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The Feelgrounds Highrise Knit is a model that’s marketed as daily wear barefoot shoes that have a simplistic and unrefined appearance. As someone who loves barefoot shoes and high-top shoes, I was super excited to test this model out.
I’ve really enjoyed how easy it is to pair the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit with different outfits for a variety of settings. This model’s clean aesthetic is definitely one of the biggest perks of this shoe.
As a whole, I like this model a lot, however, there are a few cons to note with this shoe which I’ll discuss in detail below.
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Who Should Invest In the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit?
The Feelgrounds Highrise Knit is a solid high-top barefoot shoe for anyone who needs a model primarily for day-to-day wear, and they have a relatively simple and unrefined style.
One of the aspects that I like so much about this shoe is that it’s not flashy and it’s simple without a ton of branding. If this is something that also resonates with you in footwear, then the Highrise Knit is definitely worth looking into.
The knit upper does a good job for all-season wear. It walks a good line between being heavy enough to provide the foot with warmth, but also not light enough to where it stretches out super easily.
The minimalist sole that comes in with a stack height of 5mm is also a nice perk of this shoe if you want a model that provides you with a ton of “barefoot feel” on a daily basis.
Feelgrounds Highrise Knit
$129
Best For
- Casual and Daily Wear
- All-Season Wear (Winter Is Insole Dependent)
- Casual Lifting
Falls Short
- For Long-Term Durability
- For Wet Surfaces
Feelgrounds Highrise Knit Pros
As a whole, I’ve really enjoyed the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit and they’ve been a subtle surprise in regard to their performance and appearance. Below are a few of the pros that come along with this model.
- Great Shoe for Daily and Casual Wear
- Knit Is Breathable and Comfortable
- Made With Recycled Materials
The first thing to like about the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit is their performance for daily wear and how good they look in casual settings. In my opinion, it can be a little difficult to find really good-looking barefoot shoes for more formal and semi-formal settings.
I like that the Highrise Knit is an exception to this rule and that it’s a high-top model. This model delivers a simplistic upper construction with minimal branding and it’s an easy model to wear in a variety of settings.
Plus, I think the colorways for this model are also a perk. With more neutral colorway options to choose from you can easily select a model that styles well with most outfits and can be worn with shorts or pants.
Another perk of the Highrise Knit is its knit upper construction. The knit upper in this model does a good job at walking the fine line between being lightweight and breathable, while also giving you enough weight to lock the foot down.
At times, knit uppers can stretch or run too loose, but I don’t think this will be a major issue for most with this shoe. The boot, midfoot, and forefoot construction all form fit well and hold their shape well.
The final aspect to like about the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit is that it’s constructed with recycled materials. If you care about the materials used in your shoes, then this is definitely a point worth considering.
The Highrise Knit’s upper, laces, and lining are built with a recycled PET, and the sole is constructed with a recycled TPE.
Feelgrounds Highrise Knit Cons
As a casual daily wear shoe, I really enjoy the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit, but there are a couple of cons that are worth noting and knowing before you invest.
- May Not be the Best for Winter Without Insoles
- Long-Term Sole Durability Can Be An Issue
- Can Be a Pain to Get On
The first drawback that I could see others having with the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit is that it may not be the best option for winter wear. More specifically, I think the upper is fine for colder months, but with the limited sole thickness and lack of insole, your feet may run cool in this model.
The lack of insole puts you closer to the ground, which is a good thing for ground feel, however, this can make this shoe — like most Feelgrounds shoes — not the best option for those that want to avoid getting cold feet in frigid temperatures months.
Note, if your feet run warmer, then this will likely not be an issue for you. However, if your feet are prone to getting cold in cooler months you’ll want to invest in or use an added insole, which then adds to this model’s price if you choose to buy one.
Another drawback to the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit is that its sole durability can be a little hit or miss long-term. Feelgrounds use a very thin sole in their shoes which delivers a strong performance in regard to giving you a barefoot feel.
The drawback to this though is that the thin construction and nature of this sole can wear out quicker than models with slightly thicker rubber soles. This also leaves this sole prone to falling short for wet and damp settings.
If you like this model and you’re worried about its sole durability, I’d suggest rotating this model in with other shoes if you can. This will prolong their lifespan and you’ll get more out of your investment.
The final drawback is that this shoe can be somewhat of a pain to get on at times, especially with socks. With high-top shoes, this point can be a very hit-or-miss pain point. For example, the NOBULL High-Top Trainer is tough to get on while the Vans Sk8-Hi slides on pretty easily.
The boot of this model runs fairly snug and the laces aren’t incredibly long, so if you invest in this shoe plan to un-lace and re-lace this model often. It takes an extra second but doing this over jamming the foot in can help prolong your boot’s health and shape.
Performance
To break down the performance of the Feelgrounds High Rise Knit, I’m going to discuss how this shoe performs for casual lifting, daily wear, and walking.
Since this is not a performance-focused barefoot shoe, I try to limit how much I train in them. However, I did want to speak about how they do in the gym if you plan to use them for daily wear and lifting.
Testing the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit for Lifting
If you plan to lift in the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit, then I think you’ll really enjoy their performance. Honestly, I wish Feelgrounds would make a performance-focused model that has similar attributes to this shoe.
This shoe is really stable under heavyweight and with its 5mm stack height you can really grip and feel the ground when deadlifting and tackling lower body exercises. The sole also bends really well and moves with the foot so they’re a good option for unilateral exercises.
The one drawback to this model for training is that its sole and upper durability could break down faster since it’s not technically designed for training.
I’d suggest limiting your lifting with these if you want them to last, and if you plan to train in them anyways, then note that you could have them deteriorate faster than if you used them more casually in the gym.
Testing the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit for Walking and Daily Wear
Where the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit excels the most is for daily wear and this is for three key reasons. First, the width of this shoe is great and even if you have wider and flatter feet you should have plenty of room to splay the toes and feel the ground in this model.
Second, the clean appearance gives this model an awesome aesthetic for a lot of different daily wear settings. You can wear these shoes casually, semi-formally, and formally and they look pretty good in every setting.
Third and lastly, the knit breathes pretty well and it walks a fine line between being light enough for warmer days and heavy enough for cooler days. This shoe’s knit upper has a liner that is great for insulation and it feels fairly durable.
For walking, this shoe does a fairly good job and you get a lot of articulation and feel out with the 5mm stack height of the sole. I think it’s best used for walking that you’ll be doing normally with your day-to-day wear versus doing longer walking in this and this is for durability purposes.
If you’re a beginner to barefoot shoes, then you’ll likely want to invest in an insole for this model to get a little more cushion so you can walk longer distances comfortably and acclimate to the shoes slowly.
Feelgrounds Highrise Knit Sizing
The Feelgrounds Highrise Knit sizing is interesting. I think this shoe will run true to size for some while others will want to size up a half size.
I think if you normally have room at the end of your toe box in your normal true-to-size shoes and if you like a snugger fit, then you should be safe going true to size.
Conversely, if the room at the end of your toe box varies and is often on the tighter side, then you’ll want to size up a half size to be safe.
- Feelgrounds Highrise Knit Sizing Thoughts: If you normally have room at the end of your toe box, go true to size. If you typically feel cramped in shoes, then go up a half size.
To add more context, I went true to size and have about .3″ at the end of my toe box and typically have between .4-6″ at the end of my other shoes’ toe boxes.
If you have additional sizing and fit questions about the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit, drop a comment below.
Price Breakdown
For the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit, you can expect to pay $129 USD. While this price point is a little high for a fairly simplistic high-top barefoot shoe, I think it can be justified for two key reasons if you’re on the fence.
First, if you want a clean barefoot shoe for daily wear, then this is one of the better options on the market which is a perk. Second, if you’re rotating your shoes, then you’ll get more out of this model and you’ll prolong their lifespan.
If you plan to wear these every day and beat them up, then you may run into long-term sole durability issues which can arise here and there in Feelgrounds models. This is often the main knock on the minimalist-style soles that Feelgrounds uses in their shoes.
Construction Details
The Feelgrounds Highrise Knit has a simple construction which I actually think is a perk of this shoe. Below are some of the construction callouts for the Highrise Knit that influence this shoe’s durability and performance.
- Heel-to-Toe Drop: 0mm
- Weight: 9.20 oz (for my size 10 model)
- Removable Insole: Doesn’t come with an insole
- Breathable Knit Upper
- Recycled TPE Lug Pattern Outsole
- 5mm Stack Height (Sole Thickness)
- Upper, Laces, Lining Made With Recycled PET
If you have any additional questions or anything specific on the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit, feel free to drop a comment below and I can try to help you out accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q:Are the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit true to size?
Q:Can you wear the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit in winter?
Takeaway Thoughts
The Feelgrounds Highrise Knit has quickly grown as one of my favorite high-top barefoot shoes for daily wear. The knit upper breathes and moves well and the minimalist style helps give this model a nice clean and classic look.
If you want a pair of high-top barefoot shoes that look good in a variety of settings, then the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit is a good option to explore.
The main drawback to this model is the long-term sole durability, which is something most Feelgrounds shoes run into, and that these can run a little cool in winter months without insoles.
If you have additional questions on the Feelgrounds Highrise Knit, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally via Instagram (@jake_boly or @that_fit_friend).
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