Esk

I have been wearing barefoot shoes for the last few years and my brother has been living in Spain for the past few months and walking a ton, so I decided to buy him a pair of barefoot shoes for Christmas. It's only been a few weeks since he's been wearing them, but he already loves them! He said they feel as comfortable as being barefoot (of course lol) and that there hasn't been any break-in period. These look great and you could wear them out on the trail or walking around a city, which is what I wanted for him. Would highly recommend these!!

Probably sounds like an exaggeration but these actually make walking pleasurable, the ground feel is a joy, like a novelty that doesn't wear off. I like to brush them with dubbin to keep them looking waxy. I have put cord locks on the laces and cut off the excess, so i can whip them on quick for the garage or around camp or lock them down for offroading. Dunno what the Esk 2 is about (haven't watched the vid) but that sole looks like a retrograde step (typical of shoe manufacturers to meddle unnecessarily, which i had hoped Freet wouldn't do as they looked to have the confidence to stay true to minimalism). The grip on the Esk 1 is amazing, yes it's not the aggressive lugs typical of most waking boots but the black compound itself is grippy and the amount of flex and ground feel allows your feet to do the work gripping the terrain (especially if you know the subtleties of weight distribution, such as nose-over-toes going down hill). The other thing about the Esk 1 sole is the large spaced lugs clear mud much more readily than skinny closer lugs like on the Esk 2, so i personally would avoid them as they look like they would retain mud. In summary, extremely comfy, extremely grippy and good looking.

After many years and brands of barefoot shoes this has become one of my favorites. A great combination of understated good looks, versatility, quality and function. Great as an everyday shoe. I live in a rural community and my day varies from walking on dirt roads to going into town or the office. They can be worn with casual office attire or as an everyday shoe with a variety of looks. My only gripe would be that they're only available in the beautiful brown. Would be nice to see them in black or charcoal.

this review is for size 46.
I tested this shoe extensively on a multi-day hike in lower mountains. It´s very comfortable and there´s plenty of space for your toes.
I had to experiment a little until the shoe lacing felt right, but then the shoe was very comfortable to wear. I prefer a soft sole in barefoot shoes because that's what I think the point of such shoes is. This sole is soft but offers enough protection even on rough and sharp stones.

The only disadvantages I have identified are:
1. Waterproofing – after a certain amount of rain, the shoe becomes saturated and water gets in. But that was to be expected. You don't need to worry about short showers. Even longer walks in wet grass are no problem.

2. The tongue: The tongue is very thick, which certainly adds to the comfort, but if you want to tie the shoes tighter, you have to try around for a while until they no longer pinch anywhere.

All in all, I am very satisfied and even after 30 km I didn't feel like I had to take my shoes off quickly, as is the case with classic hiking boots.

I recently discovered Freet and now own three pairs, these, Feldoms, and Richmonds. I also find these run true to size, even slightly shorter than the Richmonds and Feldoms but not narrower. Because of the sizing recommendations, I ordered 42s but had to send them back and get 43s like my others. I have about an index finger's width space in front of my big toe in all three, maybe slightly more in the Feldoms and Richmonds, and I am usually a 9.5-10 in most US brands. The toe boxes in all of these could actually be a tad more spacious for me, but they are comfortable for everyday wear and exercise.

I am very excited about these because they are very similar to my former all-time favorite shoe, the original Merrell Tough Glove. The construction and quality of the leather seems very good. Keep up the good work Freet.