6 Reasons To Run In Luna Sandals

By Unknown - September 02, 2014


Photo Credit: Luis Escobar

Let me start this post off by saying I am extremely biased when it comes to running in sandals.

Over the last few years, I have transitioned from running in regular running shoes, to minimalist running shoes, and now 100% in sandals.


People are always shocked when I say I run in sandals, which makes my day because then I can take it a step further by telling them that I don't just run a few miles a day in them-- I run ultramarathons in them. I run through rivers in them. I hike in them. I walk around town in them. The only place I don't wear them is in the gym (because I'm not allowed to). It's safe to say at this point that Luna Sandals have set a standard for a new type of footwear: Adventure Sandal.

My Luna Sandals have become a second skin for my feet, molded perfectly and I forget that anything is on my feet at all. I don't think twice about wearing my sandals on technical trails, muddy trails, at the beach or on the road. They work fantastic in all conditions and I have yet to regret wearing them on a run.

Photo Credit: Luis Escobar

Needless to say, I could go on for hours about how much I love them. Instead, I'll give you guys a brief run-down of my top 6 reasons to run in Luna Sandals:


1) Luna Sandals will mold to your feet and fit like a glove. They actually get better as they break in. Instead of tossing your running shoes after 500 miles (like many shoe companies suggest)-- your Luna's will last three times as long. Fact: My first pair of Luna Leadville Pacers have at least a thousand trail miles on them and still have plenty of wear to go. I recently invested in a few pairs and am looking forward to a couple of good years out of them.

Photo Credit: Luis Escobar

The Luna Mono, your "Everything" Sandal, good on trails, in water, on the road...everywhere! (Picture Credit: Luna Sandals)

2) Black toenails and epic blisters? A thing of the past if you switch to Luna Sandals! No more need to worry about a big enough toe box or packing extra moleskins in your pack to protect your battered heels. Since I started running in Luna's, I have had maybe one or two small blisters. My last pair of running shoes left me with blisters so bad I actually had to stop running for two weeks to let them heal. One of my good friends, Jess Soco, recently ran the Western States 100 in a pair of Luna's and didn't have a single blister. I watched a few miserable runners pull their shoes off at the finish line-- needless to say, it confirmed my belief that many shoe companies are destroying our feet. I have yet to hear about someone returning a pair of Luna's because they didn't like them or that they caused problems for their feet.


The Traditional Luna Mono (Photo Credit: Luna Sandals)

Photo Credit: Luis Escobar

3) You'll save a TON of money. Luna Sandals range in price from $36 (DIY Assembly Kit) to $125 (for the premium versions), which is on average much cheaper than the typical running shoe, which range from $85-$150+. You won't need to spend extra money on running socks, moleskins, inserts, and replacing your shoes once they wear out, ect. You get the most out of your money when you invest in a pair of Luna's.

 The Luna Venado, your perfect street sandal! (Picture credit: Luna Sandals)

4) You'll be supporting a small company instead of a large corporation. Luna has grown in the last several years from a couple of guys making sandals in a garage, to a small company selling sandals all over the world. Unlike bigger companies, locally owned businesses like Luna invest right back into the local economy, which overall helps to enrich the whole community. Small companies have a closer connection to their customers and the market place-- if you ever have a problem with your sandals or need help figuring out how to lace them up, you know they are only a phone call or e-mail away and will happily assist you.

Photo Credit: Luis Escobar

5) Luna Sandals are handmade in Seattle-- they are built to last and high quality. The owners of Luna have spent countless hours testing out different styles of laces, footbeds, soles, and lacing styles to achieve the most comfort, style and durability as possible. Instead of choosing the cheapest options to maximize revenue, Luna focuses on quality. Buying handmade items is also better for the environment-- Luna does not require a large production facility to make the sandals. The majority of the sandal-making is done by hand by a small team of Luna cobblers.

The Milk Chocolate Mono, your ultimate luxury sandal! (Picture Credit: Luna Sandals)


6) They look awesome and have several different models to choose from. Check it out!

Photo credit: Tom Norwood.


So what are you waiting for?! Click here to get yourself a pair of Luna Sandals. You'll thank me later :)




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20 comments

  1. So, you don't get rocks/gravel in your sandals? I love walking and hiking in sandals, but seems I'm always getting stuff inside. I'm game to try a pair of these!

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    1. If they fit correctly, it shouldn't be a problem. I found I got gravel / rocks in my shoes more often than in my sandals. If you do get them stuck, it's pretty easy to flick the bottom of your heels up a little and they fall right out :)

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  2. Don't you bang your toes on rocks? The trails around here are pretty rocky and I hit them hard once every other run. If not for the toe guard in my Merrell's, I'd have perpetual black toes.

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    1. I hate to say it because I'm borderline superstitious, but I've never stubbed my toe while wearing Luna's. I've definitely done it before in shoes. Here's my approach: when you wear sandals, you HAVE to be mindful of where you place your feet. Being more mindful of your steps promotes better form and less chance of injury. When I used to wear shoes, I'd just throw my foot in front of me without looking.

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    2. Exactly! When I was wearing Luna sandals, I banged my toes several times on sharp corners of furniture, doors etc at work, and it was so painful that my body automagically learned to be a lot more careful when I walk/run. Now it's kinda like reflex, forcing me to use my eyes and brain even though I'm not aware of it :)

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  3. Have you ever stepped on big rocks (the size at railroad crossings is a good example). I have done some running in Vibram 5 and loved them until I hit a good sized rock and my foot got really sore under the ball area. Hurt walking barefoot. No problem at all to run in running "shoes". It's been a month and i've been wary of the very minimal running. Loved the feel and running in them, but didn't like the feel after hitting the rock(s). Looking for trail shoes now. You make the Luna's sound great. Glad they are working out. (By the way, difficult to find shoes. most shoes I wear 15, 47 in the Vibram's fit me well. With Luna's it's pretty much a trace the foot thing, isn't it?)

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    1. I mentioned this in the previous comment, and I'll say more or less the same thing here: when you wear sandals, you must be mindful of your steps. Sure, cushioned shoes will hide the fact you're stepping on a big rock, but at the same time they also reduce your ground-foot connection, which throws off your running form. I take quicker, more deliberate steps when I run in sandals, and so far, no issues with hitting rocks. The type of Luna you wear is also important regarding ground feel. The Monos are the thickest Luna out right now, which offer a reasonable amount of padding. The Venados, on the other hand, are much thinner (i.e., you'll feel more). So the different sandals have different terrains they are best on.

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  4. I love running in Luna Sandals. The lightest and best foot action I have found in any shoe. The most like running barefoot for me. Perfect for running in the hills and rice fields of Bali. And also my favorite shoe for walking the jungles of NYC, dancing all night long, yoga in the mountains and other joys. Thank you Barefoot Ted McDonald for creating awesomeness! Am excited about running with them in the Bali Marathon next month.

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  5. Some good points but you need to get real with people about the costs. In order for these to be truly practical for running any distance AND any off-road we have to buy the extra strap kit. Given both of those factors these are more expensive, in initial outlay, than any running shoes I've bought. They're going to have to come down in price, including all the necessary strapping, before I risk it.

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    Replies
    1. But since they last 3 times as long, you're still coming out ahead

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  6. Cool blog!! :-) i'm slowly moving into just Luna sandal, from minimalist shoes. I have 50+ pairs of runningshoes but for the last month i have totally fallen in love with the Luna Leadville Pacer for trail and the Venados for everything else..so i consider to give most of my shoes away.. Wife is happe cos she's getting wardrobe space back, and i just love supporting a smaller company, and Luna customer suppert is just fantastic!!!! win win :D

    quick question, do you know of any good solution for winter running with sandals... wool toesox?

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    1. Since I just started running in my Luna's in December, I had the same question. I bought a pair of the Polar Tabi socks from the Luna website. They're been great! I tested them on an early morning mountain run with temperatures in the 20's and my feet felt great! One benefit I see is that I can comfortably wear a thicker sock like the Polar Tabi socks with my sandals, as opposed to my running shoes, where space is limited. Good Luck!

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  7. 12-13-14 is the first day I ran in Luna Sandals, I went from a very cushioned Nike Vomero to sandals but being a little skeptical I decided to keep track of my experience on my blog (http://jayfit4life.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-luna-sandal-experiment.html) . That being said, my experience so far has been positive! Some of the best things I've noticed; I have a lot more clean socks (since I'm not using them), the sandals take up very little room in my gym bag, I discovered just how much my shoes masked how hard I was pounding the ground, my running form is slowly transitioning and there's just an overall good feeling of running in sandals, it kind of makes running feel like it did when you were a kid playing and running was just what you did and not a form of exercise. Well, it's lunchtime, so I'm off for lunchtime run in my Luna's!

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  8. I run barefoot and I wear my New Balance Minimus or FiveFingers on 10+ miles runs. I've tried huaraches, but they flat around too much. I think I might've made them wrong...
    What kind of Luna's would you recommend for trail running?

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    1. Any of these...

      http://lunasandals.com/collections/trail-lunas

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    2. The Luna Oso Flacos are great for trail running...well now that I think of it they are great for road running as well. Lunas are rad all the way around

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  9. I am an experienced runner, and I typically run at a pretty quick pace (7:40/mile). I've been looking at these sandals for some time. My vibram 5 fingers are great for trails, but I want something I can use on roads as well. The vibrams hurt my feet when I do long runs with roads and trails. Any thoughts you can share? I am looking at the Bft diy monos for my first pair. Thanks!!

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