By Heidi
In this Asgard Rain Boot review we look at an affordable waterproof rain boot option that is zero drop and meets my requirements for healthy footwear!
Asgard Rain Boots Review
Asgard Rain Boots | $40 | Vegan | 6.5mm Sole | Sizes US Women’s 6-10.5
Barefoot rain boots are still hard to come by, so this Asgard rain boot is a lucky find! They make an excellent rain/garden/muck boot for anyone hoping to avoid the back crunching heel and heaviness of Hunter boots. And at $40 a pair, these are pretty darn affordable for a barefoot shoe! They come in 3 different colors (black, blue, and olive), and are a classic waterproof rain boot that can be dressed up or dressed down depending on your style.
Asgaard rain boots are advertised as being lightweight and packable. Lucky for us, because that is what makes them barefoot approved! And if you need a refresher, here are the main things we look for in our shoes at Anya’s Reviews
- A Zero Drop Sole (or Completely Flat from Heel to Toe)
- A Thin & Flexible Sole
- And Toe Space
Most rain boots you find do not match those requirements. Just look below at the difference between Hunter rain boots and Asgard rain boots! I don’t know about you, but that Hunter boot on top looks more like a corset than a shoe.
Want to Know More About Barefoot Shoes? Click Here For An Explanation.
Be aware that only the Asgard boots linked in this article are completely flat, so if you have your foot health in mind you want to avoid the other Asgard options. Another important note: Sometimes the zero drop Asgard boots linked here come with a completely flat insole, and sometimes the insole has a heel lift. I am not sure why this is, but it’d be a good idea to check it when you receive the boots. Here are some barefoot approved insoles you can keep on hand for such occasions.
Asgard Rain Boot Fit
The Asgard rain boot slips on easily and allows ample room for all ankle sizes. They come in two different shaft heights that include:
Amazon does specify that these boots are not for a wide calf, with the maximum leg opening being 12 inches. There is an adjustable collar at the top of the boot which allows you to cinch the leg opening closed to keep out any water or mud. The Tall boots also can be bought without the cinchable top and a pull on loop instead.
You can see that the shorter height will be best if you have thick calves, as the tall version is not extra wide at the opening. But they are very spacious around the ankle, and I would say that they fit a medium to high volume foot best. So us low volume folks will need to add an additional insole to fill up some of the extra volume, or a leg warmer sock.
Toe space is another critical feature of barefoot shoes. You can see on the left below that the Asgard rain boots fit my shape fairly well. The open design allows for the rubber to flatten out and I had ample space for my mountain shaped foot and wide toe splay. I didn’t experience any pinching or tightness across my toes or toe joints.
But there is a slight taper at the big toe, so if you have an extra wide toe splay you might feel pressure there.
On the right you see Anya’s foot next to her Asgard rain boots. Her big toe is pressing the rubber out right at the big toe spot. Again, the thin and lightweight material makes it possible to spread out, but that pressure would get old after a while. IMO, it’s fine for when you really need a waterproof rubber boot, but if you have extra wide toes this is not ideal for long periods of time.
Click here for more on understanding foot types and the barefoot shoe brands that are good for them.
Asgaard Rain Boot Sizing
I found that the Asgard boots ran slightly large for my standard Women’s size 8 foot. This was actually not a bad thing for me as I planned to wear them with thick socks. While you may not want to size down and sacrifice toe space, if you get your normal size expect a looser fit. And if you use a boot liner, you may even want to size up!
Asgard Rain Boot Testing
I had a lot of fun testing these boots out! I wore them mostly while gardening and trying to maintain the mess that is my backyard. They ended up being the shoes I wore for almost any outdoor utility: when mowing the grass, mucking out the muddy pits my dogs insist on filling with dead branches, quickly running out on the rocky gravel to pick up lost frisbees and soccer balls, and – the ever favorite – picking up dog poop from the backyard lawn. Let’s just say, if you happen to step in something, these boots wash off REALLY easily. They also have decent traction so that you won’t go slipping and sliding in mud or slick surfaces.
Anya’s Take on Asgard Rain Boots
Oh hey! Anya here. I got two pairs of Asgaard rain boots to try out – 0ne in my regular size, and one in a size up to use with a boot liner in colder weather. Both fit pretty loosely around the ankle, so I actually need to use leg warmers in them to keep them from sliding around. This makes them really only practical for me in cooler weather, but I am set for rainy autumn days!
Samantha, another contributing author here at Anya’s Reviews, also tried out a pair of these Asgard boots. She is blessed with an extra wide forefoot and a sensitive big toe. The taper at the toe on these boots was no bueno for her! She wore them for several hours one day and was in pain afterward.
You can find my full list of waterproof and water resistant barefoot shoes in this article!
Asgard Rain Boots in Action
See the Asgard rain boots in action in this video! Plus, how I use boot liners and leg warmers to help them fit better.
And now, back to Heidi!
Asgard Rain Boot Review Conclusion
All in all, I think the Asgard Welly’s are a great addition to anyone’s shoe collection – provided you don’t have extra wide toes! They are a perfect utility boot to have on hand for those gardening needs or for rainy days, but they also are simple and cute enough to wear with a plethora of different outfits. They don’t break the budget and tick off most boxes when it comes to barefoot design. I don’t think you could go wrong with these!
About Heidi
Heidi is an admin for the Barefoot Style Facebook Group and is an Automation Scientist by trade. She discovered the health benefits of barefoot shoes while training in Powerlifting and Functional Fitness. She is a Mom to 2 kids, 2 rescue dogs, and 1 cat, and spends her free time sewing and crafting.
17 thoughts on “Asgard Rubber Rain Boot Review – An Affordable Zero Drop Wellie”
I guess I don’t have a wide toe box because I have been wearing these daily on walks (protection from both mud and bugs) for months and I love them! No discomfort. And they are super cute. 🙂
What if we not only have a wide toolbox but a wide foot in general? Would these be good for that?
I have owned these since the Fall of 2020, and while they are definitely minimalist in many ways (wide enough, very close to zero-drop), I find them extremely lacking in traction. I run a forest school program, and couldn’t wear them to work because I was slipping around too much on wet trails and wooden bridges. Pretty disappointing. Still on the hunt for a great minimalist rain boot! (I have a pair of wool-lined Bisgaards, which have been amazing! But hard to find in adult sizes.)
i love these Asgards ….. but its too tight for my daughter who has wider calfs
Any recommendations for those who have wide calf?
Does she fit into kids sizes? Bundgaard has some short rain boots that might work. You can see a full list of waterproof options in this articles. I would look for options that go to the ankle.
https://anyasreviews.com/complete-list-waterproof-barefoot-shoes-rain/
I SO wish these worked for me. I have square feet (the primal SoftStar lines feels like it was made for me) – and these feel like they squeeze my toes a bit much. They also are a bit snug going on – I have arches that are on the high side – and they are tight. Back to the drawing board, sadly!
Darn! I’m betting that within 6 months we’ll have some genuine barefoot options.
They smell rank after you wear them for a while….
I have these boots and love them but they are off-gassing a rubber\chemical smell. Anyone have ideas about how to get rid of the smell?
Sometimes I get that in a new pair of shoes, I usually just set them outside or in the garage for a day or two and it goes away.
I love these boots! They are so comfortable and the zero drop is amazing. I would definitely recommend them to anyone.
Fourteen years ago, Kamik’s Heidi used to nearly qualify as a barefoot, minimalist, zero drop, wide toe box boot (I bought them in 2008). The only thing I would say keeping it from 100% meeting those standards was the toe box not being quite wide enough. For me, it was fine – no squeezing. However, I wore those out so much they cracked at the ankle and on the top of the foot. The next pair I bought in 2018, and by then, they were narrower, had more toe spring, more heel, etc. but they are still pretty good (I still wear them). I was about to order another pair so I could have one shiny new pair and still use the older, slightly worn pair, but they have gone full out trying to copy that Hunter boot you showed in the picture. So disappointing. I ended up going to Tractor Supply and buying a men’s size 7 rubber work boots and I’m absolutely swimming in them but they are flat and don’t pinch my toes. (I wear 7-7.5 in women’s.) Unfortunately, they are not a solution for wearing in public, only in the garden. Still on the hunt for the perfect pair of glossy black rain boots.
One more thing about those 2008-era Kamik Heidi boots – I used to wear my CorrectToes with them! They fit snugly, but were comfortable. And they were beautiful boots. 🙁 It’d be nice if the company saw the need and brought back the old version, but it’ll probably never happen.
Maybe a tip for one more boot that could qualify as barefoot: Helly Hansen Nordvik 2. Very flexible, wide enough, removable soles, both for men and women, and not too expensive. It took me 2 months to find a new rain boot (I had the Urberg Lysekil before, but sadly they are not being produced anymore) and this one from HH just came and stays 😅 my last option would have been xero shoes, but they are too low and I find them expensive for a rubber boot.
Thank you for the tip!
I tried these for my son who just sized out of child size but he can’t seem to get his heel through. Any other suggestions? He has very wide feet.
Hi! The new Ranidae boot from Wildlings might be a good fit, they are a lot wider than Asgard. There’s also the rainboot from Saguaro that we really like.