Richmond 2

Would have loved it. Sadly too small. Will return.

A lengthy review as I've always appreciated too much information rather than too little.

TLDR; love the leather but with a natural material there are some things to consider (nothing negative just something to expect), very comfortable, snug fit but true to size, recommended highly, new favourite shoe.

This is my second pair of Freets, the first being the Freet Pace which I bought perhaps a year or so ago. I was looking for a boot given both my Freet Pace and Vivo's weren't great when it gets a little cold and wet. I wanted to give Freet another go given their price point is more affordable and I'm always keen to support a smaller company where I can. Above this, the shoe width is wider than some competitors which I've come to prefer having been wearing minimal/barefoot shoes now for 4 or so years.

Look & Feel: They are true to the pictures, the leather feels like top grain leather to me, a fractionally furry texture close to a suede finish. I had noticed that a small portion of the leather by one of the big toes was slightly rougher. Given that the material is natural leather, and having worked a little with leather before, I actually appreciate the 'imperfection'. It isn't at all noticeable visibly and is completely nullified once you apply some wax (more on that later). One of the leather panels on the side also is slightly different in that its a little softer and you can see some of the grain a little more (not noticeable with the shoe on, just a detail I noticed and takes nothing away from the quality finish).

Fit: I bought a UK size 7, surprisingly this was a snug, but VERY comfortable fit. If you do prefer plenty of space around your foot I'd possibly recommend sizing up slightly, or if in between sizes then go for the larger in that case. For me I can comfortably where a sock for those colder days, it is possible that as the leather softens and moulds to my foot shape they'll be even more comfortable.

I ended up keeping the insole inside (something I normally take out), it's not too thick at all and adds a little extra support (and feet aren't so cold in winter).

Wax/Care: As recommended on the site, I used Nikwax Leather Wax for shoes. This vastly changed the shoe material (for the better). As it says on the wax label, it will darken the shoe by several shades and the almost fuzzy suede finish will be smooth to the touch. Note: When applying this wax, you will see some darker spots and what looks like staining on the leather, don't worry, it's just the wax getting into the leather and will dry a solid colour. The wax was applied for waterproofing and I'm very glad I did.

Picture attached shoes the darker shade of the leather post waxing.

I'll post back again if there's any further updates, but honestly, couldn't be happier. Very keen to try some of Freets other shoes soon once I can afford to, highly recommend.

It already became my new favourite winter shoe, the leather is soft enough and the internal lining very confortable.
It keeps my foot warm without making it sweat, plus it looks a lot like any other (badly shaped) leather shoe.

Very elegant and warm shoes. I really like this product. It feels slightly tighter compared to other models but it also seems like adjusting with use

I wore the Richmond 1s for 5 years until I eventually wore a hole in the sole from mainly walking on pavements. The Richmond 2s broke-in instantly and are incredibly comfortable. I've already walked for several hours in them on pavements and on muddier walks and they are amazing. So refreshing to wear leather shoes that don't need any long break-in period. The leather is softer and slightly darker in shade when compared with the Richmond 1s and they have more rubber on the sole to last longer. These are my number 1 shoes.