“The good:
Perfect fit around the toes - not too tight around the sides or the front of them. Very stylish and flattering shoes!
The bad:
Heel area a bit too narrow and my heels were hanging over the sides. The heels of my feet definitely weren't that comfy as a result. If the area around my heel was wider, then the heel of the could have also been made wider, because I found walking and standing wasn't as stable as I thought these shoes would be, despite how low and wide the heels are already.
The straps around the front of my foot were also placed in a way that the part sewn on the inner side of the shoes were sewn several cms further back towards the heel than the end of the strap that was seen on the outer side of my foot - so it didn't sit straight across or keep my foot in place very well, because the strap was very loose on the outer side of my foot, so it never fit quite right no matter how much I adjusted the straps. This strap issue just added to the lack of stability when walking and I know I am going to roll my ankle at some point if I keep walking in them, since it already almost happened just while I was testing them briefly for a few minutes.
I also didn't feel like the shoes (especially the heels of my feet) were that cushioned - to this day, the comfiest shoes I own are still a cheap $15-$20 pair of platform shoes with heels made of cork, which is very lightweight and cushiony on the bottom of the feet, that I bought from Kmart 10 years ago! Or maybe the cushioning just is just way too firm for my liking.
Either way, I can see these most likely becoming painful on my feet to walk in after 15 mins if I had continued wearing them, because of all of these factors.
The length is also noticeably shorter than some of my other Size 38 shoes I have, and my heels were right on the end, but if I moved my foot forward to try to work around this, my toes would be squished, instead.
I honestly was expecting a much better fit and a lot more comfort when I read that Bared's shoes were designed by a podiatrist - but they seem to be made to be for very narrow feet, and I don't think I even have what would be considered as wide feet.
I also tried Maleo and had issues, so I'm wondering if this brand but isn't for me
I found they also had the issue of being made quite narrow around the back and sides of the ankle AND the front of the foot/toe area.
Both pairs don't feel like shoes that were designed for European feet proportions, to be honest!
I tried both pairs on twice on two separate days, hoping I could justify the discomfort, but I had to be honest with myself and whether I'd actually be able to bear the discomfort and ill fit and wear them for hours - and I know I won't.
I hope Bared take all of this constructive information on board and use it to redesign their shoes in the future, because I was so excited for these and expecting the promised comfort, but was left very disappointed.”
Hi there,
We're sorry to hear about your experience with the Maleo and Nene 2. We've reached out privately to chat further. You're welcome to call us on 03 9509 5771 or respond to our email if you'd like to discuss this further.
Warm regards,
The Bared Team x
“These shoes are supremely comfortable and very chic and flattering. I have a recently acquired spinal injury and needed a supportive shoe. These were comfortable from the moment I first wore them. Wore them for the first time to a wedding,they were comfortable & supportive for the 8 hours I wore them,& I felt safe with the non slip sole and cute wider heel. No discomfort or pain at all during wedding or the next day.
Beautiful soft leather, lovely design, I highly recommend.”
