Bison Bushcraft Boot or any other thin-soled walking boots.

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treadlightly

Full Member
Jan 29, 2007
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the bare-grips look great, I like the fact that they combine barefoot with a grip.....wonder how they are to wear, looks like there is a bit of a raise heel though?! and I guess combined with gaiters they would be somewhat waterproof. I am going to Ellis Brigham soon so will try them, I see they are stocked there.

Merrell have some barefoot trail shoes too, I just saw them in the Cotswold Outdoor Catalog:
http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/inde...oducts.detail/code/34110088/group/398/level/3
- not sure if they would stand up in wet weather though, as they seem to be made partly of VFF fabric (esp round the heel) but worth a look I guess, I think I will try them on next time I am at their shop (cotswold outdoors also have VFF sprints for sale in black).

The roclites are goretex lined so should be waterproof. They are lighter than the BB boots but you're right, there looks like a bit of a heel. Sound promising though. I'd be interested to hear how you find them.
 

treadlightly

Full Member
Jan 29, 2007
2,692
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If all else fails, you could try these

http://www.internetgardener.co.uk/P...den-Shoe-by-The-Muck-Boot-Co--Moss-Green.aspx


Its not as daft as it sounds. I used these as my footwear for the woods through last winter. They are warm, comfortable, flexible reasonably light (1kg) with no support and not much cushioning especially when you remove the footbed. Fairly cheap too. They suffer from being slip ons, in that they occasionally slip off (once in a bit of a quagmire was not fun) but generally they did pretty well for a garden shoe!
 

Snufkin

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 13, 2004
2,097
138
53
Norfolk
I personally don't like them but what about goretex socks in your normal prefered shoe?
 

Lou

Settler
Feb 16, 2011
631
70
the French Alps
twitter.com
If all else fails, you could try these

http://www.internetgardener.co.uk/P...den-Shoe-by-The-Muck-Boot-Co--Moss-Green.aspx


Its not as daft as it sounds.

No, it is not so daft ! - I actually was going to buy a pair very similar to these but my husband scoffed at me and told me that the neoprene makes them very sweaty. I like them and they are flat.

OK, great, got loads of options now. I will let you know how I get on. I am going to try the vivobarefoot Brawn as first choice and see how I get on, and possibly the muck boots as a back up pair!

thanks Treadlightly,
 

Snufkin

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 13, 2004
2,097
138
53
Norfolk
That they don't breathe so well so you get sweaty feet and that they are prone to leak. Good luck with your search.

Which is why I don't like them. They are also hard to dry out. But some people get on with them well...
 

forestwalker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I wish someone would make a fall-spring boot in the "barefoot" style. I think I'm going to write and see it Kero is willing to make http://www.kero.se/en/shop/show/bloetnaebb-antik/ with a flat and thin sole... That would be pretty much ideal.

Just got a reply from Kero; they can deliver with a flat sole (with 2-3 weeks lead time). Mailed asked a bit about the nature of the sole they put on them, but I think I may have my "bushcraft" boots sorted...
 

Lou

Settler
Feb 16, 2011
631
70
the French Alps
twitter.com
Just got a reply from Kero; they can deliver with a flat sole (with 2-3 weeks lead time).
Wow these are great - with a flat sole too - I think I would struggle with the thin toe space though, I wonder if they could widen the shoe at the front? I have a template of my foot I could email to them, perhaps they could work around that. ForestWalker, what about the pricing for these shoes with a flat sole - are they more expensive than 975 SEK???
 

mrcairney

Settler
Jun 4, 2011
839
1
West Pennine Moors
To all you barefoot shoe types, how do you cope in the winter or when its VERY wet? Is it a case of bare feet warming by the fire with your chosen footwear drying off? Reason I ask is I wouldn't mind trying it out.
 

forestwalker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Wow these are great - with a flat sole too - I think I would struggle with the thin toe space though, I wonder if they could widen the shoe at the front? I have a template of my foot I could email to them, perhaps they could work around that. ForestWalker, what about the pricing for these shoes with a flat sole - are they more expensive than 975 SEK???

I have asked them those very two questions. I'll report the answer here.
 

Lou

Settler
Feb 16, 2011
631
70
the French Alps
twitter.com
To all you barefoot shoe types, how do you cope in the winter or when its VERY wet? Is it a case of bare feet warming by the fire with your chosen footwear drying off? Reason I ask is I wouldn't mind trying it out.

That is one solution. The VFF (Vibram Five Fingers) I wear get wet at the slightest dampness between the toes and once they are wet they stay wet. I have two pairs of VFF Sprints and a pair of neoprene Flows designed to be used for watersports, which keep my feet warm when I am IN the water. During the summer on muddy paths and grass you can get away with exchanging one pair of VFF's with the other - letting one dry out whilst you wear the other - around camp I wear flip flops.
For wetter weather, well, I am looking into 'barefoot' hiking boots that give more protection and warmth than VFFs, and in the snow I wear mukluks bought from Merell with the insole taken out, but Vivo Barefoot do heavier boots which I hope to buy for this winter. Look on Amazon for Vivo Barefoot boots, they usually have the whole range on there, whilst the official website only has summer shoes in at the moment. Failing that, there are loads of other options mentioned on this thread :red:
 

gordonmac

Nomad
Oct 15, 2009
325
3
45
Caithness, Scotland
gordonmac.com
Not very 'crafty, but I love my Inov-8 Roclite 400 GTXs (http://www.inov-8.com/Products-Detail.asp?PG=PG1&P=5050973129&L=27)

10333.jpg


Thin, grippy soles, waterproof and VERY lightweight.
 

Pablo

Settler
Oct 10, 2005
647
5
65
Essex, UK
www.woodlife.co.uk
Just to add to the Bison shoe debate; I've had mine for 3 years. I wear them from spring until autumn every year. I literally soak them in dubbin over winter and they are extermely waterproof. They are comfy to wear and great to walk quietly around the woods.
I have the vibram sole version and they have good grip although Roger had to re-affix the sole which started to come away in a couple of places.
You should be aware that the flat soles will stretch the achilles tendon so initially it will feel strange and you may feel you are getting fatigued. I am used to them so can walk a fair distance without any bother although I wouldn't use them for hard-core hiking - but then they're not designed for that.
I've got a couple of surface cuts on the uppers but they are robust enough not to go through the whole of the leather. I've had Rogues but they are quite heavy. Its the Bison's every time for me.
 

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