Okay, last month I won the Bareflexx Sandals giveaway (Woo-hoo!!) so here is my review.
First, two disclaimers:
1. I have never worn or tried any other type of "huarache" style sandals - these are my first.
2. I have not run in these. I have been a totally barefoot runner for almost fourteen years, including running in snow, so I really do not intend to run in them - I wanted to try them as an alternative to flip-flops as minimal footwear for everyday use. (I may try running in them just for the hell of it - if so I will post an amended review).
I have given them a pretty good walking workout over the last few weeks though under a variety of conditions, and I have to say that I really like them.
The Bareflexx sandal uses an elastic cord type of lacing which was pre-installed when I got them in the mail. The laces had plenty of extra length to allow for custom adjusments. The ends of the laces are secured by a single cord-lock (see photo), rather than being tied.
Once I got the laces adjusted to where they were comfortably snug, I tied a stopper knot and trimmed the ends. They fit nicely and the elastic laces were very comfortable.
The coolest thing about these sandals is the sole - I opted for the 2mm (!) Vibram soles, which are extremely flexible and give tremendous ground feel. Here they are flat on the ground:
And here they are with my foot slightly flexed:
One thing I like about the Bareflexx is that they are almost as easy to slip on and off as flip-flops.
You just have to pull the elastic ankle strap into place after sliding your foot in.
Once they're on they stay in place pretty well. I had to re-adjust the laces a few times after walking to keep them from sliding around - I recommend leaving extra lace length until you're sure you've got them "broken in".
The first week I wore them I was travelling on business, and wore them through several airports, including long walks between gates a couple of times. (One TSA worker was pretty curious about them - he thought they were great). I also wore them on a recent vacation to Vermont where my wife and I did a lot of walking. In fact, these were the only shoes I packed for the 5-day trip. Normally in these situations I would probably go barefoot or wear flip-flops, but I wanted to try out the Bareflexx. I was very impressed with how comfortable they were, even when walking quickly and carrying a heavy bag through the airport. Also, when I wanted to slip them off and just go barefoot, they folded up and would fit in my back jeans pocket - something I could never do with even the thinnest of flip-flops.
Bottom line:
I generally go barefoot as much as possible, but when I need to put on shoes, these are definitely a great choice.
Pros:
First, two disclaimers:
1. I have never worn or tried any other type of "huarache" style sandals - these are my first.
2. I have not run in these. I have been a totally barefoot runner for almost fourteen years, including running in snow, so I really do not intend to run in them - I wanted to try them as an alternative to flip-flops as minimal footwear for everyday use. (I may try running in them just for the hell of it - if so I will post an amended review).
I have given them a pretty good walking workout over the last few weeks though under a variety of conditions, and I have to say that I really like them.
The Bareflexx sandal uses an elastic cord type of lacing which was pre-installed when I got them in the mail. The laces had plenty of extra length to allow for custom adjusments. The ends of the laces are secured by a single cord-lock (see photo), rather than being tied.
Once I got the laces adjusted to where they were comfortably snug, I tied a stopper knot and trimmed the ends. They fit nicely and the elastic laces were very comfortable.
The coolest thing about these sandals is the sole - I opted for the 2mm (!) Vibram soles, which are extremely flexible and give tremendous ground feel. Here they are flat on the ground:
And here they are with my foot slightly flexed:
One thing I like about the Bareflexx is that they are almost as easy to slip on and off as flip-flops.
You just have to pull the elastic ankle strap into place after sliding your foot in.
Once they're on they stay in place pretty well. I had to re-adjust the laces a few times after walking to keep them from sliding around - I recommend leaving extra lace length until you're sure you've got them "broken in".
The first week I wore them I was travelling on business, and wore them through several airports, including long walks between gates a couple of times. (One TSA worker was pretty curious about them - he thought they were great). I also wore them on a recent vacation to Vermont where my wife and I did a lot of walking. In fact, these were the only shoes I packed for the 5-day trip. Normally in these situations I would probably go barefoot or wear flip-flops, but I wanted to try out the Bareflexx. I was very impressed with how comfortable they were, even when walking quickly and carrying a heavy bag through the airport. Also, when I wanted to slip them off and just go barefoot, they folded up and would fit in my back jeans pocket - something I could never do with even the thinnest of flip-flops.
Bottom line:
I generally go barefoot as much as possible, but when I need to put on shoes, these are definitely a great choice.
Pros:
- Extremely thin soles - great ground feel
- Easy to put on and take off
- Stay in place
- No laces to tie
- Adjustable using cord-lock
- Cool look!
- Elastic laces feel snug after a while if kept tight enough to hold in place (minor, and coming from somebody who's almost always barefoot - anything on my feet feels snug after a while)
- Takes a while to adjust laces properly (but once adjusted they seem to stay put)