Oat shoe

The Haferlschuh is a double stitched Russia leather shoe which originally was the traditional everyday footwear and indeed work shoe in the Alps. The turned up tip creates space for the toes when walking down hill, and the high shape hugging the heel holds the foot in the shoe on the way uphill. The deep cut-outs on the sides prevent the shank from rubbing on the ankles, and the arched sole enables you to roll off at every step comfortably.

Schuh-Bertl manufacturers our Haferl in manually done craftsmanship and with the medium, that is, Allgäu lacing accordingly to the historical model. The 3.5 to 4 mm thick Russia leather comes from the only tannery in Germany that can process leather in this thickness (with a fat content of 20 to 30 percent). Stretching leather that thick over the extremely asymmetrical lasts without causing creases is an art in itself.

As is traditional for Haferls, the shoe is unlined, because the lining would constitute a weak point and because the smooth grain side of the leather faces the inside of the shoe and the rough, insensitive flesh side faces outside, so it doesn’t really need one. The only exception is the double stitching at the heel, the necessary seam to assemble the shank from one piece of Russia leather – this seam is lined. This ode to the shoemakers art can literally be worn the entire year. The Haferl needs no care and will last for many years.

Durability beyond the normal life of a shoe and foot-supporting comfort have been the priority of Schuh Bertl in the Glockenbach quarter of Munich since 1989. Often historical models inspire his frame-based and double-stitched shoes. His shoes nevertheless meet the current demands of our time, which is why they have proven themselves for many years in everyday use. With a two-fold strategy, the Schuh-Bertl works as a shoemaker in his own workshop and as a developer who builds prototypes and then has them produced in small series. The Bertl shoes owe their wearing comfort to the fact that they are created on specially shaped lasts that meet the natural shape of the foot. They feature a straight cut in the front with a generously designed toe height giving the toes a lot of space.