This company is now closed.
**I have heard too many reports of people having issues ordering from Da Vinci that I am now recommending caution. I hope that they’ll get things sorted, but at this time I advise against ordering from them**
DaVinci Footwear is a brand of barefoot shoes with an old world feel. Made in the classic way to be re-solable and extremely long lasting, there are few barefoot shoe brands that approach this rustic aesthetic.
But DaVinci is going through a change! When they first launched in 2019 they were made with a much narrower toe box than most barefoot shoe buyers prefer. Hearing the voice of the community, DaVinci has kept all the great features of their original shoes, but increased the toe box width considerably. These new boots will be available for presale starting Saturday January 9th! Read on for everything you need to know about the new DaVinci Barefoot Boot line!
The DaVinci Brand
First things first, check out my Original DaVinci Review for an introduction to the brand and their flagship styles.
For my full list of coupon codes just for Anya’s Reviews readers, check out this post!
The Differences
Old toe box in unwaxed brown (left), new toe box in waxed brown (right).
There will be 4 main differences between the new DaVinci boots and the old ones. Those are toe box shape, outsole material, sizing, and color options. The new boots will also be made of a higher quality leather. The styles of the boots remain the same.
Toe Box
The biggest difference will be the toe box, which is considerably wider than the original. The shape of the midfoot and heel is the same, the volume of the shoe is the same.
Outsole
The new outsoles will be entirely of rubber with no split in the center. They are grippy with some traction, but I do not recommend them as a snow shoe for icy conditions.
Sizing
*There’s been some confusion with their size charts. Since writing this post I have received another pair of boots in a size 6, the same size I wore in their original line, and they are the exact same length. My husband also got a pair of the new line and they are also the exact same length as his original pair. So I would recommend sizing down a half to full size just like before.
See the bottom of the post for the updated size chart which you should use to determine your correct size (the 2021 size charts are also up on their website). See this post for help on understanding size charts and how to measure.
Based on the size chart I would say the new boots run long, but not as long as the old boots. Both my husband and I got a smaller size than we normally would in the old boots (a size 6 for me). But in the new boots I tested out a size 7. They are rather long on me and I am able to wear thick socks and an extra insole. Based on the fit of the size 7 and the size chart below, a 6.5 would be a comfortable size for me and still leave space for medium weight socks. A 6.5 is in my normal range, but it’s not uncommon for me to wear a 7 in boots, or even a 7.5 for thick socks. So compared to other size 7 boots I own, these seem to be longer. Be safe and make sure you use the size chart.
Color Options
All 3 styles will still be available for men & women, but there will no longer be burgundy. All boots will come in the following leather colors: waxed brown, waxed black, unwaxed brown, unwaxed black. Read my original review for more info on the differences between waxed and unwaxed leather.
Leather Quality
The new boots will be made with a higher quality leather that should be softer and less crease-y.
Cost & Ordering
DaVinci is a US brand and offers $10 shipping within the US. They ship internationally, and the cost is calculated based on the location. Returns are possible, but buyer pays return shipping.
During the first week of the presale the new line will cost the same as the old ($230-$250). But after the first week the prices will go up slightly to reflect actual manufacturing costs. These boots cost more to make than the old ones. Again, refer to my original review for my thoughts on the pricing and quality of these shoes. Note that there are no pictures to go with the listings of the new wide boots. On their website, click the Shop tab and scroll down past the original models to see the new listings.
The shoes should be in stock and shipping out by the end of January, but because of the strain Covid is placing on manufacturing it could be as late as February. Styles will continue to be restocked throughout the year, so if something does sell out it will be replenished at some point.
New Styles?
There won’t be any new styles released during this presale, but we can expect a low top model and vegan options from DaVinci later this year.
What about the old styles?
At this time, DaVinci does not plan to restock their older models. If there appears to be big demand, they will consider it, but right now the plan is to phase them out. They will remain on the website as long as they are in stock.
Comparisons to other major barefoot shoe brands
From Left to Right, Top to Bottom: Mukishoes, Xero Shoes, Groundies, Vivobarefoot, Wildling, Feelgrounds, DaVinci, Lems, Be Lenka, Ahinsa, Shapen Ivy, Softstar Primal
I have tested and reviewed 100’s of barefoot shoes and understand how they stack up. The above photo is a handful of common barefoot shoe brands put in order of toe box width, from narrowest (top left) to widest (bottom right). DaVinci’s updated toe box shape puts them in the category of a “barefoot shoe brand for extra wide feet.” Their old model would have been in last place, but now they are going from narrower than average to wider than average. That means they are wider than brands like Vivobarefoot, Wildling, Mukishoes, Xero shoes, and Groundies.
For more context on how other barefoot shoe brands compare to each other, read this post.
Fit Type
DaVinci lace up boots fit a medium to high volume foot. The chelsea style is medium to high volume over the arch and ankle, but shallow over the toes. I have low volume feet and am able to make all DaVinci styles work for me by using the tips I talk about here.
The leather, especially the waxed leather, requires breaking in and the shoes soften significantly with wear, but I have found all the DaVinci styles I’ve tried to rub my heel. I have a bone spur, so I use heel cushions in many of my shoes, and if you also have sensitive heels I would plan on it too.
The DaVinci Talmadge next to the Vivobarefoot Fulham, a popular barefoot chelsea boot. The DaVinci boot is wider and less tapered on the pinkie toe side.
Size Chart
*There’s been some confusion with their size charts. I am not sure if these charts are 100% accurate, but since writing this post I have received another pair of boots in a size 6, the same size I wore in their original line, and they are the exact same length. My husband also got a pair of the new line and they are also the exact same length as his original pair. So I would recommend sizing down a half to full size just like before.*
Huge thanks to DaVinci Footwear for making their shoes work for the people! And special thanks to Scott from DaVinci for taking the time answer all these questions from the community. Happy shopping!
38 thoughts on “DaVinci’s New EXTRA WIDE Handcrafted Barefoot Boots”
Hello Anya,
I very much appreciate your reviews. Just wanted to express my disappointment though with Davinci. I wanted to support a US small business (my other choice was The Drifter Leather in Europe), however dealing with them has been one of the worst customer service experiences. I wish I had checked out the reviews on Google, because it appears others have had the same experience. You won’t see these bad reviews on their website. The first pair of boots I received were perfect, except they were too big. I made an exchange, and whoever runs the scott.service@davincishoes.com email address was initially very responsive, and I received the second pair within days. The second pair of boots were significantly poorer quality regarding the leather (I have pictures if anyone would like to see), and it actually appears that I was given the “Natural” version instead of the “Waxed.” I have 10 year-old boots that have more shine than these “waxed” Davinci boots. Instead of offering to address the issue (as businesses usually do), Scott went back and forth with me in emails, told ME to treat the boots with a leather conditioner, and even stated that I “may have gotten a boot with a lesser quality piece of leather.” He told me MULTIPLE times he would look for another pair. The last I heard from him was Monday, August 9th. It is now the 19th. For a “new” pair of boots and being asked to treat them with a conditioner myself, this has been quite the hassle. And again, it’s unbelievable that I can’t get in contact with anyone from the company. I’ve followed up with emails, attempted to call with the “mailbox full” message, and even tried the website’s chat feature.
I am experiencing a similar problem. I am really hoping that people see these reviews and avoid this company. It would be even more wonderful for a platform like Anya’s to change their review and endorsement of the company based on all of these experiences. These are not isolated events.
It’s unfortunate you had issues with them too, but I’m happy I’m not the only one. I really had to question my sanity for a second lol
Buyer beware. I have purchased 3 pairs of boots from this company and I and think at this point they are running a scam. All of the boots I have received have been excellent in craftsmanship and looks, that’s not the problem I have. It’s the customer service. I returned 2 pairs of boots over 6 weeks ago and still have not received a refund. That is $425 of my money this company has for nothing. I’ve reached out to the company over 25 times seeking information about our refund. Correspondence is usually quick and friendly until they discover who I am and what I want, then they simply stop responding to me. After a month of poor communication and no results I have told them I am going to have to start leaving bad reviews so other people don’t lose money the way we have. Today I received a very rude email accusing me of threatening them. I have never experienced this from any company I’ve ever dealt with before. I have no idea what to do but it’s becoming clearer every day that they never intend to refund my money.
Thanks for sharing this. I am sad to hear it, and not sure what is going on. I have heard a few other complaints about slow responses, but I chalked it up to them being busy and understaffed. This is a much bigger issue!
Unfortunate to hear. I was researching the brand for a company history section while drafting my Lapworth review and saw the concerning Google reviews, then the comments here adding to it. I’ll make note of it at the start of my review too.
I actually got my Lapworth through a steeply discounted final sale on a sample pair marketed through their IG story. They tried to sell it through a friends and family PayPal payment initially, which I refused since that’s fraud to PayPal. Paraphrasing, I heard from the guy managing the IG that it was a cost saving measure as the company was losing money. I asked to cover the $4 PayPal fee for the proper goods and services payment (figuring I could then contest things through PayPal if anything shady happened) and he agreed. The shoes showed up in great condition and as advertised. Massive mismanagement red flag though.
Just wanted to chime in with my experience (although I see the warning at the top of the page already).
I ordered a pair of black boots, and received a pair of brown boots instead. Also, it was impossible to get my foot into the boot – the shaft (?) was so tight I couldn’t get my foot into the boot.
Returned right away, return received on July 26th… and I’d totally forgotten about it until now, and lo and behold, no refund as of August 28th. Sent off an email, will likely need to dispute with my credit card company.
It’s too bad, I was really looking forward to enjoying the boots.
Well, I just received a reply, take it however you will:
“Okay.
So here’s the deal, I am going to break it down for you. None of these made sense to me as well, which added a ton of stress on my shoulders.
I’ve gotten a response now, which makes sense. Our admin has just gone through a pregnancy and took a leave of absence that I was not aware of.
She is now back on schedule next week, and will be providing me with the details to the account so that I can manually process that myself. Unfortunately, we are a small business and I am not the owner. I am the only one here, and I am doing my best. It’s extremely hard doing 5 people’s jobs at once, but we are in the middle of a very big transition.
I am so sorry once again, and I’ll have the account login soon! Thank goodness we have a REAL answer. I appreciate you so much.”
I have had similar emails from them. I ordered back in January, finally received boots in June because “Covid caused supply chain issues”. Sure fine. Boots were enormous. Sent them back for an exchange, heard nothing back for a month. Finally started asking for a refund and have been getting similar crap for more than a month about how he is not the admin and cannot do a refund. Last week I was sent a screenshot showing money was sent through paypal, but no transaction id or anything. Still no refund.
Seems like he just drags it on until you are well past the 180 days to dispute with paypal or your credit card. STAY AWAY. Buy Lems instead, should have stuck with them.
Sorry to hear of your experience, Andrew. I went ahead and filed a dispute with my credit card company. Hopefully you are able to dispute through Paypal.
I ended up going with Mukishoes!
Just following up with my DaVinci experience. I never did receive the refund from DaVinci, I guess the admin is going through another pregnancy?
I did, however, finally have the credit card dispute resolve in my favor on Nov 1st. A long wait to get my money back, left a rather sour taste in my mouth. At least the credit company took care of me.
Ugh, so awful. I am sorry you had to deal with all that hassle, but glad you finally got your money back.
Can the soles be replaced with leather soles?
Yes, they are resolable, so you could choose all leather instead