GROUNDIES womens Groundies Bella – Product characteristics
- Cowhide leather, lining: Microfiber – Made in EU
- Made in EU – sole from Germany, produced in Portugal
- TrueSense ballerina sole with mit 3 mm base and 1 mm profile sole
- Zero drop and neutral footbed
- Wide toe box and anatomical shape
- Flexible, non-slip, abrasion resistant
- 3 years warranty against wearing through of sole
- For each order we plant a tree
GROUNDIES womens Groundies Bella – Reviews
What in the…
I have read a LOT of reviews on the Bella before I decided to bite the bullet, thanks to the 50% from Amazon.I’ve seen people comment on how large the shoe fits, the heel gapping/spacing, the lack of cushioning…everything.I measured my foot and felt comfortable with the 9 (I’m a little over 25cm and wear anywhere from an 8.5 to 9.5, 40 or 41). I currently have two pairs of the Shapen Poppy – red and nude – and a Xero Tari boot. I have the Shapens in a 40, and they’re actually pretty loose, and the Xero in a 9 – it’s a prfect fit. I wear Altras (Lone Peak and King MT) and a 9.5 is perfect and roomy for trails and OCR. I have Whitins in 40s, and they are a fantastic fit.I was excited for the simplicity and functionality of the shoe, as I’m a classroom teacher and am on my feet a lot. They came and I was extremely excited when I took them out of the box. I ordered both the Taupe and Brown, thinking I could start adding to my collection of work-appropriate barefoot shoes. Super cute and simple design. I put them on and immediate disappointment. From my experience:-The comments saying the shoe is large…the actual insole of the shoe is incredibly short. My foot is a little over 25 cm (barely maybe 25.2) and my toes were literally pushing on the toe cap of the shoe. They also didn’t/couldn’t spread at ALL.-I have medium volume, medium width feet. My left is a little lower, as it has had some pretty gnarly injuries. Both shoes were literally clown shoes – they came up over the tops of my feet like galoshes. Every step, the boat-ed open on either side. Huge gaps.-The heel of the shoe has almost a heel cap look – there’s an actual space under/around my heel. I tried pushing my foot back in the shoe to “fill” it, but as soon as I walked, it appears.I thought maybe I was being too critical, so I had my partner come out to the living room. His immediate reaction? “Where’s the circus? That can’t be the right size.” There’s no way I could size down – the insole is physically short on my foot, though there should be almost a full cm gap by the chart. If I went to a 10, there is absolutely no way I could keep it on my foot, and it would look crazy…nevermind being totally non-functional for an everyday, professional shoe.Overall reaction: if you have high volume, extra-wide feet, maybe you would stretch out and fill the shoe? Maybe I received two identically defective shoes? Maybe all my other shoes have incorrect sizing and fitting? I’m so sad. I was really hopeful I could have luck with these. Now on to the Xero Phoenix and trying to find an old pair of Vivobarefoot Jing Jings.
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2021
Great shoes, but a very specific fit
Very happy with these flats! After reading the reviews, I was nervous about how they were going to fit. In the end I decided to go with my usual size 38 EU or 7.5 US, and they fit perfectly. I will say, I have pretty medium volume feet and I’m at the larger end of a size 38. I generally like that size for sneakers or flats and size up to a 39 for boots to allow for thick socks. So I don’t have the gaping around the sides of the foot that other reviewers mentioned. If you’re at the smaller end of your size or have narrow feet, then these are probably not going to be a great fit for you. Also, the toe box is definitely designed for a sloped or plateau shape. My toes are sloped with the big toe being the longest and then each one getting slightly shorter going down to the pinky. If yours are more of a square or mountain profile, then these are also probably not going to be the right shoe.As for their barefoot bona fides, these are very flexible and thin soled. I find them to be very comfortable, although the leather uppers are a bit thicker than my Vivo Jing Jings. The leather is soft enough that I don’t feel constricted though, and hopefully that means they’ll last longer. As much as I love my Jing Jings, they’re one of the few pairs of minimalist shoes I have where the uppers wore out before the sole. This is my third pair of Groundies, I also have the Liverpool boots and Colorado sneakers from them. Overall I’ve been pleased with the quality. I’ve only had the Bellas a few weeks, so I can’t say too much yet about how well they wear.Bottom line, I think these are high quality shoes that do give a great barefoot experience. However, take a close look at the measurements and your foot shape before purchasing as they’re definitely not going to work on every type of foot.
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2021
Just what I have been looking for
Years ago, I bought a pair of barefoot Vivo ballet flats that I absolutely loved… Unfortunately, they no longer make the shoes, and even their “revived” shoe site had nothing to offer in my size. I prefer barefoot shoes with a wider foot box, so I literally destroyed my Vivos, while looking for a replacement. I looked at numerous brands and read the reviews… I decided to try these, as Amazon offers free returns… just in case. Anyway, I ordered a size down, as many people (including the Groundies site) said that these fit too large… but a size down was too small, so I ordered my regular size and they fit great. If you look at pictures of the shoe, you can see the heel buckles out a bit, but the interior measurement is taken here… so, unless you have a heel that juts out like that, I recommend ordering your usual size. The shoes are very nice – something you could wear anywhere!
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2021
LOVE Groundies, this too narrow
LOVE Groundies. I have the Budapest and another ankle boot. Love them both. Technically they may be men’s shoes. This flat is so pretty. However, it’s also way too narrow. For some reason there’s not very much room at the big toe compared to my other toes. It also feels much narrower than my other shoes. To be fair I ordered down which is what people recommended to me. Still, I don’t think a size bigger it would’ve been much wider. If you order this get this in your regular size. Groundies – keep doing what you’re doing. However, it would be great to have **wider** shoes for proper toe splay. In my mind you are one of the best barefoot brands. Don’t go narrow. Also: please list shoe lengths & widths online here. What is wide varies by brand. So “9 wide” is somewhat meaningless. Wish I could keep the shoe but it’s going back for being too narrow.
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2022
GROUNDIES womens Groundies Bella – FAQ
What size are these?
You will find even in the page of Groundies you can find your exactly size
Is the inside of the shoe made of leather? The description says the shoe is lined with microfiber, but also says the leather caresses your feet…?
Exactly is lined with microfiber And the rest is leather. Is very comfort and very good quality
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