Children’s Winter Barefoot Shoes: Comparison Test for 2023

Looking for children’s winter barefoot shoes? We tested all the 2023 models and described them in detail. Read on and choose the right pair.

If it weren’t for the little strands of spider silk drifting through the sunlit air, we might not even have noticed that winter is just around the corner. This autumn has been so lovely that the temperatures kept pushing thoughts of winter footwear far into the background. But as the last of the good weather slowly fades, it’s clear that over the coming days and weeks it’s time to choose winter boots for our children.

That’s exactly why we’ve put together this comparison test of winter models, so you can choose the right shoes at the right time and in the right place – with us at naBOSu. You can now use a filter based on your child’s specific foot parameters. We believe it will make choosing much easier. And if you’d rather come and try the shoes on in person and take advantage of advice from our experienced team, we’ll be delighted to welcome you in one of our shops.

What type of foot we tested on

Our model, with foot measurements of 196 x 75 mm, tried on shoes in sizes 30–32 depending on which best matched his foot dimensions.

His feet are medium-wide, with a medium-to-higher instep and a narrower heel. The toes are in a slight fan shape.

How to choose the right size

We tested the shoes on our model Josífek, who is six years old. He was able to tell us a lot about how comfortable the shoes felt on his feet, which is a big advantage. If your child is younger, you’ll need to check the fit yourself.

The most important parameter is length: start by measuring your child’s foot, then measure the specific shoe using the PLUS12 measuring gauge, which adds the recommended 12 mm growing room to the shoe’s internal length. 

Next, check the instep area. A helpful trick is to slide a finger into the shoe between the material and the instep. If your finger fits in, there’s enough space. Don’t forget to allow room for warm socks too. For better thermal comfort, we recommend merino wool socks, which regulate temperature and wick away sweat if your child overheats. Even if feet get damp during high activity, merino will still keep them warm.

The heel should sit nicely in the heel cup so the ankles aren’t pulled to the side. Once the shoes are on, you should be able to feel that there’s no extra space between the loaded heel and the shoe. Extra allowance in the heel area is not desirable.

In this guide, you’ll find a comparison of different models, assessed using the same parameters you’d consider when buying in real life. If you follow the parameters mentioned above, or ask our experienced team for advice, you really can’t go wrong.

Tested models

CRAVE RIGA WINTER Dark Blue

This year’s new CRAVE RIGA WINTER meets all the requirements you could have for a high-quality winter boot. Beautiful leather on the outside with a textile membrane. Inside, a merino lining combined with synthetic fibres – our model found it very pleasant. Thanks to the padding around the ankle, he reported they were genuinely comfortable. Surprisingly, this model can also accommodate a slightly higher instep. With three Velcro straps, they’re easy to adjust. The toe area is generous too. They’ll fit pretty much any ankle, and thanks to the good tightening options around the ankle, they sit beautifully at the heel. The shape is excellent for a dominant big toe, with space for the second toe as well.

width	shape	toe box	heel	instep	sole	heel counter	membrane	price
medium to wide	tick shape	dominant big toe	narrow to medium	medium and slightly higher	flexible	slightly reinforced	yes	from 2190 Kč

 

CRAVE WINFIELD Cognac

Another model from CRAVE is WINFIELD Cognac, fastening with an elastic lace and a Velcro strap around the ankle. The shoes are beautifully made, soft, and the design is really lovely. Compared with the Riga version, our model with a higher instep found it harder to get his foot in, so we recommend them more for a low to medium instep. However, the elastic adjusts nicely, and the Velcro strap lets you tighten the shoe well around the ankle. Thanks to that, the heel sits beautifully, which we see as a major benefit of this brand. A well-fitting shoe around the heel and ankle is one of the key parameters for healthy foot development. The anatomically shaped toe box and the narrower midfoot will fit perfectly for feet with a dominant big toe and second toe, while the little-toe side tapers in.

width	shape	toe box	heel	instep	sole	heel counter	membrane	price
medium	tick shape	dominant big toe	narrow to medium	low to medium	flexible	slightly reinforced	yes	from 2190 Kč

 

D.D.STEP W073-355A WINTER ANKLE BOOTS Dark Grey

Model W073 stands out for its generous space around the toes – both in width and height above the toes. The shoes have a very flexible sole, and thermal comfort is ensured by a removable insulated insole. Our model really liked them and would have happily walked off in them straight away. He loved how comfortable they are, and the glow-in-the-dark sole. They’re wider in the heel area, so we recommend them for children whose ankles are physiologically stable. They handle a higher instep perfectly. The lower Velcro strap is additionally attached to the tongue with another strap to help prevent snow getting in. The synthetic fluffy lining keeps feet warm – and with good waterproofing, dry too.

width	shape	toe box	heel	instep	sole	heel counter	membrane	price
medium to wide	straight	toes straight across	medium to wide	medium to high	very flexible	soft	no	from 1550 Kč

 

AFFENZAHN COMFY WALK WOOL MIDBOOT DOG Grey

AFFENZAHN COMFY WALK WOOL are lovely sporty boots made from wool, with a membrane and a non-slip sole. What more could you want for outdoor adventures? For our model they were on the narrow side, so we recommend them for a narrow foot with a slightly dominant big toe. The instep can be higher though, and there’s plenty of room in the heel area. The beautifully finished details – like the little dog on the heel and on the Velcro straps – make the boots playful and popular with children. They’re very lightweight, a touch stiffer at first, but they soften quickly with wear.

width	shape	toe box	heel	instep	sole	heel counter	membrane	price
narrow to medium	straight	round	medium to wide	medium to higher	very flexible	soft	yes	2920 Kč

 

AFFENZAHN SNOWY WITTY VEGAN SNOWBOOT FLAMINGO Pink

The WITTY VEGAN snow boots look very warm at first glance. They’re higher, up over the ankle, and can be tightened nicely with an elastic toggle so snow won’t fall in. They’re for a narrower foot with a dominant big toe. In the heel area, they have comfortable padding. For our model they were too narrow in the toes, but they fit him well over the instep and at the heel. There’s also a Velcro strap around the leg that fixes the boot in place brilliantly. Like other Affenzahn models, they’re refined down to the smallest detail, and the materials feel very high quality.

width	shape	toe box	heel	instep	sole	heel counter	membrane	price
narrow to medium	straight	round	narrow to medium	medium to higher	very flexible	soft	yes	2920 Kč

FRODDO TEX TRACK WOOL Grey

Another pair of snow boots we tried were FRODDO TEX TRACK WOOL. They fit a medium-wide foot with a lower instep and a narrow to medium heel – similar to other Froddo models. Our model felt pressure over the instep, and he would also have needed more width. The boots have a membrane and warm lining, which will certainly provide thermal comfort even in very low temperatures. They’re very lightweight and nicely flexible.

width	shape	toe box	heel	instep	sole	heel counter	membrane	price
medium	slight fan	dominant big toe	narrow to medium	low	very flexible	slightly reinforced	yes	from 1750 Kč

 

BABY BARE FEBO WINTER Grey Asfaltico

The time-tested BABY BARE FEBO WINTER probably doesn’t need much introduction. These boots have an excellent reputation. With proper waterproofing, the membrane and warm lining will keep feet dry and warm. They’re suitable for a medium-wide foot with a narrower heel and a low to medium instep. For our model, they felt tight over the instep. Even though he wears the all-year-round FEBO GO model, the winter lining takes up some space here. They’re beautifully made, and the blue and grey colour combination is very appealing.

width	shape	toe box	heel	instep	sole	heel counter	membrane	price
medium to wide	fan	dominant big toe, descending toes	narrow to medium	low to medium	flexible	slightly reinforced	yes	from 1950 Kč

 

FRODDO HIGH LEATHER BOOTS WAVE Winter Bordeaux

These beautiful, high-quality FRODDO winter boots with warm lining seemed to fit our model at first glance. They’re roomier over the instep and in the toe area than the TEX TRACK WOOL model. However, after pressing the boots to check the space and talking it through with the child, we concluded there wouldn’t be enough room with warm socks. They suit a medium instep and a medium to medium-wide foot, and they’re very spacious around the toes. Quality leather and a TEX membrane – a safe bet even in low temperatures.

width	shape	toe box	heel	instep	sole	heel counter	membrane	price
medium	fan	dominant big toe, angled	medium	medium to higher	moderately flexible	reinforced	yes	from 1770 Kč

 

PEGRES WINTER BF40 Black

A proven classic from the Czech brand Pegres: the BF40 model. The boots have a great shape for dominant big toes and a narrow heel – a “fin” shape. Our model found them harder to put on due to his higher instep. But in the toe area they fit him beautifully. You can tighten the boot fairly well with the elastic lace, and then secure it nicely around the ankle with the Velcro strap. The boots have a very nice design and are lightweight and flexible.

width	shape	toe box	heel	instep	sole	heel counter	membrane	price
wide	fan	dominant big toe, angled	narrow	low to medium	flexible	no heel counter	no	from 1650 Kč

FRODDO ANKLE BOOTS Winter Dark Blue

Another model from the Croatian brand FRODDO is a leather boot with two Velcro straps and warm lining. These boots are suitable for a medium-width foot and a lower instep. As you can see in the photo, they were genuinely too small over the instep for our model. This is the lowest-instep model of all the boots tested above. They can be tightened well around a narrow ankle and fit a narrow heel. With good waterproofing, they’ll be a great choice for the city as well as the countryside.

width	shape	toe box	heel	instep	sole	heel counter	membrane	price
narrow	tick shape	dominant big toe	narrow	lower to medium	very flexible	slightly reinforced	no	from 1610 Kč

 

BEDA WINTER HIGH BRUNO Brown – wider ankle

The all-leather Beda boots are a great match for chunkier feet with toes that sit straight across, where the little-toe side tapers in only around the fourth toe. Thanks to three Velcro straps, this model is suitable even for a high instep. If we were fitting this boot on feet with toes descending right after the big toe (a “stair-step” shape), there would be too much space above the other toes, which could lead to more frequent tripping. The cup sole is glued on, so the membrane isn’t compromised by stitching and the boot is better protected against water getting in.

width	shape	toe box	heel	instep	sole	heel counter	membrane	price
medium to wide	straight	dominant big toe	wide	high	very flexible	slightly reinforced	yes	from 1820 Kč

 

AYLLA BAREFOOT CHIRI KIDS Red

This winter model made from vegan leather-look material is nicely water-repellent and insulated with merino wool lining. The shape suits medium to wider feet with a narrower heel. Thanks to the stitched tongue over the instep, it accommodates a medium instep, but not a high one. The toe box is ideal for toes that sit straight across. A big plus is the wide rubber toe bumper across all the toes, which protects the front of the shoe. 

width	shape	toe box	heel	instep	sole	heel counter	membrane	price
medium to wide	fan	toes straight across	narrow	lower to medium	moderately flexible	slightly reinforced	no	1890 Kč

Even though we do our very best to make the descriptions of each shoe as accurate as possible, in some cases nothing beats a personal visit to a shop. You can order the models you’re interested in to a specific shop and come in to try them on with no obligation. And if you’re not sure what to choose, our experienced team will be there to help.

Before you finish your purchase, please read the recommended care instructions for each material for every model. It’s essential for proper performance and a long lifespan.

And are you thinking about barefoot shoes for yourself too, even though you’ve been an adult for ages? Don’t worry, it’s never too late – you can start wearing them at any time. If you’re hesitating about which shoes to choose for your first pair, take a look at this article, where we’ll guide you step by step through choosing shoes and taking your first barefoot steps. Or simply visit us in one of our shops in Prague, Zlín or Brno. We look forward to seeing you.

What else might interest you on this topic?

• PODCAST: Edita Prošková and Hana Tonarová: First children’s barefoot shoes
• From a child’s first steps to healthy, strong feet: A guide to choosing first shoes
• How to measure your foot correctly and why barefoot shoes need extra allowance