Winter brings to mind the thought of heavy, thick gear to protect from the elements, but how much of that is necessary, even in barefoot shoes? If you’d like to do winter with a great pair of minimalist shoes instead, read on to see how the Magical Shoes Alaskan boots may be exactly what you need.
Notes before we dig in: this post contains affiliate links. If you’d like to purchase your own pair of Magical Shoes you can use the non-affiliate discount code WENDY for 10% off on Magical Shoe’s site. You can also find them on PedTerra (US) and save 10% on your first order with the affiliate code OWBSHOES, which would allow you free returns.
For full links and discounts, check out this page. These shoes were sent to me by Magical Shoe for review but all thoughts are my own.
Sections
Technical Specifications
- Upper: 2 types of leather (the main part of the upper is smooth leather and the trim feels like suede)
- Lining: wool with a hydrophobic membrane
- Sole: Magical Rubber Trek, non-slip, 7 mm
Like often is the case with actual product pictures, the settings are upped to make products look bright, but that also makes them look lighter than their real color. The true color of the pair I have is in my pictures in the review. Black reflects a lot of what is around it, but I’ve tried to keep the pictures as real as possible.
Company
Magical Shoes is a company based in Poland and founded from a long familial history in footwear repair and production. They produce both leather and vegan shoes, and their shoes are made locally with materials from ethical sources and suppliers. You can read all about them here.
Appearance
The leather is lightly textured, which gives it a bit interest and the shape of the boot overall is quite angled compared to some other boots. The upper reminds me of an 80s high-top shoe and works great with different winter pants options, including leggings and jeans. The trim is termed as velour on Magical’s site, but feels like suede.
The logo in the side is large, and something I’ve heard rumblings about several times. I’ve seen the suggestion that you take a Sharpie or other permanent marker to the light-colored area, and I believe that would work. There is also leather under the logo, from what I can tell, but I do believe that the upper seam on the logo is part of the upper’s construction, so removing it manually is probably not a good idea.
Are they waterproof?
That’s often a question in winterwear, though not always a necessary feature, depending on where you live and what you need to do. The membrane in these shoes is hydrophobic and they do not expressly call them waterproof, but so far I have found them to do great in the snow with zero moisture intrusion even before sealing them with any products. I haven’t jumped in any puddles, though. And, is often the case with natural materials, salty slush in city streets would probably find a way through.
How warm are they?
Magical says you should be comfortable “even below -12°C” and while I haven’t had them out quite that low, I have had them out at around -7°C and found that they can be quite warm when you are moving, but it’s best to do exactly that: keep moving. If you stand still on the cold ground, especially with your feet inside snow, you’ll feel it come in quickly. You may want to size up and add an insole, but note that while that will be secure over your midfoot, you will have extra length. I do this from time to time, but there is a compromise involved.
How is the traction?
Of all the boots I’ve worn in snow and ice this year, this one is the grippiest. The rubber tread is excellent and the flexibility helps with your foot molding to uneven surfaces, increasing your connection with the ice and giving you maximum hold potential.
However, it’s ice. And short of wearing inflexible boots with hard tracks like these Yaktrax added to them, nothing is going to be 100% on ice (and I don’t know if even the tracks are, as I just don’t live that far north). I think that you can feel reasonably comfortable in these, as far as any shoe will give you comfort on ice, but you still have to take care to walk the right way, following guidelines like these.
There are other shoes I enjoy in snow, but these are what I will personally choose when conditions get slick.
Fit
The shape of these shoes angles quickly, so those of you with more sloped toes will find an ideal fit here. If you are squared off, you may need to consider different sizing and know that you will have extra space in front of your first toes.
I’m in between on shape, with a mix of what has been traditionally called Roman and Greek shapes (I don’t like these names, but I don’t have a good replacement). I am sized up 1 from my normal (more about that below) and have an acceptable fit, but not an ideal one.
The only place there is any tightness for me is at the ball of the foot. The shoes are extremely flexible, but I find that the available material and the shape of the upper contributes to the upper pulling ‘back’ a bit here, reducing available space. It would be easy to just say ‘it’s volume’ but it’s a little more complicated than that, and people with medium or low volume feet likely wouldn’t notice.
Along the same lines, I find these shoes wide, but not the widest. With a more rounded toebox I think I would call them very wide, thanks in part to their extremely flexible materials (love that!) but the combination of the angled toebox and the pull of the upper make it tighter on the pinky toe if I wear socks with weight. This is a more complicated assessment than I would usually give, but that’s the best way to describe it.
Aside from that, there is no breaking in period. They are ready to go right out of the box. And, even easier than normal to immediately wear because Magical sent them with laces open instead of tightly cinched. I appreciated this touch. It’s far easier for someone to tighten the laces than loosen them, but your foot in, and then tighten them again.
Once you set the laces to your comfort, the zipper make it easy to take them on and off in just a couple of seconds making them practically slip-on shoes.
Sizing
Always size your shoes based on measurements, and redo these measurements frequently as your feet can change and your measurements will vary for different types of shoes, based on whether you are purchasing open- or closed-toed shoes, and what type of socks you plan to wear. Check this post for help and advice.
Once you have your measurements, always consult the company’s sizing charts. Some run long, some run typical, and some run short against common lengths for different sizes (and this doesn’t always scale – a smaller size might be ‘true to size’ while a larger size might run short).
In my experience as someone who typically wears a 43, a 44 was the correct size to choose. I would have had less than 1 CM of extra room in a 43, while the 44 gives me up to 1.2-1.5 cm, depending on socks worn, which is within the range recommended by this research.
Cleaning and Care
Smooth leather like what is found on this upper is easy to clean and protect. There are waxes and creams available to keep the leather hydrated. Dry leather looks for moisture and more readily absorbs water. Check out this page for a variety of products and notes about where I’ve used some of them.
The same page will also help you with suede care. You can technically wax suede, but it will matt down the nice texture characteristic of this type of leather. Typically suede should be sprayed instead, and the spray reapplied regularly based on exposure and frequency of use.
Care is easier when leather is protected, but should always be done by hand. Do not machine wash or dry these shoes, and be sure not to get sprays on the wool lining. The protective effects of wool are based on their fibers and lanolin, and spray compounds will break them down.
Purchasing and Returns
These shoes are available directly from Magical Shoes in sizes 37-47 and cost €145/$155 before the 10% discount available with the code WENDY. They ship worldwide and offer a 30-day refund policy. PedTerra also offers them for the US market and my affiliate code OWBSHOES saves you 10% if it’s your first time with them.
Final Thoughts
I’m so glad Magical Shoes sent these to me for review. I find them easy, fun, and comfortable to wear, and love feeling secure while playing in the snow with my kids. Magical has some of the most creative designs, with vibrant pops of color, and I enjoy wearing these shoes.
Want more reviews?
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