There are a lot of companies making barefoot sandals, but what if you had to only choose one Would you go for the most feature-rich? Perhaps the coolest design?
If you’re as invested in barefoot shoes as I am, you probably feel the same as me that less is best.
Having used minimalist shoes and sandals for the past few years, it’s incredible to realise how much my body and movement are intertwined with my feet. What’s more impressive is how long it took me to reach that conclusion!
When buying anything, including barefoot sandals, I do A LOT of research. I want to make sure I’m not wasting my money or space in my life.
With that in mind, Earth Runners are one of the most recommended barefoot sandals and have an almost cult following! I had high expectations.
Tech specification 🤓
Stack height: 8mm | 9mm | 12mm
Heel-to-toe drop: 0mm (zero drop)
Flexibility: High
Toe spacer compatible: Yes ☑️
Materials:
**Sole - Rubber, canvas
Upper - Rubber
Straps - Polyester, stainless steel, copper**
Price: $70 - $90
Overall thoughts 🤔
I’ve been wearing my Earth Runners for 6 weeks. I typically wear a pair of barefoot shoes/sandals a lot when I’m testing them but this is different. I’m not wearing them to test, I’m wearing them because I want to. They’ve become my go-to sandals.
An adventure sandal should be able to go anywhere, do anything, Earth Runners deliver. They have a Vibram outsole that's very grippy even on some sketchy terrain. Earth Runner sandals come in three different outsole stack heights, 8mm, 9mm and 12mm so the ground feel will differ depending on which you go for. All of them are pretty flexible, as you’d expect from barefoot sandals, obviously with 8mm soles being the most flexible.
On the bottom of every pair of Earth Runners is a bit of copper and their straps are stitched with stainless steel. This is to help you ‘ground’ with the earth. Grounding is a controversial topic and I’d encourage you to research the topic to form your own views on the science.
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One downside I noticed about the copper was occasionally it would make a noise on certain surfaces but it was rare and not a big deal.
The straps feel very durable and the whole strap system is impressively simple and effective! These sandals stick to your feet incredibly which gives a lot of confidence when running and hiking, especially when combined with the traction from the Vibram outsole. In a perfect world, I’d like the buckle to be made from metal as opposed to plastic but this is a very minor complaint as the plastic buckle works very well.
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The style of these sandals is very basic and outdoorsy, great for hiking but I find myself leaving them behind when I’m heading to a social event.
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Use our discount code 'Minimal-list10' for 10% off if you want to get yourself some Earth Runners.
Sizing 📏
It’s likely you’ll want to size down in Earth Runners for a more snug fit. They have a sizing guide on their website.
The bottom line...
Would I spend the money on buying the same pair again?: Yes ☑️
Use our discount code 'Minimal-list10' for 10% off if you want to get yourself some Earth Runners.
What the community has to say 💬
I love my earth runners, but they aren’t as feely as other sandals. I think mine are 9mm, and the thinnest is 7mm. I have shoes that are 3mm and I love that. I sacrifice the thickness to run in my earth runners because it just feels so much better open like that
I have several Earth Runners that have performed for me for 100s of miles. Extremely durable, comfortable, and of course customizable with their lace options and clips (if you want).
There is a little learning curve with getting used to the laces and how they work. It's important to learn so you can get them to fit how you want.
We have 4 pairs of Earth Runners and I have 2 pairs of Shammas. I love the ER lacing system and I find it far more stylish and comfortable than the Shamma lacing system. I only have one complaint about the Earth Runners - the sole is too dense. I wish they used Morflex or another slightly squishier sole alternative. I actually find being barefoot more comfortable than the sole of the ER sandals. They also take a long time to form to feet. I’m pretty sure the Shamma use Morflex, and they offer a leather footbed.