A review of El Naturalista Nomada zero drop boots
Wide toe box Derby boots, combat boots, Doc Marten dupes... whatever you want to call them
(Note: I paid for these boots out of pocket and am not receiving any form of compensation for this review.)
Guys, I think we’re finally getting somewhere. At long last a number of brands are starting to wake up to the demand for fashionable healthy footwear.
Spanish brand El Naturalista has generally been known for making semi-anatomical footwear best suited for people with average width feet. Earlier in the year the brand released a barefoot shoe line with a decently wide toe box and a thin, flexible sole. And even more recently, El Naturalista has started dipping their toes in the world of zero drop, wide toe box footwear with cushioned soles.
El Naturalista’s new Nomada models fill a gap that’s long been missing in the market, so it didn’t take long to make up my mind to try them out.
Ordering experience
The Nomada line comes in a few different styles but they all have the same toe shape and sole type. I went for the N5264 Derby boot.
The checkout flow on El Naturalista’s website is straightforward and easy to use, which is a nice change from some of the other shoes I’ve bought recently. Shipping came out to $17, which seems incredibly low compared to the $30-50 I’ve paid when ordering from other companies in the EU. The boots shipped out of Spain and were delivered by UPS.
I ordered the boots on a Monday night and had them in my hands that Thursday. I was super impressed by the speedy delivery. I was unimpressed, however, by the notification that I owed $55 in customs fees now that the de minimis exemption has ended for imported goods under $800. Bummer.
Materials & construction
The Nomada boots have a calf leather upper and the lining seems to be vegetable tanned leather. The rubber sole comes in at around 15mm thick and consists of a cupsole that has a pleasant squish without being marshmallowy. There’s also a removable microfiber insole that’s about 5.5mm thick. The boots are very lightweight and the sole is highly flexible.
Construction-wise, the boots are made using the Strobel method and the sole is stitched all the way around to the upper. While this is a lace-up style boot, there’s a zipper on the inner side to make it easier to get them on and off, which I have mixed feelings about. Inside the boot there’s a flap over the zipper to shield the ankle from discomfort.
Quality
The first thing I noticed when I opened the box was that the leather quality wasn’t quite at the level I expected for the price. The upper leather is very thin, which might’ve been an intentional choice for the sake of flexibility. The vamp on the right boot seems to have been cut from a lower grade section of the hide, causing the toe box to crease in an unflattering way.
The front of the toe on both boots is pretty wrinkly. There’s also fairly noticeable teeth marks on the side of the right boot, presumably from a sewing machine, so it seems El Naturalista’s quality control department might’ve been snoozing on the job for that one.
Since El Naturalista markets themselves as a brand that prioritizes sustainability and quality, I was rather surprised by all of this. I personally wouldn’t expect these boots to last longer than a couple years, which kind of undermines the sustainability claims. The most sustainable footwear is the kind that lasts.
Shortly after I ordered the boots I noticed that the price of the same model on the EU websites was 140-160 euros ($163-187 USD), depending on the country. Compare that to the US price ($260) and you’ll realize that there’s nearly a $100 markup for American customers—which doesn’t include the $55 customs fee I also had to pay. Had I seen this sooner it would have tipped me off that the quality did not match the price.
Needless to say, I’m pretty bummed about all that. To the Americans reading this, keep in mind that these are $160 boots that you’ll be paying double for as things currently stand.
Sizing, fit, & comfort
The Nomada fits me really well. They’re actually some of the most comfortable footwear I own now. The toe box has plenty of room for my toes and the heel area feels fairly secure around my narrow ankles. Due to the construction and materials the boots are comfortable off the bat without requiring a break-in period.
The size guide indicated that I should order size 38 but based on some of the promotional images my gut said to go with 39, and I’m glad I did. I have about a thumb’s width of extra space at my big toe so size 38 would’ve been too small. My feet are about 24cm long and 9.5cm wide, for reference.
The toe box is wider on these than my Waldviertler Mustang boots (size 39F) but slightly narrower than the Lems Boulder boots (size 9.5) I have kicking around. The Nomada boots have a bit too much volume for my feet. There’s some gaping on the top of my forefoot that causes a puckering effect. People with higher volume feet likely won’t experience this.
Aesthetics
These are undoubtedly some of the most fashion-forward minimalist boots currently on the market. The designers really nailed the pattern and proportions.
The boots have a very convincing faux heel, which lends a Doc Marten vibe. Punks, goths, and other alt-fashion folk rejoice! The cupsole comes up higher at the heel than the forefoot to add to the chunky illusion, but rest assured, the boots are indeed zero drop.
I got these in the Arizona Stone color. The leather is definitely stone-ish while the laces have a slight olive green hue. The leather color is more taupe than it appears on El Naturalista’s website.
Other than the toe box shape, these look very close to conventional boots. The toe box teeters on the edge of being ducky (to my eye, at least) but it’s not the worst I’ve seen. As you may know, the whole foot-shaped toe box trend is something I take great issue with.
The creasing mentioned above on the right boot unfortunately detracts from the overall polish of the boots, but the left boot doesn’t have the same quality control issues and looks much better. Hopefully the pair I got was a one-off mistake and you won’t have to deal with that.
Final thoughts
In my opinion, the Nomada boots are some of the best-looking cushioned zero drop boots currently on the market. El Naturalista has been killing it with some of their recent designs. Those of you who want an awesome-looking wide toe box boot with a low heel, check out their Arensica biker boots. And FYI, the Nomada Chelsea is the wide toe box Blundstone dupe y’all have been waiting for.
If you’re interested in the rest of El Naturalista’s catalogue, the shoes labeled “Barefoot” have thin soles and the ones they call “Minimalist” are zero drop with cushion.
The Nomada are definitely fashion boots and not something you’d want to trudge around the mountains with. There’s no comparison between the quality of these and my Waldviertler Mustang boots, which cost about the same amount in the end (though I’ll admit some of Waldviertler’s models don’t quite scratch the same itch as far as looks are concerned).
Given the markup for American customers, people in the EU will find these a much better value. I have to assume the US pricing has part of the shipping cost built in, because $17 is lower than I’ve paid for domestic shipping at times.
If you want durable zero drop boots that will last for many years, I don’t think these are it. (For that, you might take a look at Nicks Boots Strider.) But if you’re looking for highly comfortable boots that will go with a variety of different outfits, these are sure to turn a few heads.
So glad I found this article! I’m a fashionable gal who wears mostly vintage and as someone who wants healthier shoes, it’s been difficult to find any styles that mimic vintage classics I enjoy. Several styles in the Nomada line hit the mark for me but what’s up with a lot of them only having 3 sizes available? Supply chain issues maybe? Hoping they will be able to restock so I can try a pair or two.
This is super helpful! My foot is about 25.5cm long at the second (longest) toe and 9.5cm wide. I am usually a size 38 but agonize when that size seems a little small.