After winning the April Xero Shoes giveaway, I was torn between several shoes. I ultimately made the decision to try the somewhat thicker Z-Trail EV (10mm), as I already a pair of the much thinner Xero Genesis (5mm).
Since receiving them on May 10th, I've gone on several runs, hikes, countless dog walks, a few bike rides, and played in a river a little bit.
Fit
I ordered the men's 12 as that's what my Xero Genesis are, and I would say they fit true to size. There's one main strap and a rear velcro strap, and adjusting the tightness was very easy. I did notice after the first time I ran, and again after another week and a half or so of use that the main strap stretched a little bit and needed to be re-adjusted, but like I said it's easy to adjust.
Feel
Very comfortable shoe overall. The straps never rubbed or bothered my feet, and the sole is pretty cushy for a minimalist shoe. I'd say this shoe is ideal for rougher trail runs or hikes, but maybe a little thicker than what I'd want for city running or walking. When out hiking I could still feel the ground beneath me though, and they aren't too thick like some minimalist shoes (I'm looking at your Vivo Barefoot).
Performance
As I mentioned above they're thicker than I prefer for paved roads and smooth trails, but they shine off road. The traction is superb. I was walking down a steep dirt hill in these while my 60lb dog was pulling hard on her leash and I didn't slip or lose my balance at all. When I wore them in a river I still had solid traction underwater, but the water can pull the front of the sandal down and make it harder to raise your foot. There was also some slipping between my foot and the sandal after getting out of the water but they didn't take long to dry. I spent an hour and a half in the woods one night looking for a spot to set up my hammock after a long bike ride and my feet felt great the whole time. They also stay snugly on your foot and don't flop around as long as you have the straps tightened.
Added Bonuses
They just look like a regular pair of sandals so random people don't stare at me like I'm crazy for wearing them (except when running lol). In my opinion, they're also much easier to adjust than huarache style sandals.
Overall
I'd give these a 7/10. They a good all around sandal, and will definitely be my go to trail sandal for the foreseeable future.
Product Review Board Rating Scale:
Ground Feel: 3
Zero Drop: 5
Flexibility: 4
Toe Box: 5
Weight: 5
Comfort: 5
Fit: 5
Traction: 5
Durability: 4
Performance: 5
Cross Training: 4
Design: 4
Aesthetics: 5
Before:
View attachment 9966
After (sorry for the terrible lighting):
View attachment 9967
Since receiving them on May 10th, I've gone on several runs, hikes, countless dog walks, a few bike rides, and played in a river a little bit.
Fit
I ordered the men's 12 as that's what my Xero Genesis are, and I would say they fit true to size. There's one main strap and a rear velcro strap, and adjusting the tightness was very easy. I did notice after the first time I ran, and again after another week and a half or so of use that the main strap stretched a little bit and needed to be re-adjusted, but like I said it's easy to adjust.
Feel
Very comfortable shoe overall. The straps never rubbed or bothered my feet, and the sole is pretty cushy for a minimalist shoe. I'd say this shoe is ideal for rougher trail runs or hikes, but maybe a little thicker than what I'd want for city running or walking. When out hiking I could still feel the ground beneath me though, and they aren't too thick like some minimalist shoes (I'm looking at your Vivo Barefoot).
Performance
As I mentioned above they're thicker than I prefer for paved roads and smooth trails, but they shine off road. The traction is superb. I was walking down a steep dirt hill in these while my 60lb dog was pulling hard on her leash and I didn't slip or lose my balance at all. When I wore them in a river I still had solid traction underwater, but the water can pull the front of the sandal down and make it harder to raise your foot. There was also some slipping between my foot and the sandal after getting out of the water but they didn't take long to dry. I spent an hour and a half in the woods one night looking for a spot to set up my hammock after a long bike ride and my feet felt great the whole time. They also stay snugly on your foot and don't flop around as long as you have the straps tightened.
Added Bonuses
They just look like a regular pair of sandals so random people don't stare at me like I'm crazy for wearing them (except when running lol). In my opinion, they're also much easier to adjust than huarache style sandals.
Overall
I'd give these a 7/10. They a good all around sandal, and will definitely be my go to trail sandal for the foreseeable future.
Product Review Board Rating Scale:
Ground Feel: 3
Zero Drop: 5
Flexibility: 4
Toe Box: 5
Weight: 5
Comfort: 5
Fit: 5
Traction: 5
Durability: 4
Performance: 5
Cross Training: 4
Design: 4
Aesthetics: 5
Before:
View attachment 9966
After (sorry for the terrible lighting):
View attachment 9967
