Customer Reviews

Terra Plana Women's Odette Flat Shoe,Canvas /Beige,37 EU (US Women's 7 M)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been following the "natural" footwear revolution ever since my podiatrist recommended tossing out my orthotics and stiff, "stable" shoes. I was curious about the Terra Plana Vivo Barefoot shoes, since they are essentially a "barefoot" shoe that provides just a basic barrier between the foot and the ground. Terra Plana recommends taking the time to break in the Vivo Barefoot shoes slowly, since it does take time to adjust. I have been nursing an achilles injury for many months now, so wearing the Odettes without socks was not comfortable for me (the heel collar hit right where my achilles is sore). However, if I wear socks, the shoes are super comfortable, and I have no trouble walking around in these. I will definitely explore other styles of Vivo Barefoot shoes (in fact, I have my eye on the boots ... ).

Note that these shoes DO tend to run short, so go up a size. I generally wear a 6 or 6.5 US Women's, but in the Odette I wear a size 38 (which I think corresponds to a 7?).

Though these shoes are absolutely adorable, I have not had a great experience with wearing them. My husband bought some barefoot shoes and raves about them. I was dying to get my own and thought these were just down right cute. Well, I bought them and they were too small (forgot to check about them running small). I sent them back and got a size bigger and they were still a little small and the seam along my achilles tendon was sure to create a blister (why in the world they would put that there who knows). After doing a little more research, my husband and I noticed that the pictures are misleading. The image of the shoe with a brown strap is actually a leather version of the shoe, which happens to be more expensive, and which also does not have the seam issue that the canvas one does. Out of the box, the canvas shoe is really stiff, though this may be something that works out over time. I also kept wondering why they were not sending me the shoe with the strap, like it shows in the picture. I plan to shop around and wait for a sale in order to get the leather ones, the ones they SHOULD have sold me since it is the image on the order.

If it looks like the back of this shoe digs into your heel... it's because it does. If it wasn't for that, it would be the perfect, most comfortable skimmer ever. I'm hoping I can stretch it out, but it's pretty stiff. I wish they would have made the back of the heel lower, or made the rim along the back heel wider and softer.

Also, note the fact that these shoes run small. I exchanged mine up twice before I got the right size!

I like these shoes a lot actually. I wear them several days a week, and have walked 4 miles in them comfortably, could've gone further. My right shoe rubbed a bit on my heel at first, but I broke them in rather slowly to get used to the 'barefoot feel' bit and it seems to have stretched out fine. I usually wear either a 9 or a 9.5 in womens shoes. Based on other reviews I went for the 11 (41) in the vivos and if they were any smaller I'd need the next size up. Actually, if I purchase another pair I probably will buy the next size up.

They're very cute though, wide in the toebox, comfy once you get used to them, and if you fit into the size for the discounted price quite a deal. I do prefer to wear them with a shoe liner of some sort, usually the no-show kind, as they can get a bit sweaty barefoot.