Customer Reviews Vivobarefoot Kula

These are great stylish snow boots that are relatively lightweight and flexible, although they're definitely not as flexible as other Vivobarefoot shoes. I normally wear a 10 extra wide in most shoes and a 42 in Vivobarefoot. I found the 42 to be too snug in the width in these boots due to the liner. I sized up to a 43 which fit pretty well. If you have narrow feet, your normal size should be fine.

I ordered these boots mostly for their looks. They are beautiful in person, with the hints of red in the laces and the nice brown leather. I usually wear a size 9 or 9.5, so I went with the 40, only to return them for the 41. I found that the 40s felt too small (my toes touched the end) and were narrow at the toe. They don't have great arch support, but with the size up, I have room to slide supportive insoles underneath the liners. Now, with the 41s with insoles, they are wide enough at the toes, comfortable at the heel, and have better arch support! They don't have great traction, but will be perfect for North Carolina snows and for wearing after skiing.

I only wear 'barefoot' or 'minimalist' type shoes. I have another pair of short booties from Vivobarefoot, size 7.5 that I love, but they are not holding up in the daily snow trek that I make when I take my dogs out. I bought the Kula in a 7.5. True to other reviews, it is an awkward fit in the heel. I have large calfs (14") and these fit my calves no problem. If I tighten the laces up, the heel is not an issue, but if the laces are loose, the awkward fitting heel becomes noticeable. They are great in the snow as high as the boot, for both warmth and waterproof.

I got these yesterday just in time for a winter wedding I was a photographer at. It was very cold and these keep my nice and warm. They fit a little large, but will be perfect with thick socks. I like the look of them, they look like a classic, standard boot, not techy. I was surprised by how stiff they were. There isn't a ton of bend in the sole, you can roll them if you try really hard, but it's not terribly flexible. Maybe that's just not possible with a true winter boot? I did end up with a couple raw spots where the rubber base meets the upper. I'm hoping that they will get more comfortable as I break them in. My feet are very happy to be able to do their thing this winter, it's super hard to find a women's boot without a heel, let alone a minimal sole and these look like they will be great. I will try and update after some wear about the stiffness.

These are not all that flexible, and almost too narrow. But they are better after breaking them in a bit. They will keep you warm trudging through snow.

I bought these boots as a substitute for Sorels, which were all sold out in the styles I liked. I vary between a 7.5 and 8 but generally wear an 8 in boots, so I ordered the 39 as a result of reviews that mentioned a narrow toe bed and a true-to-size fit. The boots are very cute out of the box and extremely warm. I haven't worn them in snow or wet conditions yet so I can't speak to how waterproof they are. For a shoe with no real arch support, they are quite comfortable. However, as a narrow-footed girl, I should have ignored the other reviews. It's true that the heel is fairly wide but I did not find the toe bed to be narrow at all. I found the entire boot to be wide and quite roomy--so much so, in fact, that I can't imagine I would be able to wear them without the felt/fur insert (which is removable, and actually sometimes slips out when you are trying to take the boots off). I'm still trying to determine whether I should exchange them for the 38 but I'm afraid the 38s might be too short length-wise. Extra-thick socks might have to do. Overall, I would recommend these boots but they would likely be a better fit for people with wider feet.

I have 2 other pairs of vivobarefoot shoes and I've been waiting for vivobarefoot to come out with real winter boots for a while. These are so close...they look nice and would be functional, but 2 things made me send them back: the sole wouldn't provide good traction in slippery conditions and, while the boot fit well, the heel was too loose.

VivoBarefoot came so close to making the perfect barefoot-type winter boot. A shame, because winter boots are like the Holy Grail to barefooters. This boot is good looking, waterproof, and warm. The bottom is zero-drop, fairly flexible, and seems like it would have decent traction in winter weather. Unfortunately, it is crazy narrow in the toe-box, while being loose in the heel.

I have other vivobarefoot shoes (Kali) that I have loved so much I multiple pairs. These run quite narrow in the toe box but wide in the heel and mid foot. Going up a size did not help. Am returning.