Aintap FeelBarefoot is an Etsy shop that carries affordable and unique barefoot shoes, all of which are handmade using old world techniques. We tested several styles, check out our review below!
Use code ANYA50 for a discount
FeelBarefoot Review
Leather | Sizes US Women’s 3.5 – Men’s 15 | $80-$120 | Ships from Turkey
Turkey boasts a long history of shoe making, but until recently you couldn’t get this style of shoe in a natural foot shape. FeelBarefoot, by Aintap Shoes, uses all the best traditional shoe making techniques, and combines it with a wider toe box that allows the toes to splay out. All shoes from FeelBarefoot are also zero drop and can be repaired and resoled as needed.
To learn more about the benefits of barefoot shoes and why we wear them, read this post.
Sole & Materials
Buffalo leather is used as the primary outsole material on all FeelBarefoot shoes (except for the sneakers, more on those below). It is extremely durable, and has the added benefit of forming to your foot over time.
At about 7mm thick it feels a bit stiff and slippery first. I spent a few minutes bending and flexing mine before wearing and it made a big difference. To address the slickness of the leather outsole, I shuffled all over some cement to rough them up and that also helped considerably.
I was unsure about them at first, but leather soles are worth the little bit of extra effort! In the photo below, you can see how the shoe has begun to take on the exact shape of my feet!
If you don’t want a leather bottomed shoe, you have the option of adding a 2mm rubber layer to the outsole. This also prevents water from soaking in if you plan to use these in wet conditions. You can also opt for a copper rivet in the sole for grounding.
The uppers are available in an impressive range of leather colors (and a handful of fabrics). If you’re looking for a specific color, there’s a good chance they have it. Metallic gold, silver, zebra, cobalt blue, bright orange, and plaid to name a few you rarely see elsewhere. If you’re more into neutrals, don’t worry, there’s plenty of basic hues too. And if you love a two-tone look some of the styles can be customized with a combo of your choices. I love my grandpa plaid slip ons!
Handmade goods are unique: When shoes are cut and made by hand there will inevitably be slight variations and “imperfections” between shoes, such as minor color differences or stitches not perfectly uniform. This is part of the beauty of the craft! We can help reduce waste in the world by not treating anything less than perfect as trash.
Sizing & Fit
For an explanation of different foot types, read this article.
FeelBarefoot shoes fit wide to extra wide and high volume feet best. They are wide throughout the shoe so if you have narrow heels you will likely need to add a heel grip. I have an extra wide forefoot, with a high arch and average width heels/ankles. Mine are a little loose around the heel area but I fill up the entire width and volume of the shoe so I don’t have any slippage.
The toe box has a slight taper at the big toe, making these best for mountain shaped feet. If you have Sloped or Plateau shaped feet, you might considering sizing up get some extra space for your big toe. The leather does mold to your foot shape over time as well.
A detailed size chart is included as a photo in each product – I chose my normal size for closed toe shoes. There is no width or shape difference between Women’s and Men’s – they are just labeled differently. For example, Size W38 = M37. So just choose the internal length you prefer and there won’t be any surprises. Any style can be made in the full size range W 34-45, M 36-50.
Loafers
I JUMPED at the opportunity to get a pair of colorful plaid slip on shoes. I was dazzled by all the leather color choices but the plaid stood out to me as a really fun casual option that also happens to go nicely with all my Harry Potter shirts ;). The plaid uppers are fabric, but it’s lined with a layer of thin leather and has a black leather piping detail around the edges. Elastic side panels means these are easy to put on and comfortable to wear. I really like them!
But since the loafers have no laces, they will most likely be floppy on people with narrow feet, low volume arches, and/or narrow heels.
Oxfords
FeelBarefoot makes the cheapest barefoot oxfords available. They look just like a traditional dress shoe and can be worn both casually or for fancy occasions. Since many of us need shoes like this for work, church, weddings, etc it’s so great to see them at an affordable price point.
Brogues
One of the most recent additions to the FeelBarefoot line up are these classy looking Brogues available in brown or black. These are really dressy barefoot shoes! They look so classy, I am really impressed. These cost a little more than the other FeelBarefoot styles, but considering the details (and that these are handmade) it makes sense.
They definitely fit high volume, like the loafers.
Sneakers
The sneakers from FeelBarefoot are the only model that doesn’t use a buffalo leather sole. Instead they have just a thin buffalo leather insole on top of an EVA and rubber outsole for a total stack height of 6.5mm.
They also have a padded heel collar that’s very comfortable, and the uppers are soft leather with leather lining. I think these would make a great transition sneaker or an option for someone who doesn’t want ultra thin soles.
Slides & Slippers
While I wouldn’t make slides my primary footwear, LOTS of people request backless options that are still zero drop and flexible for getting the mail, letting the dog out, etc. Just remember that slides can be detrimental to your foot health if you wear them while walking and/or for long periods of time.
The pictures above are shown with a heel, but you can choose no heel at checkout. You can also choose between leather lining or cozy shearling, and a rubber or leather outsole option.
Lace Up Boots
Brand new this week are these beautiful lace up leather boots with side zipper for easy on and off. Available in any color you want, these are one of the cheapest barefoot boots available. And they’re really cute too! I just received a pair and they are beautiful. The ankle portion pushes my foot forward a little bit, so I wonder if I should have sized up. But I think the leather will break in and end up working fine.
Conclusion
FeelBarefoot is a great brand for more affordable barefoot shoes that can be used for everyday life! I love that they offer dressy options, and so many colors and prints. Don’t forget to use code ANYA50 for a discount in the Etsy shop!
Some people are surprised by the sole, which start out feeling a little stiff. But if you are willing to break in the leather these will become soft, durable barefoot shoes that can be repaired and resoled as needed. And if you are concerned about slipping, definitely get the rubber bottomed sole.
Samantha is a writer/researcher for Anya’s Reviews and stay-at-home mom to 5 littles. In addition to shopping online for footwear for her family, she spends her time homeschooling, reading, weaving, and doing home improvement projects with her husband.
30 thoughts on “Aintap FeelBarefoot -Affordable & Handmade Barefoot Shoes”
Hi Samantha/Anya,
Thanks so much for introducing me to this shop! I feel like possibly this will be my go to for my next few purchases of barefoot shoes now. I went barefot over 6 years ago, and got some Vivobarefoot boots (I think the Gobi Hi II) which I finally have to admit have had their day (including one revivo repair, which honestly I thnk was the beginning of the end for them), a couple of Vivobarefoot ballet pumps and a couple of pairs of wildings (both models they no longer offer, and both pairs which I still use, but are also wearing out).
Finding new shoes and boots is always such a stressful situation as my feet are *super* wide (over 10cm, but in length only 25.5cm) and somewhat high volume as well. Over the past few months, I’ve tried Shapen Fluffy, some VivoBarefoot trainers, a couple pair of Wildings and some Lems Chelsea boots, all of which I’ve had to return or sell on for being too narrow (the Lems were just tight on my swollen ankles!).
Aintap’s willngness to customise, at no extra cost, is incredible, and their prices super competitive, so I’m made up!
Also, though this is possibly my first time commenting, Anya, your site has been such a huge source of information and advice over the years, and it’s always a spot I drop into when looking for shoe ideas. Thank you so much for what you do!
I ordered some ankle boots from this company – really cute, and I thought the ankle would be tight, but it isn’t. However, I expected the instep to be roomier since you recommend these for high-volume feet. My feet felt injured for several days after trying to wear the boots. I ordered some shoe stretchers, but haven’t tried to stretch the boots yet.
Since they are leather they will get softer and more pliable with wear. You can speed up this process by manually manipulating/massaging the leather in areas that are difficult. That should help!
I actually went to order a pair of the Broques but had to message them on Etsy because their size chart listed sizes for “6-6.5” and then one length for the two sizes, whereas their drop down menu is 6, 6.5 and 7 so I have no idea which size the length in the chart corresponds to (6 or 6.5).
Hi Anya,
I’ve messaged Feelbarefoot as their size chart is a very confusing. It lists size 37 as US 6-6.5 at 23.9cm length. However you have to choose size 6 OR 6.5 from the drop down ordering menu. Size 36 is US 5-5.5 and 23.2cm. So each European size is listed as one length but corresponds to two US sizes in the drop down ordering menu and what I would imagine is two different lengths for both those sizes. I haven’t received clear communication about the length for each US size they offer (6, 5.5 and 7). I don’t want to order the wrong length with the hassle of international shipping.
I don’t believe they are two different lengths. The length provided is the only length for that EU size. I think what it means is that if you are a US 6 OR 6.5 you would get this EU size. They do a lot of customizations, so if you gave them the length of shoe you need they should be able to accommodate it, even if it’s in between the lengths they have listed on their website. This is one shop that in my experience makes it pretty easy on you. Hopefully they get back to you soon.
I ordered a pair of Chelsea boots with the added rubber sole for durability in winter and was surprised at how un-flexible the sole was. I was expecting a vibram type sole but the “rubber” is more like hard plastic. I haven’t worn the shoes besides trying on in the house as it’s too uncomfortable. Do you know if the rubber soles wear in and become more flexible?
I don’t have as much experience wearing the rubber soles, as I prefer the leather soles. But the ones I have do get softer over time. However they have not gotten as soft as some of my other really flexible shoes. I think they’ll always be on the hard side.
Was this the rubber on top of leather or the fully rubber outsole?