Wildling Yak

Wildling Yak is a lightweight and breathable cotton shoe, which first caught my eye because of its unique texture. It’s very versatile because of the all-grey colour and the textured fabric makes it stand out from the crowd.

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General

• Brand: Wildling
• Model: Yak
• Price:
  • 69 – 99 EUR at wildling.shoes (code WN_Nika for free shipping – first time)
  • 69 – 119 USD at us.wildling.shoes (code WN_NikaUS for free shipping – first time)
• Available sizes:
  • EU18 – 22 (Toddlers)
  • EU23 – 35 (Kids)
  • EU36 – 48 (Adults)
• My size: 42 (my foot is 26.3 cm long and 10 cm wide; medium/wide; low/medium volume)
• Inner length:
  • 27.35 cm; true to size, runs a little wider (size chart at wildling.shoes)
  • 27.6 cm (measured with plus12)

Material and Sole

The upper of the Yak is made from Twill (100% recycled cotton) and the shoe is lined with 100% certified organically grown cotton too. The cotton is the reason why this shoe feels so soft, lightweight and airy, even though it’s a high-top.

The charcoal grey colour makes the Yak very versatile, and even though it’s an all-grey shoe, it’s not boring at all because of its textured, rough look.
The Yak is also perfect for adding a personal note to it with colourful laces, embroidery or a shoe-painting.

The densely woven cotton is supposed to make the Yak water repellent but I was quite sceptical about that and rightly so.
I treated my shoes with a waterproofing spray in the hopes that they would handle the rain well, but they are very hit and miss. Sometimes they hold up for up to 15 minutes of walking in the rain, and sometimes my feet get wet only after a few steps on the wet ground. That’s quite disappointing because I really wish my spring shoes could handle rainy days since you never know when the weather will turn.
The toddlers sizes are equipped with a membrane, so they should work better in the wet weather. I have quite a few Wildlings with a membrane and my feet always stay dry in those shoes.

The sole is the standard Wildling sole, which is among the most flexible and minimal in the barefoot-shoe world.

The Yak also comes with a removable hemp-flax fleece insole.

Fit

The Yak is noticeably roomier than other Wildlings. It’s bigger in length, width and volume, so if Wildling shoes are usually too tight for you, this model might be worth trying out.

The width is the most appropriate for medium and wide feet, but not very wide. While the sole is flexible and can extend to the sides a bit, don’t expect too much.

The Yaks are suitable for those with medium and high-volume feet. My feet are in-between low and medium volume and there’s quite some extra fabric left. Since the shoes can still be fixated well around the ankles, the slightly wrinkled look doesn’t bother me.
However, the laces are quite long for me since I have to tighten the shoes really well and I also skip the last red hole. The original laces are ok-ish, while I had to significantly shorten the ochre laces which I bought separately. I chose the laces-length based on the chart on the website and now I know that I should have chosen smaller ones.

I wear my usual Wildling size 42 with a measured inner length of 27.6 cm (my foot is 26.3 cm long and 10 cm wide; medium/wide; low/medium volume). The measured length is about a couple of millimeters longer than usual.

My Thoughts

The Yaks have quickly become my go-to shoes for spring. I like them so much because they are light and breathable, and therefore super comfy. If only they handled rain better, then I would consider them the best shoes for this time of the year.

It’s hard to get a more neutral shoe than an all-grey. The design is very understated and can be worn with nearly anything. At the same time the shoes are not boring at all because of the textured cotton which gives the Yaks a more rugged and cool look. I have a bit of a thing for shoes with interesting texture so the Yaks are really doing it for me.

I also enjoy playing with colourful laces. It’s a minor detail but I think it changes the whole look a lot. I usually wear the ochre ones and I just ordered pinks as well.

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