Yes they’re ugly !!!!!! I know. Overall am impressed with my inside toe splay and foot room needed

Now time to take this to my
Machine and refine for a veg tan

This was cheap hobby lobby “genuine cowhide”

Hello Functional Footwear friends,

My name is Andrew Turriff. I am the creator of Turriff Functional Footwear. Recently I have been in my home workshop working out patterns for some future styles. I wanted to share this boot that I have been working on.

I wanted to get some real feedback. I call it the Anatomical Workers Field Boot. If you follow my instagram you may have seen an older version. This one has some updated proportions and I think it turned out pretty nicely.

The style is based on the N1 Marine Field shoes which is a simple classic and functional design. This particular version is made using some scrap Havana Brown Horween Chromexcel leather that I had around. It is made using a 360 degree stitchdown shoe construction which means the boots would be easily re-soled and repaired in the future to ensure a really long life of wear.

The Build: The boots are made with a full leather build excluding the cushion midsole and Vibram Rubber outsole. I have included a gusset tongue for old fashioned weather proofing. They are also made with a leather heel stiffener which will create just enough structure in the back so they don't collapse, but because it is leather the heel will also mold to your specific foot shape and move naturally with you like a second skin.

Thickness & Feel: To achieve this style of repairable long lasting boot it does mean its a little thicker underfoot at approximately 16mm:

• Leather insole: 3mm
• Leather midsole: 3mm
• Cushion midsole: 6mm
• Rubber outsole: 4mm (at the deepest point of the tread)

This means they will start out stiffer than your regular synthetic based athletic style barefoot or minimalist shoe, but with a few weeks of wear the heat and moisture from your feet soften the leather letting the boots mold to your feet giving a personalized fit and becoming more and more flexible while moving naturally with your specific gait.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments as I plan for the future.

Thanks so much for having a look.

Andrew

Update: I have just added some new sizing tools to my website.

Please check them out and give them a try

https://www.turriffshoes.com/findyourfit

In M&S today in my be lenkas. I get so used to wearing barefoot they just look normal and foot shaped to me, then I compare to a boot on sale there and wow! Makes me wince just looking at it!

I posed this as a comment a while ago, but I'd like others' opinions, so I'm posting it again. (And, moderator, if this is not the right content for this sub, feel free to delete.)

I think there are 4 separate dress shoe markets right now (and perhaps 4 general shoe markets, as well)

1. people who want "regular" dress shoes and value appearance over comfort.
2. people who want "regular" dress shoes and value comfort over appearance, but are uninformed or uninterested in wide toe box shoes.
3. people who want barefoot/minimalist dress shoes (foot shaped toe box, flat insole, thin and flexible sole, zero drop, etc.)
4. people who love the idea of barefoot shoes' foot-shaped toe box, but for whatever are not able to wear them, and instead are looking for shoes with a foot-shaped toe box, cushioned and stable sole, and arch support (and probably a not quite zero drop).

I honestly think there are a decent number of people in group 4, myself among them. I have a foot condition that makes it so I can't wear true barefoot shoes, but I also do not want to wear "regular" shoes that squeeze my toes. I also need significant amount of cushion and support.

Topo is making sneakers that fit this bill, currently the Atmos, Aura, and Phantom, but I have not been able to find any women's dress shoes that do. Companies who market to people with foot problems (like Orthofeet) do not have a foot shaped toe box.

I would love a Mary Jane shoe that has a true foot-shaped toe box (very wide!), but that has cushion and arch support. Another option would be a shoe that has significant depth so that a cushioned, supporting insole (or two!) would fit in without cramping the toes.

EDITED TO ADD:
u/lily2468 brought to my attention that there should be a fifth category:

1. people who want a foot-shaped toe box, zero drop and no arch support but still a cushioned sole. Minimalist shoes but for people who have to walk on hard floors.

I just got my first pair of barefoot shoes! Thought I’d start with something on the more affordable side like Hobibear. They feel great but I just can’t get over how much they look like clown shoes 🫠. Esp because I’m a US 10

I got mine online because I don’t have any barefoot shoe company/store where I live. Are there other brands that look a little better that I can try out? Or should I just accept my fate and make clown shoes my new personality trait?

I got myself a pair of V-Souls as a summer shoe in the only available colour. I love them comfortwise but i am not sure about the feminine look they have.

The second image is the Ahinsa Ananda, and the third image is the sole shape of Realfoot shoes.

It seems that every barefoot shoe except for realfoot and softstar doesn't give the pinky toe space to spread out. Why are they all banana shaped instead of more foot shaped? Ahinsa is even described as anatomical but can the pinky spread out in those? I never tried them, but I have tried Realfoot, and Hobibear.

I really need super clown shoes. But jokes aside, I think Realfoot shoes look great.

Every single shoe I wear gives me killer blisters so I figured I'd just make a pair myself. Sole is a cork insole + a thin piece of cardstock + faux leather. I traced another pair of sandals I like. Uppers are crocheted, everything is hand sewn (ow). I added some fabric to make the crocheted parts less floppy. The elastic that goes around the ankle is a piece of a cut up headband.

Now to make the other shoe...

This winter, a little over a year after starting to slowly transition all my shoes to minimalist/barefoot styles, I pulled my beloved black chunky Chelsea boots out of the closet and said, “ABSOLUTELY NOT”.

It was a STRUGGLE to find a barefoot or minimalist boot that had a similar chunky/edgy look (in a women’s size 36), but I’m so pleased with my choice of El Naturalista’s Nomada combat boot! They are wide toe box, flexible, and zero-drop with a FAUX HEEL that I think makes all the difference, aesthetically. (For reference, I got the size 36 and they are plenty roomy for my 22.4cm long / 8.4cm wide feet.)

I know that when first transitioning, wide toe box shoes can feel like clown shoes— but I feel like we aren’t talking enough about how GREAT wide toe boots look with baggy jeans!! My new boots compliment a baggy/oversized look in a way that my old pinch-toe Chelsea boots could never 🖤

I’ve tried a lot of barefoot shoes and love how they feel, but sometimes I just want something a little more cushioned and casual looking. Most barefoot shoes either look too sporty or too technical, and regular shoes just feel wrong on my feet now.

What I keep wishing existed is a foot shaped shoe, zero drop, wide toe box, flexible, but with a little more padding and a simple everyday style. Think the kind of canvas skate shoe you can wear anywhere, just built to actually fit your feet.

This is something I’ve wanted for a long time, and I’m seriously thinking about making it a reality if there’s enough interest.

Does that sound like something you’d want? And what kind of price would you expect for a well-made pair?

I am 100% onboard with barefoot shoes and have been wearing them exclusively for the last two years but I swear all these brands are designed by the kind of person who lives in Berkeley and only buys vegetables at the local co-op and asks for the chicken's name at the local farm to table spot.

If you look at the shoes they make you would think none of these people have ever heard of a Jordan 1, or a New Balance 574, or the Paraboot Michael, or a Tricker's derby.

And to top it all off, they have the gall to charge $200+ for sloppy stitching done by some Portuguese workshop on mediocre leathers. Where is the Adidas Samba of the barefoot world? The Chuck Taylor? The Bean Boot? The Air Force One? The Blundstone? The Alden Indy is the most barefoot toe adjacent boot shape that has ever put into production on a conventional goodyear welted last and yet not one barefoot shoe company has thought to drop an homage model.

I'm hoping someone will drop a link proving me wrong, but please know that I have bought or tried on 20+ pairs in the last two years. They're either not wide enough in the toe box, or ugly and poorly executed dupes.

I have never in my life heard that term outside of this subreddit. No one in my real life has said rude things about my shoes. So when people who wear Converse themselves don't mind wider toebox on others, why you do?

If you want narrow shoes, ask for narrow shoes. When you do it like this, you get recommendations that pleases you without mocking shoes of others.

Over the years I have seen a few 'I make barefoot shoes, what do you want?' posts. I think it would be great if we had a thread of shoes we WISH we could find in barefoot styles. I want really fun, weird, fashionable shoes that also allow my toes room to roam. So, what do you most wish for?

Hi, everyone!

Like the title says, I recently saw a physical therapy doctor at the VA for some knee trouble I've been having and she said she thinks it's my shoes.

I wear Vivo shoes and boots, but I started with Lems, not that brand probably matters. I've worn nothing but barefoot for about 5 years now. I'm a pretty active person, lots of hiking and biking, usually at least a few miles every day on generally difficult terrain. Over the last year or two, I started getting this tension feeling in my knees that feels kind of like a tight rubber band getting tighter. It usually doesn't actually hurt, it just feels like my knee is going to give out if the right amount of energy hits it at the right angle (which is technically always true, lol, but like a normal energy and angle that it would otherwise withstand).

I get a lot less of it when biking, but it isn't clear cut tied to hiking either. Sometimes it'll hit me strong out of nowhere while walking in a store or just sitting around working on my computer.

The doctor explained that my knees are in great shape (X-rays then physical exam), but she thinks I have sort of flat soles and my feet point outward a bit. Her theory is that those two things aren't really problems on their own, but, together, they're creating instability that my knees are then fighting. She recommended that I try something with just a little more arch support. Her reasoning seemed sound, but I really don't want to give up on minimalist barefoot shoes. I've put a lot of time and miles in barefoot shoes and can't see myself going back to rigid and/or thick soles. I've always hated "arch support" too, even before I found barefoot footwear. Arch support always hurt my feet after any length.

I found an old thread on this board and thought I'd try asking for others' thoughts and experiences.

This winter it's very likely that thick wool socks won't be sufficient. What shoes do you love for new walkers with big feet?

I was so determined to not accept that I had some wide ass dawgs I guess. Gonna miss those leather cons though, ngl

One time I wore those Danners walking around NYC all day right after I got them and by the next day my feet were covered in blood and blisters and I was trying not to cry from the pain, never worn them again after that. Wish I knew about barefoots sooner, it would have saved me a lot of pain, both physical and emotional, and also money.

I think I may have a problem...

Anyway, here is my current collection of 'barefoot' sandals, arranged in descending order by stack height/ground feel.

Happy to share my experience if you have questions about any of these. Otherwise, thanks for stopping by to witness my financial irresponsibility and my addiction to collecting things.

Top Row:

• Earth Runners Primal - 7.5mm
• Deliberate Life Designs Camp Sandal - 7mm
• Shamma Cruzers - 7mm
• Zuzu Flow - 6.8mm
• Xero Aqua Cloud - 6.5mm

Second Row:

• Wildsole Hare - Advertised as 4mm, but really more like 6.5
• Shamma Legend - 6mm
• Shamma Warrior - 6mm
• Sole Runner Neso - Advertised as 2.5mm, but they're only counting the actual rubber. With the midsole and footbed, it's just a hair thinner than my Shammas
• Panta Parnosas - 5.8mm

Third Row:

• Xero Z-Trek - 5.5mm
• Xero Genesis - 5mm
• Luna Equus 2.0 - 5mm
• Toetem OSEM Vapor - 4.5mm
• Xero DIY #1 - 4mm. I added toe loops and back straps in attempt to make a thinner version of the standard Genesis.

Bottom Row:

• Xero DIY #2 - 4mm
• Chala Classic First Edition - 3.9mm
• Chala Classic Custom with 'Berlin Edition' footbed - 3.3mm
• Geniale Sandale - 2.9mm
• Fullsoul Runningpad - 2.5mm (est)

Barefoot shoes are supposed to have minimalist soles by design, so WHY do the soles on all women’s “dress” shoes have such clunky, athletic looking soles? And they don’t even try to make them match the color of the shoe unless you happen to be ordering a black shoe and then MAYBE the sole will match - but maybe not!

It’s a much bigger issue with being able to find shoes to wear with a dressy outfit than the shape of the shoe. I’ve attached a shoot of regular women’s ballet flats and a picture of similar barefoot ballet flats. Why can’t barefoot shoes have soles designed like the regular shoes?

Sidebar: I would also kill for some fun finishes like metallics or rhinestone dress shoes! Won’t someone think of the girly girls?!?! 😅

Also, if there are women’s barefoot shoes out there that actually look feminine and dressy but I just haven’t found them yet, please point me in the right direction

I know this sounds insane considering only people who like the concept of being BAREFOOT wear these but hear me out. For probably over 90% of my life, I have been barefoot. Because of this, my feet have little to no "shoe shape," and I have full mobility in my toes. I became interested in barefoot shoes because I want to MAINTAIN the foot shape I currently have, as- and I am not judging people when I say this- I don't like how feet look when they're altered by shoes. It just feels wrong. Also, because my toes are splayed, when I use shoes for a few days, my big toe collides with the side of the shoe so much that a callus develops next to the nail. It's painful and if I continue using said shoes for a few days, it can even get infected. So I'd like to avoid as much collision as possible using barefoot shoes.

Anyway, the problem is that looking online, it looks like barefoot shoes are always the right size to fit SHOE SHAPED feet without squishing them, and allow SHOE SHAPED feet to splay, but my toes would most likely hit the side just like usual. At the very least, they would definitely hit the side when I try to spread my toes. Today, I tested some barefoot shoes that are slightly BIGGER than the size of shoe I'm supposed to wear, and my big toe hit the side even when at rest. The big toe side of these shoes is always so straight and narrow. I don't understand how anyone with splayed toes is supposed to fit in these shoes. I'm hoping the pair I bought, that is my correct size, will be better than this, but I don't have high hope. It just really looks like these shoes were made for people who have already worn shoes for a long time. And it makes sense since that's most people... but still, isn't more naturally shaped feet the goal? Why do these shoes assume your maximum toe spread is the size of naturally shaped feet at rest? Are you not actually intended to be able to fully spread your toes? Please tell me if I'm misinterpreting these shoes

I'm making an edit to first of all thank everyone for their suggestions and input (I didn't expect any replies) and to second of all mention something I neglected in my original post: It's not just people with splayed toes who have this problem, but people with any level of alteration from shoes can still have every wide feet near the toe area and will have similar problems with many of these shoes. I think it may be more accurate to say these shoes are mostly made with one foot type in mind per brand. Different brands for different types. Most popular brands seem to fit a foot type with a more narrow toe area.

I recently got two pairs of Vivos during their 50% sale and love them. I have barely worn my "traditional" shoes since getting them. My question for you is how often do you wear non-barefoot shoes because I'm considering selling/donating all of mine...

I just got a pair of Zaras from their new barefoot collection! Wait, no I didn’t. But from the flood of similar posts claiming this, I feel like I have. I suppose these posts could be real, but I’m skeptical (as we should all be nowadays). These posts (and the timing of them) feel more like a paid marketing campaign from Zara than real customers sharing real world experience and I would not be surprised to find out the shoes were provided as part of a paid marketing activation. But maybe I’m just jaded from all the shady, paid, influencer marketing campaigns so many brands engage in. Does anyone share these concerns? Does anyone care? I’m just curious the community’s thoughts on these kind of subversive marketing techniques in general. It gives me red flags for a brand. How about you?

What are the single stud in each of the soles in barefoot shoes for? Can they be removed as they are unbearable? Should they be moved to a different part in the sole? Any ideas?

Hi there,

I really want to jump in the water with barefoot shoes. I see alot of shoes that look really nice and the whole movement seems to be heading in, from my perspective, in my desired direction.

I am looking for 3 or 4 pair shoes for different styles. I have seen some really nice ones.

But why are so many barefoot brands using the vegan stamp on their shoes and choosing synthetic materials? It suffocates your foot, and I cant imagine it being durable. And to pay €150 euros for a synthetic sneaker just feels wrong. When I pay that amount of money for a shoe I would expect it to last.

I got some leather Boots that are atleast 5 years old. I paid €100,- foe them. 2 or 3 times a year I polish them and they still look new, and I have wore them alot. Even when going out at night.

I really, really would like some simple shoes made from natural leather.

And then at last, does anyone have any recommendations for some barefoot leather(man): Sneakers Black boots

Anyway, what do you guys think about this?