Z-Trail sandal by Xero Shoes: A Review

Z-Trail sandal by Xero Shoes

Lowdown: surprisingly disappointing

After owning my Xero Shoes Z-Trail sandals for less than a month, I had both of them blow out on a recent backpacking trip in Grand Gulch, the left foot on Day Two, the right on Day Four. The same thing happened to both: a small metal 'clip' thingy that attaches the main strap to the back velcro heel strap simply snapped off. I was able to adapt: the main strap was long enough that I could run it around my heel in kind of an old-school huarache wrap, though it was not at all sturdy or tight.

I was excited to see Xeros being stocked at REI, and though the price there was about $20 more than at the Xero website, I bought them. They look good: Xero's answer to sport sandals like Tevas and Chacos, with a way-thinner sole—still flexible like a huarache, but made of tougher material than their huaraches: Still bendable, but you can't, for example, roll them up. Very comfortable for walking around town and looking stylish.

I ran in them, both pavement and trail. I would be careful running in them on pavement, and if you're running on pavement you'd be better off just running barefoot anyways, but the toughness/hardness of the sole made them a little clunky: the first time I ran on pavement my heels hurt a bit after, but the second time I really concentrated on not heel-striking. For trail running they were good: the toucher sole makes them better for gravel, where even the Xero huaraches can leave my feet a little battered-feeling.

The Xero claim for the Z-Trail is “Adventure Everywhere”, and I was hoping they'd be both a running sandal and something I could take backpacking. So, I took them on a four-day hike in Canyonlands National Park, then a week later on a five-day in Grand Gulch, where they blew out—again, after less than a month.

One of the main ideas for the Z-Trail seems to be to get away from the 'thong' of the huarache: instead of a strap or lace between the big toe and the second toe, this new design instead runs a wider canvas strap across the toes, then flipping around to go across the top of the foot. I know some people hate the huarache thong, so they may like that (though I will say I used to be one of those people, but you get used to the thong, I swear). I will say that, at least at first, the sandals felt snug and comfortable, more than the Xero huaraches, though one problem with the strap across the toes, for my feet at least, was that my little toes got scrunched and irritated, though this happened more after I had to adapt the sandals after the blow out.

Another new thing Xero has introduced is a sort of 'heel cup'. I'm not sure why: if your heel hangs off your huarache, you should be wearing a bigger size. Maybe it's purely for looks, to make them look more like a sandal? In any case, what the 'heel cup' really does is catch pebbles and sand really well, and make sweeping them out harder.

So if you just want a thin-soled sandal you can wear around town this summer, with zero-drop and no toe thong, the Z-Trail is way better than Chacos or Tevas, and even more comfortable than a Luna sandal (which hurt my heels if I just walk in them on pavement). But I would not guarantee them to handle any kind of trailwork. Or to last long. I've been a fan of Xero, and would still recommend their minimalist running shoes over anybody's, but the same thing happening to both sandals within two days shows a lack of quality care.

(Sandals post-blowout, with main strap running around back to hold heel)

The Prio by Xero Shoes

The Prio

Xero Shoes

The lowdown: best minimalist running shoe on the market

With Merrill Shoes getting out of the minimalist running shoe business, amazingly, you're best bet for an actual shoe, and not, say, a huarache sandal, is the Prio from Xero Shoes. They offer zero-drop heels, and with a thin, bendable sole, though thick enough to offer some protection from heavy gravel.

Unlike Merrills, and especially 'normal' running shoes, Xeros are not sleek. They're not meant to be. And that's a good thing. Sleek implies narrow and thin, and you don't want that in a running shoe: you want a large 'toe box' for plenty of room for toes and feet to spread out, with any narrowness coming in the middle of the foot, where the laces come in. This is exactly what Xeros have, with a good addition: their laces actually loop down through side loops attached to the sole, which helps snug in the foot under the arch, though that does not mean any arch support. Remember: arch support is not your friend. It may feel good in the short term, but long-term it weakens your fascia, and your foot in general.

I have had my Xeros for about six months now, and they have served me well for running in the colder, wetter temps of Oregon winters, when barefoot running can be a wee bit miserable (though for the record, I did run barefoot one winter in Michigan [insert link]). They also served me on a multi-day backpacking trip in Big Bend National Park, up through the mountains and across a desert slog. And they've just been a casual sportwear shoe for around town. Most especially, when I received a non-running injury to my heel, they ended up being the most comfortable of all my footwear to wear while recovering.

One that note: when I last tried to buy some Merrill shoes in an actual shoe store, a salesperson told me they'd stopped carrying the minimalist kinds, because they were getting too many people returning them, having, supposedly, injured themselves running in them. So, a gentle reminder Gentle Reader: the best way to learn how to run in minimalist (or so-called barefoot) shoes is to actually run barefoot for a while first. Which is actually, or should be, your goal. Minimalist shoes are just for occasions when running barefoot isn't quite comfortable, like in snow and heavy gravel. 'Normal' shoes incline us to heel strike: a no-no anyways, and even worse if you do it in minimalist shoes. Go easy at first. Trot. Jog. Trail-running preferred.

Order the Prio from Xero Shoes here:
https://xeroshoes.com/shop/activity/performance/prio-men/https://xeroshoes.com/shop/activity/performance/prio-men/