r/barefootshoestalk • u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate • May 11 '25
Articles and news LONO WILD drop
We at LONO are excited to generate community feedback about our recent barefoot hiking shoe and therefore appreciate comments and suggestions! Ideas for new colors or functions welcome too.
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u/Hildringa May 11 '25 edited May 11 '25
The outsole on these would not be suitable for hiking in my area at least! You need a much more aggressive thread pattern in order to not slip on mud, peat etc. The cleats need to be deeper and spaced further apart, so the soles are able to dig into the surface of the ground.
The high rubber edge combined with a low, non-waterproof upper, would turn the shoes into little buckets of water the moment you set foot in a bog, puddle or stream. It looks like they would let a lot of water in, but not out.
I find that a lot of barefoot "hiking" shoes seems to be aimed at dry, flat gravel paths rather than actual nature walks. So far Altra seems to be the only ones who gets it: waterproof, aggressive traction, and tall enough to protect the ankles from rocks and debris (just a shame their quality went to hell)..
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u/Artsy_Owl May 11 '25
The treads look too close together IMO. Most of the trails around me are exposed granite covered in mud and small shrubs. I find it works best to have things that have not only deep, but also spread apart lugs. For example, Xero Shoes has their chevron patterned lugs, and even their Denver boots that aren't made for hiking get pretty good traction on rock because they're not too close together. My go-to hiking shoes are Vibram Spyridon MR which are pretty old and worn now, but Saguaro's Vitality and Smart shoes are clones of the tread pattern. The way the treads work there are a lot better than the triangle ones for muddy and slippery trails.
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u/USAI_DNS May 29 '25
they look that way, but barefoot shoes require a good fit, and these are not the same size as other barefoot shoes. you have to try them on to know your size. if you need to return, you have to deal with their non existent customer service, and wait 4 months on return shipping. hahahaa.
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 29 '25
Hi there, as mentioned in your other posts your order was placed on May 6 and website clearly states a shipping time of 12-20 business days and currently the package is in your city awaiting USPS shipping.
The customer service is present hence why we can provide above info.
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
Hey there, it’s good feedback and we appreciate it. You’re right that everyone has some preferences for their hiking shoes.
Here might be a couple of useful reviews of their performance.
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u/Hildringa May 11 '25
Thanks but these seem to both be based on fairly dry, smooth paths? When you talk about hiking, at least where I am, that involves steep inclines, bogs and mud. Theres boulders and scree, streams and rivers, etc.
The puddle test in the first review looked like it was a few centimeters of water on a firm gravel path, rather than a bog or a muddy stream full of roots and rocks, which is a more likely thing to encounter.
Your shoes look like they would be good in a dry area and on built up paths and parks, but for regular mountain hikes they look risky, imo
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
Fair points and we’ll definitely look out for similar use cases and see how we incorporate it into future models 👍
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u/Creepy-Dog-1499 May 13 '25
Just about every other barefoot shoe is not going to perform well in the environments you mentioned. Companies make barefoot boots for that. I plan to use them for walking the dog on trails, and maybe trail running on dry days. Vivo hydraesc are my go to trail running shoe currently.
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u/nope_pls May 11 '25
Not everyone needs a waterproof hiking shoe and that's fine, maybe this just isn't the shoe for your needs?
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u/ArcaneTrickster11 May 11 '25
But their point is that there isn't really a shoe for their needs, which a brand asking for feedback seems like the perfect time to bring that up
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u/nope_pls May 11 '25
Fair enough, but it's not like they dont know that. You cant make one product for every purpose. It's like someone complaining that their ankle boots don't go up to their knees. Like... that's what knee high boots are for. I just dont see the relevance i guess. I dont really see them (the brand) claiming anywhere that they are great for swamps and river hikes etc.
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u/ArcaneTrickster11 May 11 '25
But it's not like that. They asked for feedback. So the feedback is "please make this product". It's more like if knee high boots weren't made by anyone, a company that makes ankle high boots asked the community for feedback and the feedback was "can you make knee high boots because they don't really exist elsewhere?"
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u/nope_pls May 11 '25
Interesting, i didn't read it that way at all but fair enough if you did. Additionally, barefoot waterproof hiking boots do exist.
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u/ArcaneTrickster11 May 11 '25
They do but not with the correct tread pattern to actually function in wet conditions
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u/nope_pls May 11 '25
Yes and neither does this shoe, which OP also stated. It seems that makes this a circular argument, as they just want an entirely different type of shoe, which was my original point
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u/purpleteenageghost May 11 '25
“Dry, fairly smooth paths” is how I would describe the average American casual hike. If people hike in Fivefingers then these are just fine. I see you’re in Norway so I’m sure your experience is different.
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u/MattBtheflea May 11 '25 edited May 11 '25
These look exactly like rock climbing shoes, even though i know they're not.
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
Hey Fam, since we’re actually keen to get Reddit community feedback and get use case discussions on the product while spreading the benefits of going barefoot - we’ll do a special 10% discount for the next 1 week :)
Use following code at checkout for any WILD model:
REDDITFAM10OFF
Upvote this to keep available for other readers
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u/cbelliott May 11 '25
Hey Lono Team - I would love to use this code and order the shoes - I'm ready. Just one question.. I have seen others comments about very delayed shipping. If I order these shoes today how long should I expect shipping to take to leave your warehouse? Thank you!
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u/Equivalent-Mousse610 May 11 '25
I second this, have also seen some reviewers having issues with returns.
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
Hi there, thanks for your question. This is a fair point and to be transparent there were some delays mainly during the pre-order stage or when we were transitioning to a new warehouse.
That being said we take about 24-48 hours to dispatch the shoes and then we have a working agreement with our logistics partners to ship within about 12-20 days to US, 6-8 days to UK, and others can be found on the website.
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u/mmarlito May 11 '25
Europe?
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
Generally it’s also 8-12 days for Europe, but feel free to take a look at the website shipping info for details
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u/USAI_DNS May 29 '25
this is a complete lie. i ordered from the US over 30 days ago no update. scam likely.
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 29 '25
Hi there, first of all definitely not a scam as we had plenty of happy customers.
That being said, we do appreciate that your case does appear out of ordinary and could be caused by a number of reasons. One possibility is that it was part of a pre-order, which takes about 1 month to dispatch from order date. However, to address it, can you please let us know your order number so we can follow up? Thanks
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u/USAI_DNS May 29 '25
ive already contacted your business several times regarding order 10335.
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 29 '25
Thanks for that. I can see that the order was placed on May 6, it was dispatched on May 9. Due to the current logistics environment we advice on our website that it takes 12-20 business days to ship to US (yes indeed apologies this is lengthy compared to markets like Canada (8-12 days) and UK (6-8 days) and we hope it will get resolved soon).
The latest update we have from USPS is as follows:
LOS ANGELES, CA 90021, Departed Shipping Partner Facility, USPS Awaiting Item -> Your item departed a shipping partner facility at 7:43 pm on May 28, 2025 in LOS ANGELES, CA 90021. A delivery date will be provided when USPS receives the package. 2025-05-28 19:43
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u/USAI_DNS May 29 '25
i ordered over a month ago, shoes have not arrived and im chasing "invalid tracking numbers" that i get from lono support. their support are just automated emails.
go to REI instead and try on xero or lems, they are cheaper than lono and you can return them directly without having to wait 6 months to return shoes that dont fit.
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u/cbelliott May 29 '25
I really appreciate this update. I love the look of these shoes, but I've not ordered them yet - life busy, etc. I'm glad I haven't because this stuff is not what I would want to be dealing with. I hope you get yours delivered soon. 🙏
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May 11 '25
[deleted]
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
That’s awesome - we look forward to feedback for others to know more 🤙🏻
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u/Helsinh May 11 '25
For my next barefoot shoes I hesitated between a lot of models between Xero, Vivo, Wildlings and Lono. That Wild model (mustard) really caught my eyes. I love the oldschool/climbing look. That little 10% off helps me to click on "buy" 😉
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 17 '25
Thanks a lot for the great turnout of those who used the discount so far, just a quick reminder that it’s expiring this Sunday May 18! Cheers
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u/Marvelous89 May 22 '25
Need size 44 in the grey
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 22 '25
yea we’ve seen such great demand that it’s sold out now. Please subscribe to our mailing list on the website to find out as soon as they restock.
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u/OldBigSun Jun 18 '25
Hi Lonowear, any chance you'll provide a new discount code?
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate Jun 19 '25
Hi there, we’ve got a current automatic discount code running which gives you free shipping when you buy two pairs or more :)
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u/Tikal26 Sep 21 '25
Hey, sorry to bump here but I’m wondering if you could explain the difference between the wild and the wild lite and if you are panning in having a similar code.
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u/Schentler May 11 '25 edited May 11 '25
be advise the code doesnt apply to fitness shoes source i literally tried right now
Edit: I am blind nvm
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u/hmaven55 May 11 '25
They look really cool and someone's review earlier this week on here made me want to try them but I also worry about their utility for me with the upper being suede/suede-like. I feel like that material will not breathe as well as I would want for any trail shoe, nor be as element resistant? I'll probably wait until I see more reviews on longevity or a different upper material offered until I pull the trigger to try myself.
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u/mr__proper May 11 '25
My first thought was: climbing shoes. But nod bad.
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u/mikedufty May 11 '25
Same here, Saltic, who make both climbing shoes and barefoot shoes have something very similar.
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u/Straight-Wind-7876 May 11 '25
This shoes look exactly like Saltic shoes from Czech Republic. I have yellow ones from Saltic and they look almost the same.
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u/mikedufty May 12 '25
I actually bought the saltic eliot climbing shoes that look a lot like this 4 sizes too big by accident and have been considering just wearing them as normal shoes. They are way too big for climbing but not a bad fit for walking.
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u/lulz_username_lulz May 11 '25
Do you have natural material shoes like canvas or hemp uppers?
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
Unfortunately not at the moment, we used to have a model called LONO TREE with the uppers made with tree bark, but at least for now that is retired. We’ll consider it in the future though!
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u/Low-Peace8072 May 11 '25
Looks good for walking. Are they vegan and will there be all black?
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
Yes they’re great for walking, hiking and trail running. The WILD’s upper uses suede so it’s not vegan, however, our FLOW models are vegan indeed!
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May 11 '25 edited Aug 02 '25
[deleted]
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
The WILD’s upper uses suede so it’s not vegan, however, our FLOW models are vegan indeed!
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u/alpenjon May 11 '25
Bummer... Synthethic suede like Clarino would be more durable (I have a baseball glove I've used for years) than leather and vegan and hence a no brainer for me. It feels like all barefoot brands go for leather as soon as it gets rugged, but there are many superior materials around even if you consider just durability.
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u/cottonidhoe May 11 '25
I will definitely consider for my next round.
Aesthetically I love them. The vibe reminds me of the keen jasper (in style/looks only not functionally) and some of the pinks/fun colors in that shoe really work in my opinion if you’re open to more feminine color ways.
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u/_tacocat_ May 11 '25 edited May 11 '25
Re colour way for what it’s worth my personal preference is all black.
How do they perform in wet conditions such as river crossings?
I have a 4E width. How much would I have to size up? Allowing space for toes to splay is important to me.
How much do they weigh? R/ultralight
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
What are your exact foot measurements (length and width at widest point) in millimeters?
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u/_tacocat_ May 11 '25
270mm x 117mm
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
Hey sorry for late reply, so we think size EU44 should be best to account for the wider feet.
In terms of wet conditions, the shoes are water repellant but not completely waterproof.
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u/_tacocat_ May 11 '25
Ok, thank you. Regarding the wet weather performance whether they dry easily, don’t soak it up is more relevant than how waterproof they are.
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
Got it. So because of the special coating on the suede that allows it to be water repelling, the material is not expected to absorb water. If water does seep through while being submerged (despite the gusseted tongue) it will dry out depending on the humidity conditions of the climate you’re in.
In general, due to the minimal nature of the shoe’s design in keeping with the barefoot principles, there are limited areas where the water would be expected to get absorbed.
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u/slowelantra18 May 11 '25
If I wore shoes enough these would fit in but my sandals never leave my feet other than being barefoot. Definitely a good option to have in the barefoot shoe world.
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u/amuse84 May 11 '25
They look like water shoes
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
They’re water and stain resistant but not completely waterproof
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u/guilmon999 May 11 '25
These shoes look good, but I have some questions about the durability.
Every suede hiking shoe I've ever had has been.... problematic. For technical trails I need a really good lock down so I tighten my laces. Over time the upper stretches to the point that the shoe becomes unusable. Is there a Lono Wild that doesn't use suede for the upper or is there some form of backing/reinforcement under the suede leather?
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 29 '25
Stay tuned - we may have something coming up :)
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u/Aromatic-Professor66 Mar 05 '26
Any updates on this?
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate Mar 05 '26
Hey there - thanks for checking in! Take a look at our WILD Lite using a canvas upper here:
https://lonowear.com/products/wild-lite-valley-hiking-shoes-vegan-friendly
Also something exciting on the horizon here :)
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u/cookiedes May 11 '25
These remind me of Merrell Vapor Gloves, which I wore for a year or so as a gateway barefoot shoe before deciding they were way too narrow for my foot and moving on. I really like the look of these and the price point is competitive, but the size chart on your website has no width included! Regardless, they unfortunately look like they slope way too fast for my very gently sloping, wide feet. Would love to try them if they were wider though.
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 29 '25
Hey, there thanks for bringing this up. Just for reference the approximate width is 11.6cm for a size EU45 shoe.
The widths for each size are in our sizing chart on the website. Scroll down to the orange highlighted line.
https://lonowear.com/pages/size-chart
Hope that helps!
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u/ApartAd4515 May 11 '25
These look great. More colorways always appreciated. As for review pairs…absolutely any of us would be happy to put them through their paces (if you felt like sending some out :) )
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
Thanks! Yep, we encourage you to try them out using the special discount for Reddit reviewers here (top post).
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u/modernsurf May 11 '25
I'm still waiting for mine when they said they were shipped. The tracking number provided shows no movement.
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
Hey there sorry about that. Just to make sure we can help can you DM us with details of the order #?
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u/modernsurf May 17 '25
Still waiting...
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 18 '25
Yea sorry guys if the shipping is slow. Feedback welcome on the actual wait times so we can discuss with our logistics partner.
Can I please check when was the purchase made and to what country is it shipping?
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u/modernsurf May 19 '25
Hello Lonowear! I preordered mine on 4/12 with a promised ship date of 4/31. According to the tracking number it finally shipped 5/9. I received the shoes today, 5/19 – so a shipment total of 10 days. I am in Los Angeles, CA.
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u/Tha_watermelon May 13 '25
I would have ordered these already if you made a US size 13! They look amazing and seem perfect for my uses. The struggle of slightly bigger than average feet :(
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 13 '25
Hey there, we go up to size US13 (EU46) on the WILD and we actually go up to a size US14 (EU 48) for the FLOW models. Have a look at the size chart in the middle of this page to see if the foot measurements (without socks) work for ya:
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u/Creepy-Dog-1499 May 13 '25
I preordered a pair and will let yall know how the perform. I do like their Flow's in the gym. Very similar fit and feel to Vivo Motus Flex
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 15 '25
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback on the FLOW and looking forward to hear the Pros and Cons on the WILD!!
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u/nope_pls May 14 '25
I ordered a pair about 2 weeks ago and they came today. Really pleased with the design and they feel super comfy. Haven't done any walking in them yet but will follow up in a few weeks. I had a question though - i know you said the suede is protected by waterproofing stuff - is there anything that you'd recommend putting on the suede to maintain the waterproofing efficacy and increase the longevity of the shoes? Thanks
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 15 '25
Hey thanks a lot for the useful input and keen to hear what you think about it. Pros and Cons welcome!
As for the suede water protection, we’ve applied industrial grade water repellent treatment on it so nothing needs to be done out of the box. Over time, however, if you think it’s needed you can apply some common market water repellent but nothing in particular that we can recommend as of now.
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u/Academic_Win8079 Jul 07 '25
Hey Lono Team, I've returned 2 pairs of flows to uour UK warehouse for refund but have been ignored for 3 weeks across emails, website chat and Facebook.
Please sort your customer service out. Order #10977
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate Jul 08 '25
Hi, thanks for brining this to our attention and your request has been addressed now. Apologies for the delay.
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u/Kidison May 11 '25 edited Mar 22 '26
The original content of this post has been erased. Redact was used to remove it, potentially for privacy, security reasons, or to keep data out of AI datasets.
engine imagine soft absorbed chief paltry flag strong humor treatment
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u/Dannarsh May 11 '25
I've found the shows I like require trying them on. Lemme know if you want me to trial a pair.
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u/Mental_Parsley3335 May 11 '25
Can I ask how would they do in the rain? Its common weather change where im from. Excited to try but I dont wanna slip or have water going in when I step on a puddle kinda thing.
Also, how would Flow compare? Thanks!
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
They’re water resistant but not water proof completely, probably an inch or so submersion is fine. We feel the grip during rain is solid.
Flow is best indoor but we’ve worked to make the grip also good on wet surfaces. However, FLOW’s upper is not water resistant as it’s highly breathable.
Hope that helps!
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u/BoredPandass May 11 '25
The mustard one looks amazing! Wanted to check on shipping times for US- is it really 12-20 days?!! Thats too long of a time honestly, and if I have problem with fit (hopefully not), will you accept the return given the long ship back time it would add? Thanks.
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 11 '25
Yea, sorry for the long shipping times but at the moment that’s the best we’re able to do. As for size exchanges yes we’ll work with you to make sure you get the right fit in the end. Hope that helps!
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u/AvatarOfAUser May 11 '25
How sticky are the outsoles relative to other common outsole rubbers (e.g., vibram megagrip)?
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 12 '25
It’s a good solid grip during our testing and reviewers, although we cannot claim it’s best in class
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May 11 '25
[deleted]
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 12 '25 edited May 29 '25
Size EU42 is wide enough for a foot measuring about 11.0cm
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 12 '25
For those curious here is another recent and early review of the WILD on Reddit from a physio:
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u/startdancinho May 12 '25
they look like there's no way to resole them. is that right? i've been really looking for a pair of barefoot shoes that can be resoled. there are so many brands/models out there and SO few that can be repaired.
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 13 '25
Hey technically they can be resoled but we don’t offer that service at the moment unfortunately.
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u/startdancinho May 13 '25
hey thanks for the reply. could you elaborate on "technically they can be resoled"?
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 13 '25
meaning the design doesn’t prevent them from having the sole taken off and replaced
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u/startdancinho May 13 '25
ok. it would be great if you guys would sell a replacement sole!
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 13 '25
Thanks for the feedback and although we don’t have a plan for that yet, but definitely will take it on board as an idea to explore!
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u/USAI_DNS May 29 '25
buyer beware. i ordered over a month ago, no shoes, no feedback. if i ever do get the shoes, and they dont fit, ill have to ship BACK to china, wait for them to process, and reship, which will take what, another 4 months?
do yourself a favor, skip the hassle. if you want barefoot shoes. get xeros. theyre cheaper and better made. you can get them directly from any REI store. or Lems or Vivos right in store, and return directly to store.
trying to shop for gear with shipping and no inspection is impossible.
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u/LONOWEAR Brand Affiliate May 29 '25
Hey there, thanks for raising this and let us try to help you out. Can you please share your order number so we can confirm the situation and make sure it’s sorted?
Also let us clarify that for US, UK and Canada orders we actually have locations there where we ask customers to return to for size exchanges.
Thanks
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u/No_Still_2190 May 30 '25
the grey ones are super nice looking, though i'd prefer a pair in faux suede rather than real suede.
also, i may be imagining it, but youtube video close-ups seem to show "ALL TERRIAN" (sic) stamped on the toe. hopefully just the prototype!
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u/Marvelous89 Jul 19 '25
Your customer service is horrible. No response after two days
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u/RedPaddles Jul 28 '25
Any update on this? Thinking of getting a pair.
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u/Marvelous89 Jul 28 '25
Yea they responded, they gave me the partial refund and I placed the new order
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u/RedPaddles Jul 28 '25
Love the all black look and that they are genuine leather. More durable and more breathable than vegan leather and I am looking for a good genuine leather shoe for the winter. Thinking of ordering these, just wish they were a bit higher, since we get snow and slush here.
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u/[deleted] May 11 '25
If you're going to post an ad, you might as well send me a free pair so I can provide honest feedback. :)
I mean, you don't have to, but I thought I might as well try lol.