If you're a guy looking for a barefoot shoe that is black leather that you can wear to the office or more formally and doesn’t break the bank - you’re not alone.

I wear a US13, need a wide toe box, and prefer something that leans toward barefoot-style comfort. And yet, when it comes to wide toe box dress shoes that actually look professional? The options dry up fast.

This post is a summary of what I’ve already worn, what I’m searching for next, and how different brands stack up, especially when it comes to leather barefoot shoes that are office-appropriate and under budget.

What I’ve Tried So Far

Here are the barefoot dress shoes I’ve already worn and tested out - with links to the reviews:

Vivobarefoot Gobi Lux - review coming soon.
Vivobarefoot RA
Xero Glenn

The Vivobarefoot shoes are great but they are exspensive. The Glenn is… well.. you should just read the review. With that, I am in the market for a new pair to take the crown.

What I’m Looking For in My Next Pair

I’m not looking for a special occasion shoe. I just want an everyday, all-day comfortable shoe that ticks the boxes:

Size US13 or EU 47
Wide toe box that actually lets my toes breathe
Looks smart—suitable for office, dinner, or casual meetings
Affordable: Ideally under $100–150 USD
Must ship internationally to Hong Kong
Preferably black leather barefoot shoes that can handle wear and still look decent

You’d think that’s reasonable—but most barefoot brands seem to disagree.

The contenders: Leather Barefoot Shoes for Everyday Office Wear

These are the brands and models I researched, comparing prices, availability, materials, and whether they actually come in wide sizes or a wide toe box.
Note: I’ve converted all prices to USD from the sites

ZAQQ

Models: Peaq, Briq, Arq Black
Shoe Cost: ~180 USD
Shipping: 21.5 USD to Hong Kong

These shoes look great. Much better than I’ve seen on the market - even better than the Vivobarefoots. But we are entering 200+ USD for a shoe.

Birchbury

Model: Brenston
Shoe Cost: ~180 USD
Shipping: US only

Great-looking everyday dress shoes with a wide toe box, this could be a contender but unfortunately no international shipping.

Groundies

Models: Palermo, Milano
Shoe Cost: ~150USD and then another 24 USD for taxes.
Shipping: 20 USD to Hong Kong

These looked really good and initially for the price it looked promising, some of these sizes were on sale for 100 EUR. But once you factor in VAT and shipping - which they didn’t include VAT on the price, it becomes a 200 USD shoe.

The Milano looks very similar to the gobi boot.

Be Lenka

Model: Cityscape
Shoe cost: 118 USD (on Sale)
Sizing: Not available in US13 - so we have to stop there - I will be checking this one to see if its back in stock.

The price did make it quite appealing so its unfortunate they dont have my size. It is not as stlyish as the other shoes in my opinion.

Carets

Models: Apollo, Fer
New Price: ~350 USD + 34 USD shipping - I don’t need to say anymore here.
Pre-owned Options: From 165–210 USD + 27 USD shipping

Pre-owned options are promising especially considering that the new options are over 350 USD—classic leather look, good for office wear. I’ve heard a lot of good things about this brand but the price puts it into a different league!

Oaka

Product: The derby
Material: Not leather
Shoe Cost: 165 USD
Shipping cost: 55 USD

The derby isn’t leather but I think it looks great. The price starts to rack up though.

Revivo (Vivobarefoot Refurbished)

So with all these brands above being quite expensive (aka nearly 200 USD), I decided to look at the RA and Gobi (again) at the refurbished site - Revivo. At the time of writing :

Models: RA, Gobi Lux
Prices: 115–135 USD + 18.20 USD shipping

The price vary’s based on the condition of the shoe but you are looking between 130-150 USD. Great entry point for someone looking for leather barefoot shoes starting for the first time. And to be honest they are a lot less expensive than the other bands here - even though I complain a lot that Vivobarefoot is expensive!

Final Thoughts: Still Searching for the Perfect Fit

So with all prices at least over 150 USD. that is well out of my price range. So I’ll keep to my RA and Gobi models for now.

But I’m still looking for the right balance of barefoot function, leather quality, and price. If you’ve found wide toe box dress shoes that actually deliver on style and price—hit me up.

And if one of these pairs makes the cut and I get it on sale (or gifted ;) ) you’ll definitely hear about it in a full review.

My Hunt for Wide Toe Box Dress Shoes That Don’t Cost a Fortune