Barefoot running sandals (also called Huaraches) are simply a piece of flat sole material (usually leather or rubber) that is secured to the bottom of the foot using a piece of leather or cord lacing material. This basic and simple design has been around for thousands of years, does not restrict foot and ankle movement (Range of Motion) and provides an excellent barefoot sensory perception. Because of their simplistic design they are often referred to as minimalist running sandals. As such, they promote a natural running form (Midfoot/forefoot strike vs. heel strike) just like running barefoot does.
So, why do I wear them when going barefoot is by far the best way to feel the ground? As a kid, I remember going outside barefoot as soon as the weather was warm enough. The soles of my feet took very little time to toughen up so by early summer I was able to go just about anywhere I wanted to without hurting my feet until I stepped on a piece of glass or a bee.
Well that was many years ago and has I growing up, like most people, I began wearing shoes more often than going barefoot. Sad to say, the only time I was going barefoot was in the house or at the beach. In fact, my feet became so used to shoes that it hurt the soles of my feet to walk outside without shoes. Not only did the soles of my feet become more tender but my whole foot and ankle complex became weak and less flexible. Not a good thing for anybody.
With all the research showing the benefits of barefoot walking and running I knew that I wanted to start going barefoot more often and that I had to start out slowly and safely. I did this by finding safe areas to go barefoot and would simply carry my shoes while I walked or ran until I needed to put them back on. This was a pain but well worth the effort. The soles of my feet were slowly getting tougher than they had been in years and I was gaining more strength and flexibility in my feet.
My only concern became the hidden hazards on the ground when I began running on unfamiliar trails. I found that I would have to take my shoes off and on numerous times to enjoy my barefoot runs. More often than not, I would have to put the shoes back on because I stepped on something that hurt. Did I mention glass, sharp rocks and bees?
Another problem I noticed when I put my shoes back on was that I was running differently. The heel of my foot had a tendency hit the ground first causing a shock wave up my legs that was jarring to my upper torso and neck. I had to work very hard on my landing to reduce the jarring effect. I was not very successful in eliminating this problem. With the wedge shaped sole of my running shoes, my heel could not easily avoid hitting first.
It was not until 2009 that I first read about Barefoot Running on the internet and then barefoot Running Sandals (Huaraches) from Chris McDougal’s book “Born to Run”. I was intrigued. Chris described how the Tarahumara Indians of Northern Mexico regularly ran hundreds of miles at a time either barefoot or wearing huarache sandals over rough canyon terrain. These people were true ultra-runners.
What? Running hundreds of miles in bare feet or sandals? How can that be?
Now I was hooked. I love going barefoot but could not imagine running hundreds of miles that way, barefoot or with sandals. On the other hand, if you grow up going barefoot all the time or in flat sandals your feet are going to toughen up and become strong. I knew that my feet would need a lot of reconditioning to go barefoot for any distance and the best way to accomplish this was to go barefoot or as close to barefoot as possible more often. Again, slowly and with caution I would need to gradually increase my barefoot running and walking time to avoid injury. How was I going to accomplish this? You probably guessed it; I was going to start wearing Huaraches.
After reading the book I began experimenting with making my own pair of Huaraches. I found an old piece of rubber material that I cut to fit the outline of my foot and punched the toe and ankle holes with a rotary leather punch. I purchased some leather lacing and began the process of securing the sole to my foot. I will admit that it took a little trial and error for me to find the right degree of tightness, but once I found it, the sandals felt great. Even better, it felt like I was walking around in my bare feet with the added benefit of some protection for the soles of my feet. They are safer than barefoot, but with all the benefits of going barefoot.
Now it was easy for me to tackle new terrain and slowly increase my barefoot running time. When I found ground that could easily be scanned for hazards while running barefoot, I would take my barefoot sandals off, fold them up and put them in my back pocket and go. When the terrain became less than friendly, I simply took my Huaraches back out and slipped them on. This is way easier than carrying around socks and shoes and I found that the huaraches did not affect my natural barefoot running style. No more jarring heel strikes and very little added weight.
Like I mentioned earlier, I was hooked on this old but new to me style of running sandal. Further experimentation was the order of the day. I made several pairs out of a variety of materials such has rubber floor mats, rubber gasket material, rubber roofing materials and flip flops. They all worked and provided slightly different characteristics in feel and flexibility. I did more research and decided to make my next pair out of the popular 4mm thick Vibram cherry sole material and found these to be a really strong, flexible and durable material with an excellent barefoot feel. I like these a lot.
From what I could find, the 4mm thickness seemed to be a standard thickness offered for huaraches sold over the internet and I could feel for myself why they are so popular. The other options I noticed that were available over the internet were even thicker soles with some cushioning effect. I wanted to go the other way, thinner; with the less is more concepts for minimalist footwear.
I began experimenting with thinner materials and found two really good materials. One was 1.2mm thick piece of rubber roofing material that was smooth on both sides. This pair worked very well for me but became somewhat slippery on both sides when wet. The second piece I used was a Vibram sole material that is 1mm thick with the same texture on the foot side as the Vibram cherry material and a lightly patterned side for traction on the ground. This material worked a lot better when wet as my foot did not slide as much and the patterned bottom side provided better traction.
These 1mm thick soles became my ultra-thins and they weigh less than 1.2 oz. each. Talk about a barefoot feel. These should only be worn if your feet are already used to being barefoot as you will feel everything on the ground. The back yard or beach are also good choices. I love these sandals. Not only are they ultra-thin and ultra-light, they provide good minimalist protection for your soles without sacrificing any barefoot feel.
The experimenting continued with adding suede leather footbeds. I found the suede leather footbeds to be comfortable, adding a certain look and feel to the sandals that I liked. The footbed looks and feels great and it adds style and strength to the sandals (especially to the ankle holes) with very little effect on barefoot sensory perception. The footbeds also help with absorbing moisture from the bottom of your foot during dry walking or running conditions. I do not, however, recommend them for running in wet areas. If you know your feet are going to get soaking wet, stick with the plain tops. They dry out a lot faster.
As far as the tying material for securing the sandal on my foot I am currently using a variety of colorful polypropylene cord or soft Leather lace. Both are very good and durable with the polypropylene being the standard for my bare top running sandal since it is waterproof and will not shrink. The leather will tighten up a little as it starts to dry out. Not always a bad thing as the sandals will loosen up a little while wearing them. To further reduce weight on the ultra-thins, I will be experimenting with other lacing material as almost half of the weight of each ultra-thin sandal comes from the lacing. This will be fun and if anyone else has already tried this, please let me know what you have found that works well for you. Also, feel free to share your own experience with wearing Huaraches.
Quote:
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication
Leonardo da Vinci
To learn more about Ron G’s custom made Huaraches, please visit my Web Site at: www.allwaysbarefootsandals.com.
For some very good articles on barefoot running, I would recommend you visit John Siffermans Blog site at: www.physicalliving.com. And look up “The Definitive Guide for Going Barefoot” and “Learn the Skill of Barefoot Running”.
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