Ive had a pair of the Bramfords for a few months. Both shoes started squeaking at 1 month and are completely unwearable now. Doesnt matter how good the leather is if you sound like a clown wearing them. Shoe trees didnt help at all. Not to mention none of their products come with a warranty. None of any kind! I sent an email to them over a month ago. No response. I regret buying them and I'd recommend steering clear...
What is squeaking? Your foot in the shoe, the insole, or the sole of the shoe? There are some fixes depending on what the squeak is. For example I had shoes that squeaked, and a little talcum powder under the insole stopped it. I just add some every few weeks and it stays gone.
@shakeyj4523....That's an interesting question. What is it that can cause a squeak in these shoes? Either the foot slipping in the shoe, as you seem to have solved, or the leather rubbing against something; the only cause of this I can see is maybe the strip for the lace holes. If the laces are pulled really tight, causing the leathers to rub against each other, maybe a thin layer of wax between the pieces of leather may prevent the squeak? Be interested to know if this gets resolved...
@@memsybabe Sometimes the insole squeaks against the sole of the shoe too. Or the outer sole squeaks against some ground surfaces. And as said earlier, sometimes it's the foot against the shoe. I've never heard of shoelaces squeaking, but I don't see why they couldn't. That would seem to be an easy fix with a bit of bees wax though.
I'm not sure I'd describe these as dress shoes. They look more like dress sneakers. And there are plenty of round toe dress shoes. American shoes are known for their blobby lasts plus there are lots of round toe last shoes from English shoe brands.
I have very wide feet from years of martial arts and never wearing shoes. These are the only shoes I've purchased that fit me. I found them thanks to this channel's review of their tennis shoe. Almost no one will make a 6E width shoe without it being custom. The only custom shoe makers in the SouthEast U.S. want literally $5k to make my shoes. I wear a 13.5 US 6E width. I'm glad you did the review of their dress shoe and are keeping up with brands like Birchbury.
Have you tried someone who specializes in shoes for the disabled? The only reason I know about them is because my old boyfriend's mom had polio and she had one leg that was shorter than the other and much smaller so he would alter a pair of shoes so that the shorter smaller foot use the same shoe but it was basically shrunk and then had a 4-in lift on it.
thanks again for including barefoot shoes, it has been a great help and provided awareness of other types of barefoot shoes which seemed pretty limited at first.
My experience with birchbury was not great. They weren't wide enough for me, they hurt my feet a lot, and because of the stiff heel counter without effective heel cushion it pulled on my heel areabin a very uncomfortable way when I walked. Their solution is to provide a sticker you can gle onto the heel of the shoe. This was bad and did not work. Maybe if your feet just fit these shoes they'd be better for you, but I really wanted to like them, but was forced to return them. Tldr: Weston has different shaped feet than me and the shoes do not fit my wider feet. There are actual other barefoot dress shoes and I would recommend trying them me before birchbury given how narrow and uncomfortable I found birchbury
@@joseavila5099 I haven't personally tried other barefoot brands, but I've been seeing ads for a brand called carets that look promising in terms of actual barefoot ones. There's also a brand of non-barefoot dress shoes called Clarks that are really wide and comfortable. They have a heel, and come to a point, but where your foot actually is they are very spacious for your toes and fit me well. I have a pair that I was thinking of getting modified to take the heel off to make them flat. But if that's not something you care about then they're a great option
I have a set of Birchburys which fit just fine, but everyone has different feet. My partner (who has wide feet) swears by Redbacks. I have some Lems I wear 10-12 hrs/day. They are pretty wide and even more comfortable.
I see an awful lot of hate in the comments and I just wanted to counter that a bit and add my voice to those who enjoyed the video. Your review of the Bramfords was one of the reasons I ended up pulling the trigger to try them out. I've now got a couple pairs of those an absolutely love them. Only thing remaining to be seen is how well they last over time. Some people are going to hate on something cause it's trending and different from what's comfortable for them. But for those of us with wide feet, its such a relief to start having other options available unlike in years past. Thanks for including this sort of stuff in what you do!
I really would have liked a little more hard-hitting investigation like wearing them around for a few days or weeks to see how the leather wears on. I agree with the top comment, these puff piece easy ones feel like an advertisement that you would see on a late morning news infotainment segment. I do love what you do though so thank you
These look strange to me due to the zero heel drop and the minimal heel in general. There are shoes that have minimal heel drop that look much less strange than this. The toe cap being a different shade than the rest of the shoe give it even more of a clown appearance.
That’s a lot of toe spring. Would love to see how Carets Apollo stacks up. Carets is, together with The Last Shoemaker, IMO the only two brands that pull off a proper barefoot dress shoe.
I had never heard of The Last Shoemaker. Thanks for mentioning them. To me they certainly seem to make the "Ultimate" shoe. Their "Minimalist Line" has all the important barefoot characteristcs, different classic styles, quality natural materials, repairable sole... Awesome. How come it's not more widely known? Thanks for bringing them up.
A Carets breakdown would be awesome. My pair are some of the most comfortable shoes I own, dress shoes or not. Hands down they're the most comfy dress shoes I've worn.
This is not a dress shoe, it’s a leather sneaker, and an unflattering one at that. I usually get why you cover certain brands and makes, but I don’t even understand who the demographic for this shoe is.
Maybe the demographic is people who (unimaginably!) like different things than you like, or work in different places than you work, or have different priorities than you have.
I would not call them barefoot, but I would call them minimalist. A true barefoot shoe would have zero heel drop, no toe spring, and no airspace under the foot. For nice looking barefoot dress shoes, Carets is the brand to get. For less expensive, slightly more casual shoes, look at Shapen. I have a pait of women's black fashion short boots from Shapen, aside from the wide round toe box and flat sole, they look like high style women's dress boots. [Given the crazy width of my feet, any shoes will look wide. Thes also happen to be comfortable.]
I’ve got a pair of Bramfords around the time you reviewed them (2 years ago) and worn them 2-3 times a week into an office or just going out. They still look good if not a tiny bit worn and still very comfortable. My office is a bit more casual, but if I need something a bit more “professional” I might pick these up. I’ve worked in finance, design agencies, marketing agencies, universities, museums, and none of those places would make a stink of wearing shoes like these. Maybe if you’re in sales and meeting clients all the time, but otherwise these are absolutely fine for office use.
The reply I am looking for. I am in a somewhat more formal dress code environment now. They're pretty relaxed but I see my manager wearing dress shoes and I was thinking maybe I should wear something more formal but still comfortable and I'm hoping these may do the trick. Maybe I'll try the Bramfords first. What color did you get?
@@yotaiji012then don’t cry when he has to stop making content to work longer hours it’s a sacrifice they and everyone has to make and only self centered spoiled privileged ppl think they tell somone what to do is a minute to a few minutes that’s big of a deal to you spoiled ppl?
I mean ffs ppl it’s 12 minutes! Grow up. More content better content is made by money. That’s why everyone eventually monetizes. You can’t do this and work a normal job! One or the other or you end up with channels who post one time a month
Part of the "dressiness" of dress shoes has to do with the shape and elegance of the last, and the last on these are just completely unpleasant. That said, if someone wants a pair of true feet-shaped dress shoes, we already have those around for centuries. They are called bespoke.
@@walkermorales337I have been wearing a pair of Carets for the past 3 years. They also have to make compromises to try to balance dressiness with barefoot ethos. I would say the Carets do a better job looking like a regular dress shoe. They pull off the fake heel much better. Though at a much higher cost. I have been happy with mine and will probably buy more pairs in the future.
I don't think that these are dress shoes. They might be comfortable and what not, but they are not dress shoes. Besides, a good pair of dress shoes are pretty comfortable for what they are made. It might not be convenient to hike in them, but they are not made for that. So it seems that these shoes are supposed to solve a non-existent problem.
Agreed, unless you need to wear dress shoes everyday for hours these are overkill. Barefoot is good for sneakers and hiking shoes. Your feet aren't gonna die because you popped on some narrow dress shoes for a special occasion.
Hey love the video. There’s a very interesting Austrian company that makes boots with them being made in a traditional style, but also being wide toe boxed and zero drop without looking goofy, the company is called GEA with the shoes being called Waldviertler. I have two pair myself. Would love to see if you guys could do you magic with them.
They’re not “the only” ones, but I’ve been wearing mine every day for a few months now and I LOVE mine. The leather, while nice and supple, stands up to a lot of walking and moving around. And they look good with all my semi-formal work outfits. I’ve been looking at Carets too, but my size hasn’t been available for a while (probably because they have a million styles rather than only two. Both approaches are a double-edged sword for companies that aren’t “Big Shoe.”)
What do you think about the company ZAQQ? they say they make barefoot dress like shoes, and advertise that they use high quality leater, made in germany and stuff, they come in at around 200 usd.
Great video! Maybe you can start a dress show series, looking at cheaper shoes, mid tier, all the way to higher end ones, the leather, build quality, etc. I had a pair of Aldo shoes that were garbage. Recently got some Florsheim Corbettas and they feel great so far.
This show is definitely a _step_ , in the right direction! Leagues above most other shoes in terms of how much they'll mess up your toes. As someone with wide feet, I whole heartedly welcome these shoes. And I hope other companies catch on.
The toe spring on these is is excessive for the look of the shoe, and it’s not the best thing for your feet if you’re going for barefoot shoes to begin with.
Seconded! They're clearly look like a big step up from these Birchbury shoes, and the craftsmanship is reflected in the much higher price tag. I'm not even a fan of minimalist shoes and they look fantastic to me.
@@joseavila5099 I don't, as I don't find them visually appealing. I hope more dress shoe brands start experimenting with more anatomical lasts, and making them more elegant than the current market offer. I believe this will be a growing trend during the next 10 years.
Hey mate, after watching your videos I was inspired to do some deep diving to find out what my perfect barefoot shoe is and surprisingly it exists! I’ve learned to look out for key features based on your videos and it’s let me to this awesome pair of shoes called the ‘Magna Forest ESC’ by Vivo Barefoot. It’s packed with a ton of really cool features like 360 stitching, ethically sourced full grain leather, a merino wool ankle sock and leather heel counter. The best part is it has an outsole made by Micheline Tyres! Super rugged and durable whilst also being insanely comfortable. I would love if you could get a pair of these and cut them in half because based on what you’ve shown me is a good feature in a shoe this are faultless from what I can see. Love your videos, keep it up!
I wish these came with real laces; in my experience, elastic banding in lieu of laces puts a lot of strain on my arch and is, in the long term, very uncomfortable, if not outright painful. I bought several pairs of orthopedic shoes that had similar "laces" and I could only bear to wear them for a few hours.
If I ever need dress shoes again, I may pick up a pair. I'd say I'm a barefoot convert now. I love my lems drifters and my zero drop African rangers. The rangers have superb grip in the snow and have proven themselves my favourite boots of all time (that I've worn). Anyway, great stuff!
I love my dress shoes, boots, chukkas ... and I wouldn't call this a dress shoe, it's an abomination, not even a leather sneaker. It's a clown shoe, imho.
I don't like the idea that dress shoes are not comfortable. Calf leather goodyear welted or blake stiched shoes may require couple of wears to break in, but in my experience there is nothing more comfortable than wearing a well fitted dress shoe where the leather has and cork insole have moulded to my feet. Granted, they will not be bouncy like running shoes, but the comfort increases with wear which is more sustainable. As far as I know, it is dress shoes that provide the widest range of narrow to wide fittings and you can obviously go bespoke. In my opinion, with quality dress shoes (which start around the price of these hideous looking barefoot "dress" shoes) you don't compromise on looks when looking for comfort.
That picture in the thumbnail is *heavily* over exaggerated, *NO* shoe is supposed to fit you like that. I dont have my toes "squished" in any of my Oxfords. Shoes have a hard toe cap because it serves to *protect* your toes by creating a space between your toes and the front of the shoe, so you dont injure your toes every time you kick against something. These shoes evolved in the western word to protect our feet from the harsh stone & metal surfaces of urban architecture. These barefoot shoes will seldom offer enough protection in modern cities, and will fall apart very quickly. If you buy shoes that fit you properly your foot *will* have enough room, even in dress shoes. Of course if you only buy shoes online you will inevitably get a last that doesn't fit your foot, then you end up with "squished toes". I'm tired of this "dress shoe slander", Ive found my daily driver Oxfords to be among the most comfortable shoes I've worn.
Yes finally people are speaking up. Tired of the straw man attacks on shoes. My dress shoes are really comfortable because I’m not jamming my foot into a cheap fake leather shoe. The people complaining about their shoes hurting are the ones who wore them for fashion and price and ignored the poor quality construction.
Recently someone in my groups was wearing xero shoes and he had to walk around a very shallow puddle because his sole was to close to the ground. Barefoot shoes are highly impractical.
The Lems nine-to-five is also in the same realm of minimalist dress shoes. It might be worth considering for those who are looking for comparable shoes but want a little more cushion.
If you need space in your dress shoes, chances are the last isn't ideal for your foot or you have the wrong size. If you need a wide shoe, there are plenty of manufacturers still making roomy lasts (Grant Stone, Trickers, etc) that are much better looking than these things. And they're real dress shoes.
I hope there are more companies that invest in comfortable shoes like these so the variety, quality and price would benefit.I forgot not always a drop 0 is recommended for everyone, indeed sometimes it is not recommended by specialized doctors.
Great video! Thank you. O own both styles from birchbury & love em so far Could you do a comparison of lems, carats, xero, & vivobarefoot dress shoes please?
Just thought I'd leave a suggestion of Inspecting some Onitsuka Tiger GSMs. I have them and compared to majority of the other sneakers, they seem pretty durable. It would be interesting to see if they actually are built better or if it's because of something else that they feel that way.
I only wear Birchbury shoes, both the sneakers and the dress shoes. All of mine have been incredibly comfortable and durable. I get more compliments on them than any shoe I’ve ever worn. By far my most favorite shoes. Thank you Rose Anvil for introducing me to this brand with your Bramford cut in half video.
I really don’t get the barefoot shoe thing. The closest I’ve ever owned were PF Flyers and Converse’s, and I prefer the Flyers because they come in wide and I only wear them to the gym when I’m lifting weights. Outside of that, barefoot doesn’t make sense. If you buy traditional footwear with a wider toe box you will not damage your toes and balls of your feet. I have always worn wider shoes since I was a kid and I have perfectly healthy feet with toes that are spread out. If you need nice dress boots for your feet that are wider, get Grant Stone. If you need good casual, hiking, hunting or work boots you can buy wide width shoes from Red Wing, JK, Nicks, White’s, Drew’s, Jim Green, etc. The only time I want to “feel” the ground is when I’m lifting weights so that I can shift my body to plant my feet perfectly when lifting heavy so I don’t hurt myself with bad form. For everyday wear, work, hiking and hunting, I don’t want to feel every single pebble and stick. That’s my two cents on the whole barefoot industry, I think it’s well intentioned and it makes sense for lifting weights in the gym. But outside of that, like running, hiking and casual wear? No, I think you’re actually going to end up damaging your feet in a completely different way.
Barefoot shoes are a total scam unless you have a lifestyle where you can actually benefit from them. And no, "proper" dress shoes are not narrow and crams your feet, for shoes and boots are meant to be made after a last that has the width of your feet. The issue is mass production and set standard for the highest % of "close enough" width of the average human. Barefoot LOVES to show images of feet that have their toes crammed up to the toebox and squished together, but that means someone decided to wear shoes too small for them, of course it will hurt when you don't get proper sizes for your shoes/boots. And jokes on barefoot wide toe boxes, cause they are not even wide enough for me. Though I do have rather crazy duck feet that are fairly abnormal...
It would be better if they called it a minimalist styled shoe. If you buy running shoes with a 10mm differential it would be impossible to sell them as a barefoot shoe.
@@stevengerendash7522 I was always under the impression that you could call a 6mm differential or less, a minimalist shoe. Zero drop would be barefoot, even with a cushion although it gets confusing with Hoka's moonshoes. 9mm, 11mm for Merrel, now that's pushing it!
This sponsored videos concerning . Please bring back cool sponsors that are not connected to the brand you cover. Coffee, knifes, and similar or at least league of legends will be much better for your credibility. One video pigmented finish is better than plastic one in other is plastic better and so on. In my experience pigmented finish is always better and breads and ages way better also video making dress shoes horrible. Cheep ones are horrible but nice ones are excellent and they do incredible play of mixing anatomical shape mixed with crazy shapes. It is not fare to put all of them in the same bucket. You have great thing going please keep it going and don’t destroy it with wrong sponsorships
Can you please do nike foamposites!? They are supposed to have a full-length air zoom unit and im pretty sure the carbon plate on them is the same as the jordan 12s. Would be very informative to see those shoes cut in half lol
Where do I find a shoe that LOOKS LIKE a dress shoe and is BUILT LIKE a dress shoe - leather upper, leather mid, leather sole, with a leather heel stack - but has a "natural foot shape"???
Its not just the comfort for the feet either. Think of the damage they are doing all the way up.. knees, hips, back, they are going to regret this fad down the road. 🤷♂️
@@va6gkthaskey311 I don't know about that ... people wore "barefoot" style shoes up until the 1600s (and later in many places) and they did not have knee, hip and back problems due to footwear. Many barefoot shoe advocates, including foot health researchers and physical therapists, prefer barefoot shoes to solve footwear related health problems. [I could list citations, but don't want to type that much right now. ] Me? I wear barefoot shoes because no conventional shoe is wide enough for my feet. Not even all barefoot shoes are. I have strong healthy feet whatever I wear on them.
@@lizcademy4809 think of the human race like breeding cattle. As each generation comes they adapt to what the one before them went threw as well what they go threw. We have been wearing supportive footwear for so many years that the human body has become adapted to and reliant on it. The last study i even heard of said around 30 percent of the current population could go barefoot. That was only talking about arch support not the affects on the rest of the body as well thats before carrying any extra weight. We are much heavier now as a general rule and we tend to pack a lot more gear on our backs as well. To each is own but ive seen tbe effects of what this can do to a person. 🤷♂️
@@va6gkthaskey311 I'll politely disagree ... as an anthropology graduate and scholar of human evolution, I don't think we humans have changed that quickly. TH-cam comments are not the best place for a discussion like this, so we'll have to agree to disagree on the theory. On the practice ... I know my own body, which is not representative of the entire population. I am not heavy, I don't backpack, I go barefoot constantly indoors and wear barefoot shoes all the time outside. I live in a city, no car, and walk *a lot* on concrete. I have never squished my feet in narrow shoes and never had foot problems. Oh, my avatar photo is quite old. I'm over 65.
Toebox is so narrow and angled. This shoes will cause hallux valgus as well as normal dress shoes. And they doesn't look good enough for dress shoes. Worst of both worlds)
Wide toe box is good if you have wide feet, otherwise not. I've been testing barefoot shoes for a few months and I can say that it's definitely not for everyone. It's been a few years since I wore them and my heels still hurt. Donating money to an advertising-funded channel seems a bit strange?
I'd love to see you do a video on danners RAT boot and their MEB boot. I'm a Marine and I own a pair of RATs but they've fallen apart after a few years of abuse. I'm considering buying the MEBs and want to make an informed decision...
I’d like you to do a TEMU review of their indestructible shoes and show how they are really made. All might be junk or maybe you find a good one? Be curious to know.
Are they on par with Thursday sneakers? You need to start a channel called Rose Anvil Match-up to see a head-to-head and shoe-to-price comparison of each company rather than within one channel alone.
I would like to see some more dress sneakers on the channel. Maybe some small brands alongside well known ones? NobleSole has a pair of oxfords that I would love to see your opinion on.
I love you and your videos!!!!! You and Steve from Bedos leather works. Your an institution… I with I could afford your products! But going through unfortunate situations I can only dream! Keep up the great content!
I wish these had a Blake stitch or welt of some kind to make them not look like cheap shoes. A piece of veg tan and a vibrant sheet could be carved to the same optical illusion while also being repairable kinda like the African ranger does
I actually dig these actually. Im about to make some money on a big job starting Monday. But i want more of a dressy boot. I may buy some really nice work boots too depending on how long mine last. But for dress I'm thinking about getting the cocoa waxed flesh from Thursday. The diesel boot in earth, which it also brown waxed flesh, from Grant Stone, or something from Beckett Simonon. Not sure yet. I know if you wait and are on the Beckett Simonon email list they will put a shoe on sale for $169 which is awesome.
I could see myself wearing those! And I think this might push me over the edge into getting some :) I've been trying to find some 'interview' shoes that don't suck to wear
Ive had a pair of the Bramfords for a few months. Both shoes started squeaking at 1 month and are completely unwearable now. Doesnt matter how good the leather is if you sound like a clown wearing them. Shoe trees didnt help at all. Not to mention none of their products come with a warranty. None of any kind! I sent an email to them over a month ago. No response. I regret buying them and I'd recommend steering clear...
What is squeaking? Your foot in the shoe, the insole, or the sole of the shoe? There are some fixes depending on what the squeak is. For example I had shoes that squeaked, and a little talcum powder under the insole stopped it. I just add some every few weeks and it stays gone.
My $600 whites squeak.
@shakeyj4523....That's an interesting question. What is it that can cause a squeak in these shoes? Either the foot slipping in the shoe, as you seem to have solved, or the leather rubbing against something; the only cause of this I can see is maybe the strip for the lace holes. If the laces are pulled really tight, causing the leathers to rub against each other, maybe a thin layer of wax between the pieces of leather may prevent the squeak? Be interested to know if this gets resolved...
@@memsybabe Sometimes the insole squeaks against the sole of the shoe too. Or the outer sole squeaks against some ground surfaces. And as said earlier, sometimes it's the foot against the shoe. I've never heard of shoelaces squeaking, but I don't see why they couldn't. That would seem to be an easy fix with a bit of bees wax though.
My Allen Edmonds squeaked. Dusted them with gold bond once, and haven’t had to worry about it since. You should definitely try it.
I'm not sure I'd describe these as dress shoes. They look more like dress sneakers.
And there are plenty of round toe dress shoes. American shoes are known for their blobby lasts plus there are lots of round toe last shoes from English shoe brands.
Correct. Italian shoes are definitely the pointiest dress shoemakers.
Hungarian & Austrian shoes have a very distinct toe, especially on the popular "Budapester" shoe
Yeah I mean there is already the Alden Barry last. And those look 16x better than these.
@@williammarshall468 Depends on the shoemaker. Velasca for example make pretty round toed shoes
I have very wide feet from years of martial arts and never wearing shoes. These are the only shoes I've purchased that fit me. I found them thanks to this channel's review of their tennis shoe. Almost no one will make a 6E width shoe without it being custom. The only custom shoe makers in the SouthEast U.S. want literally $5k to make my shoes. I wear a 13.5 US 6E width. I'm glad you did the review of their dress shoe and are keeping up with brands like Birchbury.
Have you tried someone who specializes in shoes for the disabled? The only reason I know about them is because my old boyfriend's mom had polio and she had one leg that was shorter than the other and much smaller so he would alter a pair of shoes so that the shorter smaller foot use the same shoe but it was basically shrunk and then had a 4-in lift on it.
Try Adelante Shoes. They go up to 5E. A size up and they may fit.
thanks again for including barefoot shoes, it has been a great help and provided awareness of other types of barefoot shoes which seemed pretty limited at first.
So, they charge $180 for an $80 shoe that looks like a $50 shoe from Costco... 🧐
Like everything barefoot cheaply made, overpriced, shoddy results.
@@JJ-zr6fu Still waiting for my shell cordovan goodyear welted barefoot shoe (lol)
When he said they were $180, my first thought was that the profit margin has to be about 95%. They look like total garbage.
If more people wear barefoot. Prices will go down. Stop hating and calling them clown shoes😂. Let the prices go down
@@danshakuimoat that point I would recommend shelling out for a proper custom barefoot style shoe from a local cobbler.
Foot shaped shoes have made my life much much better. Your feet need time to strengthen and adapt from being in a shoe shaped shoe. Awesomeness
My experience with birchbury was not great. They weren't wide enough for me, they hurt my feet a lot, and because of the stiff heel counter without effective heel cushion it pulled on my heel areabin a very uncomfortable way when I walked. Their solution is to provide a sticker you can gle onto the heel of the shoe. This was bad and did not work. Maybe if your feet just fit these shoes they'd be better for you, but I really wanted to like them, but was forced to return them. Tldr: Weston has different shaped feet than me and the shoes do not fit my wider feet. There are actual other barefoot dress shoes and I would recommend trying them me before birchbury given how narrow and uncomfortable I found birchbury
What other barefoot dress shoes do you recommend?
@@joseavila5099 I haven't personally tried other barefoot brands, but I've been seeing ads for a brand called carets that look promising in terms of actual barefoot ones. There's also a brand of non-barefoot dress shoes called Clarks that are really wide and comfortable. They have a heel, and come to a point, but where your foot actually is they are very spacious for your toes and fit me well. I have a pair that I was thinking of getting modified to take the heel off to make them flat. But if that's not something you care about then they're a great option
Thank you for your contrary but candid thoughts to Rose Anvil. Interesting.
Please share actual wide dress shoes
I have a set of Birchburys which fit just fine, but everyone has different feet. My partner (who has wide feet) swears by Redbacks. I have some Lems I wear 10-12 hrs/day. They are pretty wide and even more comfortable.
Glad the barefoot market is getting more diverse and better looking.
I see an awful lot of hate in the comments and I just wanted to counter that a bit and add my voice to those who enjoyed the video.
Your review of the Bramfords was one of the reasons I ended up pulling the trigger to try them out. I've now got a couple pairs of those an absolutely love them. Only thing remaining to be seen is how well they last over time.
Some people are going to hate on something cause it's trending and different from what's comfortable for them. But for those of us with wide feet, its such a relief to start having other options available unlike in years past. Thanks for including this sort of stuff in what you do!
I really would have liked a little more hard-hitting investigation like wearing them around for a few days or weeks to see how the leather wears on. I agree with the top comment, these puff piece easy ones feel like an advertisement that you would see on a late morning news infotainment segment. I do love what you do though so thank you
These look strange to me due to the zero heel drop and the minimal heel in general. There are shoes that have minimal heel drop that look much less strange than this. The toe cap being a different shade than the rest of the shoe give it even more of a clown appearance.
I agree.. nobody makes barefoot design without the heel drop, which is the part that makes them look weird
That’s a lot of toe spring. Would love to see how Carets Apollo stacks up. Carets is, together with The Last Shoemaker, IMO the only two brands that pull off a proper barefoot dress shoe.
I had never heard of The Last Shoemaker. Thanks for mentioning them.
To me they certainly seem to make the "Ultimate" shoe. Their "Minimalist Line" has all the important barefoot characteristcs, different classic styles, quality natural materials, repairable sole... Awesome. How come it's not more widely known?
Thanks for bringing them up.
Now check out Carets minimalist dress shoes. Would love to hear how they fare.
A Carets breakdown would be awesome. My pair are some of the most comfortable shoes I own, dress shoes or not. Hands down they're the most comfy dress shoes I've worn.
these shoes don-t look dressy, they are more into the casual.
Semi casual?
do they look like dress shoes? or do they look like shoes Kieth, Dave or Kevin wear selling Cutco knives door to door?
This is not a dress shoe, it’s a leather sneaker, and an unflattering one at that. I usually get why you cover certain brands and makes, but I don’t even understand who the demographic for this shoe is.
Maybe the demographic is people who (unimaginably!) like different things than you like, or work in different places than you work, or have different priorities than you have.
@@austinturney745man is forces to wear toe crushing shoes every day 😅 living the city life 🤩
I would not call them barefoot, but I would call them minimalist.
A true barefoot shoe would have zero heel drop, no toe spring, and no airspace under the foot.
For nice looking barefoot dress shoes, Carets is the brand to get. For less expensive, slightly more casual shoes, look at Shapen. I have a pait of women's black fashion short boots from Shapen, aside from the wide round toe box and flat sole, they look like high style women's dress boots. [Given the crazy width of my feet, any shoes will look wide. Thes also happen to be comfortable.]
I'm really sad that there are no men's barefoot dress shoes for small feet.
I’ve got a pair of Bramfords around the time you reviewed them (2 years ago) and worn them 2-3 times a week into an office or just going out. They still look good if not a tiny bit worn and still very comfortable. My office is a bit more casual, but if I need something a bit more “professional” I might pick these up.
I’ve worked in finance, design agencies, marketing agencies, universities, museums, and none of those places would make a stink of wearing shoes like these. Maybe if you’re in sales and meeting clients all the time, but otherwise these are absolutely fine for office use.
The reply I am looking for. I am in a somewhat more formal dress code environment now. They're pretty relaxed but I see my manager wearing dress shoes and I was thinking maybe I should wear something more formal but still comfortable and I'm hoping these may do the trick. Maybe I'll try the Bramfords first. What color did you get?
@@justinsugay1149 I went with the all black
I understand you have to pay the bills, but increasingly your videos feel like adverts. Please don’t lose your way.
This review literally doesn't feel any different to any other shoe review he's done. He's not just sucking off Birchbury this whole video
Yup! Thinking the same thing
@@yotaiji012then don’t cry when he has to stop making content to work longer hours it’s a sacrifice they and everyone has to make and only self centered spoiled privileged ppl think they tell somone what to do is a minute to a few minutes that’s big of a deal to you spoiled ppl?
Mute point filled with self centered desire you are nobody to tell someone if they can or can’t make money
I mean ffs ppl it’s 12 minutes! Grow up. More content better content is made by money. That’s why everyone eventually monetizes. You can’t do this and work a normal job! One or the other or you end up with channels who post one time a month
Part of the "dressiness" of dress shoes has to do with the shape and elegance of the last, and the last on these are just completely unpleasant. That said, if someone wants a pair of true feet-shaped dress shoes, we already have those around for centuries. They are called bespoke.
Those aren't even close to barefoot shoes. What are you talking about? Even their oxfords are comparatively narrow.
Carets seem to be dressier imo in terms of a barefoot-like dress shoe.
@@walkermorales337I have been wearing a pair of Carets for the past 3 years. They also have to make compromises to try to balance dressiness with barefoot ethos. I would say the Carets do a better job looking like a regular dress shoe. They pull off the fake heel much better. Though at a much higher cost.
I have been happy with mine and will probably buy more pairs in the future.
If they where 80 bucks, I would give them a try. At almost 200, they are way overpriced. Looking to see more boot reviews..
I don't think that these are dress shoes. They might be comfortable and what not, but they are not dress shoes. Besides, a good pair of dress shoes are pretty comfortable for what they are made. It might not be convenient to hike in them, but they are not made for that. So it seems that these shoes are supposed to solve a non-existent problem.
Agreed, unless you need to wear dress shoes everyday for hours these are overkill.
Barefoot is good for sneakers and hiking shoes. Your feet aren't gonna die because you popped on some narrow dress shoes for a special occasion.
I'm confused. so dress shoes have a heel, so they're bad for you're feet. you said that in this video. you know what else often has heels? Boots.
If you’re wearing a handwelted dress shoe. You’re pretty much golden .
Hey love the video. There’s a very interesting Austrian company that makes boots with them being made in a traditional style, but also being wide toe boxed and zero drop without looking goofy, the company is called GEA with the shoes being called Waldviertler. I have two pair myself. Would love to see if you guys could do you magic with them.
They aren’t paying for this advert so don’t expect much.
i think big brands should start to manufacture shoes for humans.
Lol they do. If you want hogh performance shoes you don’t get barefoot shoes.
@@JJ-zr6fu i dont want high performance shoes, I want high performance feet
They’re not “the only” ones, but I’ve been wearing mine every day for a few months now and I LOVE mine. The leather, while nice and supple, stands up to a lot of walking and moving around. And they look good with all my semi-formal work outfits. I’ve been looking at Carets too, but my size hasn’t been available for a while (probably because they have a million styles rather than only two. Both approaches are a double-edged sword for companies that aren’t “Big Shoe.”)
You should do more reviews of dress boots and shoes
What do you think about the company ZAQQ? they say they make barefoot dress like shoes, and advertise that they use high quality leater, made in germany and stuff, they come in at around 200 usd.
I thought I wore a cheap 45$ pair of Caterpillar shoes, but they turned out to be some fancy barefoot dress shoes LOL
Great video! Maybe you can start a dress show series, looking at cheaper shoes, mid tier, all the way to higher end ones, the leather, build quality, etc. I had a pair of Aldo shoes that were garbage. Recently got some Florsheim Corbettas and they feel great so far.
This show is definitely a _step_ , in the right direction!
Leagues above most other shoes in terms of how much they'll mess up your toes. As someone with wide feet, I whole heartedly welcome these shoes. And I hope other companies catch on.
They look kinda goofy
All barefoot shoes do...
@@G.D.9 i actually think alot of them look kinda cool when I see how people style them
The toe spring on these is is excessive for the look of the shoe, and it’s not the best thing for your feet if you’re going for barefoot shoes to begin with.
I like the new camera angle inside the shoe and seeing the insole taken out.
"The Last Shoemaker" has some barefoot dress shoes which actually look like dress shoes. I would love to see you cut some apart!
Do you own any pairs? They’re pretty but definitely have a noticeably different look to them.
Seconded! They're clearly look like a big step up from these Birchbury shoes, and the craftsmanship is reflected in the much higher price tag. I'm not even a fan of minimalist shoes and they look fantastic to me.
@@joseavila5099 I don't, as I don't find them visually appealing. I hope more dress shoe brands start experimenting with more anatomical lasts, and making them more elegant than the current market offer. I believe this will be a growing trend during the next 10 years.
Toe spring and a bit of drop... so no strictly barefoot, but still, I'd take these over any regular dress shoe every time. Just ordered a pair :D
Barefoot dress shoes are a tiny niche segment. I bet somebody was looking for something just like this.
You should review Birkenstock dress shoes... I'm curious if they are in a similar vain to their sneakers and boots.
He reviewed their sneakers. I’m going to guess they are overpriced and cheaply made
I love the Birchbury Bramfords and wear them for work
You should check out Carets when I was looking into barefoot dress shoes they were a brand I found
Hey mate, after watching your videos I was inspired to do some deep diving to find out what my perfect barefoot shoe is and surprisingly it exists!
I’ve learned to look out for key features based on your videos and it’s let me to this awesome pair of shoes called the ‘Magna Forest ESC’ by Vivo Barefoot. It’s packed with a ton of really cool features like 360 stitching, ethically sourced full grain leather, a merino wool ankle sock and leather heel counter. The best part is it has an outsole made by Micheline Tyres! Super rugged and durable whilst also being insanely comfortable.
I would love if you could get a pair of these and cut them in half because based on what you’ve shown me is a good feature in a shoe this are faultless from what I can see. Love your videos, keep it up!
Like to see more dress shoe info to mix it up with the boots and sneakers
the reason your "dress shoes" destroy your feet is because they are not bespoke made, hence accommodating for your real feet. that's it.
Do more dress shoe reviews.!Carmina has awesome dress shoes and boots.
I wish these came with real laces; in my experience, elastic banding in lieu of laces puts a lot of strain on my arch and is, in the long term, very uncomfortable, if not outright painful. I bought several pairs of orthopedic shoes that had similar "laces" and I could only bear to wear them for a few hours.
They include laces as well to replace the elastic if you prefer.
If I ever need dress shoes again, I may pick up a pair. I'd say I'm a barefoot convert now. I love my lems drifters and my zero drop African rangers. The rangers have superb grip in the snow and have proven themselves my favourite boots of all time (that I've worn). Anyway, great stuff!
I wore sparkly sneakers to a bar mitzvah last night I don't think I'm ever going back to even short heels after this
Alden's with a Barrie Last changed my life with their wider toe box. But they're ridiculously expensive.
I love my dress shoes, boots, chukkas ... and I wouldn't call this a dress shoe, it's an abomination, not even a leather sneaker. It's a clown shoe, imho.
Pointy shoes lookes way more silly imo.
It looks like an Amazon special
This is super cool, I don't even need to dress up but these are stylish and patical enough that I would daily something like this
Carets makes an interesting Oxford style barefoot shoe. Their last is too narrow for me, but they might be worth a review.
I have brenstons in black, brown and tan for over year and still quite pleased
Can you do a barefoot dress shoe showdown with Carets?
I don't like the idea that dress shoes are not comfortable. Calf leather goodyear welted or blake stiched shoes may require couple of wears to break in, but in my experience there is nothing more comfortable than wearing a well fitted dress shoe where the leather has and cork insole have moulded to my feet. Granted, they will not be bouncy like running shoes, but the comfort increases with wear which is more sustainable. As far as I know, it is dress shoes that provide the widest range of narrow to wide fittings and you can obviously go bespoke. In my opinion, with quality dress shoes (which start around the price of these hideous looking barefoot "dress" shoes) you don't compromise on looks when looking for comfort.
Another barefoot dress shoe brand is Carets -- would love to see a comparison
Please review carets barefoot dress shoes. You said you haven't heard of any others but I've seen a bunch of ads for carets barefoot dress shoes!
Had for a couple of years in black. I've got EE width feet. Wear 2-3x/ week in rotation with Lem's. No problems.
That picture in the thumbnail is *heavily* over exaggerated, *NO* shoe is supposed to fit you like that. I dont have my toes "squished" in any of my Oxfords. Shoes have a hard toe cap because it serves to *protect* your toes by creating a space between your toes and the front of the shoe, so you dont injure your toes every time you kick against something. These shoes evolved in the western word to protect our feet from the harsh stone & metal surfaces of urban architecture. These barefoot shoes will seldom offer enough protection in modern cities, and will fall apart very quickly. If you buy shoes that fit you properly your foot *will* have enough room, even in dress shoes. Of course if you only buy shoes online you will inevitably get a last that doesn't fit your foot, then you end up with "squished toes".
I'm tired of this "dress shoe slander", Ive found my daily driver Oxfords to be among the most comfortable shoes I've worn.
Yes finally people are speaking up. Tired of the straw man attacks on shoes. My dress shoes are really comfortable because I’m not jamming my foot into a cheap fake leather shoe. The people complaining about their shoes hurting are the ones who wore them for fashion and price and ignored the poor quality construction.
Recently someone in my groups was wearing xero shoes and he had to walk around a very shallow puddle because his sole was to close to the ground. Barefoot shoes are highly impractical.
The Lems nine-to-five is also in the same realm of minimalist dress shoes. It might be worth considering for those who are looking for comparable shoes but want a little more cushion.
If you need space in your dress shoes, chances are the last isn't ideal for your foot or you have the wrong size. If you need a wide shoe, there are plenty of manufacturers still making roomy lasts (Grant Stone, Trickers, etc) that are much better looking than these things. And they're real dress shoes.
I hope there are more companies that invest in comfortable shoes like these so the variety, quality and price would benefit.I forgot not always a drop 0 is recommended for everyone, indeed sometimes it is not recommended by specialized doctors.
Great video! Thank you. O own both styles from birchbury & love em so far
Could you do a comparison of lems, carats, xero, & vivobarefoot dress shoes please?
Just thought I'd leave a suggestion of Inspecting some Onitsuka Tiger GSMs. I have them and compared to majority of the other sneakers, they seem pretty durable. It would be interesting to see if they actually are built better or if it's because of something else that they feel that way.
I only wear Birchbury shoes, both the sneakers and the dress shoes. All of mine have been incredibly comfortable and durable. I get more compliments on them than any shoe I’ve ever worn. By far my most favorite shoes.
Thank you Rose Anvil for introducing me to this brand with your Bramford cut in half video.
I really don’t get the barefoot shoe thing. The closest I’ve ever owned were PF Flyers and Converse’s, and I prefer the Flyers because they come in wide and I only wear them to the gym when I’m lifting weights. Outside of that, barefoot doesn’t make sense. If you buy traditional footwear with a wider toe box you will not damage your toes and balls of your feet. I have always worn wider shoes since I was a kid and I have perfectly healthy feet with toes that are spread out. If you need nice dress boots for your feet that are wider, get Grant Stone. If you need good casual, hiking, hunting or work boots you can buy wide width shoes from Red Wing, JK, Nicks, White’s, Drew’s, Jim Green, etc. The only time I want to “feel” the ground is when I’m lifting weights so that I can shift my body to plant my feet perfectly when lifting heavy so I don’t hurt myself with bad form. For everyday wear, work, hiking and hunting, I don’t want to feel every single pebble and stick.
That’s my two cents on the whole barefoot industry, I think it’s well intentioned and it makes sense for lifting weights in the gym. But outside of that, like running, hiking and casual wear? No, I think you’re actually going to end up damaging your feet in a completely different way.
The algorithm sent me to a guy who analyzes shoes. I did not expect this to be as interesting as it is.
You think you could review dressier looking shoes/boots with wider toe boxes that arent meant to be barefoots?
That was a super helpful video. Thank you for making this and tuning me into this company!
Barefoot shoes are a total scam unless you have a lifestyle where you can actually benefit from them.
And no, "proper" dress shoes are not narrow and crams your feet, for shoes and boots are meant to be made after a last that has the width of your feet. The issue is mass production and set standard for the highest % of "close enough" width of the average human.
Barefoot LOVES to show images of feet that have their toes crammed up to the toebox and squished together, but that means someone decided to wear shoes too small for them, of course it will hurt when you don't get proper sizes for your shoes/boots.
And jokes on barefoot wide toe boxes, cause they are not even wide enough for me. Though I do have rather crazy duck feet that are fairly abnormal...
I wonder what ever happened to the Earth Shoe? I'd love to hear a review of those.
It would be better if they called it a minimalist styled shoe. If you buy running shoes with a 10mm differential it would be impossible to sell them as a barefoot shoe.
That's exactly what merrell does.
@@stevengerendash7522 I was always under the impression that you could call a 6mm differential or less, a minimalist shoe. Zero drop would be barefoot, even with a cushion although it gets confusing with Hoka's moonshoes. 9mm, 11mm for Merrel, now that's pushing it!
Dress brogue boots from uk are key to weddings n funerals to stop squishing toes
I’d be interested to see what you think of Gaucho Ninja barefoot boots and shoes. They look fairly high quality but are fairly expensive.
This sponsored videos concerning . Please bring back cool sponsors that are not connected to the brand you cover. Coffee, knifes, and similar or at least league of legends will be much better for your credibility. One video pigmented finish is better than plastic one in other is plastic better and so on. In my experience pigmented finish is always better and breads and ages way better also video making dress shoes horrible. Cheep ones are horrible but nice ones are excellent and they do incredible play of mixing anatomical shape mixed with crazy shapes. It is not fare to put all of them in the same bucket. You have great thing going please keep it going and don’t destroy it with wrong sponsorships
Can you please do nike foamposites!? They are supposed to have a full-length air zoom unit and im pretty sure the carbon plate on them is the same as the jordan 12s. Would be very informative to see those shoes cut in half lol
Good god these are hideous.
They honestly look like 💩 you wouldn’t catch me dead wearing those to the office and would definitely judge anybody I see wearing them 😂
Healthy or not, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing those things. They look like like clown shoes.
Waldviertler !!! Much better construction with a leather insole and stichdown.
Where do I find a shoe that LOOKS LIKE a dress shoe and is BUILT LIKE a dress shoe - leather upper, leather mid, leather sole, with a leather heel stack - but has a "natural foot shape"???
I just use wide toed dress shoes, that strong heel and arch is comfy when your feet get used to wearing marching boots and workboots.
Yeah just get wide shoes. You don’t look like clown and you get high quality craftsmanship.
Its not just the comfort for the feet either. Think of the damage they are doing all the way up.. knees, hips, back, they are going to regret this fad down the road. 🤷♂️
@@va6gkthaskey311 I don't know about that ... people wore "barefoot" style shoes up until the 1600s (and later in many places) and they did not have knee, hip and back problems due to footwear.
Many barefoot shoe advocates, including foot health researchers and physical therapists, prefer barefoot shoes to solve footwear related health problems. [I could list citations, but don't want to type that much right now. ]
Me? I wear barefoot shoes because no conventional shoe is wide enough for my feet. Not even all barefoot shoes are. I have strong healthy feet whatever I wear on them.
@@lizcademy4809 think of the human race like breeding cattle. As each generation comes they adapt to what the one before them went threw as well what they go threw.
We have been wearing supportive footwear for so many years that the human body has become adapted to and reliant on it.
The last study i even heard of said around 30 percent of the current population could go barefoot. That was only talking about arch support not the affects on the rest of the body as well thats before carrying any extra weight.
We are much heavier now as a general rule and we tend to pack a lot more gear on our backs as well.
To each is own but ive seen tbe effects of what this can do to a person. 🤷♂️
@@va6gkthaskey311 I'll politely disagree ... as an anthropology graduate and scholar of human evolution, I don't think we humans have changed that quickly.
TH-cam comments are not the best place for a discussion like this, so we'll have to agree to disagree on the theory.
On the practice ... I know my own body, which is not representative of the entire population. I am not heavy, I don't backpack, I go barefoot constantly indoors and wear barefoot shoes all the time outside. I live in a city, no car, and walk *a lot* on concrete. I have never squished my feet in narrow shoes and never had foot problems.
Oh, my avatar photo is quite old. I'm over 65.
If they had a dress boot, I would 100% buy it
Toebox is so narrow and angled. This shoes will cause hallux valgus as well as normal dress shoes. And they doesn't look good enough for dress shoes. Worst of both worlds)
Carets next!
Wide toe box is good if you have wide feet, otherwise not. I've been testing barefoot shoes for a few months and I can say that it's definitely not for everyone. It's been a few years since I wore them and my heels still hurt. Donating money to an advertising-funded channel seems a bit strange?
The barefoot cult has hurt many people. It’s no wonder max cushion shoes are the new thing.
Review Lems 9 to 5 next. They are a similar product.
I'd love to see you do a video on danners RAT boot and their MEB boot. I'm a Marine and I own a pair of RATs but they've fallen apart after a few years of abuse. I'm considering buying the MEBs and want to make an informed decision...
I’d like you to do a TEMU review of their indestructible shoes and show how they are really made. All might be junk or maybe you find a good one? Be curious to know.
Are they on par with Thursday sneakers? You need to start a channel called Rose Anvil Match-up to see a head-to-head and shoe-to-price comparison of each company rather than within one channel alone.
They don’t appear to be
They did a video that compares the birchbury sneaker to the Thursday sneaker.
Can you take out the insoles and still wear the shoes comfortably?
I would like to see some more dress sneakers on the channel. Maybe some small brands alongside well known ones? NobleSole has a pair of oxfords that I would love to see your opinion on.
would u guys consider making leather playing cards case? something that fits tight for a single standard pack. that would be cool!
Hey, can you make a video of a list of all the boots making leather outsoles. I want to buy some with no rubber outsoles. Your videos are the best.
I love you and your videos!!!!! You and Steve from Bedos leather works. Your an institution… I with I could afford your products! But going through unfortunate situations I can only dream! Keep up the great content!
I wish these had a Blake stitch or welt of some kind to make them not look like cheap shoes. A piece of veg tan and a vibrant sheet could be carved to the same optical illusion while also being repairable kinda like the African ranger does
I actually dig these actually. Im about to make some money on a big job starting Monday. But i want more of a dressy boot. I may buy some really nice work boots too depending on how long mine last. But for dress I'm thinking about getting the cocoa waxed flesh from Thursday. The diesel boot in earth, which it also brown waxed flesh, from Grant Stone, or something from Beckett Simonon. Not sure yet. I know if you wait and are on the Beckett Simonon email list they will put a shoe on sale for $169 which is awesome.
I could see myself wearing those! And I think this might push me over the edge into getting some :) I've been trying to find some 'interview' shoes that don't suck to wear
I’ve got a pair of ZAQQs - handmade in Germany and worth every penny
You should do soccer cleats? See if the expensive shoes are worth it or if you should go for a better budget option.
Dress shoes are not define by narrow or wide last.