Chelsea boots are an iconic British style from the 1950s and 1960s, worn by popular musicians like The Beatles and seen around the world.
VIVOBAREFOOT is a well-known British company, founded by upon decades of shoe knowledge, design expertise, and a desire to make great barefoot shoes for people everywhere.
I have struggled to wear VIVOS due to my wide, high-volume feet, but read on to see how this model has changed that. This post contains affiliate links.
Technical specifications
- Upper: Leather sourced from Portugal and assembled locally
- Outsole: 3 mm Everyday Lifestyle, V-Sense TPU (check out all their soles here and shop by collection)
- Insole: Cork, removable
- Lining: Leather
- My size: 43
Sections
Model Details – Should you Cross Over to the Men’s?
The pictured model is this version, which is the Men’s Nubuck. The Women’s version is lighter and available here. VIVO stock sells out fast, y’all, so I expect you could be clicking on dead links even the day I post this – but give it a shot and find out. Fulhams also come in other models with smooth leather, like these men’s and these women’s. There are also models for young kids and higher sizes in the Juniors. OWB10 code = 10% off any adult models that are listed at full price.
You may be wondering about going into the Men’s models. Numerous women (not all) have found VIVOS too narrow or too tight, so this can be a great option.
Who it might work for: women who are at least size 40, who have wide and/or high-volume feet with medium to wide heels
Who it won’t work as well for: women smaller than size 40, women with very flat feet (at best you’d need to add an insole) and women with very narrow ankles (yoga socks might solve that problem)
It’s a perfect jump for me, and has resolved my previous issues with wearing VIVOBAREFOOT shoes. The volume is quite generous, though, so be prepared if you have low or medium volume feet to make some adjustments.
Appearance
This model is a beautiful, dark brown with a rich appearance. It comes with a luxury presentation in a thick, sturdy box and with its own storage bag.
I have worn these with dresses, leggings, jeggings and more. Adding a cuff to your jeans/jeggings is a great look, but they work well with the shaft covered too.
Fit
These are the men’s, so they are cut more generously than the women’s, especially at the heel and over the instep. You can see below that they are not exactly my foot shape, but you play with your sizing options that does not have to stop you from enjoying shoes you love.
I have more space in front of my first toes and less in front of my 3rd/4th. On flat ground (urban walking – what these are designed for) that’s not a problem. I’m sure I’d feel differently hiking, but please don’t go hike in these boots. 😅
Sizing
You can size VIVO multiple ways. They have a FIT finder system on each model page that will use some offered information based on your history with other brands to help you find your VIVO size. You can pick your American size. Or, if you do a little digging, you can find the sizing chart (men’s and women’s) that will include EU sizes, US sizes, length measurements.
Breaking In
These shoes have no break-in period. They were instantly comfortable and fit well.
Protecting Your Shoes
I highly recommend instantly protecting these boots. Try them on, walk around inside, and before you go out and about spray them. I didn’t, walked out in a dewy morning, and had instant regrets. Whatever was in the dew on my yard stuck to these and would not let go. Spray them (do not wax suede or nubuck) with one of the protectors from this page and rest a little easier that you nice, soft, beautiful shoes from the elements. Check any protector closely to make sure it is okay for your specific type of leather (smooth, suede, or nubuck).
If you don’t, you can be faced with a routine of brushing and cleaning that can drive you up the wall. If you do get to this point, I highly recommend horsehair brushes, which I have used. I also used a leather cleaner, which helped immensely, but does change the look of the leather somewhat and still did not remove everything.
Protect. Your. Shoes.
How do they feel?
The shoe is layered in a way as to purposely hold its shape, so you will feel that when you wear them. So far, they haven’t molded to my feet and other than a bit of creasing I don’t expect they will. This means they maintain their styling, but they don’t feel as natural as other options.
The sole is thin and flexible, with plenty of ground feel. The main reason its not squishing any further in the pic below is the amount of material in the upper.
The insole is not that amazing. The cork quickly showed cracks and it can easily pull up. I expect soon to replace it. I’d go without, but in this men’s I have a touch extra volume with it, so will either need to make up that volume with something else or weak thicker socks to maintain a good fit.
Durability
So far, so good. I’m not seeing stretching the elastic at all and the sole shows just a light wear pattern (big toes represent!). There is some creasing at the toe bend, which is to be expected with any leather shoe.
Purchasing
This model is currently sold out. So is the smooth leather men’s Fulham. The women’s models are available in smooth and nubuck and if they say full price, tack on OWB10 code to get 10% off.
Links:
Shipment and Returns
Shipment from VIVO can come from different places, depending on where you are in the world and the current stock/collection/promotion. Mine were shipped from the UK and took a few weeks to arrive.
Returning was easy through the VIVO system (I ordered a women’s pair at the same time, in the same size, but a different model, and it was dramatically shorter, more narrow, and lower volume – so back it went)
Final Thoughts
These are the first VIVOS I’ve bought new (tried a couple of used buys before) and I’m loving them. The Fulham style can give you a really long, smooth front and I think the dark color and textured leather help break that up. I’ve loved wearing them with a wide range of clothing and find them comfortable, easy to wear, and with plenty of ground feel. Enjoying these directly led to me picking up Ababas and I hope to try more styles in the future. You can check out my initial Fulham videos here, my Ababa videos here, and more about slip-on shoes (including Ababa thoughts) here.
VIVO’s current interest lies heavily with their Revivo model, where they resole and resell previously-worn shoes. You can check out those offerings here.
Want more reviews?
Check out All the Barefoot Shoe Reviews for more in-depth looks.
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