Tying Traditional Laces With Secure Heel Strap.Technic

The Huarache sandal has seen a great deal of innovation with the introduction of new strapping systems to make them easier to wear and to make adjustments with no tying required. Not only do they eliminate the need to tie the Huarache to your foot, they now include a variety of heel strap designs to keep the heel strap from slipping off your heel and add comfort to that strap. We all now have a choice of elasticized strapping, cushioned heel , rubberized heels and silicone covered heel straps to name a few. I am sure there is more out there but you get the idea.

But today’s discussion is not about these new innovations, it is about the original traditional laces which can be tied for casual wear or for all terrain wear. Yes, the traditional laces are the original all terrain strapping systems that have been used for thousands of years. Traditional laces can be tied so that the heel strap does not slip off your heel while remaining comfortable to wear.

Traditional laces are comprised of a variety of different materials ranging from leather lacing, polypro cord, polypro webbing etc. The material you use is personal preference and easy to find locally so you will always have them available. I personally like the polypro/cord or polypro/webbing over the leather because they are water resistant and will not shrink or stretch when wet. They are also soft to the touch and do not require any break in period.

Even with the all-terrain strapping systems that are available I always carry a pair of traditional laces with me because they can easily be fitted to any sandal should the need arise.

The two biggest complaints against traditional laces is one, having to learn how to tie them and two, the heel strap slides off the heel. Learning tying styles for Huaraches can be frustrating and intimidating for some people which is why the new strap and buckle systems are so popular. I for one like the great versatility of the different tying styles and find them to be fun to learn and figure out. As for the heel strap slipping off, I have found a few tying technics that eliminates that problem as well or better than the strap and buckle designs with cushioned, elasticized or rubberized heel straps.

One such method I recently found includes a very simple but effective way of doing this with any type of traditional laces. For this article I am using my ½ inch wide polypro/nylon webbing material to demonstrate this technic of tying a traditional lace in a slip on slip off style with a more secure heel strap.

To do this I simply tied it in the minimalist tying style and then instead of cutting the excess lace off I looped the extra length of the lace through the heel strap on the outside of my foot and then back over the top of my foot and tied it to the inside heel strap with a simple overhand knot. I then cut the excess lace leaving about an inch from the knot. This creates a security strap that pulls up on the heel strap to keep it in place on your heel.

When removing the sandal from your foot you simply slide the knot on the inside of your foot forward to loosen and the sandal can be easily slipped off and back on. After slipping the sandal back on you simply grab the one inch of strap coming out of the knot on the inside of your foot and pull it back towards your heel to secure the heel strap in place.

I know that it sounds complicated so I am adding these step by step pictures to show how simple it really is.

Step one: Adjust toe and heel strap to fit comfotably to your foot.                                       

Step two: Bring strap over top of toe strap and then back under the toe strap bringing the tail out towards you.  

Step three: Tying the simple overhand slip knot.

Snug up the slip knot.

 

Step four:  Slide the tail under the heel strap on the outside of your foot.

 

Step five: Bring the lace back over the top of your foot and under the heel strap on the inside of your foot.

 

Step six: Wrap the tail back under its self to make the final slip knot.

Step seven: Push the tail back through the loop you created in step six.

 

Step eight: Pull the tail snug.

 

You now have a more secure way of tying the minimalist slip on slip off style with a traditional lace to hold the heel strap from slipping off your heel.

To remove the sandal, just slid the slip knot on the inside of your foot towards the bottom and slip the sandal off. When slipping the sandal back on your foot, just grab the tail end of the lace coming out of the slip knot and pull up to snug up the lace.

To see a video of this tying style and other tying styles go to my You Tube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/54rong.

To learn more about Ron G’s custom made Huaraches, please visit my Web Site at: www.allwaysbarefootsandals.com. Or visit my Facebook page “Huarache Sandals”

If you liked this article, please share it with your friends.

Happy Trails.

What is an Equinox Huarache?

What is an Equinox? In astronomy, the Equinox is either of two times during a year when the sun crosses the celestial equator and when the length of the day and night are approximately equal.

When talking about my barefoot sandals, the Equinox is a Huarache style sandal constructed out of the two most commonly used and proven materials for footwear, leather and rubber, in equal parts to make a premier running and casual sandal.

I introduced the 4mm thick Equinox Huarache in December of 2011. The footbed is constructed out of genuine top grain leather (approximately 2mm thick) that is very strong and supple and a thin (approximately 2mm thick) Vibram rubber outsole. This has proved to be a great combination of the right amount of materials for a strong, durable Huarache running sandal that is light weight, comfortable to wear and has great ground to foot feel.

The top grain leather adds a bit of structure to the sandal that stabilizes the rubber outsole from being floppy while still allowing great flexibility and comfort in the sandal. The top grain leather bed is extremely strong and pliable and allows the sandal to mold well to the shape of my foot without being overly stiff. The leather footbed also adds a certain comfortable feel to the sandal that only quality leather can offer.

For ease of wear I have equipped my personal pair with the black elasticized lace that includes a comfort in between the toe attachment system. This is simply attaching a short piece of nylon webbing to the toe end of the elasticized lace with needle and thread and inserting it into the toe hole. I then wrap the sewn area with a simple vinyl tape to protect it.

The nylon webbing is then melted into the recessed toe hole on the bottom of the sandal to form a plug that is flush with the sole of the sandal so there is no protruding knot. The recessed toe hole also helps to protect the plug from wear. The thin nylon webbing then folds between the toes to allow a comfortable fit for even the smallest of spacing between the toes. Nothing very fancy but very functional.

I have been piling up the miles with these sandals on streets and light trails with amazing results. Although it is only 4mm thin, it offers great protection for the bottoms of my feet and is performing better than I expected.

Like all my sandals these sandals are offered with a choice of traditional laces (Polypropylene/nylon lace or Latigo leather lace) or the elasticized lace in either 3/8 inch wide or ½ inch wide with a choice of black or brown. I currently have the elasticized black lace on my pair of sandals to provide the quick slip on and slip off capability that I like. I also like the way it looks with the elasticized lace for both running and casual wear.

I have worn these sandals outside during the winter months and was surprised by the insulating effects of the leather against the cold ground. I found that my 4mm thin Cherry sole sandals transfer the cold to my feet a lot quicker than the 4mm thin Equinox allowing me to wear them a little longer than I normally would outside in the cold. The leather helps to hold the heat from my feet to help keep them warm. During the summer months I found the leather helps to absorb the heat and moisture from my feet to help keep them cool.

They also held up to my running in the rain.

Now I normally would not recommend a leather top sandal for running in wet conditions but hey, I got caught in a down pour and was afraid it would ruin the leather uppers on my Equinox Huaraches, but fortunately it did no damage. The leather stayed firmly bonded to the rubber outsole.

I still would not recommend a steady dose of running in the rain with these but thought I would share my wet running experience with you. It actually took very little time for these sandals to dry out and they were none the worse for the wear.

Overall the Equinox is what I would call a well-balanced sandal, equal parts of rubber and leather, great ground feel and protection, style and functionality, a perfect choice for the serious runner or casual wearer.

Hopefully you too can experience the joy of barefoot running in your own pair of Equinox Huaraches. Minimalist running has never felt so good.

To learn more about Ron G’s custom made Huaraches, please visit my Web Site at: www.allwaysbarefootsandals.com. Or visit my Facebook page “Huarache Sandals”

If you liked this article, please share it with your friends.

The Original Ultra –Thin Huarache from www.AllwaysBarefootSandals.com.

The original Ultra-Thin Huarache has been a favorite running sandal for me when I want the best barefoot feel possible without being barefoot. They feel like you are running barefoot, only with a little extra protection for the bottoms of your feet. Nobody else offers this thin of a huarache that I know of so I thought I would share a more detailed overview of this product for you.

The Ultra-Thin was my first experience with Huaraches in 2009 and I loved the total barefoot feel I got from them. I made my first home made pair from some scrape rubber roofing material that was a tad thicker than 1mm. This material had no tread and was very slippery when wet, both on my foot and on smooth surfaces so I started looking for an alternative.  I finally found some Vibram soling material that was slip resistant with a light tread pattern and a grippe surface for the foot that is only 1mm thick. This is the material that I had been looking for and is the same material I use today for all of my Ultra-Thin sandals.

This material is very durable and light weight (only 1.25 Oz for my size 10 foot with the traditional lace) and gives you the best barefoot feel of any sandal out there with some added protection for the soles of your feet. If not for the laces, you would not even know they were on your feet. Due to the thinness of this material you not only feel every contour, pebble or twig on the ground that you would feel if you were barefoot, you also feel the temperature and moisture of the ground as well.

With my second prototype of this modal I added a brown suede leather footbed which made the total thickness increase to approximately 2.5mm. This greatly improved the overall look of the sandal while still providing unmatched ground feel. The suede leather also added a little more protection, comfort and a unique feel that you can only get with leather. It also helps absorb moisture from the bottom of your feet. I call this model the Ultra-Thin deluxe.

Both the bare top and deluxe were originally offered with a choice of different color water proof Polypropylene/nylon laces to choose from and the more traditional latigo leather laces in both black or

brown.  Another choice today is the 3/8 inch wide or ½ inch wide elasticized lace in either black or brown for an easy slip on slip off style. The deluxe (suede leather upper) with 3/8 inch wide elasticized lace in black is shown above. The 3/8 inch wide brown elasticized lace with new comfort between the toe attachment system is shown below.

This sandal is so light weight and flexible you can easily roll them up and put in your back pocket or waist band and forget that they are even there. So if you like to be barefoot as much as possible, these are the perfect choice for when you just need a little extra protection for the soles of your feet  or if you just need some footwear for other reasons. They are also perfect for the tight budget as a custom made pair of these sandals is less expensive than any DIY kits that are available on the market today.

Of course nothing beats being barefoot for barefoot walking or running and nothing beats the Ultra-Thin Huarache for that barefoot feel when you need that extra protection for your feet.

Experience the joy of barefoot running in your own pair of Huaraches. Minimalist running has never felt so good.

To learn more about Ron G’s custom made Huaraches, please visit my Web Site at: www.allwaysbarefootsandals.com. Or visit my Facebook page “Huarache Sandals”

If you liked this article, please share it with your friends.

How to Shop and Compare Huarache Running Sandals

                If you are shopping for your first pair of Huarache running sandals or you already have a closet full of them like me, where do you go to get them? How much will it cost? What is the best value for my money? That was the questions I asked myself a few years ago after seeing a TV special on the Tarahumara ultra runners of Northern Mexico. So I did what any good consumer would do and started to research the subject over the internet for possible suppliers.

 At that time I only found two sites that would either make them for me off of my foot tracing or send me a DIY kit. Also, the models available at that time were limited to only a 4mm or 6mm cherry sole material or 4mm leather and 6mm Neoprene. The other choice was to find an old tire or piece of rubber and make my own which is what I did. Who knew it would be so much fun?

Today there are about 7 suppliers (including myself) that I know of with a much greater variety of sole materials and thicknesses to choose from not to mention different lacing systems. How to decide which sole material and thickness is right for you I talked about in an earlier blog post. I also talked about lacing systems in an earlier blog post so I won’t re-hash all that here. So that leaves how to determine which supplier to buy from or to make your own.

The best answer to that question requires a little research from you. To make that easier for you to do, I have listed below all the websites that I know about so that you can easily go shopping from your computer or smart phone. I believe all make good quality products so what you will need to look for is the product that best meets your needs at the best value. Can the product be customized with different options, how much will it cost for the product you want and who do you call if you have a problem with your Huaraches?

Shopping around is the best way to ensure you are getting the best product and value for your money. Plus, shopping is fun when you know where and what to look for and what to compare. Some of the things I look for are price, availability, available options and customer service.

Below are the web Sites I recommend that you check out and some additional information from those sites as of 6/17/2012 that may help you make your decision. The data could change at any time without notice so please verify all data at the actual web site.  

Information on the All-Terrain Trail Sandals for the www.allwaysbarefootsandals.com, is not yet listed on the web site but can be found on my previous blog post or you can contact me at Rong@www.allwaysbarefootsandals.com for more information. These two models are counted in the chart below. So go shopping and have fun making your purchase decision.

Experience the joy of barefoot running in your own pair of Huaraches. Minimalist running has never felt so good.

To learn more about Ron G’s custom made Huaraches, please visit my Web Site at: www.allwaysbarefootsandals.com. Or visit my Facebook page “Huarache Sandals”

If you liked this article, please share it with your friends. 

New All-Terrain/Trail Sandals

In my last posting on May 7th I covered what I had new in lacing and attachment systems for my custom made Huarache style sandals.  Today I am doing a short post to talk about my new all-terrain series of trail running sandals that I am very excited about.

I believe that a good trail running sandal has to be strong, durable, light weight and flexible with a tread design that really grips the ground (since a lot of trails are very steep and slippery). I found all these important characteristics with a new expanded rubber compound from Vibram called Newflex rubber.

This expanded rubber compound has an aggressive tread design for greater traction, is only half the weight of rubber and is very flexible allowing for good to great ground feel depending on the sole thickness you are wearing.

My Bobcat Basic (Bare Top)

The first new model is the 5mm thin Bobcat (shown above) which weighs less than 2 Oz for my size 10 foot with traditional laces. Ground to foot feel is excellent. I believe it is close to having the same ground feel as the 4mm Cherry sole material that I use for my Spartan model sandals and it is lighter in weight with a tread design that provides greater traction. Your feet really connect with the ground when you are running or walking in these thin soled sandals.

The Bobcat also incorporates the recessed toe hole for the traditional lace knot. This allows the knot to seat in the recessed hole on the bottom of the sandal. This helps to protect the knot from wear and extends the life of the knot.

Traditional Lace Toe Knot

The optional suede leather footbed adds a little more protection, strength and firmness to the sandal and helps the larger size sandal like my size 10 to hold its form. The suede leather is comfortable to wear and molds well to the shape of your foot.

My well-worn Deluxe (suede leather) Bobcats with EHS lacing (Elasticized Heel Strap)

The big brother to the Bobcat is the 10mm thick Mountain Cat. This sandal weighs less than 4 Oz for my size 10 foot with traditional laces and uses the same expanded rubber compound as the Bobcat except it is twice as thick. Due to the thickness of this sole, this sandal holds its form very well, has more cushion and shock absorbing characteristics and provides a smoother ride over rocky terrain.

My well-worn Mountain Cats with EHS lace (Elasticized Heel Strap)

For those extremely tough and rocky trails I have found the 10mm thick Mountain Cat to be the best choice. The Mountain Cat helps to take the edge off of those sharp rocks that would otherwise tenderize the bottoms of my feet. This is a very rugged sandal that performs exceptionally well on the toughest of trails.

The Mountain Cat also incorporates the recessed toe hole on the bottom of the sandal for extended life of the traditional lace knot. The Mountain Cat also has the suede leather footbed option for a different look and feel that you can only get with leather.

The suede leather footbeds are not recommended for running in really wet conditions as they become slippery on the bottom of your foot when soaked. In dry running conditions they help to absorb moisture from the bottom of your foot and add style to the sandal.

This sandal is also an excellent choice for those who are transitioning into minimalist footwear and barefoot running from standard running shoes. It provides good ground to foot feel and great protection for your soles while still providing all the benefits of barefoot running form (unrestricted range of motion for your feet, ankles and toes, completely flat to the ground with no heel rise or wedge etc.). 

Like the Tarahumara Huarache, These trail running sandals are based on the same simple design that has been around for thousands of years. The use of modern materials for the soles and lacing systems only enhance performance and style of the sandal.

All though these sandals are primarily designed for trail running, I have found them to perform very well on paved surfaces as well which is why I call them an All-Terrain/Trail Sandal.  They are also great for casual wear.

Since I do not yet have these models listed on my web site, please feel free to contact me at Rong@allwaysbarefootsandals.com for any additional information. I also have some video footage on You Tube which you can access from my web site.

Experience the joy of barefoot running in your own pair of Huaraches. Trail running has never felt so good.

To learn more about Ron G’s custom made Huaraches, please visit my Web Site at: www.allwaysbarefootsandals.com. Or visit my Facebook page “Huarache Sandals”

If you liked this article, please share it with your friends. 

Latest on Lacing and Attachment Systems

Just a quick update to my post on lacing systems for Huarache Sandals. Over the last several months I have continued to experiment with different lacing materials and attachment systems with some very nice results.

I now use a 5/8 inch wide tubular nylon lace with buckle for easy adjustments and a new comfort in between toe attachment system that makes this one of the most comfortable lacing systems I have ever used. With the new comfort in between toe attachment system is a soft 1/2 inch wide thin nylon webbing material that easily fits between the toes and is melted on the bottom of the sandal in the recessed hole so that it is flush with the bottom of the sandal. This greatly extends the life of the lacing attachment system.

Shown above is the Mountain Cat 10mm Trail running sandal with 5/8 inch wide tubular nylon webbing and buckle system with new comfort in between toe attachment system.
To further improve on this design I have an optional EHS lace (Elasticized Heel Strap) version of the 5/8 inch wide tubular nylon lace that allows for easy slip on and off of the sandal. The EHS lace holds the sandal very securly to your foot and keeps the heel strap from slipping down on your heel while running or walking eliminating the need to have a tight heel strap like some of us do for none elasticized webbing. The EHS lace allows for a much more comfortable fit while maintaining a very secure fit.

Shown above is my new Mountain Cat 10mm Trail running sandal with the new attachment system and EHS lace (Elasticized Heel Strap). This lacing system stands up very well on the toughest of trails.

Since the new comfort in between the toe attachment system worked so well on my 5/8 inch wide Nylon Lace and EHS lace I had to try it on my 1/2 inch wide Elasticized lace as well. The results were fantastic making the Elasticized lace even more comfortable to wear and easier to replace.

Shown above are my well worn Supreme road running sandals with Elasticized lace and new comfort in between toe attachment system.
With the addition of the above lacing systems, I now have a choice of five different laces to use with my Huaraches. Its a good thing that I own over a dozen pairs as I like to wear them all with the different laces depending on what strikes my fancy on any given day.

Happy running and there is all ways more to come.

To learn more about Ron G’s custom made Huaraches, please visit my Web Site at:www.allwaysbarefootsandals.com. 

If you liked this article, please share it with your friends. 

Huarache Lacing Materials and Tying Styles - How to Select

If you like wearing Huarache sandals like I do, you probably have more than one pair or even if you have only one pair you have probably wondered, what other types of lacing materials would work for me? That is normal; after all, variety is the spice of life.

You may be looking for a different style and look or for a different performance for the type of running you do, or maybe you are looking for something that is easier to use or more comfortable against your skin. All are very valid reasons to try different lacing materials and tying styles, after all, your Huaraches,  should be comfortable to wear and easy for you to use on a daily bases.

Fortunately, lacing systems are easy to change out so that if one type of lacing does not quite feel right to you, you can easily switch them out for another type for the look and feel that you like. Here are a few of the lacing materials and methods of tying that I use.

Traditional Lacing Materials: Leather and Polypropylene/Nylon Laces

When I first started to wear Huaraches, I used a strip of Latigo leather to suspend the sandal to my foot since leather was the original lacing material used by man. At first, I found the leather to be a little irritating to my foot and found it would not tie easily or stay securely tied. I soon learned however, that once the leather lace was well broken in, it became very soft and pliable and the knot became easier to tie and held a lot better. The secret here is to break in the leather lacing material to get the best performance and comfort.

There are two ways that I break in the leather ties. One way is to work the leather with your hands using a wash cloth, shaving cream and mink oil by gently bending, flexing and kneading it to break the leather fibers down a bit. This process takes a little time and patience to get the leather just right but the payoff is a much more comfortable feel once the leather becomes soft and pliable. For a more detailed explanation on this process go to;

 www.howtodothings.com/fashion-personal-care/how-to-soften-leather-shoe-laces.

The other way is to just wear them and let your feet break in the leather for you. I believe the constant motion of your foot combined with the perspiration and oils of your skin and any water you run through greatly speeds up this process. At any rate, the leather becomes very soft and pliable to the touch making them very comfortable and secure to wear.

I find that a combination of both break in methods works best for me. I will work my new leather lacing with my hands first to remove any stiffness from the leather and then lace up my Huaraches and go for a run. Hey, it works for me and saves time.

The next type of lacing material I use is the Polypropylene/Nylon cord material. This is also a very strong and flexible material that is soft to the touch and very comfortable against the skin and does not require any breaking in. It is also water proof and easy to tie and comes in a variety of different colors.

I found this material to be easy to wear and very comfortable. This is really neat material and is less expensive than the leather. It also does not stretch and shrink when wet the way leather does.  Most of your local home improvement stores such as Lowe's or Home Depot carry this material in spools of 50 to 75 ft. at a very good price.

Both the Leather and Polypropylene/nylon lacing materials can be tied using the traditional Tarahumara tying style of lacing them up around your ankles and then back down to the toe strap for a very secure and comfortable fit for any type of running you like to do. They can also be tied using the popular slip on style of tying.

The slip on method allows you to be able to slip the sandal on or off without having to retie every time you do and provides a very good fit once it is adjusted properly. The problem is that a lot of people find this to be a complicated process to learn and do.

The good news is that there are a lot of videos on You Tube and my website that show you how to do this and once you have done it several times it becomes very easy to master. Just take your time and practice a little and it will become second nature to you.

There is also a modified shorter method of the slip on style that works very well and only requires about half as much lacing. The only problem with this method is that once you cut the lacing down for this type of tying style you cannot use it for the traditional around the ankle tying method. Still, these laces are not that expensive and you could easily carry an extra set in your back pocket to switch out if you wanted to go back to the original slip on style or traditional style of tying.

Side note:

One drawback to these two types of lacing material has been the knot under the toe hole that secures the lace to the sandal.  Some folks are very sensitive to the knot. There have been several solutions offered to help reduce the feel of the knot underfoot. The first solution was to simply wear them until the knot flattened out and you no longer noticed it.

The second solution was to speed up this process by taking a hammer to the knot and flatten it down with a few good whacks.  Or has in the case for the Polypropylene/nylon material, you could slide the outer casing down and cut out the core material. Then you would tie the knot with only the casing for a much smaller and softer knot. All of the above methods help to eliminate the feel of the knot.

Yet another solution with the Polypropylene/Nylon lacing was to simply eliminate the knot, and burn the end of the cord with a flame to melt it and then to flatten it out to make a little mushroom button on the bottom of the sandal that keeps the cord secured to the sandal.

The best solution I have found is to flatten the knot out with a hammer and pull it into a recessed knot hole on the bottom of the sandal. This not only helps to eliminate the feel of the knot but also helps protect the knot from wearing out from ground friction. This works exceptionally well with the Polypropylene/Nylon lace with the melted end flattened into the recessed hole.

 Depending on the thickness of your sandal, not all will have a recessed knot hole. I do not have a recessed knot hole on any sandal less than 4mm thick.

Elasticized Lace:

The next type of lacing I use is the elasticized lace in 3/8 inch wide and ½ inch wide. With the elasticized lace I use only the modified slip on style of lacing the sandal to my foot and secure it in place using a simple overhand knot or a multi-directional buckle to secure it in place once it is adjusted to my foot.

Since this lacing is more of a strap it makes the sandal feel more secure to my foot and because it stretches, it is very easy to slip on and off my foot without loosening the knot or buckle. This lacing material is also very comfortable against the skin and does not require any breaking in. I find the buckle makes it even easier to adjust the tightness to my foot and holds in place better than the plain knot. It also looks really cool.

The elasticized lace is secured to the bottom of the sandal using a simple knot that I flatten down into the recessed knot hole.

I like the elasticized lace for everyday use since it is so easy to slip on and off and is secure and comfortable against my skin when running on hard paved surfaces or light trails. Not the best choice however if you are running tough trails on uneven terrain as your foot  will want to slip off the sandal when the lace stretches with any side loads imposed by your foot placement on the uneven terrain.

Nylon Webbing and Buckle System:

For this system I use ½ inch or 5/8 inch wide nylon webbing and the multi-directional buckle. The nylon webbing is very soft against the skin and is a very strong material. Since it is either ½ inch or 5/8 inch wide it feels very secure on my foot once it is adjusted. As with the elasticized lace I use only the modified slip on style for securing the sandal to my foot.

This is also a very comfortable type of lacing system for the slip on style and works very well on the tough terrain trails I mentioned above. Like the traditional laces when tied in the slip on style, it takes a little experimenting to get just the right fit of the toe strap and heel strap so that it is comfortable to wear and tight enough that the heel strap does not fall off your heel when running downhill. The multi-directional buckle system makes it easy to adjust if needed when you are on the trail. The 5/8 inch wide nylon webbing feels just a little more secure to me for my foot size.

I like to secure this type of webbing to the bottom of my sandal by melting the end and pressing it against a hard flat surface to make a mushroom button that then seat in to the recessed knot hole on the bottom of the sandal. This method works very well in securing the lace and eliminating the feel of the knot.

There is also the hybrid lacing system using webbing material and an elastic or rubber heel strap that I have not yet experimented with but believe would do well on trails while maintaining an easy slip on and off function.

I am sure there are many other materials that can be used, but these are the ones I have had success with so far. Do not be afraid to try other materials you may have or think of as it is a lot of fun to just experiment with them to find what works best for you.

There are also a lot of different ways to lace up your sandals. I have shown only the three point attachment system of between the toes and two ankle holes that I find to be very simple and comfortable. I have also seen some folks punch additional holes in the sides of their sandals and use a crisscross method across their toes and foot  that looks very cool and comfortable, but I have not personally tried this method out yet either.

This is what I like about Huaraches; they are a simple design that offers so many different options for people like me to try. The research and development of this adventure is so much fun and always turning up new things to try. If you have a method or system that you like, please feel free to share with me and add to the fun. Thanks and happy trails.

To learn more about Ron G’s custom made Huaraches, please visit my Web Site at: www.allwaysbarefootsandals.com.

If you liked this article, please share it with your friends.