Since my last posting in August 2011, I have experimented with a few new sole and lacing materials to make Huaraches running sandals. This has been a fun and ongoing project for me that have resulted in the development of two new models and a new lacing system that I am very excited about. I have personally put hundreds of miles on these two new models using various terrain and weather conditions to test out their reliability and performance and have just added them to my Town and Country product line series at www.allwaysbarefootsandals.com. But that’s not all, I am still in the process of developing and testing a new trail running sandal that I am very excited about, but that will be the subject of a later posting.
The two new models that I just added to my Town and Country series of Huaraches are the Ultra-Lite Supreme and the Equinox. The Ultra-Lite Supreme utilizes a 6mm thick Vibram sole material that is very light weight (2.7 Oz for my size 10) and durable with a slip resistant light tread pattern on the bottom. I find this material to be very comfortable to run in on hard paved or packed surfaces while still providing me with a very good ground to foot feel and a smooth ride.
Naturally, I made myself two pairs as prototypes for testing. One pair I kept as a basic (Bare top with no leather suede top) and one pair as a Deluxe (Suede Leather footbed).
Ultra-Lite Supreme Deluxe (Suede Leather top) and Elasticized Lace
Ultra-Lite Supreme Basic (Bare Top) with Elasticized Lace
I was really surprised at how well the basic (Bare Top) felt to my bare foot. This Vibram material is really impressive and does a great job of molding to your foot over a short period of time. The more you wear it the more comfortable it gets. They also protect your soles from rocks and other objects really well with a little less ground to foot feel than the 4mm thick sandals.
As you can see in the above photo’s I have equipped both of my pairs with the all new Elasticized lace which I have tested in two different widths (3/8 inch and ½ inch) and colors (Black and Brown). I have also tested them with my Poly/Nylon lace and Latigo leather laces and have found the Elasticized lace to be the easiest to adjust and wear for a simple slip on slip off style. The Traditional tying style would require either the Poly/Nylon or Latigo leather lacing.
In my opinion all three lacing systems do a great job for everyday use, but on a wet muddy trail I like the extra security of either the Poly/Nylon or Latigo leather laces to keep my foot from slipping inside the sandals. The Elasticized laces do great in non-muddy conditions.
At first I was a little concerned about using the Elasticized lace because of the amount of material between the toes so I went with the 3/8 width first and found them to be quite comfortable for me. Then I tried the ½ inch wide material and found that to be a little too much for my comfort but I liked the extra secure feeling of the wider lace. To fix this, I simply folded the two edges together where they go between my toes and used a little piece of black vinyl tape to wrap them together and presto, no more discomfort between my toes.
I have also experimented with a recessed center hole on the bottom of the sandal to provide additional protection to the knot and comfort for the wearer. This feature allows the knot to flatten as they normally do with wear and seat into the recessed hole, extending the life of the knot.
Recessed Center Hole for knot on Supreme
I now include this feature on all models except for the Ultra-Thin Sandals. The Ultra-Thin at 1mm thick is just too thin to cut a recess into.
The second new model is the Equinox with a 2mm Vibram rubber out sole and a 2mm thick black leather upper for the footbed, providing a balanced combination of rubber and leather. This sandal provides really great foot to ground feel and protection as the sole material though flexible is really dense. Combined with the leather upper I find that I get great protection and comfort. I really like the way this sandal feels and performs.
Equinox with ½ inch wide Elasticized Lace
This thin and light sandal only weighs 3.5 Oz with the Elasticized Lace and 3 Oz with either the Poly/Nylon or latigo leather laces for my size 10. This prototype did not have the recessed hole at the time this photo was taken but it does now.
The other thing I found with the Equinox is that the 2mm thick leather footbed molds very well to my foot. Combined with the 2mm Vibram sole for a total of 4mm thickness the Equinox is very flexible but holds its form better than the 4mm Cherry sole. By this I mean if I hold the 4mm thick Cherry sole by the heel and the 4mm Equinox by the heel, the toe end of the Cherry sole drops down a lot further than the Equinox. I think this is why the Equinox stays formed to my foot better while running.
Also, with the 50/50 combination of rubber and leather the foot to ground feel is not at all compromised, in fact I believe it is enhanced. This is sandal I like to wear when running in town and for casual wear. I like to wear the Supremes for longer runs on roads and light to moderate trails.
Life is good, be happy and walk or run for your health and enjoyment. Check back later for updates on the new Trail sandal. Happy trails.
To learn more about Ron G’s custom made Huaraches, please visit my Web Site at: www.allwaysbarefootsandals.com.
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