Sandals are our favorite footwear for travel and free time. We’ve tried to find the best pair to fit our needs. So let’s look at the sandals by Earth Runners. 

The Earth Runners minimalist sandals are zero drop and have a durable sole – they remind me of a slim, running specific Chaco.

While I’ve tried some minimalist shoes, this was my first attempt running in sandals. 

Design

The sandals have a single nylon strap which wraps around the sole. That creates support between the toes, around the top of your feet and just above the heels.

The sole felt stable and flexible, but the straps holding my foot in place felt awkward first. Check out the video instructions on how to adjust the straps for the most comfort. 

I ran short test sprints on my first run, but still, my Achilles was a little bit sore. Definitely, don’t run too far on your first run in the sandals. 

I recommend easing into the sandals with a few short runs before trying anything longer. If you’ve been running longer distances in zero drop shoes, then you should have no problem running the same mileage in the sandals.

These shoes are very cool, especially for runners who use minimalist running shoes. 

Flat Sole

They have entirely flat soles with no support to the feet. They meant these shoes to be as close to walking barefoot as possible. 

By removing the support, it forces your foot to bend, grip naturally, and arch as you walk. For the first few days of using your feet might ache, but this usually goes away after a couple of days.

If you’re thinking of transitioning to minimal footwear, remember to ease with 8mm to 4mm drop shoes before running in 0mm drop shoes.

Pros:

  • High-quality sole with good traction 
  • Fun to run in sandals
  • A portion of the shoe bed is made from recycled tires

Cons:

  • Trying to get used to strapping between the big toe and second toe

Closure

As they are a minimal and lightweight shoe compared to many others, they are perfect for summer travels.

There are models with a different sole thickness of 8, 9, and 12 millimeters. If you walk longer on asphalted roads or other hard surfaces, you might opt for the version with more padding. 

Check out Earth Runners!