I won the Xero Genesis huaraches, but I had also purchased the same ones a couple of weeks prior. Therefore, I have been testing these babies for about a month now. Overall, I give these 5 toes, but not without a few caveats. My toe system rates from 1 toe (terrible) to 5 toes (fantastic).
Ground Feel: 4 toes.
I don't have very much experience with other huaraches, as these are my first pair. Therefore, take my review with a grain of salt. However, I found that I still was able to feel the surfaces underneath my feet, but with a nice little 5mm of protection.
I tested these babies on all terrains, from muddy clay to soft sand, and chip & seal to nasty loose limestone "gravel." I could distinguish all the surfaces, and I was comfortable on every one. Even that awful sharp limestone. They provide a good heat barrier as well, allowing me to (foolishly try to) run in the afternoons down here in sunny San Antonio.
Zero Drop: 5 toes.
They are flat huaraches with about a 5 mm thickness. 'Nuff said.
Flexibility: 5 toes.
I happily rolled these babies up just to test it out. And, there are lovely pictures of the Genesis rolled up on the Xero website.
I have had absolutely no problem moving my feet in these, and they do not impede my foot flex in the slightest.
Toe Box: more like wide flat sole. 5 toes.
I have fairly wide feet for their length and have had issues with many shoe brands in the past. My foot pad fits on these, and I can spread my toes to full wingspan.
Weight: 5 toes.
Granted, dense rubber is going to be a bit weighty. You ARE going to feel them on your feet. But, each one of my size 7 huaraches weighs a whole 111g. A heck of a lot less than my old NB 990s. I could probably shave a couple of grams off by trimming the laces, but I haven't gotten around to it.
Comfort: 5 happy toes.
At first, I disliked the tubular lacing, and thought I would prefer it flat, but it has grown on me. So has the stretch, now that I got the tension right. The knot on the top is nice and flat, and now that my huaraches are balanced on my foot, I feel extremely confident in them.
They have actually become my daily wear shoes, and will be so for some time. In fact, I am flying with them in 2 days and they will be my primary shoe. In a month, I am flying again, and they may be the only footwear I take with me.
Fit: 5 toes.
These lovelies are highly adjustable and true to size. The heel adjustments took me a bit to figure out, and that was mostly user error. I still need to trim the excess lace off, but at first it all felt kinda bulky. It no longer does. Granted, that may also have to do with the size of my foot. I'm a women's size 7, so the same hardware on my little hooves looks and feels more bulky than, say, if it were on my husband's size 13's.
Traction: 4 toes.
These come with a nice little chevron texture on the soles, but I don't feel it from the top. I have not had any slippage issues in these, but I also didn't take them through the marshy stuff. I probably wouldn't use them for climbing crevasses in Vedauwoo, WY, but I would happily use them to run hills. Wet hills might be a bit more of an issue, but I doubt it. Maybe a tidbit of sole slip, but the laces keep from excessive slip.
Durability: 4 toes.
I've been using the dickens out of these, and the main components are gonna hold for a good long time. The laces ton't touch the ground on the sides, and the toe loop has a tough base that is holding up well while not irritating my toes. But, I'm going to nitpick a bit.
I love the silicone on the inside of the heel strap, but some of it is beginning to come loose. The little tag on the back is also starting to unstitch itself. So 5 toes for the main components, but 3 stars on durability of the niceties.
Performance: 5 toes.
My huaraches have taken everything I have thrown at them and done just fine. Granted, I'm no performance racehorse myself, but I have every confidence that my huaraches are not going to fail me. No untying, no excessive slipping, no extra fluff. Now, would I go rattlesnake wrangling and expect them to provide a +5 to my AC? (Nerdspeak there, shoutout to my fellow D&D players) No, I would not. Nor would I personally play basketball in them. Or in anything, because I don't play basketball. But you get the idea.
Cross Training: 4 toes.
Fantastic for running, walking, and general ambulatory function. Bad for tap dance, moon walking, and sliding about on a dance floor. Pretty good for everything that doesn't require a ton of lateral motion. Oh, and good for golf.
Design: 5 toes.
Granted, the basic design isn't a new one. But there are little niceties that set the Genesis apart from standard huaraches. First, the laces are tubular and have a quick adjust design. Second, the sole is slightly shaped to lightly cup the bottom of the heel and keep the side of the laces from touching the ground, preventing abrasion. Third, the bottom of the front toe loop is made of durable plastic and will hold for several hundred (thousand) miles of ground taps. Finally, there is a little bit of silicone on the inside of the heel strap, giving them a bit of security and grip. It is enough to keep it on my heel, but not so much as to catch or abrade.
Aesthetics: 4 toes.
Perhaps it is just the size of my foot, but the back of my Genesis look a little bulky where the heel strap and hardware meet the laces. On a larger foot, I think they would look more elegant; just not on mine. But I will trade smooth elegance for rugged utility and freedom any day of the week. Besides, I still find these cute enough to wear with summer dresses, shorts, skirts, etc.
Ground Feel: 4 toes.
I don't have very much experience with other huaraches, as these are my first pair. Therefore, take my review with a grain of salt. However, I found that I still was able to feel the surfaces underneath my feet, but with a nice little 5mm of protection.
I tested these babies on all terrains, from muddy clay to soft sand, and chip & seal to nasty loose limestone "gravel." I could distinguish all the surfaces, and I was comfortable on every one. Even that awful sharp limestone. They provide a good heat barrier as well, allowing me to (foolishly try to) run in the afternoons down here in sunny San Antonio.
Zero Drop: 5 toes.
They are flat huaraches with about a 5 mm thickness. 'Nuff said.
Flexibility: 5 toes.
I happily rolled these babies up just to test it out. And, there are lovely pictures of the Genesis rolled up on the Xero website.
I have had absolutely no problem moving my feet in these, and they do not impede my foot flex in the slightest.
Toe Box: more like wide flat sole. 5 toes.
I have fairly wide feet for their length and have had issues with many shoe brands in the past. My foot pad fits on these, and I can spread my toes to full wingspan.
Weight: 5 toes.
Granted, dense rubber is going to be a bit weighty. You ARE going to feel them on your feet. But, each one of my size 7 huaraches weighs a whole 111g. A heck of a lot less than my old NB 990s. I could probably shave a couple of grams off by trimming the laces, but I haven't gotten around to it.
Comfort: 5 happy toes.
At first, I disliked the tubular lacing, and thought I would prefer it flat, but it has grown on me. So has the stretch, now that I got the tension right. The knot on the top is nice and flat, and now that my huaraches are balanced on my foot, I feel extremely confident in them.
They have actually become my daily wear shoes, and will be so for some time. In fact, I am flying with them in 2 days and they will be my primary shoe. In a month, I am flying again, and they may be the only footwear I take with me.
Fit: 5 toes.
These lovelies are highly adjustable and true to size. The heel adjustments took me a bit to figure out, and that was mostly user error. I still need to trim the excess lace off, but at first it all felt kinda bulky. It no longer does. Granted, that may also have to do with the size of my foot. I'm a women's size 7, so the same hardware on my little hooves looks and feels more bulky than, say, if it were on my husband's size 13's.
Traction: 4 toes.
These come with a nice little chevron texture on the soles, but I don't feel it from the top. I have not had any slippage issues in these, but I also didn't take them through the marshy stuff. I probably wouldn't use them for climbing crevasses in Vedauwoo, WY, but I would happily use them to run hills. Wet hills might be a bit more of an issue, but I doubt it. Maybe a tidbit of sole slip, but the laces keep from excessive slip.
Durability: 4 toes.
I've been using the dickens out of these, and the main components are gonna hold for a good long time. The laces ton't touch the ground on the sides, and the toe loop has a tough base that is holding up well while not irritating my toes. But, I'm going to nitpick a bit.
I love the silicone on the inside of the heel strap, but some of it is beginning to come loose. The little tag on the back is also starting to unstitch itself. So 5 toes for the main components, but 3 stars on durability of the niceties.
Performance: 5 toes.
My huaraches have taken everything I have thrown at them and done just fine. Granted, I'm no performance racehorse myself, but I have every confidence that my huaraches are not going to fail me. No untying, no excessive slipping, no extra fluff. Now, would I go rattlesnake wrangling and expect them to provide a +5 to my AC? (Nerdspeak there, shoutout to my fellow D&D players) No, I would not. Nor would I personally play basketball in them. Or in anything, because I don't play basketball. But you get the idea.
Cross Training: 4 toes.
Fantastic for running, walking, and general ambulatory function. Bad for tap dance, moon walking, and sliding about on a dance floor. Pretty good for everything that doesn't require a ton of lateral motion. Oh, and good for golf.
Design: 5 toes.
Granted, the basic design isn't a new one. But there are little niceties that set the Genesis apart from standard huaraches. First, the laces are tubular and have a quick adjust design. Second, the sole is slightly shaped to lightly cup the bottom of the heel and keep the side of the laces from touching the ground, preventing abrasion. Third, the bottom of the front toe loop is made of durable plastic and will hold for several hundred (thousand) miles of ground taps. Finally, there is a little bit of silicone on the inside of the heel strap, giving them a bit of security and grip. It is enough to keep it on my heel, but not so much as to catch or abrade.
Aesthetics: 4 toes.
Perhaps it is just the size of my foot, but the back of my Genesis look a little bulky where the heel strap and hardware meet the laces. On a larger foot, I think they would look more elegant; just not on mine. But I will trade smooth elegance for rugged utility and freedom any day of the week. Besides, I still find these cute enough to wear with summer dresses, shorts, skirts, etc.
