It has now been over three years since I started wearing barefoot shoes. I had read a lot about their ability to help strengthen your foot muscles and overcome foot and posture problems, so when I was offered a free pair of Merrell Lunas I jumped at the chance. I eased into wearing them gradually over the course of a year and essentially only wore them when I was working in the shop, changing into regular walking shoes to get back home. It was only when my regular hiking boots started to reach the end of their lifespan that I started looking for a pair of barefoot hiking/bushcraft boots.
At the time, I had noticed a few outdoor instructors that I know wearing the Freet Mudees, which seemed a more budget-friendly way to test the waters than the equivalent Vivobarefoot boots. So armed with a couple of good recommendations, I tackled the Freet website. Boots were a must for me for the extra weather-proofing and I wanted a more aggressive tread than the Mudees, I would have preferred to try a leather boot like the Ibex but budget constraints led me to the microfibre version. This is how I ended up buying a pair of Freet Tundra boots in early 2022.
After a year of heavy use, whether it was dragging logs around a woodland, hiking around Cannock Chase or just hanging out in the woods, I am still happier than ever with my decision and can thoroughly recommend the Freet Tundra as a starter boot for your barefoot journey. To get my full review of the Tundra, you can watch my video review below.
(Disclaimer: I have not received any discount or reward from Freet for reviewing their shoes, I bought these boots with my own money and now own two pairs of their shoes simply because I think they are really good pieces of footwear. All of my reviews are based on at the very minimum several months of use and I am not afraid to pull my punches if something falls short.)