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Editorial Disclosure: Bared Footwear paid TheRoundup.org an editorial fee for this independent brand review and gifted items for testing. Payment and gifting did not guarantee a positive review, and Bared Footwear did not receive final editorial control.
Bared Footwear makes stylish men's and women's shoes with a supportive, podiatrist-designed footbed hidden inside every pair.
Most supportive shoes look like medical footwear, which is the problem that Bared's founder, a podiatrist, set out to fix. We decided to find out whether she did.
Carl, from our testing team, has been wearing Bared's Bohrium suede sneakers for over a year, long enough to judge the brand's comfort, fit, and durability.
This hands-on Bared Footwear review is for shoppers prepared to pay more for comfortable, sustainable shoes.
Bared Footwear's biggest pros are its podiatrist-designed support, a free Fit Kit to adjust the fit, and B Corp certification. The biggest cons are the premium prices and the extra care that Bared's suede styles need.
Bared Footwear has been making its podiatrist-designed shoes since 2008.
Bared Footwear is an Australian shoe brand founded by podiatrist Anna Baird to make good-looking shoes with built-in foot support. Anna started Bared after finding that the shoes she recommended to patients were shoes she would never wear herself.
The Bared men's range includes sneakers, boots, loafers and dress shoes. The Bared women's range includes sneakers, boots, loafers, flats, heels, sandals and bridal shoes.
Bared has its own stores in Australia and New Zealand. In the US, Bared sells online and through one stockist, the #WeWearAustralian store at 69 Mercer Street in SoHo, New York.
Bared shoes are made in Portugal, China, and Australia. Bared's 2024 supplier list includes 2 finished-shoe factories in Portugal, 5 in China, and 1 in Australia.
Bared shoes contain leather from tanneries in China, Portugal, Italy, Thailand, and Pakistan. Bared's biomechanical footbeds are made in Vietnam and China.
Of the 27 men's sneakers on Bared's US website, Carl chose to test the Bohrium in Charcoal Suede for this review.
The Bared Bohrium Charcoal Suede is a $349 men's lace-up sneaker with a charcoal suede upper on a white natural rubber sole. The Bohrium Charcoal Suede has the following specifications.
| Feature | Bohrium Charcoal Suede |
|---|---|
| Upper | Suede |
| Lining | LWG-certified leather |
| Footbed | B.plantfoam biomechanical footbed (removable) |
| Outsole | Natural rubber |
| Heel height | 1 inch (25 mm) |
| Sizes | EU 40 (US 7.5) to EU 48 (US 14) |
| Other colors | Black Leather, Chocolate Leather, Navy Leather, Clean White Leather |
Carl wore his Bohrium sneakers in EU 43 for over a year and shared his overall impression.
The Bohriums are well-made sneakers. Bared's packaging made the unboxing feel premium. I love the charcoal color, which is neutral enough to go with most of my outfits. I wear my Bohriums for going out to smart casual dinners, and I keep other sneakers for all-day wear.
I'm used to minimalist and barefoot shoes, so the Bohriums felt a little restrictive and heavy at first. The restrictive feel is down to my personal preference. I still wear the Bohriums for long stretches with no discomfort. The Bohriums are less restrictive than shoes from some other mainstream brands I've tested.
On the down side, the Bohriums are expensive, but I think the quality justifies the price.
Bared designs the Bohrium for all-day comfort, cushioning, and support, using the same footbed that fits in every Bared shoe.
Yes, Bared shoes are comfortable for long wear, thanks to a podiatrist-designed footbed and support features in every pair. Carl's own Bohriums stay comfortable through long evenings out, as his review of the Bohrium describes.
Bared shoes have a firm heel counter around the back of the heel to support the rear of the foot. Bared also gives its shoes a slight incline from heel to toe, called the heel pitch, which the brand says prevents heel and calf pain.
The firm heel counter and raised heel are the main differences from barefoot shoes, which have a flat, flexible sole with no raised heel. The firm heel counter and raised heel explain why the Bohrium felt restrictive to Carl at first, since he normally wears barefoot shoes.
The Bared biomechanical footbed is a removable, contoured insole that sits in every pair of Bared shoes to support the arch, heel, and ball of the foot. Bared lists the following four support features in the biomechanical footbed.
Bared shoes have extra depth inside, so a custom orthotic fits in place of the biomechanical footbed.
The Bared Fit Kit is a free set of 2 thin footbeds and 2 forefoot pads that changes how much room there is inside a Bared shoe. Bared packs the Fit Kit into the box with all its boots and sneakers and most of its flats.
To use the Fit Kit, place a forefoot pad under the footbed when a shoe feels too roomy. Swap the standard footbed for a thin footbed when a shoe feels too snug. The forefoot pads come in 0.08 inch (2 mm) and 0.12 inch (3 mm) thicknesses.
The insoles in the Fit Kit let Carl set the comfort level of his Bohriums, so a pair that feels slightly loose or tight can be adjusted at home without an exchange.
Yes, in our testing, Bared shoes fit true to size for a conventional sneaker design. Carl's Bohrium sneakers in EU 43 (US 9.5) fit well.
Bared lists the US equivalent next to each EU size on its product pages. Bared's customer service team also runs virtual fittings for buyers unsure of their size.
Yes, Bared sneakers, boots, and most Bared flats work well for wide feet because the thin footbeds in their Fit Kit create more space around the forefoot and toe box. One Bared customer with wide feet chose the men's Bohrium for its fit.
Carl normally wears barefoot shoes and prefers more room in the toe box, so the Bohrium feels tight to him by comparison. If you want room for your toes to spread, barefoot shoes give more of it with their wide, foot-shaped toe box.
Leather on a new pair of Bared shoes can start firm, then soften and mold to your foot, so a leather pair that feels firm on day one gets more comfortable the longer you wear it.
Bared shoes are durable, based on our year of testing with Carl's suede Bohrium sneakers. Carl explained how he kept his suede pair looking good.
My Bohriums still look decent after more than a year. I've been careful not to wear my Bohriums on days when it's going to be wet outside. If durability matters more to you than the look of suede, Bared has non-suede options.
Suede absorbs water and marks easily, so the leather Bohrium colors and Bared's other leather styles suit buyers who wear their sneakers in wet weather.
Bared also fits a steel shank in the sole of each shoe, which it says keeps the support firm and makes the shoes last longer.
To care for Bared suede shoes, spray them with a water and stain protector before the first wear, then brush off dry dirt with a suede brush. Carl recommends a suede protector to reduce the risk of water damage on wet days. Bared recommends the following three steps for suede shoes.
Bared sells its own protector spray, suede brush, and Suede & Nubuck Care Kit in the Bared Shoe Care Products section.
When a pair of Bared shoes finally wears out, Bared's Australian and New Zealand stores take it back for recycling, along with worn-out shoes of any other brand.
Yes, Bared Footwear is sustainable by several measures, although it still uses animal leather and some petroleum-based materials. Bared itself says that footwear always has an environmental impact.
Bared meets several of the criteria we use to judge sustainable shoes, including ethical production, certified leather, and part plant-based materials.
Bared Footwear has been a certified B Corporation (B Corp) since December 2021. Bared was the first Australian-owned footwear label to become B Corp certified. B Lab, a global nonprofit, certifies a business as a B Corp after checking its governance and its impact on workers, customers, communities, and the environment.
A business needs a score of at least 80 to qualify as a B Corp. Bared's score rose from 95 in 2021 to 126.7 in 2025, against a median of 50.9 for ordinary businesses that take the assessment (B Lab). B Corps recertify every three years to keep the certification.
Bared uses mostly leather and suede for uppers, part plant-based foam for footbeds, and rubber for soles. Bared shoes contain the following main materials.
Every one of Bared's finished-shoe factories signs a Restricted Substances List, which keeps the harsh chemicals used in conventional footwear out of Bared's leather. Intertek, an independent testing company, tests Bared's materials to check that they meet the list.
Yes, Bared Footwear is an ethical shoe brand by footwear standards, with audited factories and a mapped supply chain. Bared has direct relationships with all its finished-shoe factories and requires regular third-party audits, including a Living Wages Audit.
Bared has also mapped an estimated 95% to 100% of the suppliers that make its materials, such as tanneries. Bared's tracing is weaker further back in the supply chain, where Bared has mapped under 3% of its raw material processors, such as spinners, dyers and abattoirs.
In 2024, Bared won the Responsible Supply Award at Australia's National Banksia Sustainability Awards for its human rights work in its supply chain. Bared has also committed more than $1.5 million to its charity partners.
Bared Footwear's limited-edition collections raise extra funds for those charity partners, so part of the price of those pairs goes to The Hunger Project and Children's Ground.
Bared Footwear prices its shoes at the premium end of the market and sells them to US buyers mainly through its own website.
Bared shoes cost $269 to $449 a pair for the styles we priced on Bared's US website. The following Bared styles show how prices vary across the range.
| Bared style | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Bohrium Charcoal Suede | Men's sneaker | $349 |
| Caesium Olive Green Suede | Men's sneaker | $349 |
| Bromine Black Knit | Men's sneaker | $309 |
| Thallium Tan Leather | Men's shoe | $449 |
| Curruca Black Leather | Women's loafer | $299 |
| Surfbird Black Laser Cut Leather | Women's ballet flat | $299 |
| Shrikebill Gold Woven Leather | Women's heel | $349 |
| Plover Chestnut Sheepskin | Women's slipper boot | $269 |
Bared ships US orders for $5.95, or free on orders over $200, and accepts free returns within 60 days of purchase. Standard shipping takes 6 to 10 business days. Express shipping costs $35 and takes 5 to 7 business days.
Bared ships US orders from its warehouses in Texas and Melbourne, Australia, or from its stores in Australia and New Zealand, depending on stock.
Returns are accepted only for shoes in as-new condition, so try new Bared shoes on around the house, on carpet, before wearing them outside. Full-price shoes come with four return options.
Shoes bought on sale qualify only for store credit or an exchange. Final Sale items cannot be returned, exchanged, or refunded.
Yes, Bared shoes are worth it for buyers who want supportive, well-made leather or suede shoes for smart casual wear and are willing to pay a premium.
Every Bared sneaker includes a free Fit Kit of thin footbeds and forefoot pads, so buyers with wide or narrow feet get extra insoles without paying extra.
If you prefer a style other than the Bohrium, the other Bared Footwear products share the same biomechanical footbed.
Bared Footwear sells other men's sneaker styles alongside the Bohrium, plus a full women's range and its own shoe care products.
Bared men's sneakers come in leather, suede, nubuck, knit, and ripstop uppers. The Caesium comes in 7 colors, including an Olive Green Suede and a Navy Nubuck & Mesh. The Cubane mixes leather and suede. The Bromine has a knit upper.
Bared women's shoes come in EU sizes 34 (US 4 to 4.5) to 43 (US 12). The Surfbird ballet flat comes in 12 colors.
Women's styles such as the Surfbird ballet flat and the Maleo loafer have Bared's PLIANT outsoles.
Bared shoe care products include cleaners, conditioners, brushes, protectors, polishes, and shoe trees for leather and suede shoes. Bared charges the following prices for its shoe care products on its US website.
| Bared shoe care product | Price |
|---|---|
| Stain & Water Protector | $20 |
| Suede & Nubuck Brush | $12 |
| Suede & Nubuck Care Kit | $40 |
| Leather Conditioner | $20 |
| Shoe Shampoo | $13 |
| Sneaker Cleaning Kit | $40 |
| Bared Shoe Trees | $65 |
Bared Footwear customers who buy the Bohrium Charcoal Suede see the protector, brush, and Suede & Nubuck Care Kit listed as add-ons on the Bohrium product page.
Customers rate the Bared Bohrium highly, with an average of 4.8 out of 5 stars from 258 reviews on Bared's website. 221 of the 258 Bohrium reviews give five stars.
Bohrium owners mostly praise the comfort, the fit, and the quality of the leather and suede. Bohrium owners also describe the Bohrium as a versatile shoe for smart casual outfits.
The lowest-rated Bohrium reviews contain the following complaints.
Bared replied to each review and contacted the reviewers privately to resolve the issues.
The reviews and our own testing both show Bared Footwear as a comfortable, well-made brand, with a small number of reports of faults.
Bared Footwear is right for buyers looking for supportive, smart casual shoes from a B Corp brand, but it is the wrong choice for barefoot shoe fans and buyers on a tight budget.
Choose Bared Footwear if:
Choose barefoot shoes if:
After more than a year of testing, Carl still wears his Bohriums for smart-casual dinners, the kind of occasion where Bared's mix of support and style works perfectly.
