I have worn these boots off and on for about a year now. The initial pair I received in 2025 had some issues with the outsoles separating and popped stitching after a month or so. After sending them back, I received a new pair which lasted a bit longer, but they also had issues with the stitching. Since then, I have received my current pair which has lasted me a month and a half with no issues! Returns were processed quite smoothly. Karen did a fantastic job resolving my issues and communicating expectations. I stoop, squat and walk a lot in these shoes. The new triple stitch and rivet on the upper seems to have resolved my issues with the popped stitching.
Out of the box, these boots are stiff and will require a week or so to break in. I recommend wearing the laces a bit loose during that time. I wear hiking socks with mine and the rubbing at the heel and top of foot is fairly minimal if you keep the speed laces snug. I love these boots! They are very roomy in the toe box. My feet get pretty hot, but the tradeoff is that my feet are quite safe. I work in commercial kitchens 40+ hours a week. Concrete floors and tile all day are tough on the feet, but my feet don't develop hot spots anymore thanks to these boots.
The non slip feature of the outsole.far exceeds any other brand I have tried (Keen, Shoes for Crews, Walmart's Chads). I can see it will eventually wear out, but it's holding well for now. I hope I can get them rebuilt when that day comes.
This is a much improved version from the original Chelsea safety toe 1.0 boots! I felt that original version felt a little too loose fitting in the upper portion of the boot. Version 2.0 is feels much more secure while still having that roomy toe box feel. I work in HEMS so having a boot that can offer solid toe protection and be flexible enough to get in and out of vehicles is vital. The clean, minimalistic and modern aesthetic is versatile enough to be easily worn outside of the work environment. I would highly recommend this safety toe boot!
As someone who has short but abnormally wide feet, these are an absolute blessing. I've finally now got a pair of boots that truly fit my feet - and not only do they fit but they are so comfortable. Worth every penny in my opinion. The only thing I would say that was slightly disappointing is that the boots are nowhere near the colour from the photos. The photos show them as a dark brown with hints of tan showing through, which I would have much preferred, but in reality the boots more closely resemble a dark purple, as shown in my review's photo. Still very happy overall though given how difficult it is to find boots that fit.
Have been wearing barefoot shoes for about 10 years now . Recently discovered Gaucho Ninja, and ordered their Chelsea boot for business casual use. Couldn’t be more impressed. The style and comfort level far exceeds any other brand out there! I’m on my feet for 10hrs a day and these have been amazingly comfortable. I’ve tried multiple top brands on the industry, which I was partial to vivobarefoot, but these far exceed those for the boot category! If you need a boot that can be worn casual or in an office setting this is it! Would highly recommend! Will be purchasing more in another color .
Finally a barefoot safety shoe! The quality of materials and construction is fantastic. The sole is plenty flexible, not as flexible as some barefoot shoes however for the purpose i would say its well judged between longevity, flexibility and protection. The toe box is super wide. Slightly wider than vivo barefoots that i wear out of work. Overall really happy with them, would definitely buy again
Really disappointed with these boots. I purchased them at the size recommended on the size guide, and not only are they extremely small inside the boots (even with the increased toe cap), they constrict around the ankle and pinch like nobody's business. The left boot formed a crease within a few hours of wearing them, just above the ankle where the logo is stamped and it chewed up my achilles to the point that I'm unable to wear them again. I work in dry, clean warehouse doing stock control, without any bending, flexing or crouching down, and by the end of the day I was desperate to get them off. I'm also not convinced about their durability, as within the first hour, the reflective flashing on one of the boots chipped.
The boots look great, but I can't help but feel they are a lot of money for what they are.
A couple of weeks of wearing the new 2.0 Chelsea boots and I'm really impressed with the comfort so far.
I'm a trucker so my work is a lot of driving and loading and unloading some pretty heavy wheeled cages.
The boots have been perfect so far.
I'm not sure they'd be tough enough for building sites and similar but for me they are the perfect combination of toughness and comfort.
I love barefoot shoes and the Barefoot Pals desert boots in black are probably the most comfortable ones I've worn. I also like the fact that theycan be used for less casual situations as well.
When I ordered these boots I figured they bigger toe box would make a roomier fit than my regular steel-toe boots but I never expected them to be so comfortable. The insole even though it appears thin is surprisingly soft and cushioning, the leather is sturdy and supportive without feeling constricting, and the weight difference is crazy they feel like they weigh half what my old boots did! I will definitely be keeping these boots and re-soling them when the time comes, and if you're unsure about wearing them on hard surfaces I work about 13 hrs on concrete and haven't had any issues.
These shoes are amazing, love my pair and i will definitely being going back again to buy another pair
I have been wearing these tabi for many years. I just received a new pair. Went down a size from last time to allow for stretching. The price has come down a great deal since I purchased my first pair. They are very good value for the price and I highly recommend them
The leather is much thinner than what I'm used to from shoes. It almost feels like glove leather - which leads to it feeling like a glove (nice!) but also worries that it might not be durable (not nice). It does smell nice though, and the color is magnificient.
The sole is super flexible - as I was hoping - and thin. Yet the stitches where the sole and the upper material come together don't look as refined as I would expect from a shoe in this price range.
I will see how durable this shoe is - especially the thin leather.
My feet measure: 26cm long//10cm wide//medium volume feet
First impressions: I have been using barefoot shoes exclusively for both training and everyday for five years now and this was the last thing missing. They do feel a bit stiff and heavy, but thats nothing compared to the "normal" work boots. They will need some breaking in - some pain with chafing on my left heel, but that is to be expected with this type of shoe. To me it feels like a lot of room around the toes (also above), but the shoes still stay in place perfectly when laced properly all the way up. The build is out of this world, and such a nice quality for apporximately the same price i would have had to pay for "normal" work boots.
I see some reviews being negative, but I wonder if that has to do with them not being used to barefoot and have a gate that does not work well with this type of boot yet. It does take some getting used to, and the right muscles in the feet need to be trained.
However, it would have been nice with better size guidance. I.e. info on the width and length of the insole for each size as well as how they are expected to fit on low, medium and high volume feet. I got lucky with the size, but from other reviews I can see that other people weren´t.
To summarize: I am very happy and will most likely be using and mending these shoes as long as I can.
Just got the Hattori Hanzo Tabis. they are amazing quality, craftsmanship and beauty!
Immediately became my favorite shoes.
The delivery was super fast (got them 3 days after placing order....
Thanks so much for such a great product! keep it up!!
Love the quality of the welted safety boots, but for shoes that claim to "feel like barefoot shoes", there's far too little room in the toe box. The width feels okay, but there's basically no extra vertical room for my toes.
I went to a cobbler (who, btw, took note of the nice quality of the shoes) to ask if he could take out the glued in 1cm thick anti perforation sole and replace it with something thinner. Of course this will impair safety, but I hope I will be able to wear the shoes comfortably at least.
Costumer support has been non existent. I informed about the delay on the delivery, no response. I informed about the lack of toe room and the anti perforation sole, no response.
The idea is great, but I would hold off on buying this shoe for a while.
Thank you for your feedback on both the product you received and your customer service experience. We have emailed you directly and reached out to you regarding the specifics of your order and questions and hope that you have had the opportunity to receive this reply. Please refer to this and let us know if there is anything further, we can help you with.
In summary, yes, the anti-puncture layer can be removed but it will no longer comply with our certification or warranty.
Our Goodyear welted barefoot Carpenter Safety Shoe 2.0 offers additional extra height in the toe cap to our previous version and is the widest toe cap available in a safety shoe.
We sincerely apologize that you did not receive the reassurances you required in a more timely way, we are in the process of expanding our logistics and customer service team to maintain the outstanding customer service we strive to offer and thank all our customers for their patience at this time.
I was very excited for these work boots. I opened my box, pulled out the boot. I placed my foot inside the boot and began lacing. With the first pull of the lace, a lace hook flew off the boot. This was very surprising. If the boots fall apart upon lacing, they will not survive the work day. Even worse, I immediately emailed Gaucho Ninja, within minutes of this happening. Pictures included. I have yet to receive a response. I am running out of time to return these per their return policy. This was a terrible purchase.
Construction is solid. A few stitches are a bit wonky but for the most part tidy and definitely sturdy. The goodyear welt means they should last me years, but ultra ground feel lovers be aware that these prioritize durability over ground feel. Leather is thick and smooth.
Aesthetically good enough for slacks, which many barefoot "dress" shoes claim to be, but most don't really pass as dress shoe in my opinion. I will say, I think the derby or boots (non brogue) are probably the most polished options, but I opted for these loafers as I don't need ultra dressy, and wanted the convenience of slip on. I may get the black Chelseas in the future in.
Wide toe box. I almost wish it sacrificed a tiny bit of splay for aesthetics, but I can wear these all day. Higher volume than I expected. So thin socks or barefoot my foot slides around a smidge. Wool socks is a snug fit. Might look into getting a tongue pad for a more snug fit. I got 45 EU; I am 46 (12.5) in Lems, Whitin, and Be Lenka for reference. Length and width is good, just a little higher volume than expected.
Love these Gaucho Ninja’s
Super comfy and breaking them in just fine.
Also, i live that it passes my daily ESD necessities
These shoes are amazing. A little rough to break in the heal but it’s amazing to have a well designed dress shoe that doesn’t kill my feet.
Tried to converse with customer service and got absolutely no response. Should take off a star for that but they are absolutely fantastic!
When I learned the new line of Gaucho Ninja shoes were made in China I was concerned, but I decided to suspend judgment and order a pair of the new Derby. That was the shoe I had been wanting for years. They arrived yesterday.
They look and feel like shoes made in China, and they do not compare to the earlier goodyear-welted Gauchos that were made in Spain. They are far heavier, the materials appear to be cheaper, quality control appears to be lower (small details in construction suggest this), and they do not have the flexibility that earlier Gauchos had. They are clunky by comparison to the original Gauchos. I know they are more affordable, and I suppose that may be valuable for some. But, imo, they aren't even the same shoe anymore. I associated Gaucho with supreme quality before. Now it's a different brand, imo. I hope Gaucho brings back the earlier Chukkas that were made in Spain, at least as an additional product option for those who are willing to spend a little more. It was so much better than these 2.0 shoes.
$250 great not $400 great. My humble opinion
$250 great not $400 great. My humble opinion.