Minimalist Shoe Review: Birchbury Bramfords Shoe Review

Birchbury Bramfords Shoe Review

Since minimalist shoes became a thing in the running world and other athletic niche communities, hundreds of different varieties of shoe models have been produced by dozens of shoe manufacturers in order to meet the widely-varied needs of active folks with a taste for light-weight footwear that doesn’t interfere with their natural movement patterns. *deep breath* Having run either barefoot or in minimalist shoes myself since 2006, I’ve kept a fairly close watch on the minimalist shoe “industry,” and there’s something I noticed years ago: There have always been many more options for running and other sports than there has been for formal situations or the workplace. This gap in offerings leaves folks to either pay outrageous prices for boutique brands, modify their fancy (and probably pricey) footwear, or wear clunky, heavily-heeled, inflexible “traditional” shoes.

That is no longer the case.

Enter: the Birchbury Bramford shoes. Birchbury is a newcomer to the shoe market, and they are currently running a Kickstarter-style, early ordering window to earn discounts on a pair of Bramfords, their first shoe offering. You can pre-order here. Their website touts their minimalist bona fides, like a wide toe box, zero arch-support and motion control nonsense, no stacked heel, and simple construction. Features-wise on paper, they definitely check all the boxes I personally desire from a shoe of this type. Disclosure: Birchbury contacted me and provided me with a pair of Bramfords in order to review here.

First Impressions

I let out an audible “wow!” when I pulled these shoes out of the box. They just looks great. I’m no leather connoisseur, but the Bramfords upper definitely feels and appears very high quality. In fact, all of the materials just feel solid, and the construction appears strong without being overly bulky. I was impressed. The sole of the shoe is flat as a pancake with a grippy-feeling, classic, zig-zag waffle tread. I like the use of a black rubber outsole because, since the outsole tends to get the most abrasion on most shoes, the Bramfords will likely show less wear over time.

One big surprise was the lacing system that is built into the shoes. The Bramfords sport a flexible lacing system – similar to the Xpand® system that I use on almost all my running shoes. I absolutely HATE tying laces, so I was super excited to try this feature out. I did notice that the system was “fixed”: there is no option for adjustment, which could be a problem for folks with oddly shaped feet.

The overall appearance of the shoe screams “business casual” to me. My typical work attire is khakis or slacks with a polo shirt, so I anticipated getting lots of use out of these shoes if they worked as advertised.

Fit and Feel

The first time slipping the Bramfords onto my feet was amazing. The interior feels seamless, and there is nothing to hang up on, which makes taking the shoe on and off a breeze. Like I mentioned above, I absolutely despise laces. I resent having to tie shoes every time I put them on for a few reasons: it adds time to my daily routine, it’s inconvenient if you have to rapidly slip shoes on for something, and it’s very aggravating when I can feel that I’ve tightened the laces unevenly – which necessitates that I untie and retie them to “balance” them like some kind weirdo. This is the reason I have replaced the laces in almost all of my running shoes with speed laces.

Probably the most delightful part of the Bramfords is the foot bed, which features a foam, leather-topped insole. It’s cushioned, but not so much as to feel squishy or memory-foamish. The lack of contour or arch support is also as-advertised, and that’s great because that is something that is an absolute deal breaker for me. The overall effect is right in the sweet spot for how I prefer a dress shoe to feel with each footfall.

One element that is noticeable on first wear is that the Bramfords are heavier than most of the other minimalist shoes that I wear regularly, though they are not as heavy as the boots or other dress-casual shoes I typically wear for work. If someone is used to a wispy, slipper-like shoe, they’ll probably have to take time getting used to these shoes.

After a Few Weeks

I’ve been wearing my Bramfords regularly for the past month or so, and I must say that I am still in love with this shoe. The leather has started to “patina” into a lovely, worn look, which is expected. I will probably use some leather conditioner/protectant on them at some point in the near future just to keep them looking fresh. The sole shows no real signs of wear so far, and as I expected, the black outsole stays looking sharp and clean.

One minor problem that I wound up having with the shoe that wasn’t apparent upon first fitting is that the shoe fits slightly loose over the top of my foot. This could be blamed on the lacing system and the lack of adjustability, but it’s worth noting that I have a very long, slender foot (size 12). Most shoes have to be cinched down nearly as tight as lace adjustment will allow in order to fit snugly around and over the top of my midfoot. I spoke with the Birchbury representative about this issue, and they said that they will provide my feedback to their factory. My solution for my pair of Bramfords is to swap out the default laces for a set of Xpand laces (which look almost identical, by the way). Unless your foot is built like mine, I suspect the Bramfords will fit just fine.

Now for the breakdown:

Pros

- Classic styling

- Checks all the minimalist boxes (wide toe box, zero drop, no intrusive support)

- High quality construction and materials

- Amazingly comfy footbed

Cons

- Lack of adjustment (for my long, skinny feet)

- Slightly heavy

The Verdict

The Birchbury Bramford meets all the essential criteria for a minimal, comfortable work and casual shoe. It’s absolutely my favorite shoe for on-the-job, and it’s worth a look for anyone in the market. You can check out their website and order your pair HERE. (Note, they're running special promotions in the weeks leading up to the shoe's release, and you can save up to $50 by ordering now.)