Certain barefoot shoes brands get me in into a bit of fangirl mode, but I promise to still be objective. With Mukishoes you can get vegan or soft leather goodness like this beautiful grey-blue that perfectly slots into their color range. I’ve already done 7 different Mukishoes reviews, so I can confidently say that I know this brand inside and out and always go for their shoes, even if I have to make some adjustments along the way.
Disclaimer: I bought these Mukishoes myself, but I am an affiliate. If you use my code OWBMUKI for any Mukishoes purchase you will save 10% and a portion will go to support this blog and reviews like this. The support is appreciated!
Check out my previous 7 Mukishoes reviews on the Reviews page.
Sections
Technical specifications
- Upper: Chrome-Free Leather
- Inner Lining: Organic Cotton
- Sole: 3.5 mm 100% Natural Rubber, Bright White
- Color – Primarily grey with a blue undertone and you will see variations in the pictures here becasue of this
Company
You can read about Madlen and Marta, the founders of Mukishoes here. They have always been focused on marrying minimalist shoes with natural fabrics, sustainable construction, and beautiful, nature-inspired colors. I wasn’t yet in barefoot shoes when they launched their crowd-funding at the beginning of 2019, but by the end of the year I was deep into barefoot shoes and a firm fan of Mukishoes, and have loved watching them grow and expand their range.
Appearance
Mukishoes Azurit is a perfect pairing of bright white sole and a beautiful grey-blue leather upper, like an isolated northern beach. The mix of grey and blue can make them a touch challenging to match and I have found more success contrasting them rather than trying to match them with, for example, blue jeans, where the brighter blue of the pants tends to remove all hint of blue from the shoes.
I much more enjoy going bright and colorful in a contrast where even if I’m wearing blue jeans, it’s a more pleasing overall effect.
They also work great with neutral outfits, like black pants and a white shirt, as I did for #shoeforeveryfoot on social media with Katja from Bosenogice.
Fit
These have plenty of room for high-volume feet and can easily be tightened for more medium-to-high volume feet. When you get down into low volume you can expect to need an insole or something else like felt pads to take up space. (Options)
If your feet perfectly match their shape, you will find them plenty wide. I’m more rounded and find them a little snug on the outside of my foot in my normal size. More about that below.
Sizing
My standard size is 43 EU but it’s not good to rely on that, and always better to go to the sizing chart with your personal measurements, give yourself space, and get the best size, even if it’s different from your typical.
I measure my size 44s as 28.5, which is a touch short against the sizing chart. This happens sometimes with the various natural materials they use. There is a separate measurement listed on the tongue every pair of Mukishoes. Ignore it. You’re looking at your foot versus the sizing chart and in this case, keep this potential shortage in mind if you’re on the fence between sizes.
Length is always step one, but there are more points to consider here, including the shape of the shoes. Mukishoes gives primary real estate to first and second toes with a fairly quick slope, so if you’re square shape or more rounded/slowly sloped (like me) then you may have to make some additional adjustments to your sizing.
This may be more unique to my size as width doesn’t always scale evenly, or it has to do with my higher volume feet, but since the sole change, I have moved to size 44s in Mukishoes for the toe room, finding my 43s too snug at the 4th and 5th toes for my liking. The sole did not change its shape, but it increased in flexibility and it’s possible the uppers changed, but whatever the reason I don’t have the same room on the outer edge that I did.
The caveat to this is volume. Mukishoes remains very much high-volume friendly. If you’re low-volume, you may get lost with a size up and I wouldn’t recommend it.
How do they feel?
Super light and flexible! Mukishoes does that well. They never feel heavy. The leather itself is very thin and soft, but there is a bit of reinforcement added with the inner lining of organic cotton, so they hold their shape when standing alone, but can also hug your feet well when laced.
They more than meet our roll and squish sole desires. This 100% natural rubber sole is one of the most flexible available.
I had zero breaking on on Azurit. Sometimes with a low-cut pair of Mukishoes you will have rubbing at the heel, but I don’t recall that all here (I have had them about 9 months now, though). If you do have a problem, Moleskin pads or taller socks can be your bestie while the material softens. (Options)
Cleaning and Care
The soft leather of these Azurit Mukishoes should be treated well. It’s a good idea to use a protective spray (options here) to prevent staining or water damage. Do not machine wash or dry. Generally, you can handle spots by letting them dry and then removing them with light scrubbing or a damp cloth.
Purchasing and Returns
Mukishoes is not exhaustively available at a bunch of different retailers, but you may find them at some in the EU. In the US, Pedterra carries them and my affiliate code OWBMUKI saves 10% there. At the time of writing, Azurit is not part of their offerings, but the popular Chelsea Cork is available in very limited sizing along with some other offerings.
The easiest way to order Mukishoes is to go right to their website. If you’re in the US they will automatically remove VAT once they have your shipping destination input, and then you save an additional 10% with the OBSESSEDWITHBAREFOOTSHOES code. This makes them come to €112,80 (just over $130 at time of writing), shipping included. You can save a bundle if you bundle shoe orders together, as they offer worldwide shipping on a flat rate of €25,00.
Not all sizes of Azurit are still in stock.
Final thoughts
While I have had to size up permanently with the change to the sole (which is awesome, hands-down), I otherwise continue to be a huge fan of Mukishoes. Like Nimbus, the leather of Azurit is soft and light, and a delight to wear. I love the contrast with the white sole and the natural feel of all their color choices.
Want more reviews?
Check out All the Barefoot Shoe Reviews for more in-depth looks.
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