Swale

These are honestly some of the comfiest shoes I've worn in years! These are my first minimalist shoe so there is obviously an adjustment period but even with those aches and pains, These are easily the comfiest.

I bought a size down (bought 10 but normally 11) and they are maybe a tad big still. My next pair I'll try a smaller size still as I notice slight toe dragging because of the extra material at the front.

I spend much of the summer barefoot, both in town and out in the country, but I needed something for those times when shoes are required, even if only to stop other people taking it upon themselves to give me ignorant advice on something I've been doing without issue for decades. These Swales only partially replicate the true barefoot experience, but I find them very comfortable and light, and I retain the speed and agility that comes with walking barefoot. The mesh keeps my feet comfortable even when it's very hot, but of course it also means they are not waterproof. In practice I had no problems with rain or wet grass, with at worst my wool socks becoming only slightly damp. Wool retains its insulation properties when wet, and of course there are the options of waterproof socks or no socks at all. No socks at all works fine, but for me it's not as comfortable, and compared with truly barefoot I found that my feet only slowly dried after I waded through a brook. I've just spent two weeks cycling and walking in the Swales, and apart from one easily fixable problem, I absolutely loved them. And when I was able to go truly barefoot, I could squash them into whatever space was in my bag without them being a burden, something that doesn't work with traditional shoes. The one easily fixable problem is the laces; they are way too long and not very grippy, so they kept snagging on things or simply untying themselves. That was sufficiently annoying for me to knock one star off my rating. Another minor issue is the Swales are slightly too long for me personally, but that hasn't proved to be a problem in practice.

A very generous shoe. Extra light, but seems durable enough. I've bought it to be an allrounder. So far - very happy. Please note the sizing though. I also have Zennors 2 also size 43, but Swales feel much wider and a bit longer, although the numbers seem to be exactly the same. I truly recommend - both!

I ordered the Swale together with the Keld, and both arrived today. The Swale impressed me right away — super light, comfortable, and with exactly the space my feet need. It only took about five minutes to get used to them.

Usually I don’t like boot-style shoes, but this is my first pair and they’re perfect. They will be my main shoes for hiking, with the Keld in my backpack as a spare in case my feet need a change.

I normally wear UK 11.5 in other brands but went for UK 11 in the Swale. The fit is absolutely perfect — brilliant from the first step.

Thanks Freet, for another pair of perfect shoes.

Ich habe hier gleich 2 Paar gekauft und hatte vorher die Rezensionen gelesen, dass diese Schuhe sehr groß ausfallen. Normalerweise habe ich Schuhgröße 38,5 hier passt Größe 37 einwandfrei. Für normale Größe 42,5 haben wir Größe 41 gewählt und auch diese passt einwandfrei.
Die Schuhe sind toll, luftig leicht und man kann gut damit Wandern. Durch den hohen Schaft kommen auch keine Steinchen in den Schuh. Super im Sommer, wenn man durch Wald, Wiesen und Feldern unterwegs ist, entweder mit Hunden oder Pferden oder auch ohne.