Xero Shoes: Mika Boots Review (Barefoot, Minimalist, Zero-Drop)

I’ve owned my Mika Boots, made by Xero Shoes, for a year now. So it’s time I share a review—especially since these are my favorite barefoot, minimalist, zero-drop boots.

I seriously love these boots. They are my absolute favorite boots for travel and living. I love their look. I love their material. I love their feel.

And I longed for these boots—for years—before I purchased them.

I didn’t buy these Mika boots years ago (when I wanted to) because I already had old boots that functioned. I wanted to be as sustainable as possible and first wear out those old boots.

Then, when my old boots finally needed replacement, I was in the middle of a year in the mountains—nine months of it in freezing snow. I needed alpine boots that year, instead.

Now I also have these Mika boots … and I get to wear them everywhere I desire.

Why Buy Mika Boots Made by Xero Shoes?

I needed one pair of stylish boots that could take me anywhere I might travel or live under normal cold conditions. I needed these boots to be flexible, plus match anything I might wear—on a trail or into town. I needed a pair of boots that would meet the following criteria…

water-repellant
cozy lining
heat-reflecting (warming) sole insert (I can remove on warmer days)
lightweight (flexible, foldable)
wide toe bed (so toes can move freely)
no elevated heel (low to the ground)
grippy soles (as grippy as possible)
vegan (cruelty-free, climate-friendly)
color that can blend into my wardrobe

I was already super pleased with the Xero Shoes footwear brand, which had given me my minimalist sandals, shoes, and alpine boots. I knew Xero Shoes could meet my needs.

A size 9.5 with long toes, I’ve had a lot of problems with my feet in my distant past. I’ve had to be careful, for years, when it comes to choosing shoes and how they fit.

With Xero Shoes, my feet fit perfectly into their size 9 sandals, size10.5 closed-toe shoes, and size 11 Alpine boots (where I wear extra thick socks in 0 degree Fahrenheit temperatures).

But I wasn’t absolutely sure how the Mika boot would fit. I knew its material would be thicker than my shoes. I guessed it would not be as thick as my alpine boots.

Based on Xero’s suggestions, customer reviews, and my own experience, I ordered a size 11 and a size 11.5 in the Mika boots, to see which size would fit my feet best.

Ironically, both sizes fit my feet well. My feet clearly fit somewhere in the middle when it comes to this boot, so I had a hard time deciding which pair to keep.

I decided to keep the size 11, yet it’s just as likely that I would order an 11.5 in the future.

I really like a lot of space in the toebox of my shoes and boots, so I tend to default to a larger size. Thus, this slightly snugger fit is definitely an experiment for me.

My size 11 fits like a comfy glove, with room for my spindly toes to spread—there’s just not as much spacious room in this toebox as I have in my alpine boots. Yet it still feels amazing.

Mika Are Barefoot, Minimalist, Zero-Drop Boots

My Mika boots, made by Xero Shoes, are barefoot, minimalist, zero-drop boots. I want to share my definition of what this means to me, based on my experience…

barefoot boots are made with just enough material in the soles to protect the bottom of my feet, giving my toes the chance to grip naturally as I move
minimalist boots are made with just enough material, overall, to allow my feet and ankles to remain comfortable and move naturally—plus fold and pack into my luggage
zero-drop boots ensure that my toes and heel remain level—nothing props my heel up—so my body is not lurched or slumping forward due to higher heels

This means my barefoot, minimalist, zero-drop boots feel exceptionally light, flexible, and stable. This allows my feet and body to move almost as if I’m not wearing boots at all.

The Sustainability of Xero’s Mika Boots

I have nerve damage due to celiac disease (hard or tight boots can injure my toes without me realizing it), so my soft Mika boots are more sustainable for my foot health.

My Mika minimalist boots are vegan, using sustainable plus fewer materials (eliminating many of the materials we often see in boots), thus my Mika boots are more sustainable for our climate.

I wash my boots so I can keep them nice and clean. Even after washing these boots, they still look beautiful. I consider these boots sustainable for my closet.

I’m so grateful to see Xero Shoes incorporate more sustainable materials and processes. I hold hope for a future that includes more natural rubber, too.

Everyone’s sustainability is important. Every sustainable step matters.

Receiving My Mika Boots From Xero Shoes

Because I’d had my eye on Mika boots for years, I knew they would likely be available for purchase on a particular date and that they’d likely sell out quickly.

Therefore, I signed up for the Xero Shoes email newsletter (and messaged their customer service) to ensure I’d know the exact date they’d be available to purchase (in all colors/sizes).

That was imperative.

Then, as soon as they were available to purchase, I ordered multiple sizes as noted above. I didn’t want to risk returning my boots only to discover the size I needed was no longer in stock.

My Mika boots arrived just as quickly as every order I’ve placed with Xero Shoes—less than a week after I placed my online order.

I ordered black Mika boots because black is a timeless color I knew would match most items in my wardrobe. I’d also love chocolate/coffee brown Mika boots in the future.

To my eyes, my Mika boots arrived looking just as they appeared on my computer screen, just as Xero Shoes depicted them in their photos.

Upon receiving them, and still, I can’t believe Xero can make these boots so light in weight.

Wearing My Xero Mika Boots

I slipped into and began wearing my Mika boots as quickly as I began wearing my other Xero Shoes. These boots were immediately easy to wear all day long.

The hardest part has been making myself remove my Mika boots each day—they are so comfortable that if I could crawl into bed with them on, I would.

I wear my light-weight and medium-weight winter socks with my Mika boots. Both sock weights work great with these boots and keep my toes warm.

If I needed to wear heavy-weight winter socks with my Mika boots, I’d have to buy these boots in a size 11.5 (which I’ll likely purchase the next time I buy these boots).

I’ve not yet worn my Mika boots in heavy rain or snow storms (because I’ve been actively avoiding that weather). That said, I will report back if I do.

To comfortably remove my Mika boots, I keep the laces tied in a double knot and unzip its side zipper down to about 1 inch above the sole. That allows me to quickly slip out of these boots.

And I must emphasize that these barefoot minimalist zero-drop soles always make me feel as if my posture is being pulled straight up—no more lurching or slumping forward.

This feels like one of the greatest gifts of all.