Carnforth

Barefoot chukka boots for smart-casual weeks and wet-weather commutes.

If barefoot shoes are new to you, two things make them different. The toe box is shaped like a foot instead of tapering to a point, so your toes sit where they would sit unshod. And the sole is zero-drop — flat from heel to toe, with no raised heel under the back of your foot. The puts both under a plain-toe chukka in water-resistant full-grain American leather, so to everyone else it reads as an ordinary smart boot.

That suits how we actually dress down here. It is water-resistant enough for a wet winter commute, and it passes as smart casual at work. The elastic laces never need tying.

If you are between sizes, US 11 and under should size up and US 12 and over should size down.