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Xero Shoes Partners with MMA Fighter Raufeon Stots

Broomfield, CO (October 4, 2022)Xero Shoes, a leading minimal footwear brand, has partnered with Raufeon Stots, the current Interim Bellator MMA Bantamweight Champion. Xero Shoes now provides Stots with performance and casual footwear that optimizes his performance. 

“It’s been a gamechanger switching to Xero Shoes. Wearing shoes that mimic feeling barefoot has made a huge difference in my training and recovery,” says Stots. “As a fighter, technique is key, and Xero Shoes give me constant feedback through all of my movements.” 

The 33 year-old champion has an 18-1 record and a perfect 6-0 record under the Bellator umbrella. In Stots’ latest victory at the Bellator Grand Prix Quarterfinals in April 2022, he scored a third-round knockout over former champion Juan Archuleta. With a rigorous two-a-day training schedule leading up to his next fight, Stots uses Xero Shoes as a way to emulate barefoot movement while benefiting from foot protection.

“Xero Shoes is thrilled to support Raufeon’s training and we’re rooting for him to take the championship title,” says Steven Sashen, CEO of Xero Shoes. “We know that foot strength and biofeedback are critical for fighters, providing balance and strength from the ground up, and we’re excited to hear that Raufeon’s optimized his performance with Xero Shoes.”

Stots next fight is the Bellator Bantamweight World Grand Prix Semifinals on December 9th at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut, where he’ll fight Danny Sabatello for the Interim Bantamweight Title.

More on Stots’ and his Xero Shoes partnership at www.xeroshoes.com/raufeon-stots.

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Xero Shoes’ Top 3 Lightweight Hiking Boots are Under 14oz

The Outdoor Participation Trends Report found that outdoor participation increased by 6.9 percent since the pandemic began in early 2020, with more than half (164 million) Americans ages six and older participating in an outdoor activity in 2021. According to the report, the second most popular outdoor activity is hiking. When you’re out on the trails, you need a hiking boot or shoe that is lightweight but still offers support and protection from the elements, whether that’s a creek crossing or a rock scramble.

Xero Shoes’ barefoot-inspired, comfortable lightweight hiking boots allow your feet to move, bend, and flex naturally so you can cover any distance of trail comfortably. Stiffness and weight don’t necessarily translate to comfort: all of Xero’s hiking boots/shoes weigh in under 14 ounces (each). Hikers love our hiking boots because they’re so comfortable, with a foot-shaped design, wide toe box and non-elevated heel.

Xero Shoes’ Lightweight Hiking Boots

Daylite Hiker Fusion All-Purpose Water-Repellant Boot

Built for those times when you don’t need a heavy technical boot, but want the advantages of a grippy lugged sole with added protection, durability, and ankle protection.

TerraFlex II All-Purpose Hiking Shoe

An update from Xero Shoes’ original TerraFlex, the upgraded welded upper increases mid-foot flexibility, wicking mesh keeps your feet cool and dry, and an aggressive lugged sole provides confident traction.

 

Xcursion Fusion Rugged Waterproof Hiking Boot

The lugged FeelTrue® sole gives you great traction, while an embedded TrailFoamTM layer provides extra protection and comfort. The Xcursion Fusion features a fully waterproof X-Dri® technology, with a seam-sealed inner bootie and water-resistant membrane and includes a welded upper.

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Customer’s Favorite Xero Shoes to Pack for Travel

Whether you’re heading to the mountains for a hike, escaping to a faraway beach or exploring a city on your bucket list, you need a travel-friendly shoe that’s versatile and comfortable, no matter where the day takes you. And due to their minimalist design, Xero Shoes are so lightweight they can bend in half, making them easily packable in even the smallest luggage, saving precious weight.

Instead of packing multiple shoes for every activity, reviewers boast that these travel-friendly Xero Shoes are the only ones they pack on a trip!

Best Xero Shoes to Pack for Travel

For a shoe that you’ll use not just for all the city exploring on vacation or walking during airport travel days, but when you want to sneak in a workout. The HFS is an all-around favorite that’s much more lightweight than other running shoes.

We recently returned from a three week trip to France traipsing through airports, through the train station, climbing spiral stone steps up to the top of a castle and up the many, many steps Mount Saint Michel, tramping over numerous uneven cobblestone streets, over some rocky areas in Normandy, through vineyards, and through oak orchards following a truffle-hunting dog. Some days were a bit long with tours both in the morning and the afternoon. But through it all my feet felt wonderful; liked they’d been massaged all day! For the first time I’d never had the feeling of “I can’t wait to get back to the hotel or ship to kick my shoes off.” Even on the airplane, I didn’t take off my shoes – a first! All that traipsing around and my shoes hardly look like they’ve hardly been worn. Diane O,

“These are my travel shoes now. Perfect for runs and the gym, super comfortable on flights, great for walking and exploring. The black color blends in well enough to work for pretty much every situation, in my opinion. I wear them with jeans or dress pants… I just can’t stand to wear any other shoes anymore…” Daniel J .

Want a comfortable, no-frills shoe that you can easily slip on and off? The Aptos Casual Hemp Canvas Shoe is a great pick for sightseeing or recovering from a day of active travel.

Aptos-Black

“I am on a trip from Arizona to Helsinki Finland right now and can’t say enough good things about my new shoes! I stepped into my Aptos shoes and didn’t suffer the usual blister or rubbing that I have always had with a new pair of shoes. These are so comfortable and work so well for me. I can now travel without fear of damage to my sole lol.”Barb P.

Just got back from a trip to Europe and a pair of black Hana’s was all I took with me. Perfect walking shoe. Classy enough to dress up for some nicer dinners. Just comfortable all around. If you wanna save space in your bag, skip the sneakers and get a pair of these. And yup, these are my everyday shoes at home too! –David T.

The TerraFlex II Hiking Shoe is an all-purpose hiking shoe for adventure travelers that fill their vacations with hiking, trail running and more!

I wore these shoes every day during an extended 26 day work trip overseas…They are perfect travel shoes as they are light weight and easy to pack and most importantly, comfortable! The performance during the hikes was really impressive- great grip in some pretty steep and snowy situations. While city walking, I was happily surprised that they kept my feet dry even on rainy days when I was dodging puddles…. – Rhonda W.

Walking in the City, Hiking on a Trail, Working out inside or outside; or out to dinner anywhere in the world, these shoes get you there, look good, feel good and you don’t need to pack another pair of shoes. They have immediately taken pain out of my knees and tightness out of my shins. I know walk 6 miles every morning on the Broad Walk on Miami Beach in these. I bought a second pair because the colors all look so great. 58 Years old, 5’9, 200 and I feel i can move again like I was 15 years old. Will be walking up to Machu Picchu in these in 3 weeks. – Scott S.

Hitting the beach or a tropical vacation and still want to get in your workouts? Whether you’re beach running or creek crossing on your hike, the Aqua X Sport Water Shoe sheds water easily so you won’t have to worry about wet feet.

AquaXsport-Surf

I traveled to Japan with these and they got me through days relaxing on the river, road runs in the pouring rain and a hike to the peak of Mt. FUJI. The hike up Mt. Fuji consisted of heavy rains, mud and Rocky trail and the Aqua X Sport performed better than I could have hoped. Thanks Xero! – Kirk B.

If you’re headed to a warm-weather destination, pack the Z-Trail EV Sandal, which can withstand hours of walking or paddling without any blisters. At just over 4 ounces, you’ll barely realize they’re in your luggage.

“I bought these before a 2 week trip to Greece. I wore them the entire time and my feet were never sore. They were the perfect adventure travel shoe.” – Aaron O

This sandal has been my day to day sandal used while travelling in Italy and it’s perfect for all types of activities.  – Pascal P.

Plus, several research studies tout that daily activity or just walking in minimal footwear strengthens feet. And if you’re headed out for a super long trip, Xero Shoes has a 5,000-mile sole warranty, even for our performance shoes. (For reference, most performance footwear only lasts 300-500 miles.)

However, we want to say that any of Xero Shoes are great for travel!

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Xero Shoes’ Top 3 Minimal Women’s Boots for Cool Weather

Cooler weather is finally here and it’s time to swap out your sandals for comfy, warm boots. Instead of turning to clunky boots that are hard to pack for fall travel or office wardrobe changes, or boots that pinch your toes together, consider Xero Shoes’ barefoot-inspired casual boots. Our boots are designed with a wide toe box and minimal sole, allowing your feet to move, bend, and flex naturally. Who says you can’t FEEL like you’re barefoot after the summertime?

 Research shows that just walking in minimalist shoes strengthens foot muscles as much as doing a foot-strengthening exercise program. If you struggle with plantar fasciitis, bunions, or just uncomfortable feet, Xero Shoes’ lightweight, comfortable fall boots are a great pick!

LEATHER BOOTS FOR LOOKING STYLISH

Tari Women’s Leather Boot 

The Tari is a minimal Chelsea-style boot for all occasions, made with sartorial detail. The full-grain leather upper feels as smooth as it looks, and tonal instep goring makes for easy on and off. The adjustable heel wrap helps stabilize your foot, and the flexible and durable FeelTrue® sole is lightweight at just 9.6 ounces each (W7).

 

COZY, FAUX FUR-LINED BOOTIES

Ashland Women’s Faux-Shearling Boot 

Our Ashland bootie is a sustainably-sourced cool weather bootie that takes natural comfort to the next level. This bootie is made with a water-repellant hemp upper and a vegan-friendly, faux-shearling lining. Your feet will stay warm all day long in this boot, whether you’re hanging in the house or bopping around town. 

 

YOUR MOST COMFORTABLE LACE-UP MID-HEIGHT BOOTS

Mika Women’s Mid-Height Boot

The Mika is a lightweight, lace-up hemp women’s mid-height boot that looks great dressed up or dressed down. This flexible, minimal mid-height boot features water-repellant canvas, perfect for the varying weather patterns in fall and winter. Stay warm thanks to a cozy flannel lining and stylish 70/30 poly/wool blend collar, and a heat-reflecting warming insole. Plus the lugged sole grips wet surfaces easily.

 

WARMEST BOOTS FOR SNOW

Alpine Snow Boot

The Alpine is a snow-friendly, waterproof, lightweight insulated boot. Whether you’re snowshoeing or relaxing apres ski, this snow boot keeps your feet warm. We designed this minimal snow boot with polyester insulation, a heat-reflective insole, and a fully seam-sealed lining.

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SELF Recommends Best Hiking Sandal from Xero Shoes

What Xero sandals made it into SELF’s Best Hiking Sandals?

Our Genesis sandal, known as our truly minimal sandal. Even though this sandal is the closest to barefoot you can get, our Xero Shoes’ fan and a mountaineer, Chuck Garcia, has worn these on trips out and about in the Adirondacks. Our sandals are just super comfortable that you don’t even realize you’re wearing them!

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Xero Shoes Fan Embraces Running after Cancer Diagnosis

Part of why we created Xero Shoes was because we wanted to make shoes that change people’s lives. And for our Xero Hero and affiliate, Randy Kriell, our shoes were part of his transformation story.

Randy’s story was featured in his local hometown paper, Dayton Daily News: Cancer diagnosis leads man to embrace running in sandals, develop healthy lifestyle.

If you rewind 10 years ago, Randy’s life was rocked by a cancer scare that led to radiation and countless surgeries. The next few years were a challenge as he healed. After reading Chris McDougall’s book, “Born to Run”, Randy was inspired by the Tarahumara Indians, the tribe the book was based on, and changed his lifestyle to mimic theirs. He laced up a pair of minimal sandals and started running, and hasn’t looked back. 

Randy took a cancer diagnosis and turned it into motivation to run. In August he turned 60, and he’s run more than 80 “ultra marathons” in the past 10 years.

“My life changed again when I bought these crazy looking sandals,” Kreill said. “I had to put them together and figure out how to lace them the best way.”

The Xero Shoes DIY sandal, originally called “Invisible Shoes,” is what Kreill ordered and, after perfecting his lacing technique, he created a video, uploaded it to YouTube and ended up with close to 2,900 subscribers. And on his 50th birthday – Aug. 25, 2012 – he participated in a Triathlon at Caesar Creek State Park, running a full marathon in his new “invisible shoes.”

“Wearing the sandals is a constant reminder to pick up my feet,” Kreill said. “I’ve learned how to run properly and use my core.”

If Xero Shoes have changed your life like they did with Randy, share your review! We love to hear from our customers!

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Chris McDougall Wears Xero Shoes on Good Day New York

So many of us were inspired by Christopher McDougall‘s book, “Born to Run.” In fact, it sparked the barefoot, natural running movement. We’ve always been a big fan of Chris’, and it turns out, he’s a big fan of ours, sharing several social media posts about wearing Xero Shoes. We’re working with Chris and Eric to promote BTR2 and help people discover how to run joyfully!

August 29th, Chris and his co-author and coach, Eric Orton, set off to promote the sequel, Born to Run 2: The Ultimate Training Guide.

They’re stopping in multiple cities across the US, joining local running groups to teach free running form clinics, using tips from the new book.
Before their first stop in Harlem, NYC, Chris and his wife Mika joined Good Day New York to share of the best running form drills.

“We get conditioned to buy shoes with cushion for fashion, but we forget that our feet are designed to run naturally. Just get all that obstruction out of your way, and let your feet respond.

These shoes are specifically designed to feel the ground. They’re called Xero Shoes, and they’re as close to zero as you can get.”

Check out the cities that Chris and Eric are visiting: Full details on his Born to Run 2 Tour

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Forbes Chooses Xero Shoes’ Naboso Trail as Best Hiking Sandals

Forbes Vetted - Naboso
Forbes Vetted - Naboso
Forbes Vetted names Xero Shoes’ Naboso Trail as one of the “Best Minimalist Hiking Sandals”!
In a roundup of  The 12 Best Hiking Sandals For Fairweather Treks, our Naboso Trail tops the list as the lightest sandal out there, at only 5.4 ounces each.
“…This model not only offers a super thin, highly flexible outsole, but also the stimulating action of a Naboso insole. So as you hike in a more natural, grounded way, the bottoms of your feet receive some pleasant attention. If you’re not a fan of sandal thongs and think you could get on board with the idea that less is more, this is the perfect option.”
The stimulation of the Naboso Trail comes from its proprioceptive insole, created by Dr. Emily Splichal, a podiatrist committed to natural movement and the benefits barefoot.
In addition to this hiking shoe, our Z-Trail sandal is a great hiking sandal. Or for a closer-to-barefoot experience, hike in our Z-Trek sandal.