Feelgrounds doesn’t stop giving us new barefoot shoes, and I’m down with it! They are entirely focused on vegan offerings, and pair these principles with cool, urban designs that up the style on any outfit. Luxe changes the game with a smooth, vegan leather look that slots in easily to your wardrobe. Check out the full review below to see how these may be the perfect addition for you.
Disclaimer: Feelgrounds sent these and a pair of elastic laces to me for review, but all thoughts are my own. I am an affiliate of Feelgrounds, so if you use a link on my blog to make a purchase then a small portion will be returned to me and support reviews like this.
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Company Information
Feelgrounds says it right at the top when describing their mission: They’re “young, dynamic, and passionate” and it shows at every level, from their social media posts, to their style, dedication to barefoot shoes, and personal communications. They bring noticeable joy and an upbeat approach to everything they do – especially to their barefoot shoes. Read all about them, their mission, and more on the About Us page.
Technical Specifications
- Model: Original Luxe – Black and White Colorway
- Upper: Vegan PU leather
- Lining: Micro Suede
- Sole: Recyclable TPE
- Sizes: EU 35-49 (US W5 to M15)
- Luxe is available in 3 colors, Mesh in 7, and Knit in 6
- Vegan
For a look at the Mesh Version of Original on the new sole, check out the full review here.
Appearance
The Feelgrounds Luxe model takes the same shape and style we already know and love, and kicks it up a notch with a completely smooth Vegan leather. This page reviews the Original in the new sole, but you can also learn about the knit uppers on this old-sole review.
Being tennis shoes, they work great with pants:
But they also work with skirts, and lend easily to going a bit funky or traditional.
They come with traditional tie laces, but I requested elastic. Feelgrounds was game and I’m so glad because I think elastic fits them perfectly.
Yeah, I missed the tongue loop at first! But I fixed that and I’m not going back to tie laces. Either way you go, they live up to their Luxe name with the super smooth look.
Details on the elastic lace look, and how they come:
Big plus? These laces make the shoes slip-ons and super fast to put on. I need a hand to set them, but it takes just a couple of seconds to put on a shoe, vs tying them. I’m a fan!
Fit
Fit breaks down into a few different areas –
First, width is awesome. The value for the toe box is listed on the sizing chart, which is accurate, and they are generous. Love that! They also fit medium to wide everywhere else as well, but are designed at the ankle in a way that shouldn’t leave those of you with thin ankles swimming uncomfortably.
Second, the volume is adjustable and high-friendly everywhere. This means I get a perfect fit over the instep, but they can go lower or higher as well. If you decide to go with elastic laces, note that I’m wearing medium in my one-size up, and it’s perfect. I have high volume feet for a woman, but a man with high volume feet would probably like the large laces, while someone with low-volume feet would probably like the small, even if you’re in a high size like I am.
Another fit area is toe box height, and this is pretty high. I think it matches the other versions of Original, however those versions stand high on their own, while this one is more likely to drop with wear and wrinkling.
My solution to this is that, for the first time, I have bought and added felt pads to the toe box. It’s working great, but I do wish I’d done it sooner. Once any wrinkling has set in, it tends to stay. So check this out at the start and see if you might want to do the same, but, word of warning, those felt pads have some crazy strong glue and you can’t reposition them. Plus, they will leave a residue if you try to remove them later. I don’t plan to ever remove them, so I’m good to go.
You can get these pads here and will get a total of 14 pads (affiliate link). They come in different sizes and I wish I’d gotten the extra large myself. I’m using 2 pads in each shoe.
Sizing
While I personally dislike true-to-size wording as incomplete and a problem for reinforcing not measuring your feet, I think it fits Feelgrounds very well. For these shoes, especially, you should be good in your normal size. The default on the site shows US sizing, but you can tap/click Sizing Info and get EU, US, and UK sizes, as well as the Insole lengths and Toe Box widths.
If you’ve never measured before or like to check before any purchase (which I fully support and encourage) then know that the insole length here is trustworthy as a good representation of the interior length, as I can reproduce the listed value exactly with my Plus12 device. If you need measuring tips check out this page and if you want to know how much space to leave inside your shoes, check out this page.
Personally, I chose to size up in these like I did with my pink mesh Originals to make sure I had plenty of toe room and am on the fence about it. With the pink it’s perfect, but they also hold up their toe box shape better. Either way, I’m loving the volume. I’d have plenty of width either way, but have found in the past that Original models feel a little tighter at the front in overall volume (which width is only part) and that’s not the case here.
How do they feel?
Luxe isn’t just for looks, it covers feel too. They are instantly comfortable on the feet and the micro suede lining feels amazing.
They are also extremely flexible, with good ground feel and full rollability.
I even remembered to check the side squish, which I always forget, and Feelgrounds do not disappoint.
There are no hot spots, rubs, to any other discomforts.
Cleaning and Care
These shoes are highly wipeable but be sure to use soft methods, not harsh brushes or chemicals. So far, I haven’t done anything other than smack them together to remove debris or wipe them off.
Vegan material can trap moisture and increase the likelihood of smell. This is my standard warning with all manufactured vegan shoes: if your feet sweat a lot of you have a history of shoe smell, wear socks. There are also sprays you can use to help prevent odors, and you can order something directly with your Feelgrounds shoes via the Accessories page.
Purchasing, Shipping, and Returns
Currently, all sizes are available in all colors of Feelgrounds Luxe, including this Black and White color, but the lowest and highest sizes are running out. The cost is $129 + shipping and Feelgrounds does accept returns.
Final Thoughts
These Feelgrounds are great cool-weather, casual barefoot shoes with a luxury feel. I find them very warm, soft, comfy on the feet, and love how the elastic laces make them look so sleek, and allow them to slide on so easily. They have the perks of water repellency due to the material, but are lightweight, foot-friendly, and a style plus. Take care to assess the extra room in the toe box early, add felt if you need it to prevent wrinkling, and then enjoy!
Want more reviews?
Check out All the Barefoot Shoe Reviews for more in-depth looks.
Want to check out other lists, such as color and type break-downs?
Check out all the BIG lists here.
This is the first time I’ve seen shoes with a width measurement as wide as my feet in a size that isn’t far too long for me. But I am concerned about the shape of the toebox. I think the width measurement must be across the base of toes, because there appears in the photos to be a distinct tapering inward on both sides. My feet are widest (11.4 cm) across the ends of the toes, and they don’t slope from the big toe down to the pinky, but go almost straight across — like a slice of pizza with the center at my heels.
I wonder if you have any thoughts about whether these shoes could fit me.
The best image to judge toe box shape is the one from below. From above, especially when taking pictures while wearing them, camera angles can distort. But the one where I’m holding a single shoe upright and showing the bottom is the best one to judge. I find the big toe side to be quite straight and the other to slope naturally, however, if you have a particularly squared-off or inverted pizza slice shape, which is what I’m getting from your comment, this might slope too quickly for you on the outside. It’s fairly gentle, but all our different feet have some ‘best fit’ options and this may not fit your particular shape. You would probably love Softstar Primals and maybe the Wide version of Bohempia shoes. Ahinsa and possibly the new Be Lenka shape (currently in Trailwalker and the winter boot options) would also be wide shoes with a better fit for your foot shape.