I’ve tried a fair number of minimalist sandals. I started with a pair of Luna’s when they were nothing more than just a kit you ordered to make your own sandals. These days I’m wearing a pair of Earth Runners Circadian Adventure Sandals. I’ve been wearing em about 5 months now and I figured it was time for an Earth Runners sandals review!
The Earth Runners Sandal Collection
Let’s start by talking about the different sandals Earth Runners offers. If you’d like to check out their website, you can click the link here: Earth Runners. As of right now, there are three different flavors of sandals along with two different lace options. In order of thinnest to thickest the options are Elemental, Circadian, and Alpha. And then the two lace options are the Lifestyle and the Adventure.
First, let’s talk about the sandal options. The Elemental and Circadian are very similar with one difference. The Elemental is Earth Runner’s most minimal sandal. It’s all rubber and has the thinnest sole. From what I can see the Circadian is basically the Elemental, but with a canvas sole topper added the sandal. Then the Alpha has a much more aggressive sole and a much thicker sole.
The two different lacing options move the slider between more comfort and a more secure attachment to your foot. I prefer my footwear to be more “do everything” so I opted for the Adventure laces, which are the more secure attachment option. I’ve never tried the Lifestyle laces so I can’t really comment on them.
My Circadian Adventure Sandals
I have been wearing the Circadian Adventure Sandals for about 5 months now. For most of that time, they have been my go-to footwear. Unless I really needed a closed toe shoe, I was wearing these. Even now in December, the Earth Runners are still my first choice.
So far I have owned a few pairs of Luna’s and a pair of Unshoes. The Earth Runners are my favorites so far. They are the perfect compromise between comfort and solid hold to my foot. I absolutely hate footwear that feels like it’s sliding around on my foot. And the Adventure laces, while rigid, haven’t ever felt uncomfortable.
I usually go for the thinnest sole option there is, but I decided on the middle option this time. I’ve found that minimalist sandals with nothing but a rubber top start to break down after lots of regular wear. This results in a whole bunch of little black rubber bits stuck to your foot every time you stick your foot in the sandal. I was not a fan. I’ve also found sandals with some kind of top material more comfortable for all-day wear. Rubber tops just make my soles feel clammy.
The canvas topper on the Adventure sandals is very comfortable. The added texture also helps your foot better sense the ground beneath it and improve your ground feel. Smooth topped shoes leave feet without enough feedback and can actually increase the risk of injury.
One of the major thing that sets Earth Runners apart from other minimalist sandals was a feature I only learned about after I ordered this pair! Earth Runners are grounding sandals. They offer a copper washer and steel thread in the laces that connect your foot to the ground electrically. That means that even though you’re wearing rubber soled sandals, you’re still Earthing. It’s a really cool feature!
Since the Circadian Adventure Sandal has been my go-to footwear, I’ve been able to access it’s durability pretty well. I’ve done several 5+ mile hikes in them and also lot’s of wear around town. They’ve held up very well. I see the typical wear pattern at the ball of the foot and the heel, but nothing excessive. I feel like they’ve got a good amount of life left in them still.
Earth Runners Sandals Review – Final Thoughts
Overall I’m very happy with my sandals. I can’t think of anything that bothers me so far. They’re affordable and comfortable. They don’t slide around on tough terrain and they don’t require much adjustment after the initial setup. They’re pretty easy to slide on and slide off. And they keep me connected to the ground. I think I’ve found my sandal.