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”

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