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“I've been intensely studying Wildling's shoe lineup for many years. But I never made a purchase till now. Because as intriguing as the outsoles may be, you're sacrificing a lot for them. It is my opinion that of Wildling's current offerings, the Nebula Black is their most versatile shoe. It's still very niche and has plenty of downsides, but as long as you come in aware of that you'll find that these are a fantastic set of shoes when used in the right environment and situation.
I'll start out with the positives. Most prominently, they feel absolutely amazing. When it comes to fit and feel the Nebula has blown away my expectations. I believe a big part of that comes from how lightweight they are. They make every other barefoot or minimal shoe or boot I've tried feel clunky and heavy in comparison. I've come across nothing like it in terms of weight, I have daily use socks that are heavier.
Not only are the Nebulas feather light, but they're also sleek. The upper is primarily made out of a single piece of poly-wool blend. The fabric is a technical marvel. The exterior facing side is primarily poly for increased abrasion resistance. My early testing has shown that abrasion resistance is surprisingly good but I would advise against pushing it too far. The interior is slightly softer and If the product description is to be believed is where most of the 31% wool is placed for increased comfort and thermal regulation. So it's a dual layer poly-wool blend fabric. I'm a huge advocate of dual layer wool blends in outdoor technical apparel and it's nice to see it applied to shoes. It's not a uniform knit either, that would be too easy. The knit is different in different parts of the shoe. These differences provide structure, support, and some protection in some areas well opening up in others for increased breathability and ventilation. With the only additional reinforcement and source of structure on the upper being the heel. The shoe doesn't even have plastic or metallic hardware for the eyelets, its just slits in the fabric. This makes for a very slick upper that doesn't drag or collect debris. One that comfortably hugs and contours to the shape of the foot. They feel a lot like high-end technical socks.
Wildling's flagship feature is the distinctive and unique outsole design. When I was first introduced to Wildling, I was still very skeptical about the barefoot shoe concept. But I couldn't help but be fascinated by the possibilities of the outsole. Although I ultimately went with a different shoe for my first (the in many ways superior Softstar Megagrip PRIMAL RunAmoc), early exposure to the Wildling outsole is one of the key factors that convert me to the barefoot shoe concept. Years later, I now have the chance to give them a try. I'm very impressed! The distinctive shape of the outsole allows for an impressive amount of freedom of movement. You can flex and shape your foot and have those movements be translated to the outsole with very little resistance from the shoe. I've come across nothing like it. The ground feel is also better than all my other barefoot shoes. It makes traversal a real joy. Every time I wear them out, I can't help but think that this is how barefoot shoes are meant to feel. It really has to be experienced to be believed.
One of my big concerns with Wildling and one of the many reasons why it took me so long to eventually purchase a pair has to do with traction. My use case is such that I prefer a very aggressive tread on my outsoles. Right now my primary boot for use in the field is a Vivobarefoot Magna Forest Esc which has a particularly aggressive lug pattern on its Michelin outsole. In contrast, the Wildling outsole has no lugs at all. I was worried that the outsole would be too slick for my needs. After all, despite the product photos showing people frolicking in the woods, Wildling shoes are objectively not technical shoes. They are casual indoor shoes. I'm happy to report that the traction is a lot better than I expected. Part of that is a function the soft rubber used. Even a completely slick outsole will have decent enough traction if you make it out of very soft rubber. Or at least it will have decent traction until the rubber gets ripped to shreds from rough terrain or pavement. The other part to the better than expected traction likely has to do with the amount of flex that the outsole allows. You can dig into the ground (much like if you were truly barefoot and weren't wearing shoes) in ways that aren't possible with shoes with more rigid outsoles. To be clear, it's not nearly as good as the aforementioned Vibram Megagrip, Michelin Esc, or any of the other aggressive outsoles I prefer. But it still provides better grip than a lot of other street shoes. I still would like to see future options with more aggressive treading even if it comes at the expensive ground feel and stack height. It's also worth remembering that it's still early in my time with the Nebula. There's still a lot of unanswered questions about how well the outsole will wear with use.
I found fit to be true to the fitkit. With just the right amount of rolling room with all but my thickest of socks. One of the first things I learned when I transitioned over to barefoot shoes is sizing is all over the place. Depending on the brand, I'm anywhere from a US mens size 7 to a size 10. With most of my other barefoot shoes I'm a size 9. With Wilding's fitkit/size chart I'm a US mens size 8. If this is your first pair of shoes from Wilding, don't assume that your typical shoe size transfers over. Always measure and measure again for good measure. Even with the return policy, it's better to get it right the first time. Another positive thing I noticed is that there was no break in time with the Nebula. Or at least there wasn't for me. They were comfortable right out of the box. The shoes come with the "Washi" Insole which is approximately 0.10". You can replace them with a different insole or pull them entirely if you need to adjust for your individual foot volume. Thought I will caution that if you go without an insole you will lose out on some protection and coverage that the insole provides but the outsole does not. A future project of mine is to experiment with different insoles. Note that the insole does like to shift when you take off the shoe. This happens more often if you go sockless but it also happens with socks. I have not run into any issues with the insole shifting when being worn. I found the shoe to be comfortable with and without socks and go back and forth depending on what I'm doing. Out of the box, the top 2 eyelets don't have the laces threaded through them. Exactly how the shoes appeared in the product photos. My recommendation is that you thread the laces through those top eyelets. I found that doing so improved the already good fit and comfort. Particularly because it straightens out the tongue. With the factory lace configuration, the tongue can bunch or fold over in places. The material is thin enough that when this happens it's not uncomfortable or even all that noticeable. But you'll have a better experience if the tongue is properly situated. The top outwardly facing eyelet has been reinforced for the additional stitching, the only eyelet with this reinforcement. The stitching makes that particular slit in the fabric very difficult to access. To the point where I sent an email to Wilding support asking if it was cosmetic. It's not, just very difficult to thread the aglets thought. Which could pose an issue if you plan on swapping out the flat laces for the elastic and cord lock alternative.
Unlike most of Wildling's lace up shoe lineup, the Nebula does not feature a membrane. I'm sure many will disagree, but I consider this lack of membrane to be a positive. It's one of the big reasons why I went with the Nebula and why I feel it's one of Wildling's most versatile shoes. The thing with membranes is that all it does is (often slightly) extend the time it takes for the inside of the shoe to get wet. In exchange it takes significantly more time for the shoe to dry out. If water permeates a membrane equipped shoe in the field, for all practical purposes you will not be able to dry out that shoe. Furthermore, a waterproof or water resistant membrane is inherently not going to be as breathable and will retain more moisture and heat. So it's not the best choice if your feet have a tendency of running hot or if you're prone to athlete's foot. Fortunately I don't suffer from either problem. But speaking as someone who has spent their entire professional career working in the outdoors, I have found that quick dry materials and drainage to be the better overall choice. My quality of life in the field improved significantly when I ditched shoes with Gore-Tex liners many years ago. I'm not alone in that assessment. Which is why jungle style boots have enjoyed a resurgence in recent years. I've been very disappointed by the increased prevalence of membranes in Wildling's current shoe offerings. For me, the presence of a membrane is a big negative. Something I have complained about a few times in previous email correspondences. It's also worth noting that Wildling's implementation of its membrane doesn't seem to be great or at least could be better. Many reviewers and Wildling themselves have noted that the membrane is quite crinkly sounding. Which is not only annoying but actively a liability for my needs. I also feel that a 100% polyester membrane negates the material advantages of many of the interesting fabrics used in shoe linings. It reinforces that Wildling shoes are primarily made to be inside shoes that occasionally get taken outside instead of vice versa. But enough about my membrane complaints since as mentioned, the Nebula doesn't have one. This means that when exposed to water or moisture it will permeate the shoe very quickly. But with its limited surface area and ventilation/drainage holes on the inside arch the shoes dry out pretty quickly. At most in a few hours (faster if you have spare insoles), unlike a membrane shoe which could take several days. It's been raining pretty heavily since receiving the shoes. I've been mostly avoiding using them in the rain. But I recently wore them during a rainstorm around camp in a wilderness area as an experiment. I was very happy with the results. They lasted a lot longer on wet money ground during a downpour than I anticipated, about 10 to 15 minutes. With water only being noticeable through the bottom notch and the little flexpoint at the toe. But what was really remarkable is drying time. I switched to boots so I could navigate more difficult terrain and left my Nebula to dry under some cover. I ended up heading back to camp much earlier than expected (about 35 minutes) and I was delighted to find that the Nebula was dirty but completely dry. Quite remarkable given how humid the area was. Only the "Washi" Insoles where damp (the midsole underneath them was completely dry, it was just the insoles that were moist). I wore the shoes around camp for a few more hours with the damp midsole since my socks were more than adequate for managing moisture and I was mostly out of the rain at that point. I wasn't camping out this time around so when I got home, I pulled the insoles to dry separately (per Wildling's best practices) which took a few hours. It still warrants further testing, the shoes consistently dry significantly faster than the insoles. I'm considering getting an extra pair of "Washi" Insoles to rotate into the shoe as needed. Or give the "Hanfy" Insole a try since it does have a membrane. Having the membrane be just limited to the insole maybe a nice hybrid option that doesn't introduce the problems of a full shoe membrane. The Nebula isn't supposed to be a water shoe, but I have found the drying and drainage to be on par with some of my old pre barefoot shoe maritime OTB boots. Currently the Nebula is the fastest drying shoe/boot in my shoe and boot rotation.
Before we move on to the more negative side of the review, I have a few miscellaneous positives that I want to mention. Something that I really like is how quiet the shoe is. The light weight plus its ability to flex allows for very quiet traversal over a variety of surfaces. No one likes shoes that squeak or loudly clump. One thing I've grown to really like about barefoot shoes is that they're very packable. Making it very easy to carry and swap into spare dry shoes in the field. The Nebula is so light and compact that it's just like carrying an extra set of socks. After a particularly rough day in the field it's really nice to be able to put on something dry. And you can wear your spares while you're airing out your primary boots and insoles. The Nebula features bootstraps which is a genuine quality of life feature and has a lot of utility. Several low-cut barefoot shoes I've tried have excluded the bootstraps. It's a small thing, but it really helps. Especially as camp shoes or worn around the house. My Nebula came with the Natural (white) colored "Washi" Insole. As cool as it would be to have the Black "Washi" Insole for a fully black on black on black shoe, the high visibility white makes it very easy to find and put on the shoe in low and no light conditions. Which may sound silly, but as someone who spends a lot of time in low and low light conditions, it's appreciated detail. Lastly, I'm really glad that the Nebula is now offered in black. The standard gray and white colorway looks good, but it's too bright for my needs and would actually violate some of the equipment requirements I need to follow. If they weren't offered in black, I wouldn't have purchased the shoe. The black makes them more subdued and professional looking. Allowing the Nebula to be used in a lot of different (indoor) settings. I will be shooting email to Wildling support requesting that the Black colorway be added to the essentials and be stocked all year instead of being a limited run like it is now.
As I alluded to in my introduction, as much as I genuinely like the outsoles, having it brings with it some significant sacrifices. An essential task for any outsole is protection. The classic Wildling outsole by design prioritizes flexibility over protection. With the "notch" and inner arch being completely uncovered. Bringing with it a very real risk of being stabbed through those unprotected parts. It's not just the unprotected areas that have a stab risk, the thin soft rubber of the outsole does not provide a lot of impact protection and there are plenty of daily hazards that could easily penetrate. So plan accordingly. I've also had some items get stuck in the notch which is not the most comfortable thing in the world but easily remedied. Wildlings is of course now rolling out a new outsole design which does better prioritize protection but it's not currently offered on the Nebula and it sounds like it will mostly (possibly even exclusively) be used on shoes with a membrane. And if you've made it this far into the review, you've seen my rant about membranes. If Wildlings were to offer a version of the Nebula with the new outsole, I would probably give it a try. I think it would make for a good companion shoe to the classic outsole version. Given the option of alternating between the two based on the environment. And give him how packable it's quite easy to carry two pairs without much issue. The outsole is an important aspect when it comes to protection, but it's not the only aspect. The hard face of the upper does provide everyday aberration resistance, but doesn't really provide dedicated stab or slash resistance. In my backcountry testing so far, I found that the ground fell is enough that you can feel around for potential impalment hazards and readjust accordingly if you feel light pressure on the unprotected areas of the shoe. Much in the same way that you would if you were actually barefoot. But this does take some practice, which I happen to have a couple decades of. It's not really practical for anything more than light to moderate terrain at a walking pace. But for rougher terrain, dense vegetation or if you have to navigate at speed, all of which I routinely have to do, I would not trust in the protective properties of the Wildlings classic outsole. Sometimes you just need to crush through things at a rapid clip to respond to an urgent matter without worrying if you're stepping on blackberries or sharp rocks. Which is not a capacity that the outsole is able to accommodate. The most rugged I would push it for normal use would be a nicely groomed glass lawn or field. You also have to be mindful of many urban areas which might have trash on the ground that could defeat the knit fabric or outsole, as well as keep an eye out for the ragged edge of worn down concrete.
In a related concern, I worry a lot about durability. I would feel a lot more comfortable if the shoe had beefier and more redundant stitching and gluing between the outsole and the upper. It's been the most common point of failure on my other barefoot shoes and it's always happened at the worst possible times and locations. As Wildling's themselves points out in their FAQ, that particular part of the shoe goes through a lot more stress than conventional shoes and to their credit they do provide some user repair options. But they notably do not address whether or not the shoe is resolable. And speaking from experience from having to carry out the same DIY repairs on other barefoot shoes, once you start doing that the shoe is on borrowed time. It's a sign that it's time to order replacement shoes as soon as possible. Theoretically you could find a cobbler that might be able to do a much better repair. I haven't found one in my region, maybe I'm just unlucky. You might be able to find a cobbler that could do a repair for you. On the more positive side, with the Nebula being made from so few pieces with only a handful of stitches, you will likely have less points of failure compared to other Wildling shoes.
It is hands down my most niche shoe and has a very narrow use case. Pretty much only practical for the few times when I'm actually doing boring stuff. I genuinely adore the shoe, but I would not recommend the shoe for most people. Keeping in mind my opinion that the Nebula is Wildling's most versatile offering. I decided against all the other available shoe and boot models because I feel they were a worst fit for my particular needs. Before purchasing any Wildling shoe, you need to sit down and seriously think about your shoe needs and whether or not the advantages are worth the disadvantages. Everyone's use case and requirements are different. No piece of equipment is perfect and there's always compromises that have to be made. Obviously this is not a process that's unique to purchasing Wildlings shoes. I purchased my pair of Nebula Black shoes with a very clear idea of what they didn't do well. And put a lot of thought into how to best utilize them and what situations to avoid. For the best overall experience make sure you do the same. If you use them at the right time and place you'll find that the Nebula is a fantastic shoe.”
Thank you for your detailed and thoughtful review of the model Nebula black!
It's great to see how thoroughly you tested and compared this model to other shoes, pointed out the pros and cons and took the time to really get to know this Wildling and share your experiences here.
Now that you know its features, flaws and benefits, you are able to use and cherish Nebula black truely.
In case that you might find the outsole getting loose, you may always get in touch with the Customer Service team. Besides, it is a big dream of Wildling Shoes to be able to exchange the outsoles one day to make Wildlings an even more sustainable product.
Thanks again for putting so much time and effort into this review. Enjoy your pair of Nebula black!
Greetings from the Wildling Team
Doro
Posted 9 months ago
Note: The Nebula model has been renamed and is now called Nittugo. Nothing has changed in the shoe itself, only the name is new.
Greetings from the Wildling Team
