Feelgrounds has brought us several barefoot shoes advancements in 2021 – the long-awaited Patrol shipped out in January, later this year we’ll get their first sandals, and in Spring we got the updated versions of their Original, Highrise, and Droptop models with the new soles. I previously reviewed each of those here, here, and here, and took a good look at Patrol here.
Disclaimer: Feelgrounds sent me these pink mesh Originals on the new sole for review, but all thoughts are my own. If you use a link on this page to make a purchase, a small amount will be returned to me as an affiliate but it will cost you nothing extra and the support will be greatly appreciated.
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Company Information
Feelgrounds is just 2 years old, but they are a huge force in barefoot shoes. The energy and enthusiasm for barefoot shoes and their customers comes through on their social media and in their business decisions. You can read about them and their team here.
Technical Specifications
- Model: Original Mesh – Dusty Pink
- Upper and Main Lining: Recycled PET
- Heel Lining: Microfiber
- Sole: Recyclable TPE
- Sizes: EU 35-49
- Mesh is available in 7 colors and Knit comes in 6 colors
- Vegan
For a comparison of Knit and Mesh, check out my previous review of the Original model.
Appearance
Depending on your color choice, you can go street or sweet with Feelgrounds. I’ve been eying the pink since day 1, since dresses and sneaks are basically my favorite thing ever, and they work perfectly for this.
The new release thickened the side of the sole a tad, and that’s a good change. I didn’t think about the previous thickness along the side, but the update looks good here.
Fit
The whole point of the new version release from Feelgrounds is in the toe box and sole, which has been aimed at increasing width where feet need it most – the toes. This is tied to not only foot health, but also balance, gait, and entire body alignment. Crushed toes do no one any good in everyday wear.
They weren’t crushing before, but they were very much medium width and volume, especially in Original, and this bumps them up a bit. But the uppers were always different (more about that below) and Original remains the one that works best for Medium feet, though you now have more room to play with than before. For me, in one size up, they are a perfect fit everywhere, and I don’t even notice the extra length.
Let’s dig into sizing to see how you can get your best fit, too.
Sizing
All of my previous Feelgrounds shoes were size 44, including Originals, and in the Originals I had the least volume. Even in a sized up 44 I had just the needed room, no extra. When they dropped these new models, I sized down in Highrise, back to my 43s, but took a gamble that Original would still need to be sized up for me and it turned out to be the right decision. The 44s fit puuuurrrrrfectly.
Feelgrounds has a sizing chart on every page with exhaustive and lovely details of EU, US, and UK sizes, lengths in cm and in, and widths in the same.
All of the new soles are the same in length and width, but the fit of the uppers vary somewhat, with volume running in this order from most to least:
Droptop Knit, Droptop Mesh, Highrise, Original Knit, Original Mesh (what I have here)
Tips for Feelgrounds vets:
- If you have a narrow or medium fit, you’re probably going to get a perfect fit in this shoe in your correct size, while you might not enjoy Droptop at all.
- If you sized up previously due to a little bit of tightness, you might be able to size down.
- If you sized up due to toe box width, you can probably size down in the other models, but I’d consider staying the same in Original.
If you’re new to this model and don’t have a frame of reference, here are my tips:
I get an accurate measurement against the chart for my size 44s. Trust the chart here and with a gently sloped toe box, most people won’t have to make adjustments to sizing based on shape, but you know your feet best.
Width is listed on the chart, but there is always that pesky interplay between the upper’s shape, material, and stretch, and the volume of your own feet, which can be high in one area, medium in another, and low in yet another. If you are low volume, go by the chart, if you are high, especially at the forefoot, then consider a size up in this model. If you are low volume and/or don’t have a lot of width or splay, consider an insole.
How do they feel?
The Mesh material is the most breathable option from Feelgrounds (until the sandals drop) and while I do find it warmer than a canvas, it’s quite light for everyday wear. My personal recommendation with created vegan materials like this is to wear socks as a preventive against any moisture buildup, but my Feelgrounds are so easy to wear that I break this ‘rule’ ALL. THE. TIME. And, you know what? I’ve had no ill effects with any of them. If you’re sweaty by nature or at all concerned, socks are your friend.
At my shoe size, I’m often inside the ‘men’s’ area and that comes with some adjustments that may not be present in smaller sizes, and this could be one of them, but I find that the back of the heel initially rubbed. It’s very possible it’s a little extra tall for me as a 5′ 6″ woman, but even if it is present at all sizes, it’s very easy to remedy with moleskin. Option in my master list of useful products.
Otherwise, they are light and flexible as you’d expect in barefoot shoes. Feelgrounds are highly flexible, in fact, and do not restrict your foot movement in any way. The material of the upper is thick but not stiff or drape-like. It holds it’s shape well but doesn’t force your feet into a particular shape.
Luxe
In August of 2021 Feelgrounds released the Luxe (vegan leather material) model of Original in 3 colorways. I will be coming back to update this with more information about the special model but in the meantime here is a picture:
And here is my first look on Instagram.
What changed in the update?
The main change to Feelgrounds shoes is in the shape of the toe box – making it wider in the right areas and more foot-friendly, but there are other changes that are more subtle, and the sole itself feels a touch firmer, like the material was tweaked slightly.
I’m a big fan of the shape update. I find the fit of the new model excellent and improved in both this model and the Highrise (they sent me black and then I bought the pink limited edition, as well). I did stay sized up, and that was the right choice for me, but I can still feel the fit improvements. If you are especially narrow or low volume in your feet, you may not like them, may need to adjust your sizing, or may like picking up one of the available Felt or Cork insoles to take up some extra space.
A question I have received several times about the previous version of Feelgrounds is sole durability, and it’s a tough question for me to answer. The previous sole was very, very soft, and I can see how that might impact durability, especially if your gait is even a little bit rubbing on the ground. Personally, I didn’t experience it, but I feel limited as a reviewer in this one area because of the number of shoes I test and review. For a comparison, though, you can see this post on Instagram showing heavy use. I get the sense that the new sole is less soft (but again, still completely flexible) and that may address this concern.
Design choices elsewhere in the shoe are just like a ‘freshening up’ of their looks – they look great, and I could pick apart the individual changes, but I won’t because they don’t impact fit or are in any way negative to the look.
Cleaning and Care
Under the Details section of the product page you can find Care Instructions from Feelgrounds:
To clean your Original Mesh remove all loose dirt with a soft (!) shoe brush. If necessary, go in with a clean, soft brush to apply some lukewarm water and a mild cleaning solution. Wipe any excess product with a moist cloth. Air dry at room temperature after cleaning or when the shoes got wet.
For removing more stubborn stains, you can also throw your Original Mesh in the washing machine. You can wash your shoes by themselves in a mesh laundry bag on a gentle cycle with cold water. Let them air dry afterwards. Please be aware that machine washing can put a strain on colors and materials. So don’t wash your shoes like you wash your underwear!
The last line cracks me up. I think they’re pretty clear and thorough. The Mesh can be treated a little more roughly than the Knit, but with the deeper indentations in the material it may pick up dirt more easily.
Purchasing, Shipping, and Returns
Feelgrounds is very thorough with their Shipping and Returns information and you can access it from any product page at the very bottom. Current price of this model is $109 USD. You can pay for expedited shipping and normal shipping takes up to 2 weeks.
Final Thoughts
If you want to look cool and casual in your barefoot shoes, then Feelgrounds are a great company to check out. I’ve loved all my models, even with the previous fit being less optimal for me. I’m thrilled they did the update. It’s not cheap for a company to completely change their soles this way, but they’ve shown they’re committed to giving us foot-healthy choices in this change and I’m excited to see what they bring us next. I’ll be enjoying these and my Highrise in full in the meantime.
Want more reviews?
Check out All the Barefoot Shoe Reviews for more in-depth looks.
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Check out all the BIG lists here.
