Vibram Furoshiki Shearling Boots Review: These Boots Pack Flat in Your Suitcase

Vibram’s Furoshiki Shearling High Boot is a wonderfully strange boot that does the impossible: It packs nearly flat. If you have room for a basic flat in your suitcase, you have room for these boots for travel. To transform them from flat-packing marvel to functional boot, you slip them on, then wrap your foot using two Velcro straps and then wrap the shaft of the boot around your leg and secure it with Velcro.

Vibram Furoshiki Shearling Boots Review

Price and Where to Buy Vibram Furoshiki Shearling Boots: Vibram’s Furoshiki Shearling High Boot is $135 on Vibram.com. A shorter version of the boot is available on Amazon for $120.

How the Vibram Furoshiki Shearling Boots Rate:

• Usefulness: 9/10. Boots that pack nearly flat are already a win for travelers, but these boots add extra utility by being both warm and comfortable. Note that the comfortable fit is heavily dependent on how well you secure the Velcro foot straps though; one of the boots popped off while I was running down the street because I hadn’t stuck the tabs together well enough.
• Value: 9/10. At $135, these boots are priced competitively. And the added value of extreme packability gives these boots a leg up over other brands.
• Portability: 10/10. These were, by far, the easiest to pack boots I’ve ever traveled with. In fact, since these were so easy to pack, it’s feasible to wear another pair of boots on the plane and pack these, allowing you to travel with multiple pairs of boots while still traveling light.
• Durability: 9/10. When I first starting wearing them, I was worried that all the yanking to secure the boots to my feet would stretch the material, but that hasn’t happened. After a month of regular wear, these boots have maintained their shape well.
• Cool Factor: 10/10. These boots have a cool deconstructed, futuristic look that garner compliments.

Good to Knows: The Furoshiki Shearling boots are not without their quirks. Because you assemble the boot around your foot by securing the different parts with Velcro, the fit is necessarily snug. The boots also run slightly small, so you’ll likely want to buy a size larger. And the black sole is naturally flecked (it’s made from recycled materials) with white.

Final Verdict: These strange and wonderful boots are ideal for anyone who wants to travel with boots without sacrificing suitcase space.

Editor’s Note: Reviews are based on usefulness, portability, durability, value, and “cool factor.” Some review products are sent to us free of charge and with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions, positive and negative, and will never accept compensation to review a product. If you have any questions or comments concerning our reviews, or would like to suggest a product for review, please email us at [email protected].

(Photos: Vibram)