FINALLY…A minimalist sandal that works!

Thanks, Michael.

I am sure the shoe/sandal companies will continue to come around but realistically, their whole business is based on foot support. It looks like New Balance is stepping out a bit (no pun intended) with their Minimus sandal line (thanks, Daniel) but working as an engineer/sales account manager in the a very dynamic environment (automotive), I can tell you first hand that suppliers & OEMs are VERY SLOW to change.

Let's see where this takes us. I am trying to reach out to some distributors & Vibram to see if I can get my hands on some other rubbers to try as well. The 6mm sport utility stuff I am using is good, but I don't want to be limited to one rubber if I don't have to.

Thanks,
Ryan

Well, working through some design details, I made an update on the side straps to improve two features…

Two needed improvements..

1. Prevent the heel strap from slipping. This seemed to happen when running mostly but it keeps me from having to keep the straps really tight

2. To get height to prevent #1, I would have to do a double wrap on the side strap and after a full day of wearing them, I got a hot spot on the right foot, near the instep. I need to get better at using the sewing machine but I'll get there…

This design is much more comfortable and will be the way I keep them for my trip to South America this week.

My plan is to make sure there are no more design tweaks needed from feedback on the trip. If all goes well, I well I plan on seeing how many people are interested and ordering materials to make enough sandals to support those interested.

Let me know your thoughts…thanks.

Ryan

Just one more to show the height on the heel strap. I experimented with rubber but prefer the soft nylon for no hot spots/blisters…

Much better IMHO.

Ryan

I like it Ryan. My only suggestion would be to bring some extra strapping with you. Those seams on the side will be under a lot of stress. Now Chacos have the same design and they work so I'm not saying your design is bad, I really like it. I'm just saying that is probably the most likely failure point on these sandles. There might be some trial and error before you figure out the strongest way to sew them.

Have a good trip.

Thanks, Luke….good call.

I was a little hesitant to bust out the sewing machine as well so based on your feedback, I made another modification…

This not only accomplishes keeping the heel strap from slipping, it also allows for adjustment on both sides to really dial in the fit. Wore them like this last night after modding them, but will take a run with my wife today to see how they feel with varying terrain.

One more to add detail…

Thanks again!

"Prior to the Unaweep soles Chaco soles were not so stiff, nor so immensely thick. I can't wear Chacos anymore because of the board-like feel they have now. They don't bend as easily as they used to. I begin to lose sensation in my toes."

+1. Didn't know the new soles were termed 'Unaweep' but they had me weeping after the $90+ purchase. Expensive door stops is what I have now. I miss my original pair. Should have resoled them.

Ryan, I would certainly consider a pair of these if/when you go into production mode.

@Gerald – thanks for the feedback. I am pretty serious about getting things rolling once I get back from my trip and with some more foot time on the sandals (to work out the kinks).

Thanks and I will keep everybody updated…

Ryan

Nice idea on the buckles Ryan. Keep an eye on those buckles because I'd guess that joint there would be your most likely failure point whether you use a buckle or stitching. I noticed on my Chacos the buckle is really beefy. Those buckles may have trouble if they are twisted and pulled at odd angles.

I think your buckle idea would work but if you want to go back to sewing the x-box stitch should work well. Basically you sew a box with an X shape across it. That spreads out the stress. I doubt the webbing would rip, you'd have more to worry about from the thread tearing. Heavy duty thread should work and having multiple stiches is a good idea. You might see one unravel a bit if you make a mistake but it would be unlikely to totally fail before you could get to a sewing machine and fix it.

Oh one word on sandles if you haven't used them a lot. Expect to get some blisters. Its just the nature of the beast. I would normally rotate my sandles occasionally with running shoes so my feet gradually toughened up.

Keen has come out with the CNX sandals which are 12oz less per pair and added another $100 item to me gear lust list.

Agreed on the Chacos— they could be used for riot control. Far too heavy and stiff for a sandal.

The Teva Zilch are a pretty good minimalist sandal. I have been pleased with mine, but would prefer a little more ground feel. These look nice though.

@Luke – thanks…the good news with this method is the buckle s only there to add the height to keep the heel strapnfromslipping soothe straps are just a pass-through, not much load on these.

Thanks,
Ryan

As promised, I wanted to provide an update as to where I'm at with the sandals….

First of all, I can say that after 3 weeks of wearing these I could not be more thrilled. Spending summer weekends and holidays in the upper peninsula of Michigan, I run into the same problem every year, the trade-off between heavy sandals that stay on your feet (Chacos, Keens) or lightweight flip-flops that tend to cause some (obvious) problems near (and in) the rivers, lakes and forest. I also have the very same issue traveling periodically for work as I want something that will stay on my feet and not look half bad wearing with jeans to dinner.

To test these out as much as possible over the past three weeks, and to see if I could make them fail in ways suggested by some of you, here is what I have put these through:

– week of travel through airports and various cities from Detroit to Sao Paulo, Brazil
– several miles running on uneven terrain in Detroit
– chasing four-year-olds around a field for my son's first t-ball practice (i am coaching this year for the first time)
– taming a wildfire
– running in and along the shores of Lake Superior and rivers and forests of the UP
– swimming in some of the rivers as well as Lake Superior IN the sandals (extremely cold this time of year, I was told around 40F in Lake Superior, 57F in the river near our cabin and it definitely felt like it),
– wading and walking in river mud just to get the sandals as messy and slimy as possible before taking a few jogs out of the rivers and up hills to see if my feet would slip
– chopping up deadwood to stock our wood pile to heat the cabin
– hiking through the thick forests of Upper Michigan, crossing over beaver dams, walking through sand dunes
– up and down logs, sand hills, rocks,

I am sure I missed a few things but as you can see, I basically put these things on in the morning and didn't take them off until night just to make sure I wasn't missing anything. I will say that other than an interesting tan line, I experienced no blisters, hot spots, bruises, cuts, etc. I have never been this satisfied with a pair of sandals and, at the very least, my search for the perfect spring, summer, fall shoe/sandal has come to an end. The strap design + molded footbed definitely locks in the foot for the second skin feel. Even swimming with the sandals on worked out quite well and I never once felt as though they were going to come off, either in the water or walking through the river bottom muck.

So…I tried to throw together a quick blog to at least show some photos and (not so great) video of some of the experiences I've had so far through this process. Instead of trying to post of all the photos here (and not being able to duplicate the videos), I will provide the link: http://www.exodussandals.tumblr.com. This site is a work in progress but seems to handle photos well.

My plan is to start a new thread in an appropriate location on the forum early this week(gear deals? gear swap?) and see how many are interested in buying a pair (for a little above cost and shipping) to wear and provide feedback.

Let me know your thoughts…

Thanks,
Ryan

Ryan, Great report. I'm impressed that you had such great success with the early prototype. Certainly some rigorous testing thus far.

I was curious if the heel side ladder locks were going to cause hot spots (?).

Are you satisfied with the Vibram gumlite sole and are you still considering other materials?

I would definitely like to R&D a pair as soon as you have them available. There may be sandal life after my 1st gen. Chacos after all.

By the way, Exodus Sandals is a great name.

Cheers,
Gerald

Thanks for the interest and taking the time to reply…greatly appreciated.

Regarding the side ladder locks, no hot spots at all. And I have had sand from the lake caked in between (on purpose) without issue. Actually the reason for the side ladder locks is two-fold: 1) I wanted a way to add height & adjustment to the heel strap without sewing (potential fail point)…this prevents that strap from sliding down the back of your heel, 2) with a three point system, one on each side and one on the top, you can really dial in a perfect fit. Prior to this, I wrapped te strap around itself a couple times to get some height but experienced hot spots. Not any more :).

Regarding the material, I have ordered some other sample materials and in talks with a few people at Vibram to see if there is something better but I have no complaints this far. Plus, I need a durable rubber that is moldable without degradation in quality/durability, so far this is the best out of two I have tried. Another few samples are on the way.

Thanks again,
Ryan

…

Thanks, Daniel.

I am not big in business travel because it takes me away from the fam, but looking back at the list, I can truly say I am thankful and blessed.

Ryan

Just FYI, I have also started on Instagram (which ultimately end up on the tumblr) and Twitter.

The name is @EXODUSsandals

Thanks,
Ryan

Your tumbler site is really nice.

My company can set up a eCommerce site for you and provide live 24/7 operators for order taking, CS & payment processing.

telerep.com

thanks, Craig…I'll keep that in mind.

Ryan

These look really nice. Great job so far. Definitely interested.

Saw these at Trail Days this year. Pretty similar and a product already on the market initiated from a Kickstarter campaign:

http://bedrocksandals.com/

Great to have an update. Looking forward to testing a pair myself. How do you plan to build to size? Foot tracingss?

@Ber – thanks and once I start a new thread, it will have the info needed for those interested.

@Jolly – I was very close to pulling the trigger on the bedrocks. However, I already had the rubber and started off by trying to make a typical huarache style sandal with Vibram rubbber and nylon straps (like some other companies out there, Luna, Bedrock, Unshoes). Personally, I did not like the lack of lateral support and my feet always seemed to slip over the sides of the rubber. That is when I really started modifying, starting off first with heating and molding the rubber footbed to cradle the foot. After, I realized the huge improvement and started working on a new strap routing/design which got me where I am at today.

Thought that if they worked for me, others may be interested as well which is why I am taking it slow and offering to make some for BPL members and family friends only for now. That may change in the future but I'd like good honest feedback first! IMHO, Bedrock has the best looking product out there for standard huarache style minimalist sandals.

@Spelt – glad to hear you are interested…I think for the initial builds, we should start off with tracings just to make sure everyone is satisfied with the fit…

Will be posting a new thread soon so keep your eyes open…thanks.

Ryan

Very cool, Ryan! I do most of my running in a pair of Luna Originals (I think now they're called the "Venado"). I use them on a mix of concrete, grass/city parks, and singletrack. The suede top definitely can get slippery when it's wet or when passing through dew. Apparently they've updated the footbed to allow for more traction. I've been waiting on their new Oso model which is supposed to be geared more toward the rugged/trail side of things, but it keeps getting delayed, and according to their newsletter that just showed up in my inbox, it's gonna be another two months. I need something soon so I'll probably get a pair of Luna Leadvilles before I leave in mid-June for a month-long roadtrip/backpacking excursion in the western USA, but I'd love to give yours a go when they're ready and would be glad to share my experiences and comparisons. I like your strap design, especially at the toe. I tend to cinch my Lunas up way tight to avoid slippage, and after a while the skin webbing between my big toe and second toe can get a little sore from all the friction.

Hi Adam,

Thanks for the kind words and the interest. And appreciate you sharing your experience with the Luna's. Another nice product I was interested in but I am too hard on my sandals to rely on the single strap. Also, I experienced some irritation in the same place as you on my original prototypes.

With the XO toe lock design (gotta call it something), I haven't experienced that problem. I adjust the toe lock just big enough to fit my toe in with little effort. Once dialed in, it doesn't rub because it wraps around the big toe.

I also forgot to mention that although I love to hike and play in the woods and water, I have not actually ran a mile or more in over 5 years. Just never was a runner. But the first day I focused in on this design, and after reading the pros and cons of barefoot running, I took my 255 lb mass and started running, just to prove to myself that if dove properly (mid foot gait, etc.), there would be no break-in time. I can say I've run a total of around 6 miles with no issue!

Thanks,
Ryan