From the Mouths of our Customers

If you're about to buy your first pair of ATHEIST shoes, then (a) how exciting! and (b) you must be curious to know how others have fared with theirs. 

 

Below is a feedback forum, independently verified by Judge.me, where many of our customers have kindly taken the time to tell us what they think. They're all real people and we've not edited any of the comments (even when the spelling was off... oh the restraint!)

You'll see that some customers are marked "Verified Buyers", which means judge.me has been able to verify that they purchased in our webshop. The others either bought shoes in person, at our shop in Berlin, or made their last order some years ago, before Judge.me existed. 

You'll also find lots of reviews of our shoes on our Kickstarter pages, our Facebook page, and various press and blogs. Needless to say, if you're reading this as someone who already owns a pair of ATHEIST, then we'd be really grateful if you'd take a few seconds to share your experience. 

 

Thanks for your time! / The ATHEIST team

Happy Atheist shoe customers
Happy Atheist shoe customers showing off their ridiculously comfortable shoes.
Based on 187 reviews
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ATHEIST shoes
Douglas Evans
Care tip

I am a bit embarrassed to say that I have bought 9 pairs of these shoes over the past 7 years. Two were for my wife, but obviously I like them a lot. I have also found them to be very durable. But one of the first pairs I bought was stained and spotted. So I washed them. Yes, in the clothes washer. Worked like a charm. Specifically, I got two shoe wash bags, put some dish soap on the stains, set a delicate cycle (cold, low spin), ran the machine, then let them dry with some newspaper inside. Viola, they look almost as good as new. They need to be resoled so I will now let the cobbler do that and check to make sure the glue is still ok. Believe it or not, this completely works. It is, in fact, the only effective way I have found to clean nubuck leather shoes.

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ATHEIST shoes
Aleksandra
My most favourite shoes

Love the shoes and the shopping experience! I now have 2 pairs, the serious boot and the emerald boot. Both are great, but the emerald pair is especially comfortable, it's like someone is gently hugging your feet as you walk.
Thanks a lot!

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ATHEIST shoes
MJ Nickless
Not just a pretty face... great support, too (all around!)

I happened upon A Serious Boot and started drooling.... well, almost. My husband wanted to get me something special for my birthday and this was it! So... I have kind of wide, high arch feet and live very far from Berlin, (Portland, Oregon), so I wanted to get this right. After many email exchanges... and thank you for your patience and great assistance, Nana and David, I took the chance and ordered. They are beautiful and the leather is incredibly soft and gorgeous. The fit is spot on and they can handle weather! I have now started wearing them the entire day and they feel good. I'm an educator, so I'm on my feet a good part of the day. These will be great for work and for simply looking good.
Thank you, thank you, team, you sent the perfect size and such a beautiful pair of boots. I absolutely love them! Thank you for all your help and asking the right questions!

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ATHEIST shoes
James Kulacz
How atheists recognise each other in hostile territory

I bought a pair of wonderfully-comfortable Atheist Shoes a few years ago. Yesterday I wore them to the VA Medical Center in Cheyenne, Wyoming. As I was taking my shoes off, the podiatrist saw they're engraved on the bottom "Loves Darwin" and said that's really cool. I told her they're very comfortable shoes and where she can get them, and some of the other products sold by Atheist Shoes. I found a secret ally yesterday.

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ATHEIST shoes
Baljeet Gujral
Experience the Store - You won’t go empty hand for sure!

I stumbled upon Atheist strolling around Berlin. A typical tourist walking by stores. Had no clue about them or about the brand. Just walked in and heard the brand story first hand from Katrin. Decided to try on a couple of pairs and I was sold with the comfort. Such a fantabulous experience. I am surely visiting them again when in Berlin and probably ordering more pairs when I am back home in India. Thanks Katrin for a superlative experience and you have a loyal customer for life.

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ATHEIST shoes
Rajiv Kumar
Best boots ever ever ever!

I have had two pairs which I have worn and loved over the years. They have stood the test of time wearing really well and leather aging exceptionally well. My go to pairs over and above my formal shoes and trainsers. The black shoes go well with a suit too, as I surprisingly found as a result of an ankle injury where all my other shoes make my ankle and heel worsen.

The Atheist shoes fit like a glove but softer - and sometimes I have forgotten I have them on. The quality of product and the craft met ship and design are self-evident. The shoes many bd expensive - but ultimately work it for the pleasure of wearing them.

They are unique in style - evoking a sense of classic European art and culture. A definite talking point! Not to mention the many beaches where I have left the Athiest mark.

Finally I have always found the service and ethos of the staff exemplary- if only other businesses provided the same. As it says on the website, I would certainly be happy to be buried in these shoes.

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ATHEIST shoes
Dario Marini
When in Rome ...

... leave a message!
(My beloved schwarz shoes are very comfortable even at 37°C)

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ATHEIST shoes
Anonymous
Fantastic!

Just received my new boots and have them on with the insoles. Beautiful boots and very comfortable. I am glad to have the ankle support but it will take a bit to break them in there because if my skinny legs. So happy to have them. Plan to wear them just about every day.

So happy you have them already! And you wear them so well. Best of luck with the breaking in process, please keep us posted! x

Deep Chocs

I love my Deep Chocs. Lovely lovely leather, great colour, and the fit is excellent. The fit is slightly different from my pony boots and my lipstick red shoes, and may even be better. I love the deeper toe box, which allows my toes to play on long trips, and I really like the fit around the ankle. And they shine brownly like horse chestnuts when you pop them out of the shell.

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ATHEIST shoes
Diego Castillo
Loving them!

Already 6 months with them and still getting better. Munich now looks more atheist than never🤣🤣
Aaah, I forgot to mention, not only the shoes are amazing, but the care and kindness from the Berlin’s team is out of scale. We enter the shop for having a look on the shoes and we enjoy a very funny conversation, a great shoe size testing and an astonishing pair of shoes. Looking forward for the next visit to Berlin!!

Thank you so much for the feedback, Diego! Thanks for being our ambassador to Munich. We're delighted you're still loving them and looking forward to seeing you again in Berlin!

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ATHEIST shoes
Karl Wallis
I'm hooked

I bought a pair of Ateist Shoes (Das Petrol) a few years ago but I only wore them out for best and special occasions as I did not want to get them scuffed or dirty. When I wore them recently I forgot how comfortable they were and bought another pair for everyday (Gentleman's Stepper) which I love. I have arthritis in my feet and I can safely say that these are the most comfortable shoes I think they use some type of alchemy and magic in the crafting of these shoes. They are well worth the price and I love the fact that I am able to but from a small business which helps to preserve and develop the art of good tailoring and shoe-making. Thank you Atheist... my feet thank you and my pinkies too....

A belated thank you for such lovely feedback, Robin! Our best wishes to you and your pinkies x

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ATHEIST shoes
Patrick Yoder
Glaubiger

Between my wife and me we probably own 9 or 10 pairs. By far the most comfortable shoes we have. They literally fit like a glove (and are made of leather that actually reminds me of a baseball glove, but softer). And people notice. Not that we care! 🤓👩🏾

We're so super grateful to you and your wife, Patrick - thank you for coming back again and again! I love your baseball glove analogy, btw... come the autumn, we're gonna have a couple of new models made by a US tannery that actually makes baseball gloves, and the leather will be quite similar. Watch this space! x

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ATHEIST shoes
Felicity Scott
Better than... everythiing

I have had four pairs of Atheist shoes, and have never yet had a pair wear out (the Unfortunate Incident of the Puking Cat being the only blemish on their perfect record). My oldest surviving pair are five years old, and other than a bit of personality and slight wear on the soles, they do not show their age at all. All of my shoes have been online purchases, and I have nothing but praise for the service I have received over the years. Shoes are true to size, so if you're thinking about making a long distance purchase, you can do so with confidence. Now, apart from the satisfaction you get marching up and down outside churches when it has snowed, what else is so great about these shoes? Everything! I have never had so many compliments on my footwear; they are made by people working in decent conditions, using materials made using decent methods; and (take it from someone who has both arthritis and chronic bursitis in one ankle) they are the most comfortable shoes in the world! I do have the odd pair of non-Atheist shoes, and I have to tell you, I don't wear 'em. My Kitten Testicle greys and my Fudges are the saviours my grumpy joints choose (my other babies, the Das Matt are no longer available - ooooh, I have VINTAGE). Seriously good shoes. The best shoes. Fluffy clouds of sumptuous wonder

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ATHEIST shoes
KIRBY DRAWBAUGH
Boots are best

Now having 7pairs of atheists shoes I find I like the boots best. In fact the emerald boot is absolutely terrific, the color is great and it is the softest to touch of all my shoes. Just let me know of any other color boot mayed from the same leather.

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ATHEIST shoes
Customer
I offer a star review, two thumbs up, along with high praise.

Ran into the shop in Berlin, and saw some thing I fell in love with, did not make up my mind because I kept seeing things that also caught my eye. The shoes feel comfortable. The customer service was excellent upon my return to Berlin . I will be back. I will consider one pair to purchase online . I became a true believer!

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ATHEIST shoes
Heidi Rehn
Great!

I just received my fourth pair of Atheist shoes - and it´s as great as the other ones. I love them all and I am just happy to get one of the last pairs of the sneakers in Origin Red2. It´s exactly what I expected. Just wonderful - and the service is also wonderful. Thanks a lot.

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ATHEIST shoes
Ryan Beck
Outstanding footwear

The BRUNETTE (BADALASSI) are my second pair of Atheist shoes. The leather is absolutely beautiful and they are incredibly comfortable just like my petrol shoes. Another outstanding piece from Atheist. Customer service is wonderful, David was incredibly helpful answering all my questions. Highly recommended

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ATHEIST shoes
Simone Saupe
Love it

I‘ve just received my second pair of shoes. So my only problem is to decide which one to wear. Do I have to say more?
Btw, I’ll wear them with the green laces not only on St.Patrick‘s Day

Thank you Simone! And hear hear re. green laces on more than one day a year!

Beautiful, very well-made shoes!

I love my new das cognac shoes and I’ve tried to follow the new-shoes advice of not wearing them every day at first, but that’s tough! -- They’re really pretty and they go with all of my clothes.

Great customer service, David was very helpful and kind, he answered my questions and even sent photos of the in-stock shoes.

I was between sizes and they’re a little roomy on my narrow feet, but fit comfortably with thick socks or my arch support inserts (thank you for making shoes with swappable insoles, they are hard to find!). The lining inside is very soft and smooth, and the leather is sturdy but comfortable; you can tell they are high-quality.

I love how the look of the cognac leather changes slightly with wear. The details like the stitching on the heel and the metal aglets are very nice too. One thing is I wish they came with the little black hole logo on the right side lace. I’ll be back for boots someday, and will watch for the brown shoes from Instagram too!

A belated thank you very much, Jordan, for taking the time to write all this! It's super good to see them on your feet and I'm glad the sizing works (probably safer we went for the roomier option given the inserts). The little black hole logo on the right side lace takes me waaaaay back - I don't think we've had it in our shoes for 6 or 7 years. But it's nice to know someone out there misses it :) Thanks again and not long now to wait for those brown shoes from instagram. / David

The boots I've been searching for!

I love my new Whiskey the Wonder Boots. They are perfect.

I've had a pair of Das Sneakers for a while, and they have been great. I've worn them everywhere for the past 3 years. I wanted to take my athiesm to the next level, so I bought a pair of Whiskey the Wonder Boots two weeks ago. I can't say enough about them. I love a good pair of shoes, but these boots are the best I've ever had.

First, they look great. I love the style, the look of the leather, the stitching, the laces. Unique and timeless.

The comfort, however, is even better. I've read several reviews on this site saying "the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn." Well, these are the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn.

I love them.

Also, great service from David, Nana, and the Athiest team.

Thank you, Athiest!

Dear Robert, thank you for your lovely feedback! It's heartening to be reminded that our shoes really are 'the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned', for some people; we have it written on a sign in our shop entrance, as a quote attributed to '- lots of people', and if a while goes by without us actually hearing it from someone's mouth, the we begin to feel a bit bashful about the claim, but then someone says it again and we feel less so :) We're very glad you came back for more and we hope the Whiskeys will give you as long and happy an experience as your Das Sneakers did.

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ATHEIST shoes
Robert Farrell
Unique and remarkable shoes

A friend from Seattle showed me his Atheist shoes over the holidays. I've been a working craftsman my entire adult life and I responded immediately not just to the quality and feel of the leather, but the straightforward design and impeccable craftmanship. I went to the website, followed the simple directions to determine my size, and ordered a pair. To my surprise, what ensued was one of the most pleasant exchanges of emails that I've ever had with a company. David went out of his way to make sure I got exactly the pair of shoes I'd been wanting--and he did it with humor and kindness. The shoes arrived this morning. I put them on immediately and, honestly, I've never been more pleased with a purchase. They fit like a glove and are so soft that it almost feels like I don't have shoes on. And the color! All that is left for me to do at this point is decide which pair I'm going to get next. I can't recommend this company more highly. If you're on the fence--do it! You'll love them.

Thank you, Robert! Your kind words mean so much to us. Especially coming from a craftsperson. And thanks, too, for the photo. They look lovely in their new home (the colours!).

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ATHEIST shoes
Anonymous
NICE SHOES!!

NICE SHOES!!

THANK YOU!

Da color!

I love my new Das!? Don’t care what people think of the color, they feel and look great with jeans! Smooth leather and delivery to the US was fast!
Comfy!
Thanks David, Nana and Katrin!

They look lovely, Daryl! Thanks so much for the feedback.

One of the best purchases I’ve ever made!

I’m extremely passionate about discovering and investing in unique, well-crafted items…these boots are at the top of my list of favorite finds. The quality and comfort are beyond what words can describe.

The rest of the world can play their silly Jordan/Yeezy games…I’ll proudly sport my mismatched boots everywhere I go! My daily drivers for 8 years now with thousands of miles and hundreds of compliments ;) I’ve finally replaced them and it brings a big smile to my face knowing how much great use I will get out of this next batch!

Thanks David, Nana, Katrin, and the rest of the crew!

A very belated thank you, Scott, for your kind words AND for your advocacy of mismatched shoes. It was lovely to meet you again, an event recorded forever in this insta post: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl89QXBszWT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

I keep coming back

I have purchased 4 pairs (3 boots and 1 sneaker) of these Atheist shoes over the past 7 years. They are stylish and so comfy! I have worn one of them almost daily since 2016. Needless to say, these shoes have taken a beating. They have maintained their form remarkably well. I've had the oldest two pairs resoled and polished, though I'll be replacing one of them soon...all good things must end. My cream sneakers were the only pair that didn't survive beyond a couple years, though their premature end was entirely my fault. (Lesson learned: 'Magic eraser' is a great sneaker cleaner; whitening stain remover is too strong and ends in a color-leaching disaster.)
Customer service has always been excellent with Atheist. I had an issue with an order once, but it was resolved promptly and fairly.
Atheist laces look quite nice in my opinion, and earlier issues with them breaking rather quickly seem to have been resolved in recent years through a combination of a stronger design/material and including extra laces with new shoes.
I can't speak highly enough of this company and their shoes!

2016! Incredible! Thanks, Brady! And for sure, those stain removers can be brutal. Sorry to hear your creams didn't survive it.

Thanks again, and until next time!