Comments on: Review: Feelmax Kuuva Boot – Winter Barefooting Series

By: Al Gauthier

Al Gauthier — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 04:39:01 +0000

Hi Scott,
When you say you know of more than 100 people who are using “the product” it makes me think you work for Feelmax. Is that the case? If so, why don’t you tell us more about “how to wear minimal shoes”. It seems to me that people are using this product as they would use any other boot. Since the product is a boot and Feelmax does not provide any guidance about what is and what is not appropriate wear for the boot, why would the uses described thus far be inappropriate? Your comment also brings to light the question of what is and what is not a reasonable sacrifice for super-light flexible materials.

By: tracy

tracy — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:39:34 +0000

To my knowledge, Feelmax does not offer wide sizes. Also, it is my personal opinion that Feelmax shoes are truly not made for wide feet. If you consider yourself to have normal-width feet the shoes will likely fit very well. For those who often find shoes too naorrow the Feelmax brand is probably not for you.

By: Scott Johnson

Scott Johnson — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:08:40 +0000

I am pretty amazed after reading these comments on how some are using the Feelmax Kuuva. The product is the most minimal on the market that works but I can see that these comments above are written by people who obviously do not know how to wear minimal shoes. I recommend that instead of whining and directing folks to websites in the UK to get 25% off that you keep your negative comments to yourself. I know over 100 people using the product and loving it but I think it is a given with superlight flexible materials that you have to have some sacrifices.

By: moises

moises — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:17:51 +0000

A couple of days ago, I left my apartment wearing my new Kuuvas. The rain was failing at a rate of 1 inch/per hour and the wind was gusty. I walked about 4 New York City blocks to get my car. My feet stayed dry and comfortable in my Kuuvas.

Then I drove to work in New Jersey. Upon arrival there was about 1.5 inches of thick, heavy, waterlogged snow. I stepped out of my car to walk into my office building. There was a very good slope where I had parked, so there were no huge puddles, since the water was flowing downhill.

As soon as I stepped out of my car, I could feel cold water coming in one of my boots. It felt as if it were coming in one of the eyelets, though that should not be possible.

Once I got into my office, I changed my shoes and socks immediately. Unfortunately, this meant that I had to wear “real” shoes for the first time since September 22, 2009. Wearing sneakers with athletic socks felt like my feet were encased in plaster.

Needless to say I am sorely disappointed to find that my Kuuvas could not hold up in the most mild of conditions.

My next step is to test them in the bathtub to try to find where they are leaking, and see if I can use something to seal up the leak.

By: Al Gauthier

Al Gauthier — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:27:51 +0000

Hi Anemone,
To my knowledge, Feelmax does not offer wide sizes. Also, it is my personal opinion that Feelmax shoes are truly not made for wide feet. If you consider yourself to have normal-width feet the shoes will likely fit very well. For those who often find shoes too naorrow the Feelmax brand is probably not for you.

By: Anemone

Anemone — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:57:35 +0000

I don’t think it’s possible to come up with flexible soles that don’t wear out quickly. (At least that’s my experience wearing Ecco.) At least if you’re mostly walking on snow the soles will last longer than if you’re on pavement a lot.

I can see wearing something like this when there’s lots of fresh snow on the ground and barefooting is not a good idea.

They don’t have wide sizes, though. (Or is it buried somewhere in their website?)

By: rebecca

rebecca — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:28:13 +0000

great review! I peresonally love the Kuuva boots. I think it’s great that you can actually wear boots yet still get the same sensation as walking barefoot. And they look like regular boots too so i can wear them everyday and no one will know the difference! just because i like barefooting doesn’t mean i want to stick out like a sore thumb! When wearing the Kuuva i feel like i can walk all day – no foot pain or back pain!

By: anon

anon — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:41:02 +0000

While somewhat ambiguous, I don’t think “several weeks” of use with already noticeable and substantial wear and tear, constitutes durability.

1) I find disposable culture something we should all fight against as best as we can.

2) I can not and will not finance businesses that support this culture (despite maybe trying to do just the opposite).

3) I find it insulting when someone tries to pitch me a product that is in actuality no more than a decent prototype of an excellent idea.

We will not get better products until we learn to leave sub-par products on the shelves and let the manufacturers hear what we really want.

In this case, I bet, most of you would want to see Kuuva boots that would last long enough to see the next winter too – or am I wrong?

I understand there are limits to every material. I don’t have the time, expertise nor real initiate to do R&D for suitable materials or designs – that’s their job, and that’s what I’m willing to pay them for if they can deliver.

But it seems Feelmax fails to deliver, again. This is regrettable (for the demand is there, the concept is good), but with little to show and much to prove, I fear FM will put themselves out of business at this rate. Hopefully someone will pick up from there, should this ever happen.

As for myself, I’d pay twice the price for these shoes (well, if they could come up with a regular walking shoe version while making the black sides brown), IF they could at least come up with a business model where I could send my shoes to be re-soled (or whatever) and then shipped back to me – with a tolerable markup of course.

Since when did it become impossible to make shoes that last a lifetime with proper care and some easy -to-do fixes?

We need to start thinking shoes as investments that, once done right, keep on giving, that are really worth spending a minor fortune on – not as $10 items we buy and scrap every other week.