Sensori Venture Review

RandyY

Barefooters
Apr 11, 2012
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304
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Grande Prairie, Alberta
After way too long, I have finally gotten around to review the Xero Shoes Sensori Ventures. In my defence, I do claim I was delayed by weather! :)

So, I have been wearing my Xero shoes for a while and I can say they are my day to day footwear. I have tried them on a few runs as well.

Pros: They do fit right out of the package, although they do fit better with a few tweaks. Then again, the fact that they can be adjusted to fit your foot exactly makes them more comfortable anyway.
Excellent ground feel, nice when walking anywear.
Good protection for your soles, you don't feel sharp edges on rocks or gravel underfoot. I've also found they protect against cold as well. Walking on snow as the weather was warming up, my toes actually stayed warmer than wearing my VFFs. Possibly because warmer air can get to them :)

Cons: If you are someone who doesn't lift their feet, you may find the front end hooks under...a minor glitch, and I should really be lifting my feet more anyway. :)
I found the front end would catch under the gas pedal in the car, at least until I wore them for a while, I haven't had an issue with that since the first week or so of wearing them. So, not a big item, and I've had more issues with wearing big winter work boots while driving.
There is a slapping noise when I wear them running, but I've seen several people remark that that is more an issue with technique than with the footwear themselves. I do have to watch my footfall while walking too, so it is probably a case of taking time to work on a proper stride, whether walking or running.
I have to get the laces adjusted to get the thong comfortable between the toes, while being tight enough to hold properly on my foot, but once again, that comes down to spending some time playing with the sandals.


Overall, I really enjoy wearing the Sensori Ventures, they do work best with a bit of adjustment, but feel much better than any padded footwear I have! As I've written, most of my negatives are fixable and seem to be more related to technique and learning curve than to the sandals themselves.
I still prefer barefoot running, i'm just more comfortable that way, but I can see wearing the Sensori's on trails or unfamiliar ground. This fall I may try them once the weather gets cooler and the ground temperature starts getting uncomfortable underfoot.

As I wear them longer, I may add a few remarks. How well they wear, etc. Time will tell. :)