Category: Press

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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.

 

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What Shoe Did Today.com Recommend for Bunions? Xero Shoes

Looking for podiatrist-recommended shoes if you have bunions? It’s important to wear shoes with a wide toe box and stretchy material.

Today.com picked Xero Shoes’ Speed Force as one of their most comfortable sneakers for bunions.

This sneaker’s wide toe box offers feet plenty of space, and the shoe is just about as close to being barefoot as you can get while still feeling comfortable. The lightweight style has a flexible sole and a removable insole, and its non-elevated (“zero drop”) heel also encourages good posture. Even cooler? They have a 5,000-mile sole warranty!

For Xero Shoes fans, you know that every shoe we make is good for bunions because of the wide toe box and foot-shaped design.

If you want a lightweight running shoe perfect for sprints or races, the Speed Force is a great option!

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What Shoes Did WIRED Pick for Beach Running? Xero Shoes

Two times in one month, two Xero Shoes are featured in WIRED!

 They ask, Want to Run on the Beach? Start With the Right Shoes.

Experts recommend you’re better off NOT running barefoot in the sand, and that’s a good thing because our barefoot-inspired shoes give you the protection you need while still allowing your feet to bend, move and flex naturally.

Xero Shoes’ Aqua X Sport and Z-Trail are listed as the Best for Minimalists

WIRED calls the Aqua X Sport the ultimate water shoe, thanks to its superior breathability… All the holes along the sides and toe box means it does fill with sand like nobody’s business, but that also gives you breathability for your feet.

  The Z-Trail EV made our best overall spot in our best barefoot shoes guide, and WIRED product writer Scott Gilbertson calls them the best shoes he’s ever worn. Compared to other shoes, there’s hardly any material on them, so you can barely feel them when you’re running.

 

 

 

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Our Co-Founder Lena quoted in Inc.

Xero Shoes is no stranger to supply chain challenges over the past few years. Our President and Co-Founder, Lena Phoenix, was quoted in a recent Inc. article, sharing how we’re getting creative with our inventory.

Lingering Inflation and Tangled Supply Chains Mean You Need to Rethink Your Inventory Strategy

It’s no surprise that people LOVE Xero Shoes, so that’s why we try to increase our inventory.

“As a bootstrapped business, we’ve always invested everything we can in inventory for next season. The goal for us has always been to find more capital,” says Lena.

But Xero didn’t just buy more, it bought smarter–introducing an enterprise resource planning systemthat allowed the team to better analyze what customers were responding to and to predict what they might want next.

“A lot of footwear companies don’t make shoes above size 12, so we have quite a few consumers who wear sizes 13, 14, and 15. Every time we launched a new size, we’d run out of it right away–and now we no longer run the risk of overcorrecting.”