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Joe Nimble Cuddletoes – Review

Comfortable, soft and warm winter & snow barefoot boots can be super hard to find. Joe Nimble Cuddletoes which I’m reviewing here instantly became one of my favourite shoes I have and they are definitely the boots that tick all the boxes.

Joe Nimble makes wide range of barefoot shoes for men and women. You can find styles for almost any occasion ; everyday, business, running, hiking, etc. Name it, they have it. And last summer they released their first barefoot sandals for kids too.

The brand is based on the Bär-shoes principle. They both share the same idea of ‘uncompromised toe-freedom’, but Joe Nimble went one step further here and upgraded their shoes with super flexible barefoot sole.

This is definitely a brand that set standards for how our shoes should look like. Their pictures of tied foot, illustration with the trees and the roots, etc. are being copied and shared over the social media more and more. And they definitely need to be proud of it.

Like all Joe Nimble shoes, also Cuddletoes came in a yellow Joe Nimble shoe box, with an added shoe bag where you can store your shoes when you don’t need them.

Disclaimer: This is a non-sponsored review. All opinions expressed here are my own and I don’t receive any compensation if you choose to buy some for yourself.

1. General

  • Brand: Joe Nimble
  • Model: Cuddletoes
  • Colour: black
  • Tested on: woman, medium-wide feet, 26,3 cm long and 10 cm wide, low instep, skinny ankles

Joe Nimble Cuddletoes which I’m reviewing here are the boots that I wear for a second winter in the row. The photos in the review are from this year, so you can definitely see that they are still in fantastic condition. After cleaning they look almost like new.

2. Material characteristics

2.1 Upper

Cuddletoes are available in black colour with an upper made from weatherproof neoprene material, which is commonly used in wet suits.

On the high wear areas at the front and at the sides a protective layer is applied, which definitely helps to improve water-resistance of the boot.

The tongue is sewn to the upper to prevent water from getting into the boot.

At the back part of the boots there is a small yellow Joe Nimble sign which is used in all Joe Nimble shoes except in their business range. I don’t find it disturbing in this style, but in some other styles I would prefer more hidden brand logo.

Boots have a ‘highly adaptive lacing system’ and the laces slide through the holes easily. They are great quality too and they have no visible signs of wear after two seasons.

No pull loops at the back of the boots, but I really don’t miss them as the boots can be wide opened and you can put them on very easily without them.

2.2 Lining

Boots are lined with warm felt lining and they are really comfortable to wear even completely without the socks.

After two seasons the lining is still in great shape – no wrinkles at all.

At the heel of the boot there is a textile part which prevents friction while walking.

I must say that last winter I actually got a blister on one foot when I went on a 3 hour walk with them. But these happened only once and since then I had no problems with them.

2.3 Sole

For the sole ‘6mm Vibram® rubber with cleats for extra grip’ is used. This is Joe Nimble terrain sole and it’s in their characteristic black&green colour as most of their soles.

I find the grip of the boots really great and I had no problems with slipping yet.

The sole is super flexible, especially for winter boots. I don’t find it any stiffer just because this is a winter boot like in some other brands. The sole can be easily bend in all directions and it gives you a good ground feeling for a winter boot. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Joe Nimble.

The boots have inserted 4 mm insole made from soft cushioning foam and covered with insulating felt from 100% polyester. You can see the insole in details in the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRgjnadSVwQ

3. Sizing information

3.1 Length

Joe Nimble Cuddletoes are available in men (39-48) in women (36-43) sizes and they came in half sizes too.

Men’s and women’s shoes are actually the same width – the inserted insole is the same in both of them. But there is still some difference between them. Men shoes have more space above the toes (the circumference is different) and they are wider in the mid-part of the shoe too.

3.1.1 Size chart

Their size chart needs a little bit longer explanation, because all that time I didn’t quite figured it out the principle of their size chart. Until now.

The size chart that I mentioned above is the one that is shown when you click on “Size advice” written under the available sizes for each model. It has length of the foot written in the middle, on left side is UK size and on the right side DE size.

I don’t find this size chart completely true to size and you can definitely make a mistake with sizing when using it. According to this size chart I need a size UK 7/EU 40,5 for my foot length 26,3 cm. The internal length of size EU 40,5/UK 7 is actually 26,2 cm, which is even shorter than my foot length is.

But, when I was writing this review I found another size chart on their website here, which I didn’t even know it exist before. I would say that this size chart is a lot more useful and clear to me and it is actually true to size (the length in the table refers to the internal length of the shoe). It should definitely be placed to more visible place on their website.

3.1.2 My size

My feet are 26,3 cm long and I wear my Cuddletoes in size EU 42/UK 8. The inside length of size EU 42 is 27 cm (if I measure with Plus12 I get the same).

I wouldn’t choose 7 mm space in front of my toes once again. Joe Nimble shoes are really foot-shaped and the shape of the insole match with my foot shape really well, therefore, my toes can completely spread. But next time I’ll definitely size up in those as I really feel I need more space in those now.

3.2. Toebox & width

Looking at the shoes just from outside, you couldn’t clearly tell that they are hiding such a beautiful foot-shaped toebox inside. No tapering at all here.

If you take a look at my foot on the insole you can see that my foot just fit on the insole regarding the width. But don’t be afraid. There is more space inside the shoes.

I have learnt over years that it is not the insole width that determines the amount of space in the shoe you have (usually the insole is narrower than the space inside the shoe), but also the volume of the shoe (circumference of the shoe in the toebox area and the amount of space above your toes you have). Afterall, our foot is three-dimensional, right.

At the end I would say that Joe Nimble shoes fit the best to medium and medium-wide feet. Those with wide feet can still find them too narrow, unless you size up to get more space.

3.3. Fit

This adaptive lacing system allows boots to open wide, the laces slides through the holes super easily and the boots can be put on with no problem. No need for back loops.

The lacing system also allow the boots to be adjusted really well around the instep and my shallow feet. No heel slipping in these boots.

The boots ‘hug’ my ankles really well. No dirt or snow inside the boot at all.

3.4 Comfort

I find the boots really comfortable to wear. Light and soft. Much softer in comparison to some other brands I tried. Also, my feet don’t sweat in them at all. Even if I wear them in slightly warmer days. They are really comfortable to wear without the socks too.

4. Water-resistance and warmth

Description on Joe Nimble website states that Cuddletoes are water-repellent boots and according to my experience they let your feet dry really well.

It was actually only one situation in the last two years when my feet didn’t stay completely dry. It was this autumn and it was raining heavily. At first Cuddletoes handled the situation really well, but then one big rain drop fell from my umbrella directly on the shoe tongue and my socks get wet inside. I can feel it immediately. But I think that this was just unfortunate situation.

After that situation I decided to spray them a little bit with Nikwax waterproofing spray and I had no problems with them since then.

As it comes to the warmth, I find them warm enough for our climate and our winter. So far, I wore them at max. -15 degrees Celsius (with wool socks and I was moving) and I could feel the cold through the soles, but my feet were not freezing. I don’t know. I guess my foot somehow changed over the years. Probably my foot muscles became more active over these years and they help me warm my feet.

But it’s so hard to talk about warmth as it really depends on individual. It also depends if you are moving or standing and also some warm socks and clothes can help you stay warm too.

5. How to wear them?

Joe Nimble Cuddletoes work best with your sport clothes. These are the boots that I mostly wear at home all the way from colder autumn days and through the whole winter until spring. Therefore, I usually just wear them with my sport clothes I wear at home – leggings or sweatpants with a winter jacket on top.

You can also wear them for your winter activities in snow with your ski suit on.

6. Price & where to buy

Joe Nimble Cuddletoes can be bought from official Joe Nimble website or from Bär shoes website. You can also buy them at different retailers, for example here. Full price for Cuddletoes model is 189€.

7. Shipping info

Shipping cost depend on the shipping country. For most EU countries the shipping cost are 14,95 € and for other countries 30 € or 40 €. More info about shipping you can get here.

8. How are they made?

Joe Nimble shoes are made using traditional handcrafting techniques and each shoe is hand lasted. Joe Nimble also offers a 3 year-guarantee on all of their shoes.

9. To sum up

If you would tell me to make my top five winter barefoot shoe list, Joe Nimble Cuddletoes would definitely be on it. They are one of my most worn barefoot shoes I have. I wear them practically every single day for the past two years in colder season and they still look like new.

I love how comfortable they are, how easily they can be put on and I also love how they look. If I had to buy winter & snow barefoot boots again, I would definitely choose the same ones. They are worth every penny to me. Joe Nimble definitely remains as one of my favourite barefoot brands.

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