Barefoot Pals · Desert Boots · Black (X-Wide)

These boots are wonderful in form and function--I was desperate to find some barefoot jikatabi because my regular performance pair (wadaiko) felt like bear traps on my feet due to the air cushion insole, so I sprung for these. I used the calculator recommendation, and the size is accurate for my feet--almost too accurate; it was like a sock the first few days. It took me a little time to stretch out a space for my gigantic big toe, but despite there being a slight bit of break-in discomfort there, it molded pretty fast. I must say, there is a lot to love about these. The leather is gorgeous, the craftsmanship is impeccable, and the break-in period was very easy--they are utterly *lovely* boots on almost every level.

However, I have a couple of reservations, and they are unfortunately big ones:

- #1: The size guide/calculator does NOT account for ankle thickness. I cannot close the top two kohaze on either boot because I have thick ankles.
- #2: Probably my biggest gripe--the kohaze fastener loops are elastic, which is a pretty significant negative, particularly if you happen to have aforementioned thick ankles, as they are already showing stretching after less than a week. I expect I will need to have them replaced in metal or velcro by a cobbler within a year, maybe sooner (which is by no means a deal breaker, just a bit of a disappointment).

All in all? Definitely worth it, with a few nitnoid things that if adjusted would make them perfect. If GN were willing to create a matching ankle extension panel for big log legs, I would probably be a tiny bit less concerned, but in particular for me the elastic kohaze loops are just a major point of weakness on an otherwise beautifully made product.

Buying these boots is a big deal for most people: the price point is really high for the regular consumer, but you buy it out of need for a wide shoe and a want to look good in it. Plus, you're supporting a small business and sustainable fashion. The shoe arrived and it was indeed extremely good looking. Tough beautiful tanned leather, perfect to be worn in for years and years to come. However, I did one mistake I didn't foresee: I trusted the foot measuring guide suggested by Gaucho Ninja. The moment I put my foot in I knew they were way too small. Waiting to get a size exchange now, and hopefully these next ones will be boots I keep forever.

Buying these boots is a big deal for most people: the price point is really high for the regular consumer, but you buy it out of need for a wide shoe and a want to look good in it. Plus, you're supporting a small business and sustainable fashion. The shoe arrived and it was indeed very good looking. However, I did one mistake I didn't foresee: I trusted the foot measuring guide suggested by Gaucho Ninja. The moment I put my foot in I knew they were way too small. The guide told me I would have a 1.5cm gap in front of my toe, but that gap barely existed. It was extremely disappointing to say the least. I also live in a country where you pay an enormous amount of tax to customs for a product bought online. That added an extra 78£ to the price of the boots. I contacted customer support the very day I got the boots and now I've waiting for an answer for the last week. Very disappointed with the whole process, but I need to point out the boots are indeed great. The rest, far from it.

Wow. My shoes finally arrived and my first impression is "these shoes are NICE". The quality is apparent, the leather is fairly heavy while supplel and it looks great and they are so comfortable, especially the insoles. I'm glad I was able to be patient. Thank you Gaucho Ninja.

Very well made and comfortable Jikatabi. I wish they had another row or two of fabric loops to make the ankles and calves tighter, but that might be because I used the size guide instead of getting my true size.

By far the best true barefoot boot you can buy. These are as barefoot as they come and the stitching is perfect. Highly recommend and please make a hiking boot!

Boots are exactly as i hoped . And exactly what i was looking for.

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

Love the look and feel of these.

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

Superb boots.

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.

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.