Ditch the uncomfortable heels and pointy toes! These barefoot Chelsea boots feature a wide, foot-shaped toe box and a thin, flat and flexible sole.
Chelsea boots are a classic for a reason– they’re versatile to style and easy to pull on. Many conventional Chelsea boots feature thick platform soles or chunky heels. While these may be what is trending at the moment, they’re not that great for our feet or our body. For some options that are more foot-friendly, check out barefoot Chelsea boots!
2022 seemed to be the year of Chelsea Boots in the barefoot shoe world. So many barefoot brands released a Chelsea Boot for the first time, and I tested and reviewed a lot of them. They’ve clearly been popular as I’ve been adding to and updating this list with new additions in 2023 and 2024.
Many barefoot shoes are unisex, but a few of these Chelsea boots are only available in smaller sizes or listed as women’s.
Here you can see the difference between a conventional Chelsea boot and a barefoot Chelsea boot:
Table of Contents
Stylish Leather Barefoot Chelsea Boots
- Vivobarefoot Gobi Chelsea
- BeLenka Chelsea Boots
- Groundies Chelsea Boots
- Shapen Chelsea Boots
- Feelbarefoot Customizable Boots on Etsy
- Mukishoes Chelsea Boots
- Magical Shoes Lupino Boots
- Angles Fashion Boots
Vegan Barefoot Chelsea Boots
Rugged Barefoot Chelsea Boots
Here’s what to look for in Barefoot Chelsea Boots:
Wide toe box — The toe box should be wide, allowing your toes to naturally splay. This means that your big toe can lie straight, so the toe box is either straight or splay out at the big toe. This is one of the most noticeable differences between a barefoot chelsea boot and a conventional boot, which typically has a narrower, pointed, symmetrical toe box. To see a side-by-side comparison of the width of these boots, check out the photos at the end of the post.
Flat — The sole of the shoe should zero-drop, or flat. Chelsea boots tend to have very thick soles or a chunky heel.
Thin & Flexible — The focus on barefoot shoes is allowing the foot to function naturally, which includes a thin and flexible sole so the foot can easily move and bend. A stiff sole is usually pretty standard in boots, which forces us to change our walking gait to compensate for the lack of flexibility in the sole.
Sizing Reference
For most of these shoes, I’ll provide a sizing reference based on my experience with the fit. Read more on measuring your feet for barefoot shoes here.
I’m most often a US7.5/EU38 in my barefoot shoes, but often times I size up in barefoot boots to accommodate for thicker socks. My feet are medium width and measure 23.3cm long. I typically look for shoes with an extra 1.2cm of space.
Water-resistant and Waterproof options
I note on each of the boots below which ones are water-resistant or waterproof. Since most of them are leather, they are naturally water-resistant. You can improve this by regularly waxing your boots. This also conditions and improves the lifespan of the leather. The only fully waterproof barefoot Chelsea boots on this list that have a separate membrane are the Lems Chelsea boots.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you click on one of them, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Stylish Leather Barefoot Chelsea Boots
Vivobarefoot Gobi Chelsea Boots
Leather | EU35 – 43 | Lined and unlined versions | $190 | Code KELLY20 for 20% off
Vivobarefoot has an urban take on the classic Chelsea boot. The newest version of the Gobi Chelsea Boot is coming in Fall 2024. So far, it will come in dark brown with a gum sole, with both unlined and warm lined options. These Vivobareboot boots have a 4mm sole with a 3mm cork and foam removable insole. The sole is flat, but the outer rubber comes up at the back to give it a look of a heel. The leather is naturally water repellant, but there is not a separate membrane.
Fit & Sizing: Overall, Vivobarefoot fit narrow to medium feet best and tend to have a lower volume fit. I find Vivobarefoot shoes and boots to be true to size, which is usually EU38 for me. You can measure your feet and compare to the size chart, or use the StrutFit app on Vivo’s website that scans your feet from your phone’s camera and recommends a size.
BeLenka Chelsea Boots
Leather | sizes EU36-43| Lined and unlined options |$179 | Code KELLY5 for 5% off
BeLenka has an extensive line of barefoot boots, including several styles of barefoot Chelsea boots. The Entice boot comes in leather or suede, and is lined with a fleece, including a removable fleece insole. The sole is 4mm and has the shape is the same as BeLenka’s other boots, but doesn’t have as deep of a lug pattern on the sole.
The Mojo is a new 2023 style with a knitted, stretchy fabric collar, which makes them very easy to pull on and off and very soft around the ankles. This boot also uses one of BeLenka’s newer outsoles, which it calls the Ergogrip.
The uppers don’t have any special treatment or membrane, but the leather uppers are naturally water-resistant.
Fit & Sizing: For BeLenka’s fleece-lined winter boots, I usually recommend going up a size. Based on my 23.3cm foot measurement, the size EU39 fits best for these BeLenka Chelsea Boots. The fleece lining is fairly minimal, but does still take up some length and volume, so it makes these shoes best for low to medium volume feet. For reference, I wear an EU38 in the unlined Nevada boots and EU39 in the Mojo Chelsea Boots.
Groundies Chelsea Boots
Leather, Vegan | 33-47 | $140 | Extra Wide Options | Code KELLY15 for 15% off
Groundies has a huge selection of on-trend shoes in barefoot styles for both men and women, including this several barefoot Chelsea boot styles. The style pictured above is the Sienna, which has nubuck leather uppers and a rubber edging for durability. The soles are still thin and flexible, but have a faux side wall that makes them appear thicker like a more conventional boot.
Other great Chelsea boot option from Groundies is the Camden with a taller shaft, which comes in both their regular barefoot fit, and their extra wide Barefoot+ fit.
You can purchase Groundies directly from their website while some styles are available on Amazon in the US.
Fit & Sizing: Groundies has several different sole styles, so fit & sizing differs a bit depending on the type of sole. The Sienna boots have the GS1 sole with 3 mm base, but a faux side wall makes them appear a bit taller. The GS1 soles run a little longer compared to the other sole type (GO1 sole). The EU38 in the Sienna boot is a good fit for my 23.3cm foot measurement as I can wear a bit thicker socks, and even add a warmer insole. I’m an EU38 in the GO1 sole, which includes boots like the Camden.
Shapen Divine Chelsea Boot
Leather | EU35 – 44 | | $149 | Code BFSHOEGUIDE5 for 5% off
Shapen is known for making stylish barefoot dress shoes and sandals for women, so it was exciting to see them create a line of beautiful barefoot boots this season, including a pair of Chelsea Boots. The Divine Chelsea Boot uses smooth leather apps and comes in brown, cream and black. They feature a buck that gives them a riding boot feel.
On a spectrum, SHAPEN is on the “very barefoot” end of things as the toe box is wide and naturally-shaped. It accommodates wide and even extra wide feet, depending on the style. The soles for the boots are 5.5mm thin and very flexible. They provide decent insulation while still being very flexible.
These boots do not have any additional inner lining, so they feel a little big compared to all the other styles as I still opted for an EU38. The length feels good with thicker socks, but there is a lot more volume that I needed to fill with an extra insole. This style can accommodate wide, high volume feet. If you plan on wearing these without thick socks or insoles, I recommend sizing down (for me that would’ve been the EU37).
See a review of all Shapen barefoot boots here, including an UGG-style boot called the Fluffy.
Feelbarefoot on Etsy Chelsea Boots
Leather | US W3 – 16.5 | Customizable | $121 using code KELLY50
The FeelBarefoot Store on Etsy sells leather barefoot shoes handmade in Turkey including these dressier Chelsea boots. They offer a large range of sizes and customizations, so they’re a great brand if you’ve had a hard time finding the right fit. Use the code KELLY50 for a 50% discount.
I love the simple, classic styling of their barefoot Chelsea boots. Plus, they come in a whole rainbow of colors like pink, red and silver. Since barefoot shoes are still fairly niche, most boots are neutral colors like black and brown. Here, you can get them in almost any color.
The soles are leather with an option to add a 2cm rubber outsole. I highly recommend adding the rubber outsole as the leather sole is pretty slick to start off with. Overall, the rubber improves the grip and helps the shoes last longer. Because these have a leather sole, they are stiffer than most rubber barefoot shoe soles, but still offer reasonable movement.
The FeelBarefoot Etsy store also sells leather oxfords, lace up boots, slip ons, and offers some of the styles with a full rubber sole as well.
Fit & Sizing: I found the sizing chart accurate. I opted for a size US7.5/EU38 with a 23.3cm foot length. I have medium width feet and I feel like I have enough space overall, including the toe box. The Etsy shop lists sizes US Women’s 3 to 16.5, but I’ve heard they’ll work with you on different sizing and even widths.
Wildling Chelsea Boots
Hemp and Wool Uppers | EU 36-48 | $149 | Free shipping code: AWN_ BAREFOOTSHOEGUIDE
The softest and most barefoot option on the list, the Bruklin is a brand new style from Wildling. The uppers are made from a blend of hemp and wool. These Chelsea boots feature Wildlings newer shell sole that are better for wet weather thanks to the taller sidewalls. Though these are not vegan, they do not feature any leather. These do not come with a separate insole, but you can order a wool one from Wildling to help with warmth and adjust the volume and cushion.
Fit & Sizing: I found these to run true to size. I wear a size EU 38 for my 23.3cm foot measurement. Wildling also has a printable fit kit to help you get the right size.
Mukishoes Chelsea Boots
Leather or Vegan Cork | EU 24 – 48 | $101 – $122 | Code KELLYMUKI for 10% off
The Mukishoes Chelsea boots come in a few different uppers including smooth leather, suede, and a vegan option out of cork leather. Mukishoes places sustainability at the forefront of their product development, and in additional to using sustainable vegan products, they try to use headstock fabric for the inner lining.
These boots are super lightweight and flexible. These are available for both adults and kids, so there is a large size range. Pricing depends on the upper materials.
Fit & Sizing: I opted for the EU38 and these fit me well with thinner socks. These Mukishoes boots fit narrower and medium width feet best.
Magical Shoes Lupino Boots
Suede or faux leather | EU 35-47 | $149 | Code KELLY10 for 10% off
The Lupino Chelsea Boots by Magical Shoes are a very soft and flexible boot. They come in either sueded leather uppers in grey, black, green, brown and burgundy or a black vegan faux leather. The soles are 6.5mm, made with the brand’s “Magical Rubber” that is super flexible. The boots have a felt lining inside to make them soft and a little warmer.
Fit and sizing: I ended up going with a size EU 39, which is one size up from my typical size. I tried both the 38s and the 39s, so I was able to compare and see which size fit best. See a video comparison of sizing on Instagram.
Based on the length, I thought I’d be in between a size EU 38 and 39. The 38s fit my ankles and overall foot really well, but the extra space was in the heel instead of in front of the toes. These shoes curve out at the back a bit more compared to other boots I’ve worn. My foot was pushed slightly forward, and on the 38s I could feel my toe hitting the edge on my longer foot (which is about 233mm). This doesn’t seem to be a big issue, but likely part of the reason I needed to size up.
With the 39s I have a little extra room around my ankles and instep, but also enough room for socks and the right amount of space in front of my toes.
Angles Fashion Chelsea Boots
Leather | winter wool-lined option | 33-47 | $181 – $205
Angles Fashion is a Czech barefoot shoe brand that mostly focuses on chic urban leather shoes. They have two different barefoot Chelsea Boot styles: the Nemesis and the NYX. Both are available in 3 colors: black, a darker nut brown, and a warmer cognac brown.
Since the uppers are leather, they are naturally water-resistant, but there is no additional membrane to make them waterproof.
Sole is 3mm rubber and zero-drop. It rolls up easily into a ball, but is harder to twist or fold lengthwise. It’s feels heavier or firmer compared to some other barefoot shoes with similar some thickness, but still decently flexible. These shoes are made for an urban environment, and there is some prioritization of durability over ground feel.
Fit & Sizing: Overall, these Angles barefoot chelsea boots fit narrow to medium width feet, and lower to medium volume feet. They’re easy to pull on thanks to the back pull tab and the elastic insert. They fit around my somewhat smaller ankles well.
I found these to run small compared to the size chart. I got a size EU38 in the lined winter version. According to the size chart, this should’ve been 1.9cm of extra space for my 23.3cm foot measurement. I usually shoot for around 1.2cm, but wanted to give myself the extra space for the lining and for thicker socks. Based on the fit, I think an additional size up would’ve been better, especially for thicker socks.
Vegan Barefoot Chelsea Boots
Many barefoot Chelsea boots are made with leather, but there are lots of fantastic vegan options too. Several of the leather options listed above also come in vegan options–including the Mukishoes Chelsea in cork, and the Magical Shoes Lupino in a faux leather. Here are boots that only come in vegan versions.
Feelgrounds Chelsea Boots
Vegan Faux Leather | water-repellant | sizes EU 34-49| $149 | Currently on sale for 20% off
Feelgrounds Chelsea Boots are vegan Chelsea Boots that come in black, sienna, and a trendy cream color. They have a wide, foot-shaped toe box, and a flat sole (no heel). They have the same sole and tread as the Patrol boots, which are thicker and stiffer than Feelgrounds’ everyday shoes. See my reel on Instagram for a quick video comparison. They have a total stack height of 13mm, so there is a trade off for cushion and protection from the ground vs flexibility and better ground feel.
The uppers are a faux PU leather. Faux leather can sometimes look shiny and plasticky, but I feel like they did a good job making it look more realistic with a matte finish and some grain to the texture.
The inside is lined with soft microfiber. These are water-repellant thanks to the vegan leather, but not completely waterproof as there isn’t an extra membrane. For a fully waterproof vegan barefoot from Feelgrounds, check out the Patrol winter boots.
The boots are unisex and come in sizes EU34-49. Retail is $149 plus shipping which is usually about $18 to the US.
Fit & Sizing: I found these to run true to size. I ordered a size 38 for my 23.3cm foot measurement, which gives them about 1.5cm of extra space. I usually aim for about 1.2cm, but find that a little extra space in boots works better as I’m typically wearing thicker socks.
Bohempia Rola boots
Vegan ultrasuede | 36-47 | available in extra wide | 132€ | Code KELLY10 for 10% off
Bohempia makes barefoot versions of some popular sneaker and boot styles using vegan uppers. The Role boots use an innovative material made from recycled polyester collected from recycled plastic bottles. They call this durable and breathable material Ultrasuede®. It’s also water-resistant when treated.
The regular barefoot line at Bohempia is already pretty wide and high volume, but they also have a wide barefoot fit that’s even wider. The wide sizes start at a width of 10cm in EU36 and go up to 11.6cm for size EU47. These fit both wide and extra wide feet
Rugged Barefoot Chelsea Boots for Outdoor Adventures
If you’ve been looking for the perfect replacement for your heavy, toe-squishing Blundstones, these lightweight and foot-shaped Chelsea boots will be a definite upgrade.
Lems Chelsea Boots
Leather | waterproof version available | sizes M5/W6.5 – M15| $150 – $165
These Lems Chelsea Boots feel like a do-it-all, almost indestructible version of a Chelsea boot. If you have Blundstones (or you’ve been eyeing them), but really don’t want to squish your toes or deal with the back pain a heeled boot can cause, then slide on a pair of Lems’ new Chelsea Boots. Like most Lems, these boots have a moderate sole thickness of 14.5mm which makes them great form someone new to barefoot shoes, or someone that simply wants a thicker sole for their boots without losing all the flexibility.
Lems offers several: oiled leather brown espresso uppers on the waterproof version, suede light brown uppers on the regular version, and soon coming in all black. I opted for the waterproof version, and it’s performed great, even when standing in a (shallow) river of water.
Fit & Sizing: I would go up at least 1/2 size on the waterproof version, if not a full size if you’re going to wear thicker socks or like more room. I’m typically a 7.5/EU38 based on my 23.3cm foot measurement, and I went up 1/2 size to an 8.
See my video review of the Lems Chelsea Boots on Instagram here.
See a full Lems brand review here.
Xero Shoes Ridgeway Chelsea Boots
Nubuck Leather | Sizes US W5 – 12 | $160
Another contender to replace your Blundstones has entered the chat with this new 2024 release from Xero Shoes. The Ridgeway Chelsea boots come in black or brown nubuck leather that feels soft but durable. I find that nubuck is typically a better option for hiking boots as the velvety matte surface naturally conceals small scratches, scuffs, and abrasions better than smooth or shiny leathers. These are naturally wanter-resistant, but do not have a separate membrane to make them fully waterproof.
The soles feature Xero Shoes’ signature chevron lug pattern, which makes these the barefoot Chelsea boots with the best grip on this list. They have a great balance of flexibility and ruggedness; my main wish is that these were slightly wider in the toe box as I generally find Xero Shoes a bit too narrow.
These Chelsea boots are available directly from Xero Shoes and at REI in the US. If you’re located in the EU, you can shop directly on Xero Shoes EU website.
For the wettest weather, the Gracie is a short rubber pull-on rain boot. For a less rugged, more minimal option from Xero, check out the Tari boots.
Fit & Sizing: Xero Shoes tend to be best suited for those with narrow feet and toe splay. I find that I usually have to order 1/2 size up in Xero Shoes from my typical US size. I’m wearing these in a women’s US 8. Xero Shoes does offer a free exchange program in the US.
Width Comparison for Barefoot Chelsea Boots
Understanding the width of a brand and a style can be a good place to start finding the right barefoot Chelsea Boot for you. These are organized how I find them narrowest to widest–they can vary a bit with style and sole type.
Barefoot Chelsea Boots for Kids
The slip on functionality of Chelsea boots makes them incredibly convenient for kids too, so if you’re looking for your littles here are a few great options for barefoot Chelsea boots in kid’s sizes. Or, if you simply need a smaller size for you, several of these boots are simply a scaled down version of the adult styles listed above.
Vivobarefoot Fulham Boots | $85 | KELLY20 for 20% off | Kid’s US9 – US1 | This full leather Chelsea boot uses Vivo’s Kids Outdoor Adventure outsole, which is designed to play in all kids of weather.
Feelgrounds Chelsea Boots | $94 | EU24 – adult | Feelgrounds now makes mini versions of their popular barefoot Chelsea boots. The faux leather uppers come in black and two shades of brown.
Mukishoes Chelsea Boots | €85 | KELLYMUKI for 10% off | EU24 – 35 | The classic barefoot Chelsea boot in the caramel color leather comes in kid’s sizes too. Mukishoes also has a kid’s specific style in bright red and a yellow sole, plus a flame decoration along the back.
Magical Shoes Lupino Boots | $95 | KELLY10 for 10% off | EU31 – EU 35 | This is another brand that offers its Chelsea boots in smaller styles. These leather boots also conveniently include a side zipper on the inside of the boot, making them even easier to put on. Magical Shoes has one of the softest and most flexible soles.
Froddo | $110 | KELLY for 10% off at PedTerra| EU26 – EU35 | Cute leather Chelsea boots that come in caramel, brown, black and red. Come in adult sizes as well. These boots can be purchased in the US at online retailer PedTerra, which offers free shipping and free returns.
PaperKrane Chelsea Boots | $105 | KELLY for 10% off at PedTerra | E24 – EU35 | PaperKrane knows how to jazz things up, and these barefoot chelsea boots for kids are no exceptions. The uppers may be a classic black, but the soles are like the rainbow with pink, yellow, green and blue stripes. These boots can be purchased in the US at online retailer PedTerra, which offers free shipping and free returns.
2 Comments
[…] the sole and toe spring disappointing and uncomfortable. I’d recommend opting for a different barefoot Chelsea boot if you […]
[…] Chelsea boots are easy to slip-on and comfortable to wear. They have more of a utilitarian vibe with the chunkier […]