New Jinga Original Shoe Review

When I first delved into minimalist shoe reviews a couple of years ago, one of the companies I had the most fun learning about was Jinga.

I suspect that’s because I have a soft spot for small companies who manage to do everything right: those who build unique, high-quality products in the most socially conscious manner possible, and give back to their communities in meaningful ways.

Jinga is a Brazilian company that combines all those things – think of them as the South American equivalent of Soft Star or kigo – along with a healthy dose of the joyous, artistic flair that defines Brazilian culture. There’s a one-word Portuguese colloquialism for this kind of exuberant, creative rhythm of life: ginga, the spelling of which was tweaked just slightly to provide the company name.

NEW Jinga Original shoe

I explained the company’s background and social calling more extensively in my review of the original Jinga shoes, which were primarily designed as dance shoes but serendipitously gained some traction in the burgeoning minimalist community. Their shoes underwent a major facelift this spring, and the new style is a significant improvement in nearly every aspect – that is, aside from one sizeable drawback for running which I’ll describe shortly.

(One other quirk is that the new models are still called Jinga Originals - but for the purposes of this review, "original" will refer to the older style. Entendeu?)

Super flexibility: one shoe curled in the other

Best of all, the primary features that make Jingas so attractive to minimalist fans are still there: the shoes weigh less than 150g each, and they’re completely flexible in all directions. There is a cushioned 2mm insole that is removable, leaving a mere 4mm of outsole between your foot and the ground.

Removable insole; mesh and synthetic leather upper

Construction of the uppers is noticeably more durable this spring, with a more structured mesh and synthetic leather combination than the previous model. There is more lateral stability thanks to strategic placement and increased size of the synthetic overlays on either side. Previous Jingas would collapse something like a slipper when your foot was out of it; the new ones retain their shape better and therefore have more of a shoe “look” this year.

There’s a little bit more padding around the ankle collar and throughout the upper on this new model, and since there wasn’t a weight tradeoff to increase the structure or comfort, these changes are definite improvements. The uppers feel more comfortable against bare feet than their predecessors, and Jinga now crafts the shoes in separate mens and womens styles to provide a more natural fit.

The new models don’t compromise Jinga’s Brazilian flamboyance, either: I picked the white and gold shoes for review, which are actually one of the more subtle of the company’s line of color combinations in both mens and womens styles. If you’re looking for shoes that will blend into the crowd … well, maybe you can pick the all-black ones. Otherwise, Jingas are designed to let your colors fly.

So far, everything’s a bonus on the new models … but here’s the major change that is indeed an improvement, but also something of a limitation:

A brand new outsole, made from TPU instead of the original PVC material.  It is substantially more durable and protective than the original, but maintains the same degree of flexibility. You’ll also notice, however, that it’s practically polished smooth; that design is intentional, and reflects Jinga’s primary calling in the footwear market.

Jinga shoes were originally created as dance shoes, intended to help you get your Capoeira on when you hit the dance floor in Rio. From a dance standpoint, the new outsole is a remarkable improvement: the smooth surface is ideal for gliding across a hardwood floor, while maintaining just enough traction to help you stop easily, turn quickly, and twirl, um … more twirlingly, I guess.

As you can imagine, this doesn’t exactly translate well to going out for a trail run. Instead, Jingas can be your everyday casual shoe, whether you’re walking around the neighborhood or going out with a group of friends. Despite the outsole’s appearance, it has good enough traction on concrete, asphalt, or carpet that you don’t have to worry about slipping. And if you happen to step into a club on your way home, you’ll be ready to dance the night away.

One final point to note about buying Jingas is that they’re not available for sale in North American stores. You can shop for them on the Jinga website, where they retail for 55 pounds – which, thanks to a wretched US dollar, will put you out 90 bucks. American customers can purchase from the website, but the checkout program doesn’t convert your charge to US dollars until after you’ve confirmed your purchase. I’d love to see Jingas enter the US market more effectively in the near future, because they’re the kind of product from the kind of company that it feels good to support.

And if they can help me dance a little bit better, that would be a pretty cool bonus.

*Product provided by Jinga
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.



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Jinga All the Way

One thing that never ceases to impress me about having this website is how easily it shrinks the world. Readers find me (and in many cases, e-mail me) from all corners of the globe, and I’ve had the pleasure of learning about people, places, and businesses that I would have gone through life completely oblivious to in another era. The world has become not only flat, but more easily familiar than at any point in history.

Considering this, I probably shouldn’t have been as bewildered as I was to receive an envelope with “Royal Air” postmarks on it this week. Nevertheless, I wasn’t exactly expecting anything, so curiosity got the best of me.

After opening the envelope, curiosity turned to delight: it was a Christmas card from Jinga, a Brazilian company whose shoes I reviewed last month as part of my barefoot series.

In that post, I described how part of Jinga’s mission is to support one of Rio de Janeiro’s many favelas, projects that provide educational and social support to a portion of the city’s staggering population of impoverished children. The company’s Christmas cards are works of art made by children from the favela.


My card was made and signed by an 11-year-old girl named Fabiana. It was nice coincidence, as I happen to have an 11-year-old of my own.


The cards have folds and a flap that can be shaped into an ornament, so that’s exactly what I did. And now, alongside all the wonderful family memories on our tree, a young Brazilian girl has provided a welcome dose of holiday cheer:


Obrigado, Fabiana. Feliz Natal. And God’s peace and blessings to all of us.

**

Update: shortly after writing this post, I went to Jinga's Facebook page and found a link to the following video showing the favela kids making the ornaments. My girl Fabiana is shown at the :59 and 1:22 marks. Enjoy!

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Jinga Shoe Review

If you had told me that this barefoot shoe series would eventually entail my delving into the world of Brazilian dance wear, I would have never believed it. And yet, that’s precisely where today’s review has led us.
Furthermore, I’m not entirely convinced that Jinga is primarily a footwear company; it’s more like an enterprise that was created to bring about social change while enriching as many lives as possible, who somehow decided to start making footwear along the way. It’s one of the more colorful corporate stories I’ve heard in this whole series, and this is perhaps the company who makes the biggest direct impact on the targeted beneficiaries of its humanitarian outreach.

But first, the name.

There’s a Brazilian colloquialism called ginga which is a descriptive term describing the joyful, intangible aspect of someone’s personality; something that Americans might describe as spirit, energy, charisma, style, or joie de vivre (OK, that one’s French, but you know what I mean) all rolled into one. Ginga is an individual sense of personal expression that makes each one of us unique.

Brazilians believe they have ginga in abundance, which gives them the natural grace and fluid energy they proudly display on soccer fields and dance floors all over the world. Jinga shoes (the company name is spelled differently for easier pronunciation) are seemingly made with that purpose in mind; the company’s FAQ page includes testimonials from salsa instructors and performers describing how ideal the footwear is for many forms of dance. They’re also the footwear of choice for at least two world-famous (at least, according to the website – I’m stretching beyond my realm of expertise here) salsa dance troupes.

And remember what I said about their shoe business being something of an afterthought? That comes from the website as well:

We are a social enterprise. Where regular companies are driven first and foremost by financial targets, our goals are social as well. Our purpose is not just to run a successful business, but also to provide opportunities and social development to disadvantaged young people in Brazil. All our profits are reinvested for social purposes – both within our company, to improve the environmental and social impacts of our products and our supply chain, and also outside our company, providing funding assistance for Julio Otoni, a social project for young people and teenagers in a low income area of Rio de Janeiro.

So Jinga is not just about shoes: it’s about creating and making the most of opportunities, about bringing colour into people’s lives, progression, fun and individuality and trying to get the best out of life for everyone as far as we can make that happen.

Seems like a company you can feel good about supporting, doesn’t it? And if that doesn’t convince you that the company is trying to make the world a smaller, happier place, here’s one more item to consider: in addition to their footwear enterprise, the owners host another business called Jingando Holidays; it offers vacation packages where you get a guided tour of the city, participate in outreach projects benefitting impoverished kids, and take as many hours of dance instruction as you’d like in all the coolest nightspots in Rio.

Considering all that ... can you see why it’s hard for me to stay focused on footwear? So let’s finally take a look at these shoes.

Jinga shoes are purely minimalist footwear, with no heel, no arch, and no cushioning in the outsole. They combine a lightweight synthetic and mesh upper with a super thin and flexible outsole for a shape that feels like a dance slipper, but looks like a classic sneaker*. The color schemes available have a distinctively Brazilian character: vibrant, colorful, and fun. They may not get you through a day at the office, but they’ll be a conversation starter as soon as you’re off the clock.

(*Full disclosure: my wife thinks they look like bowling shoes. Needless to say, it's not the first fashion-related difference of opinion we've ever had. Since it's my review, I'm calling it a sneaker - but feel free to weigh in in the comments. If consensus goes her way, my wife will love you for it, and I'll never hear the end of it. On second thought ... maybe I shouldn't encourage comments so much.)

PVC outsole

The outsole is made of recycled PVC, like the pipes that carry water to your outdoor sprinklers. At its thickest point, the outsole is a mere 4mm thick, giving you superb ground feel. Wavy traction stripes on the bottom provide surprisingly good traction, and the outsole is flexible enough that your foot naturally employs the same toe and forefoot grip that it uses when walking barefoot. However, the outsole material and means of construction are designed to minimize friction, so you can glide smoothly and stay light on your feet during your samba or soltinho routines (I’m learning all kinds of new Brazilian words lately).

The shoes come with a 2mm insole for those who like a little bit of cushioning, but I found that I much prefer them with the insoles removed. Even with the insole, the entire shoe weighs 250g, which places it second only behind Feelmax for lightweight footwear.

The standard demo for minimalist shoes

Ironically, even though they make a nearly perfect minimalist running shoe, the Jinga website does not recommend using the shoes for running. When I questioned one of the owners about this, she admitted that their recommendation was based on a comparison to traditional athletic shoes (and traditional heel-striking runners). I’ve mentioned before how the barefoot running movement has taken several companies by storm, and Jinga is a classic example. They now realize the potential new market they have, and they’re revising the language on their website to indicate that their footwear is perfectly suitable for barefoot or minimalist runners.

I’ve gone running in my Jingas, and experienced no issues with overall durability or traction on the asphalt. The lacing system allows you to dial in your desired snugness, and the lining of the upper is comfortable enough that I can wear them without socks, with no chafing or blister issues. I prefer, however, using these more as an everyday shoe, for casual outings when I want to stay “nearly” barefoot in something that looks like a standard sneaker*. (*Or bowling shoe. Whatever.)

At the moment, Jinga doesn't have any retailers in the US. Although prices on their website are advertised in £, the payment provider does a conversion to American dollars for you, and the 39.99 pounds converts to about 64 US dollars. Jinga already enjoys a fair number of customers from the States and Canada, and they’re looking to get a presence in some North American stores and e-vendors in the next year.

I find myself really pulling for them to succeed. The company’s stated mission is to help everyone bring out their unique ginga, and they do it in a way that is both enriching for people and protective of the planet. If karma has anything to do with it, Jinga is a company that has a lot of dancing days ahead of them.


*footwear provided by Jingando Ltd.
** See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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