I am a practical purist when it comes to being barefoot.
I absolutely believe that barefoot is the best whenever the terrain or rules of private property allow. I sometimes choose not to give my business at an establishment that requires footwear, but it is a weighted decision that also takes in to account how my choice will affect my companions. I sometimes choose to wear footwear when the environment is more than I can handle at the moment. In all except the deep winter, this footwear is sandals.
Why I bought Xero sandals
I added Xero Cloud huarache sandals to my options recently. I will continue to use my very functional and comfortable Luna sandal a lot (I bought a second pair a few months ago), but I wanted a different sandal style and color option. The Xero sandals were available in a few different colors, plus the laces across the top of the foot look less sporty, letting me feel that my footwear is a bit more feminine. In fact, they have a version designed for women. I chose brown for this pair.
Why I have enjoyed my new Xero sandals
I have worn the Xero sandal both walking and running a couple times now. I made a short video right after my first 2 miles in them:
The soles are extremely flexible (slightly more flexible than the lightest Luna’s), but are still dependable. The part next to my foot was soft. The ground was dry where I ran, so all I can say for sure is that under those conditions the traction was very good.
The laces were very easy to adjust and very comfortable. I basically didn’t notice them after I put them on. The Xero sandals seemed noisier than my Luna’s when I was running, but that might be because I need to learn more about adjusting the laces to keep the sole of the sandal closer to my foot.
The Xero laces over the heel section did seem to loosen up a little over a couple of weeks, but that is super easy to fix. I never felt any loosening while I was walking or running, so am wondering if some of it happened when I carried them by the heel strap.
Will I buy more Xero sandals?
I am very tempted to get at least one more color of these sandals. The red ones are calling to me… I will have to evaluate how much I might actually wear them. However, the price is also a little lower than Luna sandals which makes it more tempting. Time will tell if they hold up to the elements and last as long as my Luna’s have. So far, everything is in their favor!
