Kigo Footwear Review: A lightweight and comfortable shoe for the backpacking traveler

The fun never stops with Kigo footwear

Kigo is a stylish, comfortable, minimalist footwear designed for a diverse range of activities. We had the opportunity to try a pair each for the last month and here is our Kigo Footwear Review.

Before wearing our new Kigo shoes, I did not do any research or read about them on the website. All I knew was that I was going to be trying the stylish Kigo Curv and Craig the more active Kigo Edge. I wanted to be sure I learned for myself what the shoes were really like before being influenced by the information written on a sales page. ‘

After wearing my Kigo Curv for several days, I started to get a feel for them and form an opinion. I was pretty excited when I eventually went to the website to see if what I was experiencing was true and I found it to be a pretty accurate match. You always want to discover the company you are dealing with has integrity and I think Kigo footwear has that.

When I first tried my Kigo shoes on I discovered the fit to be a bit tight on my right foot and I was left wishing I had ordered another half size bigger. (I was warned about this) It wasn’t too uncomfortable and I thought I would just wear them around for awhile to see if it got any better or worse. Craig said the same thing about his shoes, the Kigo Edge. It was about half a day later that we both said to each other in shock, “My shoe seems to have stretched and it fits quite nicely now.” It felt as if the shoe was molding to the shape of our foot. When I later checked the website, I saw that Kigo footwear is designed to mold around your feet.

Kigo Edge for the active minded

The other thing I noticed when walking on the ground was how close I felt to the surface of the ground. I was a little unsure of this at first and wondered how this would feel when hiking. Would it be uncomfortable? And would I feel the rocks and hard ground too much?

After taking a hike over rocky and twiggy ground, I  didn’t find it uncomfortable at all, my feet felt well protected and snug. I could definitely feel the texture of the earth I was walking on but it didn’t hurt and I enjoyed being so close to the Earth.

After investigating on the website I saw that Kigo footwear are minimalist design. This means they are made to get close to the ground as walking barefoot has tremendous benefits for your health. This scientifically researched fact I already knew of, so I felt a little more reassured after reading this. I don’t mind feeling closer to the ground if it is going to better for my body. And I do love walking barefoot. Now I can do it in comfort.

An added extra bonus is that Kigo footwear is designed from eco-friendly,  bio-degradable material making sure that we are leaving light footprints behind on our earth

We tested out the shoes by general walking, bike riding, and hiking. Our final verdict is:

Kigo Footwear Review: The Good

Kigo footwear are extremely comfortable, versatile, and lightweight. My backpack contains my life, so I need to be very careful about what I pack. I really don’t want heavy, bulky shoes taking up a lot of space.

I found the shoes to have plenty of grip on the unstable ground also. We only went for a short bush walk but I got a great feel for them and was so excited about how light they felt on my feet. (The Kigo Curv is not really made for hiking but they worked well for me!)

Kigo footwear can be used for multiple activities. The whole time wearing them I thought how perfect they would have been when we hiked the Narrows in Zion Park, our white water

Kigo Curv

rafting adventures, 3 day mountain climbing treks, bike riding,  sand boarding and the list goes on. One pair of shoes that can be used for all these things. And a pair of shoes that are comfortable, dry quickly if wet, and don’t feel like you are carrying around a ton of bricks. In fact you can barely feel them on your feet at all.

And not only that but the Kigo Curv shoe which I have been wearing are perfect for walking around in and look great with any outfit. Ladies, we all know how important this is.

Kigo Footwear Review: The Concerns

The only concerns we had, well mostly for the type of shoe Craig was wearing, is how sweaty and stinky they would get in the warmer climates. Kigo footwear is made to be breathable and I guess if you already suffer from foot odour then there might not be a shoe in the world that can help you. Although Kigo footwear has been treated with antimicrobial coating to minimize foot odour. Craig did find that his feet felt quite sweaty in the Kigo Edge.

Also with the Kigo Curv, it was easy for rocks and twigs to spit up into the shoe. This was only an issue when I was playing amongst the wood chipped playground with Kalyra. I knew this already when ordering them as I already have a pair of shoes of similar design this happens with.  I do have  a very high arch so I’m not sure if this may create more gaps in my shoes.  Craig’s shoes didn’t have this issue at all as they fit very snugly around the whole foot.

Kigo Footwear Review: The Final Verdict

Kigo Footwear for backpackers

Would we take them backpacking with us? Absolutely, without a doubt. I wish I had discovered them years ago. And I would definitely take two pairs – the somewhat more trendy and casual Kigo curv shoe as well as the hiking full snug Kigo Edge that Craig had. I love these shoes and I feel very comfortable and happy about recommending them for our readers. Kigo shoes are great for backpackers and travelers, actually for anyone who enjoys getting out and about in their own backyard. For comfort, versatility and weight you cannot beat it.

The heavy hiking shoes are out and my backpack just gained 2 kilos of extra weight and volume. Now I just need to think of what to fill it with. More books? More clothes? Souveneirs?

Disclaimer: We did receive a pair of these shoes in order to try them out, and are grateful to Kigo footwear for the experience.