Hello, my name’s Andrew, and these are the Realfoot City Jungle, the best extra-wide barefoot shoes for dress casual.
Features
Back when I was an agency copywriter I had to wear these horrible dress shoes that pinched my toes and made my feet ache…
So testing out a minimal shoe that looks this good as the City Jungle kind of feels like long-awaited “f you” to the crushingly callous culture of corporate “foot prisons.”
Upper/Lining
Because the City Jungle has an extra-wide, foot-shaped toebox with a soft leather suede upper and flat laces, as well as back pull tab and synthetic mesh lining that’s perforated for breathability.
Sole/Tread
Underneath you’ve got a thin 4mm zero-drop sole with excellent flexibility in all directions, plus a stitched hybrid tread that’s smooth enough for roads, but also grippy and durable enough for light trails.
Testing
Having found some of Realfoot’s other shoes, like the Canva and Farmer to a little snug, I thought the City Jungle might feel the same.
Walking
But going out for a walk, there was more room in the mid-foot, and the 4mm zero-drop sole felt amazing cruising along pavement.
The first couple minutes I did get a little pressure from the end of the tongue, although the leather softened up nicely after a mile or so…
…and the City Jungle has one of the most comfortable soles I’ve tested, in terms of rolling down smoothly for long city walks.
Casual/Work
Stylistically, the suede looks nice enough to wear to work, and the mid-tone color makes the wide toebox less obvious, but I do wish the laces were cotton, instead of synthetic.
Hiking
Also, because Realfoot’s rubber is made to military standards, it works well for gravel paths, and even light hiking—especially the brown version, which does a great job of hiding mud.
Another nice thing about leather is that it’s water-resistant, and you can treat the City Jungle with wax to improve it even further.
For moderate temperatures, the perforated lining was decently breathable, but it did start to get sweaty above seventy degrees, so I like to use Injinji merino wool toe socks, which are moisture-wicking in the summer and insulating in the winter.
Bonus: the Realfoot City Jungle is so flexible I was able to run and parkour in it. What other “dress shoe” can do that?
Conclusion
Overall, the Realfoot City Jungle is an excellent option for anyone who wants an extra-wide barefoot shoe for dress casual that feels good all day long and has some added versatility for trail walking.
Alternatives
But, in terns of similar barefoot shoes…
Resources
If you’d like to support the channel, you can shop with the referral links below, browse and filter more products with the shoe finder tool at my website barefootwear.org, or watch my zero-drop transition video to learn more about barefooting.
Finally, if you have a question about the Realfoot City Jungle, or about barefoot shoes in general, let me know in the comments.
Thanks for watching, catch ya next time. Peace!
Andrew Folts
Andrew is a writer/filmmaker who creates video guides and reviews for a community of 31K+ creative rebels on YouTube.