23 May 2013 by Damien Tougas

Minimalist Hiking Boots - A Review of the Feelmax Kuuva 2

Toe Salad has a long history with the Kuuva - actually a long history with Feelmax as a brand. In the very early days of this site (when it was called ADVENTUREinPROGRESS), one of the very first shoe reviews we did was a review of the Feelmax Niesa. Somewhere along the way when I was communicating with Feelmax about the Niesa, they sent me a photo of the Kuuva and I was in absolute shock.

The Kuuva was innovative. It was the first-ever hiking boot, purpose-built for the barefoot/minimalist shoe crowd. I was especially excited because one of the biggest weaknesses of minimalist footwear was (and largely still is) cold. Most of the available options at the time were too cold for below freezing conditions. I was hopeful that the Kuuva would bring some much needed warmth to the world of barefoot shoes.

Version 1 of the Kuuva featured the same sole as the version 1 of the Osma (Feelmax's road running shoe). It's high-top upper was constructed out of an artificial leather product called Clarino, and a canvas-like fabric.

While version 1 of the Kuuva was a good first attempt, it was far from perfect. The Clarino - while quite water resistant - was not very breathable, and a little too stiff. The opening around the ankle was narrow and made it difficult to put the shoes on. Additionally, there were design/fabrication issues with the sole that caused it to come apart pre-maturely (as with the Osma v1).

The Kuuva 2 is designed specifically to address all of those problems. The boot is now built using leather (Waterbuck water-resistant suede) instead of Clarino. This improves breathability and flexibility, and has the side-effect of making them even more aesthetically pleasing. The shoe opening around the ankle has been re-designed to make putting the boots on much easier. The Kuuva 2 also uses version 2 of the Feelmax NatuRun sole - the same sole used on the Osma 2.

Note: this is not the version 3 sole as can be found on the Vasko or the Osma 3 (although based on what I am seeing with the Feelmax line, I am sure it is coming at some point).

What I like about the Kuuva:

The design is truly mnmlst. The sole is thin and flexible, the boot has the most ground feel of any minimalist boot I have tried. Although they are a high-top boot, the soft leather around the ankle is very flexible and unrestricting. They get softer with age.
I don't need a gaiter. You might be wondering what the purpose is of a over-the-ankle boot is when the high-top isn't there to provide support: it is there to provide protection from abrasion and act like a built-in gaiter.
The boot is durable. The quality and workmanship is top-notch. The sole is a definite improvement over the previous version, and so far the durability seems to be much better.
They look good. Thee Kuuva has always been eye catching, and has only gotten better with version 2.

My biggest issue with the Kuuva is...

Limited seasonal usefulness. I find them too hot for summer, and too cold for winter. For me, they are best suited for spring and fall.

I have heard that some people can wear them in winter, I have tried, and found the soles to be too thin for the cold. I ordered my pair a size larger so that I could use them with extra-thick socks in winter conditions. I now regret this decision as even with thick wool socks, they didn't keep my feet very warm, and now they are a bit bigger than I would like with regular socks. Oh well.

I have not had the opportunity to use the Kuuva in all conditions, however, based on my observations and experience, I can say this:

The sole of the Kuuva is flat and flexible. This works great for trails, rocks, and general outdoorsy conditions. A sole like this will have limited grip in steep, loose, and/or muddy conditions.
The upper is water-resistant leather. This is fine for everyday casual outdoor use and day hiking, but would be problematic for multi-day backpacking trips in potentially wet conditions as they take a long time to dry out. I would never consider wearing the Kuuva for a stream crossing - for those types of conditions, a quick-drying mesh trail runner is a better bet.

As you may know, I am a believer in the shoes are tools mindset, and as they say, you use the right tool for the job. The question I ask whenever evaluate a pair of footwear is... what is the right job for this tool? Or, perhaps what is the job best suited for this tool?

After spending several months with the Feelmax Kuuva, I can say that the best job for this boot is the outdoors in spring and fall. Hiking, hunting, etc. in cold, damp, rugged conditions is their sweet spot. If you are looking for minimalist footwear that suits those conditions, you definitely want to give the Kuuva a closer look.

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Comments (17)

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Mark

May 23, 2013, 9:31 a.m.

We did not have much of a winter this year (DC area), but I found that the Snuggly Toes alpaca insoles added a bit of extra insulation for my Kuuvas without adding too much volume or taking away the ground feel.

Damien Tougas 953

May 23, 2013, 9:41 a.m.

I don't have a pair of the Snuggly Toes (my wife does though - but she doesn't have any Kuuvas!), but I imagine they would help - at least somewhat. For us here in Quebec, the winters can get pretty chilly though.

I have always been interested in trying out Aerogel insoles, but the durability issues I have read about have kept me from pulling the trigger on a pair.

teija

May 23, 2013, 11:50 a.m.

I wore Kuuva 2 the whole last winter and was happy with them, although it gets as cold as -20 degrees celcius here in Finland! I only had additional insoles made of thick felt + woolen socks and regular socks, and it was OK.

Damien Tougas 953

May 23, 2013, 11:59 a.m.

Perhaps Feelmax should offer a "winterization" package for the Kuuva. I could see a lot of potential for a very warm Feelmax-branded replacement insole.

Mark

May 23, 2013, 12:59 p.m.

I have some Aerogels, too, but have not tried them because the Snuggly Toes worked for me, and did not add any stiffness.

HeadDoc

May 23, 2013, 8:23 p.m.

Now that Golite seems to have stopped making footwear all together (at least their website has been dead for several weeks), and Vivobarefoot Off-Roads are now only listed on their site in the "Synth" version, there would appear to be no waterproof hiking/winter boots available for the minimalist crowd. Backpacking may not require all of the support and stiffness being pushed on us, but being able to walk through mud and puddles with a decent waterproof boot is a necessity. One of the bigger guys - Merrell, New Balance - could make a killing releasing one or two models: a traditional (100% waterproof) lace-up hiking boot with a grippy, thin, flexible sole AND a fleece-lined slip-on (100% waterproof) winter boot, like my black leather Uggs, except with a minimalist sole. There is zero competition to get the dollars of all of us minimalists living in areas that experience cold weather and snow (although, ironically, try finding a decent minimalist slip-on canvas shoe for summer, but that is a topic for another time).

zabala 82

May 24, 2013, 9:20 a.m.

Oh but there is a boot that meets your needs and mine. 100 percent water proof, thin flat sole but not to thin. Tall and seals against the leg to keep snow out and a quick splash through deep water. I have had mine for 2 winters now wearing them with a regular sport sock until the temp gets to -20c then I put on a thick winter sock. I run a cottage resort and will be out clearing decks and roofs for 4 or 5 hours at a time with no problem. In the late Fall I am in the lake removing docks for 2 days with never a wet of cold foot. Having used these boots with their lacing system I could not stand to deal with the laces on the Kuuva http://chotaoutdoorgear.com/shop/quicklace%E2%84%A2-mukluk/

Damien Tougas 953

May 24, 2013, 12:02 p.m.

I remember you talking about those in the forums. Glad to hear they are still working for you, I might have to check them out. What is the toebox like?

zabala 82

May 24, 2013, 12:44 p.m.

I have 5E wide feet and wear an 11. I bought them in a 12 and have plenty of room for heavy socks (1 layer). They are a bit roomy with normal tube sock but the lacing system prevents them from being too loose. The Quicklace are meant for colder weather with a 7mm sole and you could put a liner in there. They have another version that would be good for those who do not endure -30s http://chotaoutdoorgear.com/shop/mukluk-light/

javan.dempsey 15

May 24, 2013, 1:48 p.m.

Any USA distributors for these or is giftsfromfinland.com the only options?

When I search for Kuuva 2's, they come up on amazon via the aforementioned supplier, but the picture doesn't sync up with the new version?

Same with all those listed on their site directly.

Damien Tougas 953

May 24, 2013, 2:12 p.m.

I am not aware of much in the way of US-based distributors for Feelmax. The folks at http://www.fastway.fi are the "official" online store, and I know they ship worldwide, but I am not sure what the shipping costs are.

teija

May 27, 2013, 3:06 a.m.

Great idea! I hope they catch this one.

Dennis Dilday

Feb. 7, 2014, 8:37 p.m.

I appreciate your words on the subject(s) - I got to your site after searching "hiking boot, flexible" - to my surprise: I don't know why I hadn't thought to it since I wear toeshoes to train Tai chi and around town casually.

After reading your Posts on the footwear/hiking/waterproof/socks, etc. I would be interested in those Kuuvas you mention, but not happy to buy shoes that I can't try on. In one Post you said that you don't know of any US distribution sites (e.g., Seattle).

So, in the end, I will probably stick with the Sodhoppers I had made by a guy in Oregon last year, with wool socks. They worked out Ok this past summer - and I stick mostly to fair-weather hiking. http://doctordilday.wordpress.com/?s=lake+isabell

Thanks again,

Dennis

Damien Tougas 953

Feb. 9, 2014, 2 p.m.

Dennis: Yeah, it is very difficult to find a minimalist boot that you can try on. In fact - at least around where I live - finding minimalist shoes at all can be a challenge (unless they are Merrell). Someone needs to develop a system for sizing footwear via the Internet that works better than standard sizing. I have no idea how that would look...

Those Sodhoppers look nice. I bet they are comfortable, especially after moulding to your feet.

Mark

Feb. 9, 2014, 4:05 p.m.

Agreed on all counts. At least with Amazon, returns are usually pretty painless. I recently ordered the Merrell Proterra Mid Goretex (not available to me locally), and found them so stiff-soled that I sent them back almost immediately - at no cost.

As for sizing, most manufacturers can't keep consistent sizing among their own models -- I'm looking at you, Vivobarefoot -- so I think an industry-wide standard is pretty unlikely.

But we can dream!

Dennis Dilday

Feb. 22, 2014, 4:48 p.m.

I found some minimalist hiking boots by Belleville that I can try on in Lakewood, a town south of here and hour or more. I'll make the trip since the shoes have a rep for being small/wide.

The sodhoppers are fabulous really. They look a little less classy after a trip or two in the woods and a couple of applications of the conditioner that comes with.

Gruff916

March 6, 2014, 8:22 p.m.

My Feelmax Kuuvas worked well until they encountered rain. I had treated them with bees wax, but they soaked through quickly. I slathered more bees wax on them two more times and they still soak through almost immediately. I just purchased a pair of Gore-tex Tretorn Akta boots which are not advertised as being zero drop, but they do seem to be (without the insole). They are heavier and stiffer than I prefer, but with the Gore-tex sock, they should be truly waterproof.

Reviews

23 May 2013 by Damien Tougas

Minimalist Hiking Boots - A Review of the Feelmax Kuuva 2

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