these shoes are so very comfortable, very well hand-crafted, and looking good - I couldnt resist and ordered more! If you want comfort and quality with timeless good looks, I highly recommend these shoes! Greetings to the Gaucho Ninja Team from 🇨🇭
Been wearing these at work for a few weeks now (technician in a ceramics department at an art school ) and they are fantastic. Definitely a bit more stiff than your usual barefoot sneakers but since they are so well safety rated that makes sense. Totally fine compromise to get the lighter weight, wider toe box , and flat inside. So much nicer than my old heavy steel toes.
The materials are high quality and they feel well made. They could be improved with a wider toe box. They do seem to have smaller sizing than other companies, so follow their size chart.
Only had them for a couple weeks, but I don't think I'll ever wear anything else. Some of the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn; frankly it doesn't even feel like I'm even wearing safety shoes most of the time. I can tell they're high-quality construction; the materials feel and look quite nice.
I have been wearing almost exclusively barefoot-style shoes for eleven years. When I started working at a job that required ASTM-rated safety shoes back in 2020, I looked all over for a solution that would work. After trying multiple US brands I ultimately went with the Birkenstock QS700 boots, which were zero drop and wide but had a bit of toe spring. They were also quite heavy. These are better in every way - wider in the toe box without being obnoxiously wide, no toe spring, a good balance of groundfeel and cushion/protection for heavy walking on concrete floors.
Wanted to put some miles on them before writing my review. Was a bit tough on my heel during the initial few wears, but nothing ridiculous. 13-16k steps/day and I can now easily and honestly say these are the most comfortable safety shoes I've ever worn. Enough space for my toes, made me realize I had grown used to them being pinched when I stood up from kneeling to such an extent that it was almost a eureka moment that this solved it. Would absolutely recommend if you're on the fence. Fit true to size. Seems to have been revised since theast YT vids, doesnt impact pinky toe on steel toe for me.
Beautiful, soft suede leather with quality stitching. I bought the 43 XWide but the wide would have done with standard thickness socks. Sizing is probably 1/2 size larger than most brands. My feet are usually 43.5 but I thought I'd gamble on 43 and it payed off
Comfy, light and almost as unnoticeable as a pair of socks.
Note to designers .. pls add pull tabs to rear and tongue (like Blundstones) The suede is so light that the boots are a bit fiddly to get into. In time for my next pair please :)
I love that you're trying to make a super comfortable, light-weight, barefoot safety boot. Most of the boot is great, but the one thing that went wrong ruins the whole deal. The upper, when laced up snuggly, pushes my foot so far back that my heel is forced over the crack/crease between the insole and the leather back, and it digs at my heel with every step. I had to buy new barefoot insoles to try and correct the problem, and unfortunately it's only made them tolerable. For the price that I paid for these boots, I'm disappointed. And it's not even worth the return thanks to the tangerine tyrant's tariffs.
These shoes a fantastic. Such a quality item. Exceptional.
I bought the black ones too and ordered safety boots too.
Vivobarefoot work shoes are in the bin
Waited a long time for the sale. Did not disappoint.
i expect a lot from them, and deliver in every way
An amazing shoe overall! I had been looking for a safety shoe that was simple and no frills and also had barefoot type features and this one was the best. You could even wear it normally and no one will know it's a safety shoe!
Perfect fit and comfort. The quality of leather and attention to detail are truly worth every penny. Another important thing was the look and they didn't disappoint in this regard either.
Highly recommend for anyone looking for a true non compromise barefoot boots and classic chukka look.
Gift for my husband, bit of a struggle with the size but supplier was spot on, sent the first pair back for a replacement. Got to say, they were of an incredible quality and workmanship- couldn’t fault them. Plan to invest in another pair in black. Delighted, would definitely recommend this company, firmly placed in my top ten 🙏🏻
Great craftsmanship. Super high quality leather that doesn't need breaking in. Fit and look is fantastic. Highly recommend for barefoot shoes people. The look is very close to classic footwear and the option to resole goodyear welted boot gives it more durability and longevity compared to average barefoot boots.
Ordered the Barefoot Pals desert boot in black. Having checked the size guide, went for the extra wide shoes in my size, which fits great. These boots are described as like gloves for your feet. That is a pretty good description - the leather is super soft and moulds instantly to the shape of your foot. They are incredibly light and flexible. At first look the boots feel a bit insubstantial - the sensation of freedom for your feet and toes, though, is awesome. These boots appear well made and I have no hesitation in wearing them all day in a casual or formal setting and for work etc. Highly recommended
The shoes I received are darker than the images but are evenly dyed. The broguing is a bit off on one shoe compared to the other, like it was stretched around the last a bit off centre.
I took a chance on these as I wear a women's UK 4 (EU37), EE width, and the size guide width of these was 9.09cm for EU37 but a bit longer than usual for that size. A major drawcard for me was the veg tan leather, not just ecologically but because it is fabulously "stretchable" and moulds to the foot well.
They are not too narrow for my feet but were evidently designed for lower volume feet than mine. It was difficult to get them on at first and they were tight around the base of the tongue which is stitched (usually results in shoes being too tight for me, much stretchier if the tongue is an extension of the vamp, rather than a separate piece stitched on). The tongue is straight so needs wearing in, even if they weren't a bit tight around my foot.
But after a couple of hours wearing them, even just sitting down and moving my feet around from time to time was enough to get them feeling more comfortable. I thought I might have to use more technical methods to stretch them but it looks like increasingly thick socks will do the job. Conditioning them should help the process along too. I need preventative plasters on my heels at the moment, which is pretty common with boots, but hopefully as they relax and wear in I won't have that issue any more either. I have thick, stocky ankles and these boots are wearing in nicely there too. Thank you veg tanned leather! If they were chrome tanned or lined with fabric they would be a lost cause for me.
I am confident I can get these super comfortable and fitting my feet like gloves due to the pure veg tan leather construction and they should wear beautifully over time and last for many years with care.
Goodyear Welted Barefoot Chukka Boots - Black - Extra Wide
I absolutely love these barefoot boots. After a short breaking in period (no blisters!!) the quality leather has become so supple that I want to wear them everywhere all the time.
I used the size guide on the website and ended up with a 43, which is what I normally have and is a perfect fit.
I’m still new at walking in barefoot shoes so my feet and legs still have to get used to the new reality, but these boots make this process so much easier, just because they feel great, look great and yes, even smell great.
I opted for the extra wide version and I have to be honest, seen from above they look a bit odd compared to other shoes because of their unusual shape, but my toes are so happy with the extra space they get that I haven’t regretted my choice for one second. And they do look so much better than most of the other barefoot shoes out there!
The only downside I can see is that I don’t know what will happen to my other shoes now. One thing is clear, I can never go back to narrow toe boxes.
Thank you so much Gaucho Ninja for being there. And thanks to myself for searching until I found you :-) and not ending up with mostly ugly, unrepairable barefoot shoes from any other brand.
I will cherish these boots and spoil them with shoe trees and good leather care products.
I love barefoot shoes, but this is the longest break-in period I've ever had with a pair. The left shoe was cutting into the left side of my foot at the base of my little toe & the tongue was cutting into the front of my right ankle and rubbed the skin raw. The upper is already peeling on both shoes, and I've only had these since the beginning of November.
I’ve been wearing a pair of these for about 4 months.
Barefootedness is great, super thin flexible sole which has really moulded to my feet.
The upper is very thin and light
The issue is really with the appearance and construction quality. There is almost no structure to the upper, which is creased and wrinkled. Out of the box it does not look like the photos which show a smart structured boot with smooth leather. Any shape is really just the foot inside.
That said they are actually durable- the materials and stitching are intact and have stayed in the same scruffy condition that they arrived in; that’s why I’m keeping them as a more casual boot than what I was expecting
Finally, a pair of Chelsea boots that are wide enough, designed for a natural foot shape and are beautifully made! I was so excited to receive them and wasn’t disappointed! Thank you Gaucho Ninja!
They are comfortable (for the first week I needed blister-prevention tape but they weren’t uncomfortable) and I can fully spread my toes which is a delight! It is great to be back in proper Chelsea boots as I’ve been wearing Vivo Barefoot, which are comfortable, but I never really quite felt myself in them day to day especially in autumn & winter as I really missed the leather boots I used to wear.
I also bought their desert boots, the extra wide are perfect fit and the suede is so soft I feel like I’m not wearing any shoes - again, a delight.
A company who value foot health and healthy movement with style!
I have only had the ninja safety shoes a few weeks but im gonna say as long as the hold up over time I WILL NEVER, EVER, WEAR ANY OTHER SAFETY SHOE BESIDES THE GAUCHO NINJA SAFETY TRAINERS!!! My feet have not
felt this good in 15yrs and I highly recommend them to anyone working long days on concrete.
Before I tell you what these shoes have done for me, please let me praise the construction of these shoes. I bought these for my job at Amazon which requires a safety toe. These fit the bill and were especially wide--even for a barefoot shoe, which fit my needs. The sole appears to be cemented on, followed by an extra measure which I don't see in many shoes--they wrap up the side of the shoe and are stitched directly to the uppers through the sidewall. You can see this in the pictures. The foot bed is extremely firm, but durable. The vegan leather, to my surprise, has held up remarkably well, bearing only surface level scuffs in the time I've had them. I used the sizing guide on GauchoNinja's website and was actually recommended a size down from my usual euro size. This being said, they fit me perfectly. The safety toe has been comfortable, and I don't notice it (I've even worn them as day shoes and was more comfortable in them than my vivobarefoot's). I bought these in October of 2025 and have put approximately a thousand miles on them in three months (I walk a lot for my job). The stitching has not frayed. The sole-cement bears no obvious signs of separation or degredation. And the uppers have no holes, but only surface level scuffing--but I'm hard on these shoes, so that's expected. I see no reason they won't last another two, three or even four-thousand miles. These are excellent shoes and the construction is superior. The only thing I will recommend you to do--should you purchase these wonderful shoes from GauchoNinja--is that you put a fan on them and air them out overnight if you walk in a relatively warm environment as much as I do. Water moisture is the enemy of all shoes and really anything manufactured or constructed.
Now for what they've done for me.
I didn't realize how weak my feet actually were until I started walking on smooth concrete 10 hours a day for my job. I bought these, convinced from research, that my feet weren't close enough to the ground or spreading wide enough in order to allow myself to naturally adjust and use the muscles of my feet to protect my metatarsals. There was an adjustment period for me. I had no arches. My toes did not naturally have a gap. I could not move my big toes independently. And I had to pay close attention to how my feet were responding and actively learn to use the tiny, little muscles to walk properly--which was surprising to me, because I thought I walked fine. The rewards for this effort were well worth it. Everyone says our feet aren't designed to walk on harsh surfaces. I disagree. I now walk 40,000 steps or 18 miles a day on smooth concrete. I have arches and can feel them getting stronger. My feet have widened considerably. I can move my big toes side to side now--as well as splay my pinkie toes. All my toes also have gaps between them. It's been three months at 18 miles a day on concrete in these shoes to get to this point. My feet still hurt. I still have to pay attention to my feet. But I'm very encouraged to see improvement every week. I highly recommend anyone who's in a similar position as me (walking so much on such hard surfaces) to embrace getting closer to the ground and widening and strengthening your feet and your arches.
p.s.
I'm planning to have a custom pair made from GauchoNinja down the line because my feet are now naturally wider than the insole--which again, is already especially wide for a barefoot shoe. And did I also mention that these shoes look great, and I have received several compliments on them? Cheers!