I’m a sucker for a preppy sneaker, so when I discovered the 8000 Kicks Seeker, I figured I’d hit the jackpot. This stylish sneaker is not only made from hemp, it’s vegan, waterproof, and PFC-free!
Table of Contents
8000 Kicks Seeker Women’s Sneaker
Highlights: Super comfortable and preppy sneakers for folks of all genders. PFAS/PFC-free waterproof, 100% vegan and made with hemp, recycled and natural rubber, by a sustainably minded company.
LeafScore readers can use code leafscore for 10% off purchases at 8000 kicks.
I’ve been sporting the Seeker in Black and White for a few weeks now, testing it out in the Pacific Northwest’s recent downpours, and I can attest that this waterproof hemp sneaker is indeed waterproof and looks and fits great!
The Seeker is described by 8000 Kicks are the ‘everyday office casual’ model in its collection. This rings true to me, given the slightly preppy style that works well with jeans, slacks, and skirts. If you’re looking for a really comfortable sneaker that’s smart enough for work but feels good enough to wear all day and on the walk or cycle home, the Seeker is a great choice.
- Very comfortable, super stylish sneakers
- Waterproof without PFCs/PFAS
- 100% vegan
- Made with sustainably sourced hemp
- Zero-drop sole
- Natural rubber and recycled rubber sole
- Sustainably packaged in recycled and recyclable cardboard (plastic free!)
- Very grippy sole that works in rain, slush, snow, and ice!
- Fairly expensive
- Two manufacturing defects that got through quality control (swiftly rectified, though)
- Only available in three colorways currently
Out of the box
The 8000 Kicks Seeker for Women arrived in a branded cardboard box with tissue paper and cardboard to protect the shoes. There was no plastic in sight, and everything could be (and has been!) recycled. The tissue paper has a cute hemp leaf print on it, just in case you were in doubt about the material, and there’s also a cardboard pop-up card with a hemp leaf cut-out.
The sneakers also arrive with an extra pair of laces, wrapped in a paper sleeve. The shoes were already laced up with black laces; the spare pair are a light beige.
I love that there was no plastic in the box at all, meaning no nasty off-gassing and need to air out the shoes before trying them on. Before I did that, though, I gave the shoes a thorough examination and found no loose threads or other issues. 8000 Kicks got top marks for quality craftsmanship out of the box!
The shoes also feel light, which makes sense given they weigh just 300 g. This doesn’t mean they’re insubstantial, though, just that you won’t feel like you’re dragging blocks around on your feet all day.
My experience wearing 8000 Kicks
As soon as I slipped my feet into the Seeker, I loved these sneakers. They’re super comfortable, hit the right height at the ankle and heel for me (where many shoes rub), and have a nicely rounded toe box and springy enough inner cushioning that I can see myself wearing them I winter and summer with socks of different thicknesses.
I have quite narrow feet and slightly high arches, but the superior cushioning in the Seeker would, I think, make for a great sneaker for anyone with flatter and wider feet.
The one negative I experienced with the Seeker was a strange hard spot at the place where the toe box met the main body of the shoe. This was just on the left shoe, though, so I scrutinized it a bit more closely and can see a slightly ‘gathering’ of material right at that spot. This creates a ridge inside the shoe, which was significant enough to rub and make me not want to wear the shoes for anything but hopping in and out of the car. I tried walking in them a few times and the rub was painful enough that it was distracting and liable to cause a blister if I continued to wear them.
I contacted 8000 Kicks to ask about the issue and they responded immediately. Given their quality control procedures, they were perplexed that this issue had come about and were extremely apologetic and promised to send out a replacement pair right away. They asked for photos too, so they could take the issue to the manufacturing team and ensure it didn’t happen again.
The replacement pair of Seekers arrived very fast and looked just as fabulous as the first pair. Incredibly, though, the same exact issue was present with this pair, just on the right shoe this time! The left was a perfect fit, though, which is fortunate because I now have the makings of one pair of fantastic, waterproof, vegan, hemp shoes.
I let 8000 Kicks know about the issue with the new pair and asked if any other customers had been in touch with a similar complaint. They hadn’t, and the company representative noted that the few issues they had encountered were with eyelets and shoelaces, which they’d already rectified.
I think, then, that I was just incredibly unfortunate to get two pairs with this weird issue. That the problem was present on opposite shoes suggests that it isn’t a consistent manufacturing error, though, and given the impressive response from 8000 Kicks, I still feel good about recommending the Seeker. The company promised that they will send out a replacement pair to any future customers with the same problem, but are obviously hoping to figure out how these two shoes passed quality control in the first place.
Once I had a complete pair of non-rubbing Seekers, I pretty much stopped wearing any other shoes. These sneakers are that comfortable! They’re also just a great fit, aesthetically, for almost every occasion. You can easily dress them up or down, they’re easy to slip on and off (essential for parents of little kids!), and they are breathable enough for warmer days, waterproof enough for wet days, and have a good enough grip that I’ve even worn them a bunch on snowy days.
I’ve splashed through forest puddles with my 8000 Kicks and gotten them soaked with salty road water from treated roads. They’ve held up well to both assaults and have been easy to rinse off and wipe clean as needed. They also dry really fast, meaning I can go right back to wearing them for my next outing.
Better quality materials
The big draw for 8000 Kicks is the company’s use of hemp. Unlike most hemp shoes, though, these sneakers are waterproof. And unlike most waterproof shoes, 8000 Kicks are PFC-free!
The company achieves this waterproofing by using a proprietary biowax coating that repels stains, liquids, and dust. This is why my Seekers can handle rain, snow, and cleaning. It also seems to help keep dog hair off the shoes, which is handy for a dog-forward house like ours. This coating is totally free of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), meaning no forever chemicals washing off into waterways and lingering to harm the environment for decades to come.
Shoes with a more sustainable sole
The 8000 Kicks Seeker is also made with a hemp insole. This is the only hemp insole I’ve ever encountered, and I love it. Hemp is naturally anti-bacterial, so you’re less likely to develop stinky sneakers. It’s also really breathable and helps your feet regulate temperature. As someone who abhors having hot feet (or very cold feet), I can attest to the thermoregulating benefits of these sneakers.
Unlike almost every other pair of sneakers I’ve owned, the Seeker has not once led me to think about how hot my feet are or wish I could take my shoes off when moving from indoor to outdoor to transit to indoor again, and so forth. If hot feet are the bane of your existence, check out hemp shoes!
Working our way down, the Seekers have an anti-slip recycled and natural rubber sole. This combination of materials makes for a more durable sole that offers greater traction. As I noted earlier, I’ve been wearing my Seekers in the snow and rain, as well as in icy conditions. The grip on these sneakers is impressive!
8000 Kicks has clearly thought long and hard about the design of the sole. The pattern has specific grooves that channel water out from under the shoe, helping to improve traction instead of creating slipperiness.
The soles of the Seeker are also zero-drop, which isn’t a term I’d come across before. After some research, I can totally see the effects of this design choice and how it makes the Seeker so comfortable.
In short, zero-drop refers to the angle between heel and toe created by the sole of a shoe. In most footwear, the sole rises to lift the heel around 0.5-1 inch. This can throw off spinal alignment and make for an unnatural gait. With zero-drop, the heel and toe are level. This mimics natural alignment on a flat surface, making the Seeker more akin to a barefoot shoe. This is almost certainly playing into why I find the Seeker so darn comfy!
8000 Kicks and sustainability
The thing that drew me to get a pair of 8000 Kicks Seekers, aside from the look of them, is their sustainability. I’ve long looked for a pair of sneakers that is waterproof and PFAS/PFC-free, ideally made with natural materials by a company that cares. 8000 Kicks ticks all those boxes.
These sneakers are tested and certified by CITEVE and Eco-Stylist for the quality and sustainability of the hemp fabric. They’re also OEKO-Tex certified as free of the most egregious toxic chemicals and dyes. 8000 Kicks also partners with Bloom for CO2 capture and to support clean water sources.
As well as ensuring its suppliers are sustainable, 8000 Kicks takes the time to measure the carbon footprint of its shoes. Compared to a conventional running shoe, with a CO2 footprint of around 14 kg, or a leather shoe with a footprint up to 100 kg, an 8000 Kicks sneaker has just 4.1-5.3 kg of associated CO2 emissions. How does it achieve this? Partly by choosing factories that use renewable energy sources.
For instance, the 8000 Kicks factory in Portugal uses 45-55% renewable energy, while the Chinese factory uses 30-40% clean energy sources. And the company is always looking at ways to increase this percentage and reduce energy use overall.
As for the unavoidable emissions, 8000 Kicks offsets 100% of these through hemp farming and tree planting (both great ways to capture carbon).
8000 Kicks: Price, sizing, shipping, and warranty
The Seeker is typically priced at $187, which is pretty standard for a higher-end sneaker these days. It’s still out of reach for many folks, though, so I’m hoping in time the company will lower the price and make sustainably made sneakers more accessible.
The Women’s Seeker is available in sizes 6 through 10. I’m a size 6.5 typically, so I sized up to a 7 to allow me to wear some nice thick winter socks. The sneaker fits perfectly, nice and snug with thick socks and fine too with thinner socks. One great thing about this sneaker is that the inner is quite springy and cushioned, meaning it will likely fit well for most folks even if between sizes.
8000 Kicks offers 3-5 day delivery in the U.S. and European Union. Elsewhere it offers 14-day delivery. My pairs arrived in Canada within about 10 days. The company also offers free shipping and exchanges in the EU and US on orders above $90. You can take advantage of a 60-day return window too; just contact the company to work out an exchange. Bottom of Form
Final thoughts on the 8000 Kicks Seeker for Women
After some initial teething issues, I finally got a pair of Seekers that worked for my feet. I’ve been wearing these for just over a month and am fair smitten with them. They still look great, despite forest rambles, slush, snow, rain, and being thrown around by an exuberant toddler with a current shoe obsession.
The Seekers are superbly comfortable, effortlessly stylish, waterproof, and breathable, and I love that they keep my feet cozy without overheating. They make me happy every time I put them on, and they instantly make me look like a fairly well-put-together human, despite sleep deprivation, food smears, and all the other joys of parenting a toddler. So, thanks for that, 8000 Kicks!
If you’re in the market for a preppy sneaker that’s sustainably made, waterproof, 100% vegan, and incredibly comfortable without compromising on style, check out the Seeker. I love the black and white option, but other choices include a beige and white model and a navy blue and white option. They’re also available in larger sizes (men’s).
Note too, that 8000 Kicks just launched a Chelsea Boot that’s 100% vegan, waterproof, and made with hemp! I’m super excited to get my hands on a pair, though the first round sold out in just 30 minutes!
8000 Kicks Seeker Women’s Sneaker
Highlights: Super comfortable and preppy sneakers for folks of all genders. PFAS/PFC-free waterproof, 100% vegan and made with hemp, recycled and natural rubber, by a sustainably minded company.