Aylla Uma: Sturdy Barefoot Chelsea Boots For Winter Casual

December 22, 2023Barefoot Chelsea boot with a 4mm sole, wide leather upper, wool lining, and minimal tread.

Hello, my name’s Andrew and these are the Aylla Uma, a lightweight barefoot Chelsea boot with a leather upper, wool insulation, and flexible sole for winter casual.

Features

This winter I reviewed my first ever Chelsea boots from Mukishoes, which are ultra lightweight and perfect for formal and businesswear.

But I also wanted to find a more casual alternative, so I asked Aylla for a pair of Uma’s to test, and they’ve got a similar thin sole with a vintage vibe that’s basically…

“What Ringo Star would wear if The Beetles transitioned to barefoot shoes.”

Aylla Uma Chelsea Boot Features Showcase Desk

Upper/Inner

Because the Uma Chelsea Boot has a wide foot-shaped toebox with a tough water-resistant leather upper that’s stitched to the sole and double-layered for extra durability, along with a pull tab, stretchy ankle for easily taking the boot on/off, and warm wool insulation.

Aylla Uma Chelsea Boot Toebox Desk

Sole/Tread

Underneath you’ve got a thin 4mm zero-drop sole that’s highly flexible in all directions, plus a minimal tread for roads and light trails.

FYI, for longterm maintenance Aylla recommends treating the full-grain leather with a non-oily product, like bamboo lotion, which you can find on their website.

Aylla Uma Chelsea Boot Tread Desk

Testing

Like my Saltic Vintero Easy the Aylla Uma Chelsea Boot has a thicker, more protective leather, which kind of pressed on my toes at first, so a trick I’ve learned is to gently push a sock inside to create more room.

Aylla Uma Chelsea Boot Stuff Sock Toebox

Walking

Heading out for a walk the 4mm sole felt similar to my Mukishoes Chelsea Boots with lots of ground feel and flexibility, but the Uma’s did have a little more toughness for handling stones and light gravel.

Aylla Uma Chelsea Boot Front Road

Hiking

Obviously, the minimal tread didn’t have enough grip for steep, slippery hills, but it worked fine for doing some light hiking on dirt trails and the leather upper kept me dry plowing through mud and wet grass.

Although my favorite feature on the Aylla Chelsea Boot was the slip-on ankle, which made it easy to pop the boots off, shake out any stones, and get right back to my walk.

Aylla Uma Chelsea Boot Walk Away Boardwalk

Casual

Also, like the Mukishoes Chelsea Boots, I thought the open ankle would make the Uma’s chilly, but the wool insulation was still warm below freezing with a couple layers of Injinji merino wool toe socks, and going into stores the temperature regulation was much better than taller, more closed-off barefoot boots.

Softstar Switchback Injinji Smartwool Desk

Stylistically, the Aylla Uma’s full-grain leather has a modern vintage feel, which makes it versatile for both casual and businesswear, and the rich chocolate brown goes with just about anything, while conveniently camouflaging mud from outdoor use.

Aylla Uma Chelsea Boot Stool Side Style

Conclusion

Overall the Aylla Uma Chelsea Boot is a great option for anyone who wants a warm barefoot boot for winter with a solid balance of style and protection.

Pros/Cons

Because the upper is wide and water-resistant, the wool insulation provides a ton of warmth and breathability, and the lightweight sole is highly flexible, while still being able to handle rougher terrain.

However, the Uma’s toebox isn’t roomy enough for extra-wide feet or high arches, the thicker leather takes some time to loosen up, and the minimal tread isn’t grippy enough for wet hills.

Aylla Uma Chelsea Boot Voiceover 45deg

Alternatives

In terms of similar barefoot Chelsea boots…

  • Mukishoes Chelsea Boot: thin 3.5mm sole, wide leather upper, wool insulation, and minimal tread.
  • Ahinsa Chelsea Boot: thin 4mm sole, wide vegan leather upper, light synthetic insulation, and minimal tread.
  • Magical Chelsea Boot: medium 6.5mm sole, wide leather upper, wool insulation, and hybrid tread for roads and trails.
  • Aylla Uma Chelsea Boot Feet Desk Pov

    Resources

    If you’d like to support the channel, you can shop with the referral links above/below, filter and compare products at barefootwear.org, or watch my Zero-Drop Transition video to learn more about barefooting.

    Finally, if you have a question about the Aylla Uma Chelsea Boot, or about barefoot shoes, in general, let me know in the comments.

    Thanks for reading, catch ya next time. Peace!

    Andrew Folts

    Andrew is a writer/filmmaker who creates video guides and reviews for a community of 25K+ creative rebels on YouTube.