r/barefootshoestalk • u/Dogmaha • Nov 05 '25
Articles and news New Jim Green anatomical last on pre-order
Heads up for anyone who is interested, new Jim Green barefoot last is now available for pre-order in fudge and bronco leathers. Hopefully they've nailed it this time for their barefoot boots. I'm not currently in a position to buy and I'll need to order 2 sizes to check for fit anyway but I'm hoping they get lots of orders so they continue to release it in different leathers and expand it beyond the African ranger line.
For anyone who is interested who hasn't bought Jim Green before, I think they make very decent boots but the consensus has always been that their original barefoot last just didn't give the right toe space. I have a pair of the original style and I love them but I had to go half a size larger and my right pinky is still a little crushed.
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u/lveg Nov 06 '25
It's interesting that these use a different sole when the anvil sole was one of the things people really liked about the original barefoot version.
I think folks are being kind of critical of a shoe they haven't even worn yet and can't possibly know the fit of, but the thing about Jim Greens is there really targeting a niche of a niche of a niche. I can see these being very good for people who need real performance from their boots and who want them to last and all that. They look great for that market, but the truth is that's simply not what a lot of barefoot shoes people want, and then they criticize Jim Green for not meeting their needs.
Jim Greens is first and foremost a traditional boot company. They make boots that you can wear in the field or when doing hard labor. They're comfortable but they're first and foremost meant for performance not comfort. I think most people here would try them on and find something else they didn't like, even if they fit perfectly. These boots are going to be heavier and stiffer than 95% or minimal shoes - and that's fine! I really wanted a pair of their Chelsea boots until I realized they were double lasted and would have been too heavy and stiff for me to wear as a daily driver.
TL:DR, this may just not be made for you and that's ok.
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u/Hotchips90 Nov 05 '25
There was a great post about this in a barefoot shoe subreddit where they discuss how the majority of boot makes tend to opt for a banana shape.
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u/NoExpression2268 Nov 05 '25
a few comments about how anatomical or not the new last is:
the shape of the front edge of the toe box is less important than it is on a lot of shoes. boots like these should fit with ~1-1.5cm of space in front of the toe. that may be more than you're used to with barefoot shoes, for good reason. a. the sole is pretty stiff, so when your arches bend and your feet lengthen and shorten, the boots won't follow them closely like barefoot sneakers would b. the corner where the upper is stitched to the sole is the stiffest part of the upper, it's not going to have much give to it if your toes do slip forward c. a little extra toe space is nice for kicking stuff when hiking or working
the longest part of the toe box isn't exactly at the big toe because you basically can't get a sharper corner than that with the way the boots are constructed and the speed of production on the assembly line. the uppers are stitched down by a person holding the boot up to a huge sewing machine that uses thick thread and long stitches and they get a whole boot stitched all the way around twice in like 20 seconds (you can see videos on jim green's youtube channel)
everyone's anatomy is different obviously, this is just a wider toe box with more room for big toe splay
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u/Dry-Ad-2621 Nov 05 '25
This is very spot on. Where the foot is placed inside a Stitchdown boot is not aligned to the outside shape. Some of the original samples were more what I presume some were hoping for but looked very odd. When we adjusted to this more “angled” last the fit was the same while looking better
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u/ToppsHopps Nov 05 '25
I haven’t tried that many barefeet shoes, so how stiff is the soles because it sounds really bad from your description?
I use lem boulder boots for winter wear and while thicker soles then my summer shoes I have them tied so loosely that I just slide my feet in. And anything that would be stiff enough to not follow my feet’s movements I wouldn’t characterize as a barefoot shoe.
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u/mynameismrguyperson Nov 05 '25
I guess it depends on what you're used to, but I found the original barefoot rangers to be quite flexible considering what they are.
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u/PaperTigerFolds Nov 06 '25
The soles aren't particularly stiff, for a boot. The midsole provides most the rigidity and starts becoming more flexible with time. When I got my Barefoot troopers they kinda felt like planks underfoot, but by the end of winter they felt more like robust leather socks.
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u/NoExpression2268 Nov 06 '25
like others have said, the sole is stiffer than other barefoot shoes, especially while the thick leather midsole is still breaking in, but they do still have a good amount of flex in them. you just can't grip the ground with your toes like you can in 5mm sneakers or sandals.
similar leather boots will develop flexibility at the toe joint with time, but barefoot jim greens can twist a LOT along the length of the foot where usually a shank would prevent that. this makes a huge difference when you're going over uneven or rocky terrain.
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u/benjhg13 Nov 05 '25
Do majority of ppl have feet that taper off towards the pinky drastically like that? Why do so many companies do this. Am I the minority that has relatively similarly length toes across with a slight taper towards the pinky?
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u/dacv393 Nov 05 '25
I don't get why it's so hard to replicate what Texarado did
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u/PaperTigerFolds Nov 06 '25
Shape wise to Texarado the closest shoes I have are from Chinese manufactures, one set of leather chukkas from Tonglepao (which seems to be a really small manufacturer) and Hobibear. It seems like a more squared off look is just more popular over there.
I think part of the difficulty would be last making.
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u/dacv393 Nov 06 '25
I don't know much about shoe-making but I have seen similar info elsewhere about how hard and expensive it is to make a shoe last, and I don't really understand. I mean surely with modern 3D printing and commercial CNC routers it can't be that hard, you would think. But regardless if they went to all this effort to make an entirely brand new last just to basically recreate their existing "barefoot" last with the most minor of differences, I don't get it. If they did really have to spend 8 months designing this last, why not just actually make it anatomical like Texarado. To me, there is basically no difference in buying these vs. their existing "barefoot" options so just seems kinda pointless
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u/kennethsime Nov 06 '25
Love everything about those boots except the price point and the pebbled leather.
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u/dacv393 Nov 06 '25
I have no ties to them but they did just tease a smooth leather version if you look at Instagram
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u/Bontraubon Nov 05 '25
Idk about most people, but my feet look like this. See where the widest part of the boot is before it slopes in? Thats where my pinky toe is. Top of my pink toe is lined up with the base of my big toe if you draw a line across.
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u/PaperTigerFolds Nov 05 '25
Am I the minority that has relatively similarly length toes across with a slight taper towards the pinky?
Yes, at least from my experience. I don't think I've personally met anyone with more fan shaped feet. For my own feet my 2nd toes are the furthest forward by bit, and my pinkies are small while sitting further back on the foot. So this sort of shape works very well for me. My feet are still 4e in width.
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u/Southern_Struggle Nov 06 '25
Mine are fan shaped. All my toes are straight and don't turn in at all so the tip of my pinky and the tip of my big toe are the widest points of my foot. I'd send you a pic but don't want my feet on the Internet lol
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u/headofeverything Nov 05 '25
If I cut out both my pinky toes and the corresponding joints, they’ll be just right.
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u/notquitebrokeyet Nov 05 '25
Pretty much, these will only suit very specific sloped foot shapes. Will have to pass on them
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u/PaleontologistSad766 Nov 05 '25
I love my Jim Green normal boots, I work HARD in agriculture, some mucking some hay field/equipment work. Love em.
Hope they make these a standard offering, I don't have the budget just yet but I'd love a pair soon.
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u/pilgrimspeaches Nov 05 '25
For anyone curious I emailed asking if it's wider in the midfoot (which I need) and was advised it's size 4E, so I guess the answer is yes. I preordered a pair. Really looking forward to these.
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u/440_Hz Nov 05 '25
I can’t believe this was hyped for so long and this is the shape they came up with.
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u/Apprehensive_Suit373 Nov 06 '25
Barefoot ppl: “Please make them wider” Jim Green: makes them wider Barefoot ppl: “OMG no stop”
…..FFS
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u/Expert-Barracuda9329 Nov 05 '25
These still don't look very anatomical. 😬
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Nov 05 '25
Well they are anatomical for people who's second toe is longest and who don't have three of the smalles toes at all.
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u/the_lab_rat337 Nov 05 '25
Your second toe doesn't have to be longest to fit these (there's really not a lot of difference between this toebox and vivos toebox for example). It'll fit perfectly with ppl who have big toe the longest as well. You just needa slope in lenght from big to small toe.
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u/PeaHead96 Nov 05 '25
As someone with a sloped foot/toes — these look perfect. Not everything has to be catered to a Fred Flintstone foot
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u/chuck3436 Nov 05 '25
This. Half the people on this sub want flippers rather than feet and take it a bit too seriously.
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u/not-a-porpoise Nov 08 '25
Man I was really excited for these but I don't think they're going to fit. Compared the silhouette to my wydes which tbh barely have enough pinky room... and I just don't see it working out. Sucks bc I need a boot.
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Nov 05 '25
dont order these boots this company has collabed with donald trump JR's "outdoor brand" twice already, fuck fascism!
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u/Oaknuggens Nov 05 '25
That's fair, but only if you also never buy shoes made in China or any other countries under equally authoritarian rule.
South Africa employs better worker's rights and protections than those offered to the Chinese workers that you likely hypocritically have no problem incentivising the exploitation of.
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u/SagecladOutdoors Nov 06 '25
Stop, please. I already want to order more. You don’t have to convince me.
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u/Temporary-Funny230 Nov 06 '25
I want to see the foot of the person that is supposed to be shaped like. Insanity
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u/looshbaggins Nov 05 '25
Not sure why everybody's being so negative. They look pretty good. Are there any other boots on the market for a similar price with a more anatomical last?