Doc Waddel's Barefoot Training Sandals Review; Patagonia Fall Apparel Sale

Before today’s post, a sale announcement: I’m trying out a new vendor affiliate called Massey's Outfitters, who initially attracted me based on the strength of their Vibram FiveFingers inventory.  It turns out that they also carry the entire Patagonia catalog on their site.  That’s current stuff, not last year’s holdovers.  They also offer free shipping on all orders over $75, and to kick off the fall season, they’re offering savings of up to 20% on a huge selection of Patagonia gear.  Check them out by clicking the banner below, then come back after you’ve done some shopping.

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One of the most interesting developments in the whole minimalist running phenomenon is the increasing number of do-it-yourselfers: plucky individuals with an abundance of both ambition and time who decide that they’d rather create, use, and (in most cases) sell their own hand-made products than settle for the more mainstream offerings available.

Over the past few years I’ve received many requests to review footwear made by some random dude or another, but for various reasons I’ve always been reluctant to comply.  That resistance ends now – not because of dissatisfaction with other products on the market or any other intuitive rationale, but for a far simpler reason: I happen to know the guy who makes them.

Les "Doc" Waddel, with raw materials for Barefoot Training Sandals 

So in case it isn’t obvious, let’s slap an enormous disclaimer on this review: I’m friends with Les Waddel, more commonly known as Doc Waddel for his professional exploits as a chiropractor to both animals and humans.   He was one of the first health care providers to embrace the minimalist movement, and in the years since he launched Barefoot Training Sandals, he’s been spreading the word online, at race expos, and with every one of his patients (the human variety, that is – most of the animals are already shoeless).

The backyard workshop; note all the surfboards

Doc is pretty much the epitome of California cool: he’s laid back, super friendly, and is an avid surfer who seldom wears more than a Hawaiian shirt and beach trunks.  He also happens to be one of the founding fathers of Monterey County endurance sports.  Les was a collegiate swimmer who read about a crazy new sport called triathlon in 1980, and eventually became a regular at the Kona World Championships while logging insane training mileage in all three disciplines.  Along the way he operated a running store, was an original member of an open-water swim club, running club, and triathlon club on the Monterey Peninsula, and mentored one of his daughters in her own path to becoming a professional triathlete.

The garage workshop ... and still more surfboards

Now in his 60s, Les’s running-related aches and pains were increasing and his mileage was dramatically decreasing until he converted to minimalism in the wake of Born to Run and noticed that his injuries disappeared.  However, he didn’t like the construction of Vibrams, and wanted to develop something on a flat platform that still provided a bit of impact cushioning for transitioning to full-fledged barefoot-style running.  Soon thereafter, Barefoot Training (BFT) Sandals were born.

To say that BFT is small-budget operation is an understatement; it’s quite simply a one-man show, and the manufacturing takes place in any room of the house where Les can find vacant space – which, considering that his sales have been steadily increasing, is getting harder and harder to come by.   Les is completely self-taught in the methods of shoe construction, and is constantly tinkering with various tools and equipment to make the process more manageable.

Some of the equipment is scavenged, such as the dies he scored from a retired shoemaker in Santa Cruz (probably after a surfing trip). 

What the company lacks in size, it makes up in commitment; everywhere you look around Doc Waddel’s house - at least, everywhere that's not already occupied by triathlon gear - there are gadgets and raw materials and various staging areas for one step of the process or another. 

Although Les is an experienced craftsman (he’s especially gifted at building surfboards and ukuleles), there was an extensive trial and error process in getting the right materials and prototype design of BFTs established.  Les attempted six different prototype models, and is still experimenting with various materials that will improve either comfort, performance, or ease of construction.  Perhaps predictably, the current product looks something like a Frankensandal, but has some unique design and construction points that make them very interesting.

For example, even though the sandals were inspired by classic huaraches, BFTs eschew the traditional strap between the toes in favor of one that goes over the top of the metatarsal heads.  This is a comfort feature for many users, but also prevents anterior slippage of the foot on downhills, in similar fashion as the strap across the top of New Balance’s first Minimus Trail shoe.

The ankle closure is a combination of a backpack-style strap on top of a soft neoprene layer that sits across the top of the foot for comfort.  In my testing, BFTs are a significant improvement over classic huaraches in staying comfortably connected to your foot.  However, the last is somewhat narrow for me through the forefoot, so if you have wide feet you’ll probably need to ask Les about custom sizing.

Another pleasant surprise is the outsole, made from a Vibram rock-climbing compound which has no visible traction knobs at all, but is remarkably durable and grippy, even in off-road conditions.  I’ve only logged about 75 miles in my pair, but Les has over 1000 miles* on one of his own pairs without wearing through the outsole.

(*ADDENDUM: That's not 100% true ... Les corrected me to say he put some LiquiSole on the metatarsal area at 600 and 800 miles on his way to 1000.  The durability is still pretty impressive, though.)

Overall weight of one BFT is roughly equivalent to FiveFingers or moccasins at 5 to 6 oz depending on size.  Standing height is roughly 12mm, with a midsole layer composed of pliable EVA.  In true minimalist fashion, there is zero drop from heel to toe, however, there is one difference in the midsole design of BFT …

… at the front of the toe box area, where the material tapers upward from ground level to just a few millimeters thick at the big toe.  I happen to think this is a brilliant stroke, in that it significantly decreases the risk of my biggest pet peeve about running in huaraches: accidentally scuffing the big toe against roots or rocks on the ground, which as anyone who has done it can tell you is extremely painful.

Les in action at the Big Sur Marathon expo

As a one-man show building sandals in his spare (that is, non-surfing) time, Les doesn’t have any grand aspirations to become a millionare by hawking BFT sandals.  Rather, he sees his role as a health and fitness ambassador, and is dedicated to teaching as many people as possible the benefits of natural running.  When I first started seeing him at race expos, he made a point to tell me it wasn’t about making sales, but simply spreading the word.  This fall he’ll be at several race expos, preaching to anyone who will listen, and making sandals for anyone who wants to buy a pair.

BFTs are probably best suited for people who want to combine the biomechanics of huaraches with the comfort of a moderate midsole, or for those who have trouble with the fit of traditional huaraches.  They are available for purchase from DocWaddel’s Barefoot Training Sandals website, where they retail for $90.

*Product provided by Doc Waddel

**If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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Merrell Barefoot Hylidae Wrap Women's Sandal Review

*Admin note: a standard review follows below, along with an announcement from Merrell and a product review update afterward.

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One of our family’s annual springtime traditions is to order the kids their summer sandals.  With the prospect of hot days, lot of outdoor activity, and frequent trips to the lake, river, or beach on tap, they need something that can handle a wide variety of uses as well as repeated trips in and out of the water.

In previous years we typically get them Tevas or Land’s End water sandals, but I often find myself wishing there was something more in line with the barefoot ideal.  It seemed crazy that the vast majority of sandals still had built-up heels and thick midsole cushioning – which was why I was very happy to get a look at Merrell’s Summer 2012 footwear catalog.

Merrell Barefoot Hylidae Wrap sandal, Drizzle color

More specifically, my daughter has been wearing the Merrell Barefoot Hylidae Wrap sandal for about a month now, which is part of the “Water” subcategory of the company’s extensive Barefoot line.  The male equivalent is the Aqua Wrap, which in my opinion isn’t nearly as colorful a name as Hylidae, which is the scientific name for a Family of tree frogs – many of which, like the sandals themselves, are semi-aquatic.

Like any good tree frog, the Hylidae Wrap is also very brightly colored – at least, my daughter’s version (known as Drizzle) is, with a color scheme that’s right in her pre-teen wheelhouse.   You can also get them in silver or black, but no one wants to see a black tree frog, right?  For a summertime water shoe, the brighter, the better – at least in my daughter’s opinion.

Obviously there are a lot of reasons why I approve of the shoe also.  There’s a mere 4mm compression molded insole for basic comfort while maintaining outstanding ground feel.  It’s a completely flat, flexible platform with no drop from heel to toe.  At a mere 5.2 oz, it’s very lightweight, and the upper is open enough to allow full freedom of movement of the foot during any activity.  And if you happen to insist on vegan footwear, the Hylidae Wrap is a safe choice in that regard as well.

The upper has drawn my daughter a lot of attention because of its styling.  There’s something about the criss-crossing of nylon straps and synthetic leather along with the contrasting color that catches the eye; I stopped counting the number of times people spontaneously told my daughter how much they like her shoes – and for an 11-year-old girl, that’s a pretty cool thing to happen.

Two of the straps are Velcro closures, so there’s a lot of adjustability for individual preferences.  All of the synthetic leather surfaces have a thin neoprene lining for additional comfort, along with an antimicrobial coating to manage odor control.  My daughter wears these as all-day shoes and hasn’t had any problems with discomfort.

Antimicrobial coating is also used on the EVA footbed, which is contoured to slightly cradle the foot and keep it secure inside the upper.

Of course, tree frogs are known for their sticky grip, and the Hylidae does a great job of mimicking that characteristic with a high performance rubber outsole.  The only odd thing about the outsole rubber is Vibram’s name for it: they call it the Gecko Glove outsole, a reptilian moniker that doesn’t jive with the amphibian theme of the shoe.  But maybe that’s just me being picky.

For practical purposes, the Vibram outsole provides great traction on nearly every possible surface.  There are 2mm lugs to help grip in loose gravel, and the rubber compound holds on pretty effectively on wet rocks.  The outsole is also non-marking, in case your daughter wants to wear them to gym class when fall rolls around. 

Thanks to its ability to combine high performance aquatic function with barefoot friendly construction, Merrell’s Barefoot Hylidae Wrap is probably one of the best developments of summer for both my daughter and me.  It retails for $85 from Amazon.com.

*Product provided by Merrell

**If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

**

Two more Merrell related notes …

1)  This week the company launched a new promotional campaign with a simple yet very noble goal: using its love of the outdoors as a catalyst to build a community of athletes who exercise outside.  They’re calling it The Pack, and there’s only one rule: go outside and do something!  A promotional video follows below, which was especially timely for my family, in that it prominently features stand up paddleboarding – an activity my family and I have done a lot of this week.  Check out The Pack website here, and check out the promo video below:

“Welcome to the Pack” by Merrell (click to play):

2) As for my family’s outdoor activity: it’s been a week of hiking, biking, kayaking, fishing, running (a little bit), paddleboarding, and generally playing around in the great outdoors – and pretty much everyone in my family has been doing it in Merrell shoes.  My wife and son brought a single pair of shoes each: Trail Gloves for my son, and Pace Gloves for my wife.  One of my daughters is using the Dash Gloves, and the other is wearing the Hylidae sandals reviewed above.  (Since I’m the resident shoe diva, I brought multiple pairs to use.)

L to R: Pace Gloves, Trail Gloves, Hylidae sandals, Dash Gloves

The point here is that everybody’s shoes have proven remarkably versatile in wet and dry conditions, and extremely durable, especially considering that in some cases the shoes in question are more than one year old.  I’m often asked about what single shoe I’d recommend if you can only buy one pair – and if you have a wide variety of outdoor activities on tap, it’s hard to do better than Merrells.

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Soft Star Vegan Moc3 Review

When I was younger and more idealistic, I experimented a bit with vegetarianism.  I’ll save you a long backstory by just saying that ultimately the experiment failed.

Perhaps my biggest obstacle was that no matter how many “meat substitute” foods I tried, nothing hit the spot quite like a good old fashioned burger.  I suppose the lesson could be made that if you want to replace an ingrained habit, you had better do it with something that looks and feels like the real thing.

A similar argument could be made for veganism, which until recently I had associated much more with diet than with footwear.  Some of my increased awareness came courtesy of a training partner of mine who has developed a passion for animal activism – and when he recently asked me about what kind of vegan footwear I’d recommend, I knew this was an angle I should probably look into.

Soft Star Vegan Moc3

Coincidentally, Soft Star had been looking into the same issue recently, and earlier this year released the Vegan Moc3, which I’ve been testing for the past couple of months.  It’s an interesting move from a company who trades almost exclusively in leather products, and presents a notable corollary to the premise I mentioned above.  In this case, if you want to offer a realistic vegan alternative to a well-established product, you better do it with something that’s comparable from a quality standpoint.

In that regard, the Vegan Moc3 is a resounding success: it’s a 100% vegan version of one of Soft Star’s most uniquely dynamic shoes, and doesn’t sacrifice any of the comfort or performance features of the original.   

Vegan on L, leather on R

For more detailed background on its predecessor, you can check out my original Moc3 review.  A synopsis would read like this: the Moc3 is a super lightweight form-fitting sock / moccasin hybrid that fits like a glove and has the best ground feel of practically any minimalist shoe I’ve tested.  It’s ideal for anything from casual activity to running on roads or groomed trails, with extreme flexibility to let your foot function absolutely naturally.  

In design and function, the vegan version is exactly the same thing.  My preference is to wear them for general outdoor use or for road running, but on technical trails I like the increased protection of my RunAmocs. 

The slip-on design makes it ideal for stashing somewhere handy if you’re going primarily barefoot but might need to throw something on your feet every now and then.  I keep a pair in my car in case I need to stop at the local market - or in case I want to grab a quick pic at a scenic overlook somewhere in Yosemite - and they’d be great for barefoot hikers to tuck in a pack in case they encounter rougher than expected trail conditions.

Both the vegan and regular Moc3 are constructed of a 4-way stretch material called Breathe-o-prene, an odor-resistant fabric that pulls moisture away from the skin to help keep your foot dry.  The difference is that instead of a ventilated leather outer layer, the Breathe-o-prene is layered twice on the vegan model.

Another material difference is present on the interior: for the regular Moc3, Soft Star uses a thin leather insole, but on the vegan version it’s a soft synthetic fabric.  Both versions are equally comfortable for wearing sockless, with minimal irritation from seams or any points of surface pressure.

Otherwise, the two models are exactly the same: they are low cut around the ankle to maximize comfort and range of motion …

… and have an extremely thin 2mm Vibram rubber outsole welded onto a flexible bottom fabric.

Because it’s a virtual equivalent of the original, the vegan Moc3 has the same potential drawbacks: the Breathe-o-prene is prone to running a bit warm, and there’s no adjusting the fit if you happen to be between natural sizes.  The only subtle performance difference I would anticipate is that without a leather outer layer, you give up a bit of upper durability with the vegan version – but unless you’re doing some extreme bushwhacking or similar off-trail excursions, this shouldn’t be a major deterrent.  

More importantly, the vegan Moc3 wasn’t intended to be an upgrade – it was meant to provide an attractive option for vegan consumers to shop with a clear conscience, and without compromising anything in terms of quality.  When there’s no dropoff in value or utility, the decision to choose an alternative product becomes quite easy.  What’s even better news for vegan fans is that in this case, exercising your morals doesn’t come with a higher price tag. 

The Vegan Moc3 retails for $94 from the Soft Star website, which is the exact same price as the Original Moc3.  

*Product provided by Soft Star.

**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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Altra Samson Shoe Review

Among the multitude of minimalist and natural running shoe manufacturers out there, nearly all of them seem to be staking out one particular segment of the market.  Some are throwbacks to old-world designs, others try to be as minimal as possible, and others seek to be an all-purpose transitional shoe for newcomers to the natural running Renaissance.

And then there’s Altra, which is doing something altogether different: they’re producing very solid entries in every segment across the board.

Last year the company released the Instinct and Intuition, 9-oz men’s and women’s models that feature a somewhat stiff zero-drop midsole platform and a total stack height of 21mm off the ground.  They quickly followed that with the Adam and Eve, pure minimalist models that remind many (including me) of Vibram’s groundbreaking KSO: they are lightweight (4.7 oz), low to the ground (4mm), and completely flexible.

Altra Samson

With this year’s Samson (and women’s equivalent Delilah – don’t you love how Altra’s model names are male and female counterparts?), Altra now occupies a middle ground between their two previous releases.  The vital specs – 6.5-oz weight, 10mm stack height, moderate protection and flexibility - are all comfortably situated between the Adam/Eve and the Instinct/Intuition.  The Samson also features all of the compelling design aspects that Altra has made standard with its entire line of footwear, and it’s proven to be a very comfortable and durable shoe for me over about 100 miles of testing.

The Samson also addresses one criticism that many users has with the Adam, in that the upper uses a traditional lace design instead of the slip-on / pull-on upper that some users found difficult to use.   

Although I didn’t have a problem with the Adam’s fit, it’s clear that a lace system represents a large improvement both in terms of ease of putting on and customization of fit.

The remainder of the upper is a quick-dry mesh that ventilates the foot very effectively, but also does a decent job of keeping grit away from your toes.  As I do with virtually all my shoes, I did the majority of my Samson testing off-road; after a long run, my toes are a little dustier than usual, but not so much that it bothers me during the run itself.

Inside the shoe, Altra provides the option of using a 3mm insole (which results in the 10mm standing height), or ...

... removing the insole and riding directly on the BareSole footbed that feels comfortable against bare skin and creates a resulting stack height of 7mm.

Below the footbed, the Samson has 3.5mm of EVA for a very moderate degree of cushioning, which makes this a nice option for a couple of potential users: 1) those who are almost ready to go all-in with completely minimal footwear but aren’t quite there yet, or 2) pure minimalist users who want a slight margin of error when pushing the envelope of high mileage runs.  You obviously sacrifice a little bit of ground feel compared to the Adam, but it’s a very subtle difference, especially if you run without the Samson insole.

Even with the midsole EVA, and even with the insole in place, the Samson is still very nicely flexible in all directions.  Also ...

... like all Altra shoes, it also allows plenty of room in the toebox for your toes, so there’s nothing about the overall structure that will interfere with your foot’s natural motion while it’s contacting the ground.

That ground contact will be made with the same siped outsole that Altra uses for the Adam.  It is remarkably similar to Vibram’s old KSO in terms of appearance, durability, traction, and overall performance.  It’s more than grippy enough for road running, and does remarkably well on most trails aside from loose gravel or very steep climbs and descents.

With the Samson, Altra presents a very solid natural running option in that elusive middle ground between pure minimalist entries such as Vibram, VivoBarefoot and Soft Star, and more structured zero-drop shoes like Merrell’s Barefoot line or New Balance's Minimus Road shoe.  Obviously, it’s also a comfortable medium for Altra’s own existing models – so if either side of the existing spectrum is too much for you, the Samson or Delilah might be just the shoe you’re looking for.

Altra’s Samson retails for $100 with free shipping from Amazon.com, and the Delilah is available for the same price.

*Product provided by Altra.  Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.

**If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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Luna Leadville Sandal Review

Among all of the minimalist shoe companies out there, perhaps none has a more impressive pedigree than Luna Sandals.

The company is the brainchild of Barefoot Ted McDonald, one of the most experienced and accomplished barefoot runners in the word, who the vast majority of minimalist fans first met via Christopher McDougall's landmark Born to Run.  McDonald helped fuel Vibram's meteoric rise to success, introducing FiveFingers to the road running world at the 2006 Boston Marathon, and to the ultrarunning community a few years later (with KSO Treks this time) at the Leadville 100.

Barefoot Ted and Manuel Luna; photo by Luis Escobar, taken from Luna website

One interesting side note to the now-legendary pilgrimage described in Born to Run is that while in the Copper Canyons, Barefoot Ted spent a great deal of time with a Tarahumara elder named Manuel Luna, who taught him the art of making huarache sandals.  Upon his return to the United States, McDonald experimented combining Luna's old world design and craftsmanship with modern day materials - and the result was his own brand of footwear, named after his Tarahumara mentor.

I was initially somewhat hesitant to review a Luna product, because I've never really preferred running in huaraches over more conventionally styled minimalist footwear.  However, all it took to change my mind was one single word: Leadville.

Luna Leadville sandals

Leadville, as in the place where the Tarahumara showed up and provided the inspiration for the modern-day minimalist renaissance.  Leadville, as in the race where Barefoot Ted debuted his first pair of Luna sandals in 2010, and where no fewer than five members of the Luna team - who refer to themselves as "Luna Monkeys" - wore their huaraches during the event in 2011.  Leadville ... as in the 100-miler I'm going to attempt later this summer.  (I still get shivers whenever I type that, in case you're wondering.)

So when I learned that one of Luna's 2012 models was called the Leadville, and that the website describes it as a "rugged sandal designed for hardcore trails," I figured I pretty much had to give them a test run.  At the very least, I was running out of rational reasons to avoid them.

A short description of the Luna Leadville is that it's a modern-day huarache with just enough protection underfoot to use in rough trail conditions.  With a 10mm Vibram neoprene rubber platform, it actually has a higher stack height than FiveFingers, as well as the Soft StarRunAmocs I typically use for ultras.  There's more than enough thickness to take the sting out of sharp rocks, but enough flexibility to maintain outstanding ground feel.  You can also order an optional suede layer (as pictured on mine) that adds approximately 1 extra millimeter of height along with a significant amount of comfort.

The outsole features one of the most aggressive tread patterns I've seen on minimalist footwear (I wish my RunAmocs used this), and holds my foot in position quite well on most types of terrain.  This is a particularly critical point with huaraches, because ...

... for obvious reasons, there's not much structure on top to keep your foot from moving around.  I'd suspect that most huarache users will tell you the biggest challenge with any pair is getting the fit just right: making them tight enough to hold your foot in place, but not so constricting that they are uncomfortable.  There's a lot of customization in adjusting the tension over the top of the foot or the back of the heel, and it takes a lot of trial and error that can often times become frustrating.  

To help address this, Luna sandals can be ordered with three different lace styles: traditional leather straps like the Tarahumara use, elasticized laces that are easy to slip on and off after you get the right positions dialed in, or the company's new ATS (all terrain strapping) lacing system, which is a hybrid of elastic and nylon. 

My Leadville sandals came with the ATS system, and I initially had a lot of difficulty getting the heel tension just right; the strap kept sliding down off my heel, and when I tightened it enough to stay in place, my toes were pushed too far forward on the footbed.  One of the Luna Monkeys gave me some tips to try, and I eventually figured out a setting where the straps are comfortable and stay in place well - but if you'll notice on the picture above, I had to move the elasticized portions of the heel strap pretty far out of their standard neutral alignment to find the right balance.

I have my lace system dialed in well enough that there's very little separation of the footbed from the underside of my foot while running.  One of my pet peeves about running in sandals is when small pebbles get between your foot and the footbed, but once I figured out the best lacing system, this wasn't a big issue for me with my Leadvilles.  They also give me much better lateral stability than I've experienced with other huaraches, so that was a nice surprise. 

Toes creeping over the front edge

The fit issue did come into play again when running on downhills, where my toes slide forward on the footbed, at times to the point of contacting the ground.  I suspect this might be an inherent issue with any huaraches, but I'm still tinkering with mine a bit to see if I can improve the situation.  I'm also told that the footbed contours to your foot after extended use, but I haven't logged enough miles in my pair to attest to that.

One other point on the fit is that Luna sandals can be selected from "off the shelf" last sizes (although each pair is still hand-cut), or custom ordered based on your specific foot measurements.  I tried a standard last that is closest to my US shoe size, and it's a pretty accurate fit - I don't think I could have done any better by custom ordering.  However, since fit is such a crucial issue with huaraches, if you have any sort of size irregularities, you're probably better off doing a custom order. 

While I'm not entirely converted to using huaraches for my long-distance training, I have to say that I'm very impressed with the Luna Leadville.  They are more comfortable and protective than I anticipated, and they inspire a similar kind of primal feel that I love so much about my moccasins.  They would be a great option for someone like me who is considering building up to more frequent huarache use, as well as for experienced users seeking to push the limits of distance and terrain.

Luna's Leadville sandals retail for $85 from the company website.

*Product provided by Luna

**If you have a product you'd like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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