Terry Brown
My sneakers gave up. The sole was worn down to the foam it's glued onto. I'd chipped the toe somewhere, so a piece of rubber started peeling off. And worst of all, the heel had cracked, which is really uncomfortable. I originally wanted to buy another pair of Botasy (Botas 66), but somehow the design team fell out with the manufacturer and what they currently offer just doesn't appeal to me. It occurred to me that since I was going to be in Prague, I could swing by Vasky.
I'd already looked at their range before when I was searching for black leather shoes — more business than farmer-style. But I never ended up solving that problem. Still, I've been following the brand, so their barefoot shoes didn't escape my notice.
The classic sneakers didn't grab me — I didn't want black ones, and the rest had white soles. Which means constant maintenance to keep them looking decent. I could configure a custom pair, but I'm not that big a fan of their sneaker style anyway. So I went to try the barefoots. I have almost no experience with them. I do wear Skinners and go barefoot whenever possible, but it's different at home than out in the city on pavement.
One size was too big for me, and the other... tighter. The insole is cork, so when I tied them up properly there was suddenly enough room. The feeling is strange — not having a stiff sole underfoot. But it's not nothing either, it's actually quite pleasant. You immediately experience surfaces differently. I'm very happy with them so far.
What I still need to figure out is maintenance — the brown colour is vegan. It's not leather, so all my Saphire products can stay packed away. In the shop they recommended waterproofing, so we'll see.