xero shoes sensori ventures

scedastic

Barefooters
Oct 7, 2011
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I have not worn them for anything but walking around yet, so this is preliminary. However,I mainly got them for casual use and keep these as my "pretty" don't get them yucky shoes.

http://xeroshoes.com/shop/feeltrue-products/sensori-venture-womens-barefoot-sandals

The slip ons work well right out of the package.
The styling and construction looks professional and strong.
The sizing guide got me the right size.
The colors are sporty; the sandals have a cleaner look than the DIY kit.
The soles are thicker than they need to be. Not sure why. 5mm I think? Huh. Not a big deal, I guess, but I don't know why they couldn't go thinner. Again, I don't plan on running in them much, but I will try.

Biggest complaint: HEEL CUP. WHY? A little raised rubber part at the back of the shoe, for no reason. I'm not sure if it would bother me while running, but I can feel its existence walking around in them (my primary planned use), and it serves no purpose.
I can imagine it pushing rubbing on my heel uphill or downhill.
Again, the huarache design never had a heel cup. If I could pay an extra $5 to have them removed, this sandal would be great for casual wear.
 
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Thanks for your review, Sced!
 
The heel cup actually has 3 purposes.

For some, it helps keep the foot from sliding off (this isn't usually an issue if you have the lace tension right, hence, "for some").

It also helps keep debris out. Not perfectly, of course, since that's not possible. But we have one Venture wearer who spent a week hiking in his and only had one or two little things get under his foot.

Third, it is, admittedly, cosmetic. Some people love it, others have a different thought. But to make a splash in retail we need to differentiate ourselves, and this is one way we did. And, candidly, it's working. We've had a lot of interest from retailers who love the look with the heel cup, since it's unlike anything else they have on their shelf.

Might we be able to improve that part? Possibly. I have a fantasy of getting everything right on the first try. But since I know that's a fantasy, instead I rely on feedback like your Sced and use that for version 2.

BTW, while we're not planning to remove the heel cup, you *could* hack it yourself... it's just rubber and is subject to the laws of physics when it meets blades and/or sanders ;-)
 
Oh, and 5.5mm is because if you want to recess the toe post or toe knot, you need something to hold it in place. If you go any thinner, the recessed area would be too weak and the lace would pop right through.

Also, as more and more people began buying Xero Shoes who are not die-hard barefooters, they were buying more and more of our 6mm Contact kits.

So, put those 2 ideas together and we end up with a flexible but strong 5.5mm sole on the Ventures.
 
The heel cup is more noticeable to me when I'm walking. On the trail it seems to disappear. It also works well to keep my foot in place when running up hill. Two days ago I crossed a couple of streams and the cup did a good job keeping the gunk from slipping under my foot.

The rubber is more flexible than the 6mm Xero's that I have and it slaps the road. I'll work on trimming them and adjusting the straps to see if I can get it to go away but it does bug me. I like stealth running.

One of the biggest improvements is moving the side lacing closer to the foot. I have a wide foot with a narrow heel and the new hole locations work well for me.

Overall I like them.

Good Job Steve.
 
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Thanks, Moku.

BTW, slapping comes from one of 4 things: 1) Too-loose lacing; 2) Too long; 3) Overstriding (when running or walking); 4) Not "using" your foot when you walk.

Let me talk about 4 -- when you walk, you can either place your foot (often, heel-first) on the ground and let the forefoot fall to the ground, or you can keep the foot engaged as it "rolls" over the ground. I'm sure you can guess which one is more likely to result in "slapping" ;-)
 
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Steve, the funny part is that the origional Xeros don't make a sound. Maybe the laces are to loose. I was thinking that since the rubber was more flexible it was flopping around rather than staying close to the foot. I guess that could be caused by the lacing being to loose but with only one lace between the toes you can only get it so tight. I'll experiment and see what happens.

By the way, I have to say that these simple things have improved my running imencley. Eighteen months of injury free running (knok on wood). While I'd like to give all the credit to the Xeros it has more to do with the focus on running form and they give me that feedback without masking anything. Years ago as a Cat2 cyclist we would work for hours perfecting our peddle stroke , yet with running we would put on cushy shoes with miracle properties and head on down the path with no thought to how we were running. It was more about getting from A to B quickly and then change shoes when we devloped an injury.

Time to get off my soap box now and go for a run. :)
 
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I'll add my review of the Sensori Venture in this post as well. Since having won them here in this forum the weather has not been kind here. I have managed to get out in them about 10 times now, The only time I can wear them (with smartwool toe socks) is when the temperature is warmer than -16C. The sizing is right on if one follows the size instruction on the web page. I found them comfortable to run in once I had the lacing adjusted just right for my feet. I did not notice the heel cup when running, and have to add that they have decent traction for running on icy and packed snow roads we have here at the moment. I've been impressed with the Sensori and have since ordered 1 more pair for my daughter to use as her warmer weather running shoes. Thanks again Steven for making your products available for us here at the BRS.
 
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