Going barefoot is great for your health.
Over-engineered shoes can’t compete with the natural architecture of the foot.
Secondly, you can get the benefits of earthing or grounding when touching the bare earth. (In case you missed it, that’s covered in my Grounding Report here.)
But we do use shoes for a reason!
Fashion.
Well…unfortunately that IS the main reasons in this day and age.
But the more legitimate reason is protection.
And that brings me to my favorite brand of footwear…
These sandals are huarache style. A sandal with looped straps that hold them in place.
There is an issue with normal flip-flops. Your big toe and your index toe need to grip the toe strap in order to hold the sandal on your foot. If you haven’t worn flip-flops in a long time, you’ll notice your foot just doesn’t have that gripping pattern down, and sometimes the sandal is just flip-flopping and sliding off your foot. This causes a weird strain and changes in one’s gait and ideally, that should be avoided ideally.
With the straps on the Earth Runners, the above issues can be avoided. The soles are made of thin material though they do have options for more cushioning. This is my predominant footwear as long as it’s not wet or too cold out.
As it starts to heat up around here I’m using them more and more. I wear them out in nature or around town.
And yes, I do workout in them from time to time if I’m not completely barefoot.
The biggest benefit, besides the minimalist style that allows your foot to be free, is that they have a copper plug with wiring through the strap. This allows the benefits of earthing or grounding while still having foot protection available.
The best of all worlds.
They’re not cheap but one pair will last a long time. And it’s definitely worth the investment.
They’ve rolled out more models since I picked up my pair, but I use the Elemental Lifestyle version.
Find out more details here.
P.S. The above contains an affiliate link for which I’ll receive a commission if you choose to buy. Just know that I wouldn’t be recommending these if I didn’t love them too!