Astral  TechYak Shoes

These things are sick I am really impressed by the quality of materials and workmanship. The removable inserts offer more than most barefoot shoes I’ve worn which I was hesistant at first but now enjoy. Feels good in more terrain. I’m on Oregon coast now and been wearing them across diners and along beach and through wet technical trails and they feel great. They definitely dry slower than most astral shoes. The inserts are kinda lumpy which took about 20 minutes to get used to but now I’m wondering if that’s the point? Something about waking up your feet. The navy looks best I think though I was tempted by the dark free also.

They fit as expected. The toe box is wider than other Astral shoes, which I like for a more do-it-all shoe like this. The design / look is so fresh. Like skate meets performance outdoor meets I don't even know what. They remind me of when the Brewers first came out...like, wait, whaaa?! That's a water shoe?! These are like that, but for trail. Kinda like a fresh, more street styled version of the Merrell Trail Glove.

I wore these shoes for the past month. They are super lightweight and as someone who has always worn tight ski boots, climbing shoes and low volume trail runners I liked the natural toe box. I did find the ridges of the insole to be a bit strange. The shoe fits narrow in the heel but would be best for a medium width foot. I had to synch the laces down a lot for my narrow foot.

I am pretty chuffed with these shoes! I want to extend my thanks to the Astral team at AT Days. These shoes are not only stylish but also very comfortable, lightweight, and sturdy. I am in love with the wide-toe box, and it is something that I need (I have wide feet). Immediately, I wore them for a river clean-up to help folks who were impacted by Hurricane Helene. They are the perfect shoes for getting the job done and packrafting. Thanks again for the recommendation; they'll be put to good use.

The Techyak shoe is a great addition to the Astral lineup. I've owned and enjoyed several pairs of the Brewess, and TR1 shoes. The new Techyak is superb. I LOVE the wide toe box very much. I appreciate the supportive footbed, and the marvelous grippy sole. This is a shoe that can be worn all day comfortably. I recently wore them while volunteering 15 hours a day during a 4 day event and my feet were very comfortable. I've also gone on long walks to local park on gravel and dirt trails. These will be my go to shoes on hikes, trips to the beach, river trips.

Oh man.. New favorite summer shoe incoming! I'm a fan of Astral shoes, and haven't quite gotten to the point where I can wear minimal shoes (loyaks) all day yet. These have a little bit more to them than Loyaks with a little more arch and are slightly stiffer yet extremely light. These seem like a great intro to minimal footwear. They are super comfortable and have a wider toe box than I've experienced in the past with other Astral Shoes. These will replace my old brewers as my post mtb shoe/in the drift boat all day/camp shoe/badass casual activity shoe. The two tone sierra taupe looks awesome. Highly recommend these to Astral fans and future Astral fans.

After buying the NoSoBo version, I was so happy I got these as EDC shoes. They have a shorter stack depth (15mm or so instead of 20), but otherwise the outsole and midsole are the same. The upper is VERY ventilated - breezy cool, and still fully bonded and stitched (AWESOME!) to the outsole. This shoe ALSO has the rechargeable midsole. NOTE - it's not the same midsole, so make sure you order the right replacement when the time comes. If you like minimalist shoes, but want something with just a little more under your feet, this is the shoe. Still has the flexibility - especially in the forefoot. Still has the wide toe box and zero drop. The soles are grippy but feel like very durable slow-wearing rubber.

The shoes look good and are good for wet activities. The balanced geometry is a bit misleading as the midsole is has a fairly high arch contour built into it that is very uncomfortable. I had to pull it out since I have flat feet. It doesn't appear they sell any replacement options. The shoes fit fine without the midsole but the stitching is a bit rough without it so not great for a lot of wet walking with just the bare inside of the shoe. These worked great for paddle boarding and worked great for pedaling through a very wet muddy bike ride in order to keep my regular bike shoes dry for the later part of the trail.

Overall, I'm very happy with this shoe. I was looking for an unfussy wear-all-day shoe that would wear well for daily long walks and just hanging out. This shoe fits the bill. It's a more comfortable*, wide toe-box Loyak with a zero-drop sole. *I took off a star because the included shoe inserts that provide hiking stability and ground feel do not work for me as is. They have no cushioning at all in contrast to Loyaks and other Astrals. I have added on top of those inserts basic running shoe inserts which make all the difference. I have purchased a second pair of Techyaks given the easy fix.

It's a unisex shoe which means that for me (female) it was too large all around for my shoe size so I returned them. I suggest sizing downward for a better fit.