Howgill

An outstanding shoe. Very comfortable straight out of the box. True to normal show size. Excellent grip and feel from the sole. I can feel the ground underfoot without any discomfort. The shoe came with an spare, thicker, insole but i haven't needed to use it. I have now found my shoe brand of choice. I shall be back for more 😊.

I wanted the Howgill to work. It was very comfortable. I used the sizing chart to find the right size. I was surprised when I lined up with a US 6 because I normally wear a US 7. I bought the 6 anyways. It is about half a size too big. My feet had too much room to slide around. I thought I would just buy them in a smaller pair, because, again, they were super comfortable other than having a little too much room. Alas, they do not make them any smaller. I am so sad about this. Freet, please make shoes for us small footed people! We like barefoot shoes too.

Very comfortable and fitted to the foot. I used them for trekking in the low mountains, where they proved themselves over multi-mile distances.

I do have a slight problem with Freet as I have quite low volume feet and there is always a bit of space and baggy fabric around the lace area. This is not problem with the many pairs of Freet boots I own as I wear socks and the upper fabric is a bit stiffer. However, with the softer fabric shoes there is a bit of floppiness. My way around this is to put extra insoles in, usually the ortholite insole does the job, and pull the laces tight. This method has worked a treat with my new Howgills, I did try without the extra insole but my feet skidded around a bit inside the shoes. If you have somewhat higher volume feet than me, I would imagine the fit would be about right.

I bought these with a view to wearing them for a forthcoming Camino in Portugal. Previously, I have walked long distance in Kidepro and Pace but I thought the Howgills looked even more suited to this job. I have been wearing them for dog walking (maybe 10/11 miles) and they are fab, surpassed my expectations. The good bits are: they really have some water resistance, so a foot plonked in a bit of bog stays dry; they don't let any stones/sticks/seeds etc in at all; exceptional comfort; you can pull them on and off without undoing the laces and I don't feel the need to take them off the minute I get home. I can wear then all day. I'll probably need another pair for the Camino in September!

The only aspect that I don't like is that they get a bit sweaty at about 5/6 miles without socks, therefore you get a bit of rubbing and soreness. I do like to operate sockless but have yet to find shoes that will facilitate this for longer walks. I suspect it is because they are not made from natural fibres. It's not a problem that a good pair of thin cotton socks can't put right. Other than that, I really can't fault them.

I've also had several compliments about them which you don't seem to get with most barefoot shoes. 😂

I have two pairs of these Howgills now, and I luxuriate in the free sensation of my feet every time I wear them. I wear them with an extra 3mm insole because my feet are between sizes, and this gives me a bit of extra sole protection without losing the flexibility and space in the toebox. I have taken them on some rugged walks and they certainly give your feet a workout! And my feet always feel toasty warm in these shoes, which is unusual for me. I love them!