unisex-adult Ninja, Cosplay, Gardening, Carpenter

I find the wearing of these type of shoes (Tabi) are pretty good - mostly in training for Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu class -. I am impressed that these actually fit the ankle/Achilles tendon area well (normally with the Velcro ones it can be baggy). This is partially due to the tabs that have 3 or 4 rows for varying tightness. I have very strong calves and the ability to adjust the tightness around the ankle and yet widen it for the calf is VERY NICE. I'm not super crazy about the rubber soles, but I couldn't find the flat bumpy bottom style in stock. I can see me using these for quite a while. The seams are double stitched and not coming loose after a week or two of training, so I'm feeling pretty good about that. AS ALWAYS - I highly recommend taking the insole out of an old pair of shoes, stepping on it, and then tracing and cutting out the shape of the tabi. Once placed inside the tabi, it seems to make the wearing of these significantly more comfortable for longer periods of time. On other tabi (especially the soft indoor type) they can slide and roll on you... placing an insole inside seems to lock it into place, and you do not lose any feeling with the ground- as long as it's a soft insole... but outside, rocks and sticks are WAY LESS problematic when running and jumping! These aren't the HIGHEST quality outdoor tabi because of the style of outer sole, but, they'll do for quite a long time. All in all, I'd say I am very pleasantly surprised with the quality, the speed of arrival, fit and comfort of these tabi. I still would not recommend using them indoors because the rubber soles are quite grippy... especially noticed while applying ashi sabaki during techniques!

I needed the perfect ninja shoes to go with my ninja outfit. I read the reviews and figured why not. It does have a cool “buckle” technique and like everyone else stated it takes a second to figure it out. I have really big calves and from what one guy who said he had really big calves I hoped it would fit. Let’s just say I made it fit!! It hurt because it felt like I was pinching myself but once it was on it stayed on. It was very comfortable to walk in And my husband loved playing in it too and he has smaller calves than I do but bigger feet lol. Def original product made in Japan and was cool and worked with my outfit! I would suggest these for sure!

Great minimalist shoe. Only problem is, no half sizes for people with over size 8 feet. I was caught in the middle; 28 was far too small and 29 was too big, floppy and insecure. So, I returned mine... Good to remember that these fit like gloves, so it's important to use their size chart and select a size close to your own foot measurement. Otherwise great shoe, sole is so flexible that if I hold the shoe with the sole parallel to the ground it will droop towards the floor. If you're a minimalist runner/enthusiast you know this is a very good thing. The sole has a very high percentage of rubber and traction is extremely good, no excessive wear but, because of the composition of the sole I avoid too much use on pavement for the pair I kept(29). Putting the shoe on is not complicated or difficult; you start from the bottom and hook the metal tabs(kohaze) to whichever line of string is the most comfortable for you. It's a good idea to flex your foot up while hooking the kohaze as it makes it easier. I recommend getting injinji or tabi socks(non-kohaze) to go with these so you can avoid dirtying the white linen inside. The shoes are not waterproof so keep that in mind, the canvas upper is tough though. All in all great shoe, if they had half sizes they would be perfect and would get my repeat business. At their best they are nimble, light durable and cool looking minimalist shoes, try them, I recommend it!!

So here is my full review on the Jikatabi: (quick side note, I jump around a lot in this review, but it really is a mound of knowledge on the product and it's usage) First off, you need to know your size. To find your size, have a family member or friend take a rule with centimeters and measure from the very back of the center of your heel, in a diagonal plane or line to the tip of your big toe. Whatever the measurement is add 0.5 centimeters to get a comfortable size. Or if you are like me, get the exact size of your foot, but be prepared for some mild pain. Note: by pain I mean you need to break in the toes of the Tabi, this can take anywhere from a couple days to a week or two. Okay so you have your size, great. Now you know what size you need to buy. I had a hard time figuring out how to size my feet, so I thought I'd write that really quick so others know what they are doing when it comes to finding their sizes. Okay now lets start the actual review: The package arrived quickly for me and in great shape (awesomeness) I ordered a size 26 Jikatabi (because that's my true size, no 0.5 centimeters extra added) and as expected I needed to break them in. I wore them around town, ran in them (yes you can run in them, however, please understand that these shoes conform or mold to the ground like bare feet, so if you can't walk or run barefoot outside, then these shoes will take awhile to get used to and they will hurt more than likely, shoot I do free running in these because they work so well and I am comfortable running in them) and I even worked in freezing rain with them (that last one is not recommended as the Jikatabi are NOT waterproof, so buy waterproofer if you are going to use it in wet or snowy conditions) It took me 3 days to fully break them in and get them to stop rubbing my toes fiercely. But now that they are broken in, they are as comfortable a shoe as anything I have ever worn (like cloud walking). They squeak when you first wear them, so make sure to wear them a lot to make that go away, once they stop squeaking though, be careful, you'll sneak up on people on accident. I currently own a Velcro style Tabi and these new Jikatabi which have the metal tabs. Now, as expected, I did not know how to use the metal tabs at first, but I do now, and to anyone who reads this, here are a couple tips: the metal tabs are easier to adjust from the bottom up the metal tabs are easier to connect if you flex your foot upwards The metal tabs are a pain in the but until you get used to them, so be prepared to be frustrated at first the metal tabs need broken in just like the rest of the shoe so there's some hopefully helpful tips on the tabs. As I said above the shoe is made of a canvas much like an All Star or Converse shoe. They are not water proof, however the stitching is magnificent, and they should under normal care last quite some time. The rubber on the bottom seems very durable to me, and is slip resistant. The buts have a tight fit around the legs or calves I should say when properly adjusted so they won't slip down or fold over on you. I would recommend Tabi Socks which will make them more comfortable. Overall this is an amazing product. Five Stars, A+++, the only recommendations are buy waterproofer and socks. Any other questions, or even comments, tell me or ask me and I'll answer the best I can I hope my review helps, Ian PlatinumWolf

A really great Tabi that fits as expected. I measured my foot and used the size chart. The boot I received fit perfectly. They fasten with the metal clips that my instructor prefers and they work well. I might have preferred velcro, but felt this was a better boot at a better price overall. It's kind of funny, though, how a "Ninja Boot" makes squeaky tennis shoe noises on the hardwood floor. But I'm sure they'll stop once they've been worn a bit. Until then they are a great source of Ninja jokes. I'll be using them as mat shoes and training in them, so their true quality will be tested and this review updated should any of my first impressions change over time.

Stamina

These are not only a perfect fit size wise but are as comfortable as socks on my bunions while protecting them from objects around the house & property, getting into & out of them is also extremely easy with the tabs providing a better secured closure than my shoe/bootlaces. The first time walking around in them was a little odd as the squeaking was rather loud, it went away after I wore them for a couple of days of inside & outside activities. So far they are holding up to my daily activities with no separations of seams or sole materials, the sole is also quite unique as it allows me to walk in the way that is most comfortable to me. My mother was told by my old doctors that I was walking the wrong way so I was placed into shoes that had steel plates in the sole to make me walk like Frankenstein, think of completely flat footed stomping, now the doctors are now going "That's not normal to walk flat footed, guess we messed up; would you like some surgery on those bunions??" . I normally walk on the ball & toes mostly only dropping my heel down for balance occasionally, now they figured out that it is better to walk than stomping flat or heel to toes; only 40+ years too late.. But these allow my feet that natural motion and freedom to maneuver, this also increases my grip on a surface & allows me to use my whole leg to spring from the balls of my feet easily. I will definitely be getting another pair of these in the next month or two, when budgets allow.....

Great tabi boots here!! Easy to put on, I use them as my everyday shoe. Overall no complaints minus the wearing of the glue that binds the sole to the base in “high stress” areas of the shoe. It would be nice if they threaded the sole all the way around and not just in the back. Would be a huge improvement to the overall performance of the shoes.