that you have the most durable footwear you can get.
Leather barefoot shoes give you this advantage whilst adding protection for your feet and allowing you to run almost barefoot.
Can I wash walking shoes?
Keeping your walking shoes clean is pretty important for your hygiene. How do you know how to clean them? The first thing to do is to take note of the material they are made of.
This will give you an idea. For example, leather is cleaned differently compared to synthetic material. There are various cleaners available for different fabrics.
Some will not need to be immersed in water. Leather is one such material. You will need to always make sure it doesn’t get too much water. Use a damp cloth to wipe off dust.
Excess water can leave marks and stains you will not be happy with. Use specialized cleaners that are specific to your leather shoe, that will help preserve your shoes as well as their color.
Which walking shoes are best for wide feet?
Whenever we go out shopping for shoes, we normally ask for the length of the shoe and not the width. With feet, you can not adopt a one-size-fits-all mentality, the width matters too.
You will want to make sure that they are wide enough for your feet. There is nothing as irritating or sometimes painful about a hoe that only fits lengthwise but not width wise.
It can lead to several different complications with your feet. Make sure to get measured,
Conclusion
Choosing the best barefoot shoes for yourself is a big deal, especially if you are just starting is such a liberating feeling to be able to walk barefoot, and an adventure to run in them.
It is also something you will need to ease into. One of the reasons for going barefoot is to get to feel the ground but you also want your feet to be protected as you do this.
This means durability is a key factor. Leather is one of the most durable materials that has ever been used for shoes, furniture or anything else for that matter.
This is why we think barefoot leather shoes are such a great idea. We hope our review helps you find the best barefoot leather shoes on the market. Happy shopping!
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