If you love Converse All Stars/Chucks/Chuck Taylors, and have missed them in barefoot shoes, you are in luck! Bohempia barefoot has come out with a minimalist shoes version and it Does. Not. Disappoint. Check out the review for details below.
Disclaimer: These Bohempia Barefoot Orik 2.0 were sent to me for review, but all thoughts are my own. I am not an affiliate and no purchases you make with either the EU or USA stores have any impact on me, but you can save 10% if you use the discount codes OWBSHOES (USA) or OWB (EU).
Check out all my Bohempia barefoot shoes reviews here on the blog.
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Company Information
Bohempia has been around since 2015 and is one of the companies to successfully pull off both barefoot and non-barefoot styles. They care about “environmental and social sustainability in fashion” and focus on this through the ethical use of hemp in their shoes and other products. Learn more about them here.
Technical Specifications
- Upper: Hemp canvas
- Insole: Molded PU
- Sole: Natural rubber with walled edge
- Vegan PETA certification
- Made in Europe
Appearance
At first glance, you’re going to instantly think of your favorite classic tennis shoes, but there are some things not here (the logo), some things added (a toe box and shape that’s actually healthy) and some differences in the construction that give you most of the look you want without sacrificing any of the qualities you need to let your feet be healthy and strong with good balance and proper toe splay. No bunion makers here!
I really like this as part of a dresses and sneakers look:
Or as a super casual look:
You really can’t go wrong, and I’m excited for them to expand the colors in the future. Right now you can get this red from bohempia.com only (worldwide shipping) and all-black or grey and white from both that site and the USA site. A cobalt blue, a pink, and an all white would be on my dream list.
The only appearance squeak people have about these is in regards to the toe cap size. In actual Chuck Taylors, the toe cap is shallow and comes quickly to a bullet point because, well, the shoes are bullet-shaped. So, shape-wise, these are instantly going to be wider and have a larger profile. They are also deeper, and that comes down to design because the toe cap has to start just in front of the side panels. And, in another nod to barefoot principles, the side panels start further back, meaning the toe cap also starts further back. If you moved everything forward it would be less healthy for toes and go against the reasons we wear barefoot shoes anyway. It’s different, but so are our shoes, and that’s okay.
If you still are anti-toe cap, check out the Olen, which is lined for winter, has no toe cap, and has a bonus zipper on the inside of the ankle for easy access.
Fit
Bohempia makes their shoes in both a regular and a wide width. The regular is medium to wide at my size 43 and not quite wide enough for me, so I’ve opted for the wide, which races with Softstar Primal to be the widest toebox shoes I own. This one wins out for overall width, with a wider heel and midfoot, in addition to the toe box, in this W size. If you have smaller feet down in the mid 30s, then even the regular is going to feel quite wide.
These are well-designed for average volume so my eyelets are further apart than some, but low volume people can cinch down quite well, especially in the regular width.
The toe box height is good and the material of the toe cap is very flexible, so it doesn’t feel restrictive at all even if you do touch it.
The shape has a slower slope than many shoes, meaning that wider feet with gentle slopes don’t have to worry about ending up running out of space for their outer toes, but those with a steep slope to the toes may find they have a lot of space in the shoes.
The wide for me in this, Kolda, Hoska, and more, is wonderful. I can have happy, unfettered toes, I can wear Correct Toes, I can wear whatever socks I want… for those of us with wide feet and generous toe splays, this is rare, and worthy of celebration.
Sizing
Bohempia has made sizing super easy with both widths and lengths.
They also do give you conversions to US sizes:
However, I highly recommend that you measure, add your extra space (I advocate for 12 cm as a general target), and size based off lengths.
Measuring my own pair with a Plus 12 device, I get 27.8 cm, a little under the listed length of 28.2 cm. This may be an anomaly, as it’s very rare to get less Plus 12 length than insole length in an unlined shoe. They certainly feel and fit like my normal 43 (though lovely and wide!) and I expect most people will be in there normal numerical size, leaving only the determination of width to be made.
Final note: please check those width numbers carefully. Most people don’t even need the wide. They’re really wide. Make sure you do before you order, and save a return.
How do they feel?
The wall look of the sole is a bit of trickery, as the sole here is much more thin and flexible than it looks:
However, it is completely level, so doesn’t roll the same way when you walk, as some barefoot shoes do. And, overall, Bohemia shoes tend to be heavier shoes due to the amount of rubber used between the sole, wall, and, in this case, the toe cap. You can also tell that the toe cap and extra sole detail at the front move the center of gravity of the shoes much more forward.
The fabric is light and thin, but can feel stiff at the top edge if you lace it too tight. You may enjoy leaving the top eyelet unused, if that’s the case, but I have never had need to take an extra step such as using moleskin.
Cleaning and Care
With a little digging, you can find this blog post: How to care of your hemp products? – Bohempia® covering how to clean hemp sneakers. The short version is that they recommend you spray the fabric (plenty of options here) and that you not machine wash or dry the shoes or risk damaging the shoes. Generally, I find you can brush off most stains and debris with a medium/soft brush and a damp cloth can take care of the rest.
Purchasing, Shipping, and Returns
The red pair pictured here is only available from the main bohempia.com website, along with the other current colorways, all-black and grey and white. You can ship worldwide from there, so all hope is not lost. To the US this is €22 for Czech post, making them €137 with the 10% discount from code OWB.
If you’re in the US, you can get either the all-black or the grey and white pairs for $133.20 with discount code OWBSHOES, and shipping is free for US customers.
Final Thoughts
I may have squealed a bit when I saw them. I knew they would be an instant hit and be just what many of us have looked for in barefoot shoes. From the detail on the toe bump, to the classic styling, to the super wide, foot-healthy version that is perfect for my feet… I’m a fan. If I have to find something to criticize, I think maybe they can improve how the tongue lays, a bit? But that’s all I’ve got. I’ll be watching out for them to make more fun colors and crossing my fingers that they’ll all be in the W version.
Want more reviews?
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Great review and super cool shoes! Do you know if Bohempia deducts VAT for US customers who order from the EU store?