Wellington Boots are one of life's essentials! The search for a barefoot or barefoot friendly pair of adult wellington boots is one of our ongoing challenges at Happy Little Soles. We have been delighted with the Gracie ankle wellies from Xero, but for many people, myself included, a pair of taller wellingtons is preferred and essential for muddy walks and winter beach trips alike!
In a barefoot wellington we are looking for a flat sole with no heels or arch support, a wide foot shaped toe box, minimal cushioning and the most flexible sole possible. That and being durable, waterproof and hardwearing as well. This is a big ask and no wonder that wellington boots can be one of the hardest products to find in a barefoot option.
I was delighted therefore to see a customer recommending the Pokeboo boots, a Japanese minimalist design based on traditional rice planting boots.
Pokeboo Packable Wellies Khaki
Pokeboo have been designed using natural rubber in an easily foldable, versatile construction that is ideal for packing down.
They say they are a form-fitting, zero drop design with a flat, thin sole to provide a comfortable barefoot, feel the ground, experience. This all seemed very promising, so I ordered a pair and gave them a go.
First Impressions
The boots lived up to their description, they were nicely packaged in a drawstring bag which would be perfect for travel.
They were so light weight and soft and flexible with a super thin and flexible sole. I had ordered the Charcoal colour which in reality was more of a dark olive green but a lovely neutral colour.
Sizing, Width and Fit
My feet measure 24.5cm and are 9.5cm wide which is generally a medium width in fit with average instep. I normally wear a UK6 although often size up in boots. I ordered the Large size of Pokeboo which has an internal length of 26cm and this fitted perfectly.
The stated internal width of this size is 9.5cm and my feet did indeed fill the width of the sole, however the upper is so soft with a lot of give that my toes weren’t constricted, and I feel a slightly wider foot would also have been fine provided it wasn’t combined with a high instep.
Before ordering my concern had been the shape of the toe box as it is quite sloping in design. However, it did seem to match the shape of my sloping toes quite nicely and I was pleasantly surprised in how well they fitted me. They wouldn’t work for a very wide, squarer, foot though.
I also have quite chunky calves and these boots fitted me perfectly in the leg, the elasticated toggle top was a nice touch to keep them secure and would stop them falling down in a narrower calf.
Materials and Specifications
They are made with a rubber upper and sole unit made with natural and synthetic rubber. They are fully waterproof and have a thin nylon lining for comfort. The top gaiter is polyester with an elasticated and toggled drawstring closure.
The textured sole unit seems nice and grippy despite having no big tread pattern. It is zero drop and lovely and thin and flexible with a stack height of 6mm.
Weight
They are super light-weight, you hardly know they are there! I really enjoyed wearing them as they didn’t feel like wellies at all. They pack down nice and small and are supplied in a drawstring bag for travel.
Impressions
Of course the big test with any boots is to get out and walk in them. Having done this several times now I have to say I love these boots! I have been through mud and waded through streams and so far so good – they are so comfortable to wear with much better ground feel than my walking boots.
I particularly enjoyed wearing them on the beach as the super thin sole gave me such a barefoot feel to the sand and rock pools. They were also nice and grippy for rock scrambling and perfectly waterproof for paddling.
Fitting guidelines
The sole is a medium width with a sloping shape to the toe box. It will work perfectly for medium width feet and the upper is soft enough to cope with a higher instep on a medium foot. Narrower feet may find them a bit roomy but it would be worth a try with thicker socks. Wider feet will also be fine unless they are very square in shape or have a particularly high instep.
You can shop the full range of Pokeboo boots HERE.
Need wellies for the whole family? You can explore our range of barefoot friendly Kids wellies HERE.
