Vivobarefoot Men's Lisbon Walking Shoe

I always hated how dress shoes have a big "high heel" on the back, so I knew I had to have these. They're comfortable and they fit great (I wear a 13 and the 13-13.5 size was perfect), but I'm not sure that the $300 price tag is really justified.

After many years of being trained to regard a tight, uncomfortable fit as the 'proper' fit, expecting a mandatory break in period for any quality pair of footwear.. These were a relief. I primarily wear my Redwing Boots, a pair of AE oxfords. And these feel like sneakers. But even more dexterity. My first thought putting these on and walking around were that they would be an excellent shoe for driving a car with three pedals, if you catch my drift. I like that there is no heel drop, and my ankles do too. I bought these 2 months ago, and wear them 3-5x/week. The outsole rubber is holding up great. Having no heel.. makes the heel are last longer as its not constantly being struck when I step. I under-pronate when I walk/run, and these are great (it's as though I'm barefoot). Craftsmanship on the upper is on par with footwear in a higher price bracket, in my opinion. The sole/midsole area doesn't have an adequate comparison, so I won't comment on that. The stitching is very fine, and no details were overlooked. However it's clear that these were handmade. The leather isn't supple calfskin like you might hope for in a pair of "dress" shoes, but having said that, I've worn these shoes into a shop, scuffed them up, spilled wet plaster on them, etc. They clean up great with a little saddle soap and a brush, a take a sheen very well. While I wouldn't wear these to a wedding or funeral, they fit the bill for 98% of the other times one might feel judged for wearing a sneaker or boot. I bought them in brown and I'm waiting to learn about the re-soling possibilities for these.. before I buy another pair in black!

I didnt like it. The leather was super stiff. It was so stiff that in just one day using it at work (and I work in front of a computer all day), it cut my skin and caused blisters at the achilles area of my left foot. That's just from walking from my car to the office, walking to get lunch, and back to my car after work. I'm just glad I was able to return it and get my money back.

For folks who've gone the minimalist/barefoot route when it comes to footwear, there are very few options out there for decent looking formal footwear. I have a pair of the Vivobarefoot Ra II and although they're as comfortable as the other Vivobarefoot minimalist shoes, they have, as others ave described, a 'clown shoe' look. No, the Ra II doesn't really look like typical formal footwear. Enter the Vivobarefoot Lisbon. In the photos, it looks a lot more like conventional dress shoes. They're expensive and hard to find (good luck finding these in a local store where you can try them on. They aren't even listed on Vivobarefoot's US website), but with very few available options, I decided to take the plunge. Sad to say, these aren't for me. First off, while looking slightly better than the Ra II, they still retain some of the 'clown shoe' look. The nail in the coffin for me though, is that they aren't even anywhere as comfortable as the Ra II. The tongue of the shoe digs into the front of my ankle when walking, and while they're more flexible than regular dress shoes, they're noticeably less comfortable than the other Vivobarefoot shoes I have and I ended up returned them. Kudos to Amazon for the easy, quick returns. And the search for comfortable, decent looking minimalist dress shoes continues.

Not sure if it was uncomfortable because it was too large, but the top of the shoe was pinching my foot when ever I got down on one knee and kept my toe planted on the ground. Working as a service engineer I'm crouching and crawling on my knees while I work. Just trying them on for size made it uncomfortable to get into that position. Walking and sitting was amazing though they look professional and feel like nothing is on your feet. If they have a size that fits 13s better I will order them again.

nice shoe but not for me

This Vivobarefoot Lisbon is the most comfortable dress shoes I've ever worn. Not exaggerating. The zero-drop/slope really helps to balance weight evenly on my feet so I don't get the foot pain i'm used to getting with dress shoes. The shoe runs wider than most dress shoes I've tried and this helps avoid toe crowding. I notice toe crowding with most brand name dress shoes and it leads to further foot pains/problems for me. The workmanship is as good as it gets. The leather smells like "quality." Hard to explain what that means but its true. I can "smell" leather quality :) The shoe is relatively flexible. Not as much as a running shoe but pretty close. I've noticed that it gets more flexible as its worn through. The inside as just as beautiful as the outside. The red writing below the shoe tongue/flap tends to get smudged after only a few wears, but its no big deal. Its probably just water based ink they use. I should note that I also bought the Timberland Men's EK Brook Park and the Ben Sherman Brighton Leather Plain Toe Derby before the Lisbon. Both shoes are nearly zero drop as well (I think they have 0.25" inch heels) and much cheaper than the Lisbon.. They are also relatively comfortable compared to your basic brand name dress shoe, but they both tend to crowd my toes. The Lisbon is in a league of its own with its wide toe box. The Lisbon is expensive at $269.95 (July 2015) and this created some hesitation for me at the time of purchase. However, after a few weeks of wearing the shoe, I feel that the level of comfort was worth the price tag....at least for me. The shoe is Made in Portugal rather than China, so this might help to explain a small portion of the more expensive price tag, but not all of it! I really think the Lisbon should be priced lower but hey that's up to Vivobarefoot I guess. Regardless, I definitely recommend. its a beautiful shoe with high quality leather and its very comfortable.

these are perfect for someone who wants minimalist dress shoes. The Ra II is nice in brown, but the black is not formal enough. The Lisbon are amazing. No one even notices that they are not normal dress shoes. If you've never worn minimalist shoes, then maybe wait to try a running shoe first. These are spendy, but worth it in my opinion. They are very high quality and cost what a high quality of dress shoes will You get what you pay for.