Affiliate Disclosure: By clicking through the links on this page and purchasing the products, you’ll be helping me out. This is done because I receive a kickback from the sellers at no extra cost to you! Thank you so much for supporting us!
Weight
9.87 oz/ 280g for EU43
Stack height
9.5mm total stack height (6mm lugs)
Zero Drop
Made for
Muddy, wet conditions
Fell runs from short to long
Fit
High volume
Wide midfoot
Wide Toe box
True to size – Use sizing guide
Feel
Very flexible
Amazing grip
Protective
Pros & Cons
+ Grip
+ Price
– Too roomy for some people
Use Coupon BRR10 for 10% off!
Freet barefoot shoe reviews have been a long time coming for Barefoot Run Review. Being from Yorkshire, my home county in the UK, I’ve wanted to get my hands on them for a while.
The first in a line of reviews is for the Freet Calver, and wow, has it impressed.
The Calver stands out from many other minimal trail shoes I’ve tried for multiple reasons, and I’m certain 70% of you will resonate with these reasons, too!
To put it simply. They are WIDE, DEEP, and ungodly grippy.
That’s the TL;DR, but it’s worth diving deeper to understand if the Freet Calver fits you (because in my running log book, this is key!). So, let’s get into that first!
Many barefooters want a wide shoe, and the Calver delivers. Calling a shoe wide can cause confusion. The better statement is that the Calver is wide in the forefoot and remains wide throughout the midfoot into the heel. To any of those wide midfooters like me, you’ll celebrate hard because it’s not always about toe box width!
In an EU43, the external widest point measures 109mm and 91mm at the midpoint of the shoe. Compare that with the Primus Trails‘ 109mm and 84mm measurements and the Xero Shoes Mesa Trail II’s 103mm and 86mm measurements, and you can start to see where the Calver stands out.
Which minimal running shoe is for you?
Take a quick 5-question quiz to identify the perfect minimal running shoe for your feet! You'll get both road and trail options based on your answers!
The Freet Calver offers an exceptionally deep fit, which may be an issue for some. This is where it all depends on your foot! The Calver is very roomy inside, and while you can adjust that depth using thinner and thicker insoles (Freet sells a variety), Freet shoes are generally deep. I, with an average depth foot, had to opt for a 5mm thick Altra insole to keep the shoe secure while also cranking down on those laces. If you know you have a shallow foot, and Vivobarefoot depth is perfect for you, the Calvers are a no-go.
You should stay true to size-ish…. I say ish because it’s hard for the American folk to translate Freet sizing to the EU lasts they are built on. Ultimately, with my 26.7cm long foot (usually a US9), I opted for the EU43, and I think that was the right decision. The confusion comes about because some brands list a US9 as EU42 or 42.5, so switching to an EU 43 seemed like a bit of a jump. But if I went down to an EU42, my toes would have pushed up against the end of the shoe on descents. It’s worth reading through Freet fit guidance to ensure a good fit.
I love this heel for its secure and locked-in feel. It wraps over with a relatively deep fit, offering a perfect option for those who constantly feel like they’re slipping out of heels. However, the heel rides slightly higher up the Achilles, which, while soft, may cause discomfort for some. On my first run, I did end with a small abrasion, but afterward, I wore high socks, used thicker insoles, and had no further issues.
Maximum toe splay gives a true barefoot feel. One of the standout features of the Freet Calver is its allowance for maximum toe splay. We find a nicely squared-off big toe area and a little toe taper accommodating enough for those with the widest splays. This is one of the widest and deepest toe boxes I’ve tried, and I wouldn’t hesitate to use toe spacers there, too!
Once you get the tightness right, you’ll be good for the long run. This is a testament to the big fat lacing design. And while I had to cinch each point of the eyelets a lot, I never found that the shoe loosened off during a run.
Freet Calver
Use Coupon BRR10 for 10% off!
Let’s talk about the Calvers stand-out feature—the outsole.
Six-millimeter deep lugs excel in muddy conditions. The Freet Calver’s lugs are designed for muddy, sloppy, wet Yorkshire in mind. If you live in muddy conditions, you’ll understand the yearning for deeper lugs, and now we finally have it in a barefoot style. It’s not just the depth; it’s the wider spacing between the lugs that enhance the grip in these conditions. I can’t shout loud enough, “If you need grip in the mud, the Calver is for you!”.
Even with 6mm lugs, the Calver still feels incredibly minimal. This is mainly thanks to the thin 4mm of rubber and footbed connecting the lugs and the shoe together. It’s thin enough that the shoe remains amazingly flexible and bends in any direction your foot does.
Your foot is securely locked in place if the shoe fits you well. The upper mesh is reinforced with plenty of semi-stiff overlays that add protection and secureness. So, if you’re dancing around the trails, your feet will stay firmly planted in place without sliding around in the shoe.
The toe bumper and overlays offer decent protection, but it’s no high Alpine shoe. I always like to try the simple test: “If you kick a rock, will it hurt?” The answer is always yes in any shoe, but it may hurt a little less in the Calver when compared with the Xero Shoes Mesa Trail. On the other hand, it’s not as protective as the Vivobarefoot Primus Trail. There’s always a trade-off between weight, protection, and flexibility, and the Calver seems to take a balanced approach.
If you like to feel the ground, then 6mm lugs may not be for you. This may be obvious for some, but 6mm of rubber is a lot, especially for minimal shoes. Adding the lug depth to the footbed height, you end up with 10mm, and when you throw a 5mm insole in there like I did, you get to a 15mm stack height. At that point, it’s hard to call this a barefoot shoe. But again, it’s about the trade-offs.
If you need the grip, you have to add larger lugs, which in turn trades off the ground feel. So, if you’re looking for a trail shoe that gives as much ground feel as possible, I’d suggest looking at other options like the Xero Shoes Mesa Trail II.
That leads me right into protection.
Weirdly, even though little protects you from sharp rocks, the Calver remains a protective shoe. Again, it’s back to the larger lugs. Even when you step on a sharp rock, you’ll either 1) have the 6mm lugs protect your sole or, 2) the lugs will straddle the rock and find a contact point around the sharp edge. Neither of these scenarios is foolproof and will never win over a thicker outsole, but they do strike a nice balance between flexibility and protection.
All these points have made the shoe’s ride super interesting. It feels minimal yet protective, grippy yet agile—a great combination.
Freet Calver
Use Coupon BRR10 for 10% off!
At 280 grams, the Freet Calver strikes a balance between weight and durability. While not the lightest barefoot shoe, its weight is justified by its durable construction. The substantial amount of rubber underfoot will be a major contributor to this weight. The overuse of overlays adds weight to the shoe, but also more resilience, particularly on rocky and uneven surfaces.
Minor issues with manufacturing quality could be improved. Some internal strands are slightly loose, and there’s a bit of off-centered stitching. While these don’t pose immediate concerns for durability, they are points that could be refined for a more polished product. With about 25 kilometers logged, the shoe is holding up well, but the lugs may wear down quickly on rocky or road surfaces.
As with any “lugged” outsole design, they will wear quickly, especially on harder surfaces. This is just a case of choosing the right shoe for the right conditions. The Calver will be perfect if you often run on muddy, soft ground. But look to different options if you’re mainly running on harder, rocky surfaces to avoid premature breakdown of the outsole.
I’m impressed with the overlay design and upper. The upper design is top-notch. The material used seems to have been picked with durability in mind, and the design is catered toward longevity. If I were to pick out an area that will likely break down first, it’s the peeling of the overlays. This often happens on welded overlay designs, especially with the conditions we put our trail shoes through. But I’ve got no indication of this happening yet!
Freet Calver
Use Coupon BRR10 for 10% off!
This is an awesome shoe.
But you have to make sure it fits your foot.
If you have a wide midfoot. If you have a deep foot. It will work!
Shallow, narrow foot? Steer clear.
I receive many messages from readers stating that they’re looking for wider and wider options, and I’m confident that Freet can fill that gap (no pun intended).
The Calver design caters to that market and provides an amazing trail running experience in sloppy, muddy conditions. And coming in at $110, it’s below many other barefoot trail running options out there. For me, that’s an amazing price.
Freet Calver
Use Coupon BRR10 for 10% off!
Dommage qu’elles soient si lourdes…