Earth Runners Elemental Sandals Review

There’s always been something incredibly freeing about going barefoot. Perhaps because it reminds us of the beach, or being a kid, or simply being off the clock. Whatever it is, we fully embraced it with the Elemental Earth Runners.

via GIPHY

These minimalist running sandals feel as though you are wearing nothing while still protecting everything. The duo-system straps and 8mm sole offers more security than what first meets the eye. Once strapped in, the sole becomes one with your foot. There’s absolutely no slipping or slapping around in your step, so you can walk safely and naturally.

via GIPHY

It is, however, worth noting that minimalism is definitely a point of preference. The lightweight design is ideal for packing situations, but it’s important to understand that the unique construction realigns how your foot strikes the ground. Most shoe designs have a heavy heel that forces you to land heel first and roll into the toes. But with something like the Earth Runner sandals, you don’t feel the presence of the heavy heel and land on your forefoot as you inherently would when barefoot. This takes some easing into to avoid any alignment injuries, but once adjusted it works wonders.

Okay now back to the Elemental Earth Runner sandals. You can wear them for more than just running. We’ve worn them hiking, to the beach, and just strolling around town on a hot day. While they are multifunctional, they are not multi-fashionable. It’s a lot of foot and not a lot of style. You can customize them to just about any strap color and sole combination you’d like, but they’re still going to be geared towards the active outdoors.

via GIPHY

The process of taking these on and off is a little slower and meticulous compared to most sandals you are used to. But like they say, all good things are worth the wait. The straps look rather simple and straightforward when all laced up, but it’s a pretty complicated process to get there. You have to lace them through the soles and around your ankle just right. They also suggest cutting off any excess strap and burning the edge. Luckily, we didn’t have to deal with that. If you get stuck when strapping up your first pair, don’t panic. They have some step-by-step videos on their site that will get you through it.

There are a couple of other bonuses to these travel shoes that we found less compelling, but some of you may dig. One of them is the copper plug. It binds the lacing through the sole and is supposed to “ground” you with the earth. We’re not entirely sure about feeling connected with Mother Nature through a copper plug, but we do know that they’re vegan!