First off, a brand introduction: Tipsietoes are a Chinese based brand of barefoot shoes, purchased through the direct-from-China selling platform AliExpress. I recommend them highly and have purchased several of their kids shoes because they have the perfect trifecta:
- They’re relatively cheap for barefoot. Most models are just over £20, with shipping free.
- They’re well made and with quality materials – lots of genuine leather options.
- They have great barefoot credentials. Wide toe box, flexible, lightweight.
The one downside in purchasing from China is the shipping time (if you’re in most English speaking countries, that is), so make sure to buy in advance of needing them urgently!
Some people are hesitant to purchase clothing and shoes from places like Aliexpress, and I generally am too. However I consider Tipsietoes to be more reputable than ‘no name’ brands that are resold on Amazon etc., they have made a bit of a name for themselves in the barefoot community (particularly for their extremely similar Shapen ‘dupes’!). Their children’s shoes use soles that are branded with Livie and Luca, a former UK based barefoot brand. Presumably they manufactured for them! The factory behind Tipsietoes is Shanghai Dobest shoe factory.
Today I am reviewing another Tipsietoes purchase for my toddler – a gorgeous leather ankle boot suitable for slightly cooler weather.
Ad/Affiliate Disclosure:
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. This is a legally necessary disclaimer – I genuinely rave about these shoes regardless because of the price point and quality!
Quick Summary:
- Brand: Tipsietoes (China)
- Price: £25 as of Sept 2026. AliExpress prices fluctuate frequently!
- Website: Tipsietoes storefront on AliExpress. Exact model of boot here.
- Style: Leather boot, quite casual
- Materials: Outer is mostly leather, interior is plastic.
- Barefoot Rating: 8.5/10
- Zero Drop: Yes.
- Wide toe area: Very wide.
- Thin, flexible sole: Yes, with a removable insole. Not the absolute thinnest, but still lightweight for a boot.
Tipsietoes Kids Leather Boots Review Verdict: I really can’t recommend them any higher. You would be looking at paying 3x the cost for a European branded boot with similar construction. They have held up well to toddler life and they will almost certainly be outgrown before destroyed! You will struggle to find this combo elsewhere of width in the toes, genuine leather, and under £30!
There are no distinct model names with Tipsietoes shoes. They really are an amalgam of general terms, like “toddler autumn spring barefoot leather boots etc.” You can browse the store to find similar offerings or find this barefoot leather boot model via this link.
There are some gorgeous colourways. I went with the muted green, with the complementary tan laces and soles. The single colour options look more formal, while the split colour options look a bit sportier.
They are very toddler friendly to put on: they feature elastic laces and a single angle velcro strap. The laces came quite loose, which means they can be adjusted tighter by pulling through and knotting. Note the messy finish on my pair – this is because it’s an unfinished end of an elastic lace that has been cut with blunt scissors.
Just look at the toe box! It can be so hard to find a toe box that wide, even amongst distinguished barefoot brands. The fact that it’s attached to such a good value shoe is astonishing. There is more than enough room to wiggle toes for my medium-width foot toddler. The mid-foot is also quite spacious. Combined with the elastic laces, these shoes would be great for higher volume feet.
The toe box shape is excellent for most feet, including square and Egyptian toe profiles.
The leather upper has held up well. The model I have lists the interior as a cotton mesh. The insole is removable.
They are flexible! Not as stiff as many recent high-street kids barefoot shoes that have appeared recently, but not as flexible as the most flexible of kids shoes (e.g., Tikki/Lang S. are on the more flexible side). For a leather boot it performs very well.
These shoes have been worn for several weeks now and are still in excellent condition.
With any brand, but especially direct-from-China brands, it is very important that you don’t just buy your usual size. You absolutely must know the foot length you are buying for and use the manufacturer’s size chart to determine which size to buy.
For example, my child wears a toddler size 8 or so now (foot length slightly exceeding 150mm) in most UK branded shoes, but these size 9 are right for him – with room to grow. It’s recommended to purchase shoes for young children with approx. 1.2cm of growing room to spare.
Tipsietoes provide their size chart on their listings – always use this to gauge size.
Personal Fit
My toddler doesn’t complain and reaches for them! They have the same fit as his previous Tipsietoes trainer purchases, so they are familiar and comfortable. There is plenty of growing room, plus the excellent square-ish toe shape means they are not prematurely outgrown due to this big toe lacking space.
I included an image of a size 8 Sainsbury’s barefoot toddler trainer versus the Tipsietoes size 9 boot. You can really see the difference in width, even considering the size difference! My kid has a preference for the wider option, given the choice.
