Now the winter months are upon us, I felt it fitting to review one of this years Thermal boot options. The Shapen Lynx Dark Grey Boots
First impressions
These boots are beautiful and strong to look at. They look comfortable and they flex really well out of the box, considering they have the thermal lining. They look very wide, so the lining should not be a concern. I had Vivobarefoot thermal boots some years back and they were hard in comparison.
Materials
They are made from natural materials, so no plastics within, so they are fully breathable, as well as being temperature regulating.
Upper-Hydrophobic Nubuck leather. Durable and water resistant.
Inner- Merino wool
-no removable insole
Sole- The new Shapen winter outsole is made from durable SBR rubber, of 4 mm with a 4 mm tread. Allowing the boots to be very grippy and suitable for snowy and wet conditions.
They feel very flexible and there is good ground feel. A lot of thermal boots i have tried in the past have not been half as flexible or thin soled.
Fit
These are wide to extra wide. Suitable for medium to the widest of feet and toes. They have a nice wide toe box, with plenty of wiggle room.
Narrow ankles-These fit narrow ankles well, as they can be adjusted with the lacing. As well as the lining helping keep the heel secure.
Instep-Good for high insteps. These are wide but also deep.
They would not suit narrow and shallow feet
The zero drop sole fulfils true barefoot criteria.
Weight
They are very lightweight for a thermal boot. Quite surprising.
Sizing-
EU 37- 43, so a fairly narrow size range.
Teens and female adults.
Overall impression
These are a practical but also lovely looking pair of boots. Even though they are thermal, Shapen have done an amazing job of retaining the Barefoot properties, while bringing in the warmth and security against bad weather conditions.
They are lightweight, so the body is not hampered by the weight of a heavy boot. I feel this is vital for health when it comes to winter shoe wear. Feet feel light within them and ground feel is excellent. As well as the fact they are breathable and temperature regulating, this just adds to the comfortability of these boots.
Pricing and obtaining
£165
From Happy Little Soles
