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.
33 thoughts on “Aintap FeelBarefoot -Affordable & Handmade Barefoot Shoes”
Not quite wide enough, sigh.
Looking at the lace up boots, I need a Woman’s size 36 or 37 for length. The 37 is 8.7cm wide … my foot is 9.2. And I’m high volume.
So, while the shoes may be good for wide feet, they’re not for extra wide. Story of my life …
8.7cm using the wall method or a tracing? Samantha has extra wide feet, she can only fit into the extra wide brands and the loafers work for her! Don’t forget that if you are using a tracing it adds some millimeter to your width, and that the insole sits underneath the foot (the upper expands out a little on the sides). Once I try the lace up boots I’ll report back on the width.
My feet are 9.2cm wide using the wall and book method. I haven’t done a tracing but I know it would be wider.
My Wildlings fit well, because the sole is designed to flatten out. My Angles ballet flats are a little narrow, I know they’ll stretch out. [The Angles are 9.0cm wide.]
I’ll keep an eye on Samantha’s fit reviews for guidance. Thanks!
Hi Liz,
I realise your comment is from a while back now, but I just want to second Guilaine’s comment – I was able to get custom sizes made (at no extra cost), after discussion with two of the shop owners (Canan and Evren) who were super helpful. Though I’m usually a 41, I ended up getting a size 42 with the width of a 44, and I am ecstatic that i finally got boots that fit, after a couple of months of failed attempts at finding any that fit my ultra wide feet!
Hi,
It seems that you can contact the owner of the shop (directly on Etsy) and he can customize the shoes. I saw several comments from the shop reviews saying that they got customized fit.
I just placed my order after discussion with the owner, so let’s see how it goes for me 🙂
Update:
I just received my order (super fast, ordered Friday, shipped Monday with UPS, and arrived Wednesday morning) and I confirm that with the modified width as per discussion with the shop owner (you quote the size you need in length and the size you need in width at the check out comment section basically), those shoes fit perfectly my very wide feet.
I have low volume feet so I have extra room, so definitely would fit even better a higher volume feet.
Hi, I have some of the lace.up boots and I think they are really cute!
My only quibble is that they are a little bit wide at heel mid foot and ankle for my feet so sort of ‘puff’ out where the zip is! They would be great for people with same width feet from toes to heel , but mine fan out!
Because I sized up?from usual 36 to 37 they are great both width and length wise, (about a cm and a bit extra)lots of room! But my foot was being pushed forward right to the end which has caused the heel to sort of ‘scrunch’ a bit like a concertina!
I’m getting there! Insole, and have figured out how to secure laces halfway so foot doesn’t slide forward so much! (The zip is good!). But I sort of wish I had stuck to my size, I think because the leather is so soft actually (not talking Luks soft, but not stiff) they would conform!
Love to hear how other people have found the boots with similar feet to mine? (Skinny heels and ankles, wide fan toes, mid volume)
Thank you for sharing this feedback! And good for people to know that sizing up might not be best for everyone. I still haven’t heard from too many people who’ve bought the boots so this is useful.
I wonder if this article needs to be corrected. I just ordered some aintap sneakers and above it says these are shaped well for mountain feet. I find they are sloped and I’m returning the shoes because there is no room for my pinkie toe.
How do you find their lace up boot style gender-wise? Too femmenine? Or pretty Unisex?
They’re very unisex. When worn with boot socks and leggings they look more feminine, but on a man they look just like your typical leather boot.
How do you see Feelbarefoot Lace up boots for Men use?
I have low volume feet. In the photos their oxford shoes appear suitable for low or medium volume feet. Or will they still be too wide?
I would say they are much better suited to medium or high volume feet. I have low volume feet and have tested quite a few Aintap shoes since this review, including more oxfords and I need to add a tongue pad in all of them because they are too high over my foot.
Hello! What would you recommend for cleaning and conditioning of their leather boots? I recently purchased their Chelsea boots, and I think the leather is similar to the shoes listed here, but not sure if I should do anything differently to them compared to, say, Be Lenka leather sneakers.
Question about the size chart, is the length the length of the actual insole? Meaning… do we add extra mm for proper fit? Each brand measures just a little different.
I am pretty sure that the size chart shows the measurements of the actual insole. But the shop owner is pretty responsive if you wanted to double check!
I am transitioning to barefoot shoes and I occasionally experience ball of foot pain. Which midsole/outsole combo would provide more cushioning? Eva+rubber or leather+rubber.
How have those two options held up for you over time? -Thanks
EVA is softer and squishier, but it does break down over time. Leather is more durable. You might consider a metatarsal pad (you can stick it on the shoe and not on the foot as shown, but the placement they show is correct – you want it right behind the ball of the foot). They can help relieve that pressure. I also like these insoles to wear with barefoot shoes.
Thank you for the suggestions! The DIY felt insole is a great idea for my size 16 feet lol. I’ll try out the metatarsal pad too! Happy Holidays! -Mic
There are not available for buyers in France, so I guess it would be the same for other european buyers. It’s important to mention that.